In 2007, WaterWorks was expanded, adding a second wave pool, Tidal Wave Bay and a four-person raft ride. [11], Taft Broadcasting Company sold its theme park division in late 1983 for $167.5 million to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO), a new company formed by senior executives and general managers of Taft's Amusement Park Group. [13] Three parks were involved in the sale Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds along with a 20-percent stake in Canada's Wonderland. A whole new theme area was added this year with Hurricane Reef. Kings Dominion would add their second wooden . 1. 3. We also introduced 2 new attractions. Also present at the opening was a log flume, steam train, a collection of flat rides and a cable-car sky ride that transported visitors between Old Virginia and The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera. The expansion included a new 65-foot tall slide complex featuring three different attractions called Paradise Plunge, Aqua Blast, and Thunder Falls; a new children's area called Splash Island; expanded cabana areas, updated bathhouses, and other improvements to the area. Hypersonic XLC broke down frequently and was closed for the first three months of its second season; no other Paramount Parks installed a similar ride. It took nearly two years to build the park. Looking to get value out of your tax return this year? . The construction of Kings Dominion began October 1, 1972. The area is themed to a showcase of various European cultures, with buildings representing France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy. I guess this draws back to the age-old question: Was Volcano really worth it? 2022: Tumbili coaster replaces The Crypt. Dont miss Jungle X-pedition, an immersive x-perience x-ploring an ancient jungle civilization. DOSWELL, Va. -- Kings Dominion is set to launch Tumbili, a new 4D spin roller coaster, next year as part of the theme park's renamed and updated Safari Village, park officials announced Thursday. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the 280-acre (1.1 km 2) park opened to the public on May 3, 1975, and features more than 60 rides, shows and attractions including 13 roller coasters and a 20-acre Kings Dominion is an amusement park located in Doswell, Virginia, 20 miles (30 km) north of Richmond and 75 miles (120 km) south of Washington, D.C. Here, the first visitors paid their admission fee. In March 1988, Kings Dominion introduced the Avalanche. Today, the park offers more than 60 rides, shows and attractions as well as a water park. In April 1974, the Lion Country Safari drive-thru animal park at Kings Dominion in Doswell was ready to open, featuring several hundred animals antelope, elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes and more. An approximately one-third scale replica of the. A circular flat ride on which riders lay face down and swing in a circle. Located just steps away from Kings Dominion, Camp Wilderness - a KOA Campground - features camp sites, RV sites and a number of well-appointed deluxe cabins that are far from roughing it. [4] These icons included the return of the classic singing mushrooms, the repainting of Anaconda, an improved queue line for Volcano: The Blast Coaster, the return of classic blue ice cream, among other additions. This year is one of the most exciting in the park's history. In 1986, Shockwave, a standup roller coaster, was added. Kings Dominion introduces one of the biggest and baddest rides around, Anaconda. In late April 1975, landscape workers prepared gardens in front of the Eiffel Tower replica at Kings Dominion. On May 3rd, 2015 Kings Dominion celebrated it OFFICIAL 40th Birthday with a huge party at the park that included a plaque dedication for the front gate, live entertainment in all areas of the park, special birthday prizes for guests and much more. Experience fun all season long with our world-class events. A light coating of dust, just waiting to be brushed away. The Rebel Yell and Ricochet coasters were renamed Racer 75 and Apple Zapple, respectively. Today, the park offers more than 60 rides, shows and attractions as well as a water park. White Water Water Canyon opened this year, presenting guests with a fun, thrilling watery course and spouting geysers. The ride was first demonstrated at Oktoberfest 1949 and still appears in numerous amusement parks. Media related to Kings Dominion at Wikimedia Commons. The theme park opened with 15 attractions; its Lion Country Safari area had opened a year before. There seems to be ALOT of mountain left behind the trees. Extras and crew assembled at 7 a.m., but it was 2:15 p.m. before everything was ready so this scene could be shot. Formerly. On the business side, KECO reorganized so that the company owned and managed Kings Dominion, Carowinds, as well as the entertainment and design division, Kings Productions. It opened in 1992 as Hurricane Reef and is included with admission to Kings Dominion. (1979 - 1995) In 2014, Kings Dominion began celebrating its 40th Anniversary with the return of some favorites from the past. Soak up the sun at Soak City, our 20-acre waterpark included with admission. The area's fictional backstory centers around an explorer who discovered the uncharted land in 1935, naming the location "Site X. This could be a link to the alien activity. I snapped these over the weekend of the former Time Shaft site. Almost as notable as the launch of The Outer Limits was the fact that the entire ride was in semi-darkness; the riders could not see where they were going. 