This park can't get a break..

I say it's closed cause of Covid, or maybe they are starting on what will replace Volcano and they don't want anyone in an active construction zone.

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Avalanche is an absolute gem of a ride.  Hopefully it is just because of construction and not because of a worse reason.

Maybe they will retheme it to become more appropriate to the area.

 

I heard its because of construction going on in the area around with the old Volcano location 

I thought I read closed for good, I was like jeez Kings Dominion, you really are Kings Island's sister park closing coasters left and right out of nowhere.

8 hours ago, grsupercity said:

I heard its because of construction going on in the area around with the old Volcano location 

I hope you are correct.

I feel sorry for KD. It always feels like the clause that BGW had with B&M really hurt KD down the road.

1 hour ago, SonofBaconator said:

I feel sorry for KD. It always feels like the clause that BGW had with B&M really hurt KD down the road.

It allowed KD to get more unique rides. 

Isn't that the same reason why all the B&M's used to go to Cedar Point and not King's Island?

5 hours ago, grsupercity said:

It allowed KD to get more unique rides. 

Unfortunately though they have no cushion. Love them or hate them, B&Ms provide cushions for parks so they can push themselves further. If something happens to Cheetah Hunt, BGT has Montu, Kumba, and Sheikra. If something happens to Pantheon, BGW has Apollo's Chariot, Alpengeist, and Griffon. KD only has Dominator

1 hour ago, SnakePlissken said:

Isn't that the same reason why all the B&M's used to go to Cedar Point and not King's Island?

Pretty much. Notice how after the Paramount buy, Cedar Fair gave us three.

I've never seen any regional park all but completely remove all attractions from an area in the span of 2* seasons. So unfortunate it happened to be KDs best line up. 

If KD has something in it's future plans other than a (maybe) freespin I hope they got it because it is going to take a miracle to now catch up with BGW.

That top 3 of I305, Twisted Timbers and Volcano would have been so nice. Instead... A park on a massive decline. 

I don't think they are removing avalanche.  I agree it was a mistake taking out Volcano.  Could have had intamin come in and install the new generation of LSM's and refurbish the ride.  That ride was so ahead of its time.

8 hours ago, Captain Nemo said:

If KD has something in it's future plans other than a (maybe) freespin I hope they got it because it is going to take a miracle to now catch up with BGW.

I think KD is going to transition to be the discount park for a while until they get their footing back. They removed their best coaster and have been removing or closing some of their smaller ones during the past decade. That rumored B&M wing might help KD but BGW is years ahead of them in my opinion.

Though its been spread out through other Sea World parks, I think Tempesto was intentional. A Premier Skyrocket II would have been perfect for KD during the 2010s but BGW beat them to it, which is partially why I think KD chose to aquire a S&S 4d freespin; not just because it spins like the Crypt but to beat BGW to something.

Paramount/Viacom/CBS did this park no favors.  The coasters they put in, while thrilling, were not capable of sustaining the park.  Volcano: The Blast Coaster was incredible and a terrible loss for the park.  Shockwave and The Hurler--not so much, their replacements were wise.  Then add the decision to  put in I-305 which has not seemingly given the park the ROI CF expected, then the tax breaks to Carowinds and we have what we have today.

I hope and pray that CF takes a long look at KD.  It is worthy of a strategy to build on to what it once was.  Solid Planet Snoopy.  Excellent entryway.  Charm out the wazoo.  I am hoping what they are doing to Safari Village is going to set the stage for a revival.  KD has excellent bones.

I have not recognized the charm in my visits.  There's a parking lot coaster and slow moving ops.  They do have a ton of kids rides though.

51 minutes ago, coaster sally said:

I have not recognized the charm in my visits.  There's a parking lot coaster and slow moving ops.  They do have a ton of kids rides though.

I am not sure what charm has to do with slow ops. Dominator aside, they have a lot more trees and seclusion than KI at this point. The two water rides feels like you are in the woods. You have Grizzly out in the woods like The Beast.  Some of the flats the somewhat hidden. Then you have the dare I say cozy International Street.  I am pretty sure that might be the charm Beestfarmer is talking about. 

The way I see it, one park is adding rides and thriving while another is closing rides and and falling. 

If Cedar Fair wants this park to succeed, I think they should look at Mack for KD. They could give them a powersplash which BGW doesn't have and maybe go with a Mack or Gerstlauer spinner. Anything to give them a competitive edge. I'm sorry to say it but if I was given the opportunity to visit one Virginia park, I would choose BGW in a heartbeat

Yikes
I was unfortunate to go in2018 and not get to ride Volcano after wishing to try it out as a young lad :p
But man, I enjooyed Avalanche and their TR:TR
Hopefully this is secretly the sign of something great to come!
I just hope their PR decides to communicate such a plan instead of being silent for too too long; I'm sure locals are getting worried like we are, for the success of the park/ value of the park

BGW also has the advantage of having a major tourist destination a stones throw away.  Doswell isn't exactly Williamsburg and the area around the park didn't expand like Mason, Charlotte or Vaughan.

I really enjoyed my visit to KD a few years ago but I just don't think CF is going to put the money into it when they have other parks that are more of a priority.

Even if they were to add a B&M wing coaster or anything else even that won't raise the needle enough to even be on par as a local competitor for BGW. It would take multi-year expansions and a lot of money, which unfortunately I don't see CF at this time especially after COVID pursuing. 

The charm I am speaking of is that to me, it retains much of the original Taft feel.  Granted,  KI has come a long way in restoring  that charm to KI but when I visited KD a few years ago, it felt much like the KI of the old days.

Trees everywhere (But I think they need to remove them on IS).  They had flags on the buildings and the stenciling was very well themed.  The music was appropriate to the area.  For the most part, the "lands" were appropriately themed.  The walkway from the Tower back to CAG was beautiful.  TR: Firefall, while a Paramount/Viacom/CBS addition was so much fun to watch and they had maintained extensive theming.  

Flowers were everywhere.  They had statues on International Street that looked European.  Around the base of the Tower, they had a history of the park written into stones--I assume they had repurposed the Paramount Story instead of just turning the stones over.  

Racer 75 and Grizzly were smooth as butter.  Racer 75 had been repainted red, white and blue.

The park is getting a 4d coaster and clearly there is a lot going on at the old volcano location. This park has yet to get neglected and I do not picture it starting now

7 hours ago, grsupercity said:

The park is getting a 4d coaster and clearly there is a lot going on at the old volcano location. This park has yet to get neglected and I do not picture it starting now

Compared to the other Paramount parks that were acquired by Cedar Fair, Kings Dominion has been on the short end of the stick. KI, Carowinds, and Canada's Wonderland got big additions under Cedar Fair while KD seemed to be going backwards.

So apparently, some new theming has appeared concerning what may be Volcano and/or The Crypt's replacement:

https://www.coaster101.com/2021/06/23/mysterious-crates-appear-at-kings-dominion/

Awesome