A park fit for a King.

Well, kinda.

Outside of parks located within an hour drive of my house (either Massachusetts or Florida) Kings Dominion is probably the park I've visited the most. I used to always have such great times visiting the park and riding all their coasters.. But since moving I hadn't had the chance to revisit what was one of my favorite parks. Between 2009 and 2014 I'd driven past the park maybe 5 times but it was either their off-season or they were on weekend only operations and I needed to be elsewhere (IE: moving across the country and such)... So showing up at the park I was pretty excited and also very ready to ride Intimidator 305, mostly so I could make people stop asking why I hadn't ridden it yet 

(I mean... come on, I've ridden rides in Norway but still hadn't been on 305?)

After packing up my rental and eating 3 pancakes more than I should have at the Denny's, my dad and I walked across the parking lot to the entrance. Getting out in front just a few minutes before opening. We would only have a few hours in the park because we needed to get back up to DC, drop off the car at the airport, take the Metro to the hotel my mom and sister were staying at, change, and then take taxi across town to Constitution Hall by 6.
(again, who has time to relax on vacation?)

Although since we've both been to the park dozens of times, a few hours was really all that was needed. I just needed to ride two things anyways.

 Kings Dominion <3

 What a surprise...........
I knew Volcano would likely be closed due to the reconfiguration of the station but I was kinda disappointed Windseeker would be closed. (not that its a good ride or anything.. but just because the only one I've been able to ride is the Canada's Wonderland version)

 Kings Dominion is celebrating its 40th season this year, so I wanted to make it out to the park... Sadly outside of this cake, a display in the front gift shop, and a few signs around the Eiffel Tower.. there wasn't much going on

(and even logo'd items for sale seemed to lack)

 The only real display of the parks 40 year history was found just inside the park at the main gate gift shop.

 There was also a timeline around the shop displaying when different things were added to the park over the years... 

EWW, Hypersonic! We can just forget about that addition. 

(one of the worst rides I'd ever ridden)

 40th Logo and the parks Eiffel Tower

(I love observation towers and could spend hours at the top just looking around)

 International Street and its 300 foot long fountain pool

 Woo, Eiffel Tower opens a half hour before the rest of the park (as does the rest of  International Street) so I was able to spend some time at the top without wasting ride time.

 !!! The Hungry Hippo?!

Oh man, I'd have eaten here had we had the time!

 Oh man! (again) Intimidator 305!

I'd driven past the coaster a few times during its construction and during the winter as well, but this would be my first time getting to ride it.

As soon as rides opened for the day we made our way over to I305.

I didn't have high expectations for it and seeing is how most of the coaster-community hates on it. I kept my excitement to a minimum as we got up to it.

 Showing up to the empty station and noting only a single train was being used, I assumed it wasn't so popular with locals either...

 But I found it rather good... Far superior to the other Intamin 'Giga Coaster'
305 feet of fun!

 For my first ride we opted to a 3 train wait for the front row.

It didn't disappoint and the first drop was fantastic!

 The whole ride itself was a lot of fun, I just wish I could have ridden it before all the modifications and trims.... 

(it could have also used a few extra bunny hills and lapbars too.... just saying)

 Since it was a walk on we took a quick second ride in the last row, I was kinda surprised my dad re-rode it with me. He typical rides things once. Getting pulled over the first drop in the back was lovely, but I enjoyed the front row view more.

 After 305 we jumped on a line-less Flight of Fear... I don't know whats happened to this poor ride but it was running like crap.

Haha, and of the 4 rides in this photo I only rode one
(and the one I wanted to ride was closed!)

 Uh-Oh!

 We weren't gonna ride Anaconda but seeing it cycle with just 4 or 5 riders we said 'why not'

Not that I thought it would have a line.

Its holding up pretty good for its age, although the "water splash" jets weren't being used. I don't know if it even has them anymore.

 Look at me! I'm a closed Volcano!

 Haha, Look at me! I'm open.. but not worth riding, even when a walk on!

 Zero riders? Yeah, maybe they can just bring back Diamond Falls.