2. 5.9K views, 187 likes, 12 loves, 11 comments, 40 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from KD Golden Years: 38 years ago, Kings Dominion's "Time Shaft" of The Lost World made its debut. Hurricane Heights, a 65 ft. mega complex featuring 3 new slides and Splash Island, a family splash zone. The section originally opened as Nickelodeon Splat City in 1995, and was later renamed Nickelodeon Central in 2000. Drawing a crowd - a 17-story man-made mountain, housing three rides, opened yesterday at Kings Dominion theme park on Interstate 95. http://community.webshots.com/album/419637432CUOxsq. They also returned the Rebel Yell roller coaster to its original red and blue colors. [61] Kathleen Geier of Washington Monthly decried, "agonizing deaths are being served up for fun and profit to the gawking, peanut-crunching masses" and asked, "What next a thrill ride based on the Rana Plaza factory disaster in Bangladesh? Early history as Kings Dominion (197283), the television show after which the ride was named, List of Fast Lane attractions Kings Dominion, "Kings Dominion GM retiring after 40-plus years with theme park and parent company", "A Detailed History of Kings Dominion's General Managers", "IAAPA Oral History - Dennis Speigel | IAAPA", "With repeal of Kings Dominion law, Va. schools can now start before Labor Day", "The End-of-Summer Child Care Crunch Is Here. The rides trains are themed to Olympic bobsleds from five countries:United States, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland. A rail-guided car ride across a pond. Kings Dominion did not open for its normal operating schedule in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Centrifugal force, created as the ride spun, held passengers against the wall as the . [29], The 2008 and 2009 seasons saw Kings Dominion receive three rides that had operated at Geauga Lake during its dry amusement park's final season. Get full ticket information. Much of the apple-related themes were removed over the years, and the area became known as simply The Grove when it merged with the former Wayne's World area in 2001. Kilimanjaro? Jungle X-Pedition is set in the deep jungle, where explorers can visit base camp for a bite to eat the Outpost Caf and gear up at X-Plorer's Supplies. Passenger-driven cars that ride along on a guide rail. 'The Lost World' manmade mountain hold three fantasy-adventure rides. The attraction is the park's second linear induction launch-style roller coaster, joining Flight of Fear. Also new was The Showplace, a 7,500-seat, outdoor concert venue. It is similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster rides at Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland, which both opened in 2005. Standing 305 feet at its highest point, riders race down a 300-foot first drop and through high-speed twists and turns at speeds over 90 miles per hour. A 740-acre (3.0km2) site was chosen in Doswell, Virginia, with construction beginning on October 1, 1972. Take a wild, tumbling ride on Tumbili, Virginias first 4D spin coaster. On June 30, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company purchases Paramount Parks from CBS Corporation for $1.25 billion. Only a year later in 1980, the flume ride was rethemed Haunted River. The Rebirth of The Grizzly Part 3 - The Forces of Gravity. 1975: Grand opening, Eiffel Tower, Rebel Yell (wooden coaster), and Galaxie (steel coaster), 1976: Apple Turnover (Enterprise flat ride), 1979: Lost World (Themed area) featuring Journey to Atlantis, Land of the Dooz and Time Shaft, 1980: Haunted River replaced Journey to Atlantis, 1983: White Water Canyon; Galaxie coaster closed, 1984: Berserker; Smurf Mountain replaced Land of the Dooz, 1985: Diamond Falls and Scooby's Play Park, 1993: Days of Thunder; Smurf Mountain removed, 1995: Nickelodeon Splat City; The Time Shaft and The Haunted River are removed, leaving The Lost World completely empty, 1997: Taxi Jam; Hanna-Barbera Land renamed KidZville, 1999: Expansion of Hurricane Reef to WaterWorks, 2000: Nickelodeon Central; Pipeline Peak added to WaterWorks. During the Cedar Fair era, the park introduced Halloween Haunt. The park added the new Taxi Jam roller coaster, and Scooby's Playpark became a construction-themed playpen called Kidz Construction Company. Kings Dominion continued its growth when it became part of Paramount Parks in 1993 and switched its name to Paramount's Kings Dominion. Tornado, Dinosaurs Alive, and Volcano: The Blast Coaster were all removed before the 2019 season. The scheduling change adds additional weekends to the calendar in January, February, and early March, with regular park operations continuing throughout the rest of the year. Celebrate cultures from across the world during our immersive international celebration, Grand Carnivale. The Hurler, the park's fourth wooden roller coaster, highlighted the new attractions in thisarea of Kings Dominion. It debuted in 2001 as FearFest,[56] but following Cedar Fair's acquisition of the park, the event was renamed Halloween Haunt in 2007. Today, the park offers more than 60 rides, shows and attractions as well as a water park. In 2000, Nick Central opened, replacing Nick Splat City and part of Kidzville.