I have a question - it doesn't have to do with 1305, but is KD anywhere near Washington DC? That's just a question out of interest......

If I remember correctly, KD is about an hour away from DC. Maybe someone can shed some light in on this?

Kings Dominion is theoretically about an hour and half from Washington, DC. Remember, of course, that nothing is as close as it seems from DC, because rush hour is from 6am - midnight around the capitol. Also, every highway between DC and Richmond (the route to Kings Dominion) is being widened to create more HOV lanes.

Anyone planning a trip to Kings Dominion from Ohio should plan alternate routes around DC that add a theoretical hour (and therefore take just about as long as the route through DC). But for people who are already in Washington, I guess there's not much you can.

That being said, Kings Dominion is worth the traffic. Easily.

Isn`t DC to the north and east of Richmond, Virginia? So why would someone coming from Cincinnati travel through DC to get to Kings Dominion? Granted, that may be the case for someone coming from northern Ohio, but I doubt that is the case for someone coming from south western Ohio. I mean, take 52 to Huntington, WV and then pick up I-64 to Richmond and take I-95 north to Doswell.

I would agree RZ, there is no need to go through DC. Even if coming from the Columbus area I still find it best to run through Richmond to Doswell and after a trip to KD may as well head on down to Busch Gardens.

But there is a need to go through DC if one intends to visit there before going to Kings Dominion, which would seem perhaps the thought here. Not everyone just does parks...

New pictures have been released along with information on the first rider auction. Bids are starting at $100.

http://intimidator305.com/public/latest/gallery/.

if you look at intimidator 305's web-cam there are ice sickles hanging over it.

web-cam

The trains have arrived for Intimidator 305

http://www.intimidator305.com/public/latest/blog/

http://www.intimidator305.com/public/latest/gallery/

If you look closely, it appears as though the harness will not be the hoped-for soft straps, but it is something more solid (unless that bar just sits on your lap, and soft shoulder straps are connected to it.

I think restraint will look similar to Intamin Spinning coaster Tornado...

Here picture of tornado restraint

http://themeparkrevi...=27&linkid=4158

That is the coaster I think of when hoping for soft straps for restraints. I hadn't remembered seeing the hard lapbar type thing, like Intimidator 305 has, on that coaster.

didn't they already shoot down the ideas that the restraints on intimidator305 would have any form of a shoulder harness and would be nothing more than a lap bar like the ones found on shoot the rapids and pilgrim's plunge?

Nothing has been confirmed, except John Pagel (sp?) said the restraints would not be like in the renderings, aka not like Maverick's

posted from over at screamscape, pictures of kings dominion's 2010 attraction began testing.

link to photos

although just pull through, this is, in my opinion, the best part of the ride's construction.

Nothing has been confirmed, except John Pagel (sp?) said the restraints would not be like in the renderings, aka not like Maverick's

There is a picture of the test seat on a friends facebook page (which I can't make show up on KIC). It is basically a lap bar that pivots down from the headrest and has a seatbelt that attaches from the center of the lapbar to the seat between a riders legs. Nothing should interfere with the head or upper body.

Edit - although looking again at the Tornado restraints from an earlier post, it looks identical to the test seat, except with the shoulder straps. I'm guessing they are just not used on the test seat - the test seat even looks to have the "attachment points" for the straps.

Yeah. I ended up seeing a picture somewhere to where I could pretty much make out what the seat and restraints look like.

"So Screamscape has gotten to the bottom of the over-the-shoulder-restraint controversy. Early pictures and animations showed what everyone believed to be dreaded over-the-shoulder restraints. Lance called John Pagel from Kings Dominion and Pagel described the restraints as “over the shoulder straps”. Here’s a screen capture of the strap restraints on Intamin’s Tornado at Bakken. It’s a pretty new system so I can see why there was so much confusion. I don’t think these will be half as bad as real over the shoulder restraints. The main issue with those is of course the head banging. That doesn’t look possible with these straps. Lance also speculated a while back that using a different restraint system than Millennium Force’s lap bars may allow for more larger riders. No one likes to be turned away from a roller coaster. Especially after facing the insanely long waits Intimidator will likely have."

http://www.thecoastercritic.com/2009/08/intimidator-305-giga-coaster-coming-to-kings-dominion-in-2010.html

too bad they can't just not install the straps, i think it would be neat to have the whole upper half of your body free, like on millie and top thrill.

I feel those straps go well with the NASCAR theme. Those straps look similar to what NASCAR drivers wear inside their cars

I heard they may start testing as early as next week, but doubtful based on how slow the pull through is going.

Are they behind schedule? Anyone else thinking that, being an Intamin, with the slow process, that this ride will not run on opening day. Remember Intamin does not have a great track record of reliable mega coasters. I just feel like compared to Diamondback last year they are behind schedule

Here are some pictures of I305's new track : Construction pictures