 At some point in the last 6 years Shockwave got the "Raptor/Hydra" look. It looks nice but I liked the alternating colors paint job it had. The line was longer than what we had time for today so it was skipped.

 (and since I had got beaten up on SkyRider last summer, I was pretty OK not riding)

 Triple Spin got renamed Bad Apple this year 

(a shout out to a ride the park removed years ago)

 One of the few things done to the park for its 40th season was bringing The Grove back to Candy Apple Grove and adding the singing mushrooms again (and a few giant apples along the midway)

 ahhhhahahaha.... WINDseeker was closed today because of..... wait for it... wait for it... high winds!

(yes, really)

 I was kinda bummed because I hadn't ridden it here yet.

But I was able to ride the one at Canada's Wonderland 3 times last summer

(so I knew I wasn't missing much... just some new view points)

 300 feet of closed ride.

Meh

I wasn't gonna ride Ricochet but my dad really likes Wild Mouse coasters... So I gave up my chance to ride Hurler for it.

Although, I doubt I was missing anything good.
This poor coaster is one of those "falls from grace" rides... It used to be so awesome and now its just... eh.

Oh look.... Americana, Geauga Lake's old Ferris Wheel

After we buckled our seat belts (!) we took our ride. This was both of our first times on it at Kings Dominion.

WOW! Rebel Yell was racing? I hadn't seen this is nearly 10 years (same for the racers at Kings Island, Carowinds, AND Cedar Point) maybe Cedar Fair realized the point of a racing coaster is to run them together.
But since Cedar Fair took away backward trains, I didn't ride.
(ZzZzz)

As we were on Americana. Drop Zone Drop TOWER across the midway started testing, it had also been closed due to the winds but was preparing to open.
We stood around maybe 10 minutes and it did start taking on guests.
(Mmm, so much better than Mäch)

What the hell is this crap?

RAWR! Out of my way stupid dino....
I'm looking for something that used to be around here somewhere?

Ah, for some reason now hidden away from everything in the park....
Grizzly!

Grizzly was running really well but not as well as some of the epic night rides I'd had on it years ago.
The more the park (pointlessly) adds around the coaster... the less hidden the ride itself becomes.
(this needs to be stopped)

Haha, they were selling the second original CoasterDynamix kits in one of the shops, I've got one of these Scorpion kits back home in Melrose somewhere
(back when it fiirrrssssttttt came out!)
((next time I drive between FL/MA I'll have to bring it down!))

 So.... let me get this straight... You can sell these awful Grumpy Cat shirts... 

but not a nice "40th Season" shirt?

 Before leaving the park to drive back to Washington we checked the line for Dominator. 

My dad still hadn't ridden it and it was pretty much a walk on so we took a ride.

(Rob and I actually rode it opening day and got shirts for being the first 1000 riders back in 2008)

Its a fun ride, although awkwardly placed in the park since it was a transplant and such.

Ok, back up 95 for 75 miles or so... during rush hour... and uh, lots of construction traffic! Yaayyy!

 But we did eventually make it to Reagan/National Airport and onto the Metro

(My second favorite subway system <3)

 Damn, check out the view from our room
at the Grand Hyatt Washington

It seemed to nice of a hotel for me... but don't worry, I slept on the floor.

 Once changed and seeing my mom for the first time since leaving for Europe it was off to Constitution Hall for the DAR Continental Congress
(my sister was in the running for some award or something)

 The United States Air Force Band

 Uh, Constitution Hall / Continental Congress happenings.

 My sister was in the top 10 for this award, thing, she ended up placing 4th overall I believe.

And back at the Grand Hyatt Washington again. 

Time to sleep for a little bit before getting up, once again packing my bags and then going for a walk all around DC before heading back to the airport for the final two flights of my amazing trip.

Yup

Twitter bonus stuff and stuff.

Being bitchy - Tweet

But it was worth it - Tweet

Three hour recap - Tweet

Metro - Photo

 Kings Dominion panorama via Vine - Video

Just one last part to blog about now. yay