[21]. A more faithful recreation of Kings Dominion, Virginia's premier themed amusement park. Kings Dominion is an amusement park located in Doswell, Virginia in Hanover County, 23 miles (37 km) north of Richmond and 83 miles (134 km) south of Washington, DC on Interstate 95. . The early part of this decade saw Kings Dominion open major new rides and attractions starting with the HyperSonic roller coaster in 2001. Halloween Haunt and The Great Pumpkin fest will make you shriek and giggle in the fall, and our holiday event, WinterFest, immerses you in the seasons spirit. You are using an out of date browser. The $7 million, 17-story attraction contained three components: the Journey to Atlantis flume ride (soon renamed the Haunted River), the Land of the Dooz childrens mine train and the Time Shaft rotor. This May 1979 image shows the interior of the new Time Shaft ride at the Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell. Kings Dominion began operating its animal safari area during the summer of 1974 as a way to drum up advance interest in the park. The rotor attraction was one of three inside the just-opened Lost World mountain. The decade of the 90's began with the expansion of Hanna-Barbera Land in 1990. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. An indoor performance theater. ), 1998-2019: Soak City Splash House (children's water play area; replaced by Lighthouse Landing), 20092011: El Dorado (where the WindSeeker is now located), 20102016: Snoopy's Moon Bounce (replaced by Sally's Sea Plane), This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 07:50. I recall unaccountably thinking the dance club vibe was really cool, and I loved the forces. In addition to rides, the area features an arcade, carnival games, counter-service restaurants, and a gift shop. The Kings Quarters Hotel also opened. It was opened to the public in May 2010. Yogi's Cave was rethemed to Treasure Cave and many rides in KidZville, such as Scooby-Doo's Ghoster Coaster, George Jetson's Spaceport, and Huck's Hot Rods, continued to bear the names of Hanna-Barbera characters. With gift shops and dining locations featuring European architecture and stunning views of the royal fountains, this is surely a great way to start your day at Kings Dominion. The park unveils its 12th roller coaster in Ricochet, which features a series of unexpected twists, turns and a 50-foot drop. Anaconda was also originally billed as having six loops,[17] but unlike Arrow's six-inversion coaster Drachen Fire that opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg the following year, the Anaconda actually has only four inversions: a vertical loop, a sidewinder, and two consecutive corkscrews. This May 1977 image shows a busy day at Kings Dominion in Doswell, with its trademark Eiffel Tower in the background it is one-third the size of the Paris landmark. There are now 18 attractions covering 14 acres (5.7ha).[34]. For the 2012 season, Kings Dominion installed WindSeeker in the Grove section of the park next to the Juke Box Diner. From left are driver Ken Lion, Lora Becraft and Larry and Mary Tropea. Kings Dominion added its fourth roller coaster, a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop known as the King Kobra, in 1977. Both mother and baby seem to be doing fine, said Larry Mather, zoological manager, though he added that the baby's chance of survival "is not 100 per cent. In 2015 Kings Dominion announced its Waterpark expansion project with WaterWorks being rebranded as Soak City. DOSWELL, Va. -- After more than 20 years of erupting in Doswell, Kings Dominion has decided to remove Volcano: The Blast Coaster. Kings Dominion, along with Kings Island, Carowinds, Great America and Canada's Wonderland, were sold midway through the season to Paramount Communications, Inc. An exciting new attraction opened this year with Days of Thunder, a racing simulator ride. Originally, the Lost World featured three rides: a flume ride called Voyage to Atlantis, a children's attraction mine ride known as Land of the Dooz, and a rotor called Time Shaft. Also during the 20072008 offseason, Cedar Fair renamed the park's last two rides to open with Paramount theming. 1975 - Park opened on May 3rd with five themed areas: Happy Land of Hanna Barbera, Safari Village, Coney Island, Old Virginia and International Street. Kings Dominion celebrates its 25th anniversary season. The park added its third launched roller coaster, Hypersonic XLC, in 2001. This was later converted into Nick Central. The complex cost $7 million to construct and can accommodate 6,800 persons an hour. A performance stage beneath the Eiffel Tower. A campground was completed in time for the 1978 season and the park's well-known Lost World mountain debuted in 1979. Kings Dominion Attractions: International Street - Begin your journey of fun in this tiny European village. This May 1980 image shows a skeletal pirate captain, one of 60 ghouls in the Kings Dominion theme parks Haunted River flume boat ride. It didn't take long for King Dominion to be recognized as the perfect family destination location in the Mid-Atlantic region. Also added was a new children's play area, Scooby's Play Park. The area is home to many of the park's thrill rides and roller coasters. 2018 also marked the debut of WinterFest, a Christmas-themed holiday event, during the winter season.