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*Park Tickets, Food, and Fast Lane Passes provided by Kings Dominion. All opinions are my own
As Snoopy’s Rocket Express lazily glides along the track at Kings Dominion Amusement Park, the two riders spot him. Charlie Brown. Passionate about character meet-and-greets, Obligatory Traveler and A Journey We Love vigorously wave at the beloved Peanuts character. They hope their friendly gesture
conveys their desire for a picture. Once the ride concludes, the ladies make a beeline to Charlie Brown. He is gone. Defeated, they head for a whirl on the Carousel. At the conclusion of the day, they stroll to the exit. Their eyes catch a glimpse of bright yellow. Charlie Brown has returned. Joy abounds. Pictures are taken. Character meet-and-greet goal achieved.
Check out the A Journey We Love travel site
Located in Hanover County, Virginia, Kings Dominion is a lovely amusement park. Fountains and flowers greet guests at the entrance, setting the tone for a wonderful day. Whether you are traveling with a toddler or a senior, there are attractions for every level of thrill seeker.
High Thrill Seekers
If you are a roller coaster enthusiast, Kings Dominion is the park for you. Their steel coaster Pantherian (formerly The Intimidator) is often listed as one of the most intense roller coasters in the United States. As I waited at the coaster’s exit, friends traded stories about greying out and praised the ride’s powerful G-forces.
Though it looks like a wooden coaster, Twisted Timbers is a hybrid of wood and steel. The coaster is one of the most well-known rides at Kings Dominion. Thrill seekers complement this coaster for its airtime and unhinged layout.
Coaster fans describe the park’s newest coaster, Rapterra, as a short, bouncy ride with an exciting launch and cool theming.
Other thrill coasters include an indoor coaster named Flight of Fear. The rough-riding wooden coaster, Grizzly. The smooth, intense floorless coaster, Dominator, and Tumbili, which reviews describe as underwhelming.
I skip riding these types of coasters, but Shannon hasn’t met a coaster he won’t ride. The crazier the better. He rode every high thrill coaster at Kings Dominion except for Tumbili. His favorites are Pantherian and Twisted Timbers.
In addition to thrill coasters, there are thrill flat rides, including a drop tower, pendulum ride, and the Wind Seeker swings.
Medium Thrill Seekers
Medium thrills are where I thrive. I’m delighted that more and more parks are installing “family coasters.” Today, medium thrill seekers have more to ride.
What’s more exciting than riding a coaster? Riding a rare coaster (especially if it was a coaster you could play in Roller Coaster Tycoon). Bobsled coasters are rare. Riding one has been on our amusement park bucket list for years. Experiencing Kings Dominion’s Reptilian bobsled coaster was a treat. The coaster is good-old-fashioned fun. There are no big drops or loops. The thrill comes from the crazy sensation of zipping along the chute without tracks beneath the car. Many parks dismantled their bobsled coasters as they are difficult and expensive to maintain. I appreciate Kings Dominion’s commitment to amusement park history.
Wooden coaster Racer 75 is original to the park’s opening. The drop is big enough to have a good scream, but not too intense. The airtime hills left Ruby from A Journey We Love and me giggling. If a member of your group is ready to graduate up from the Woodstock Express coaster, Racer 75 is an excellent next step.
I always look forward to riding family launch coasters. The Backlot Stunt Coaster has a thrilling launch, mild drops, and plenty of banked turns. It’s a coaster made for me. I could ride it over and over again.
Apple Zapple is a basic mouse coaster. If you don’t visit amusement parks a lot or have run out of medium thrill rides, Apple Zapple is a solid choice. Just know that the line is long, moves slowly, and there is no Express Lane. The mouse is fun, but I would rather use my time for other rides.
There is also a rapids ride and a log flume for medium thrill seekers to enjoy.
Just Fun
As a carousel enthusiast, I was stoked to ride the historic wooden horse carousel built in 1917.
The Ferris Wheel is relaxing and offers nice views of the park. Boo Blasters is a not-so-scary dark ride. Other classic just fun rides like the swings, antique cars, bumper cars and the Eifel Tower (which was closed during our visit) are scattered throughout the park.
Kid Fun
I think Planet Snoopy at Kings Dominion is one of the cutest kid themed lands. After our visit to the Charles M. Schulz Museum in California, I appreciate the Peanuts theming even more. People with small kids often shy away from non-Orlando parks, fearing limited ride options for little ones. Planet Snoopy feels like a park within a park. There are a decent number of rides to keep the small kids happy, including two coasters.
Even if you are an adult, I recommend the Woodstock Express Coaster. Like the bobsled coaster, Junior Wooden Coasters are unique.
Read about our visit to the Charles M. Schulz Museum
Keep your eyes out for the character meet-and-greets.
Between Planet Snoopy and the Just for Fun rides, there is enough to keep the little kids in your group busy.
Food
Though a majority of the food is traditional amusement park fare, there are a few places to nosh at if you want to escape burgers, pizza, and chicken fingers. Grains and Grill offers non-fried food options, and Cactus Cantina dishes up quick service Southwest cuisine. Our choice for the day was Firehouse BBQ. I got the pulled pork with green beans as my side. Each meal comes with a piece of cornbread.
Lunch was enjoyable. The portion was a good size without leaving you too full to jump onto the next coaster. Our group’s overall consensus was that Firehouse BBQ was “good for amusement park food.” I heard the same comments from others in our group who ate at Cactus Cantina. It’s nice to know there are options if you aren’t in the mood for burgers or chicken fingers.
Sadly, the ice cream shop was closed the day of our visit. Fortunately, Dippin’ Dots never disappoint.
Water Park
Soak City Waterpark is included with your regular park ticket. This makes visiting Kings Dominion a good value. From our observation, many visitors splash around at the water park the first half of the day, then transition to the main amusement park. We skipped the water park. The advantage for us was shorter morning ride lines.
Fast Lane
Fast Lane passes are now available at Kings Dominion. They are an additional cost. If you are a high thrill seeker visiting on a busy weekend, I could see the advantage of purchasing the Fast Lane. The weekday crowds tend to be low. The non-thrill rides on the Fast Lane list load a lot of people, keeping wait times low.
Not every ride has a Fast Lane. Look at the list of Fast Lane rides to determine if it is worth the extra cost for you. It’s nice to have but not always necessary.
Entertainment
Various music acts play throughout the park. There is a Cirque theater show. My favorite park entertainment is the Singing Mushrooms and Frog Pianist.
Conclusion
One of the things I appreciate the most about Kings Dominion is the layout. Each land has a good mix of rides. If someone wants to ride Twisted Timbers, they can queue up while others take a spin on the carousel.
Whether you are visiting Williamsburg, Richmond, or exploring the historic sites and farms of Hanover County, Virginia, add a day at Kings Dominion onto your itinerary. The theming and landscaping are beautiful. Staff are helpful and friendly. Kings Dominion amusement park as something for everyone from thrill seekers to chill seekers.
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