Phadd-F
Roller Poster
TOP EAST THRILL
31/05/'25: Coney Island
01/06/'25: Six Flags Great Adventure
02/06/'25: Kings Dominion
03/06/'25: Busch Gardens Williamsburg
04/06/'25: Hershey Park
05/06/'25: Kennywood
06/06/'25: Kings Island
07-08-09/06/'25: Cedar Point
10/06/'25: Canada's Wonderland
11/06/'25: Knoebels
12/06/'25: Dorney Park
13/06/'25: Six Flags America
DAY 3: KINGS DOMINION
Day three of our American coaster trip began with a solid three-hour drive. Fortunately, the park did not open until 11 a.m., so we did not have to get up brutally early. Still, with 14 roller coasters on offer, we will have to put some effort in today to get the bingo. Today’s destination: Kings Dominion.
This was the first former Cedar Fair park on our itinerary, now part of the Six Flags group. We had picked up our season passes the day before at Six Flags Great Adventure, and that process had not gone smoothly. Once again, something was wrong: the passes could not be scanned when we tried to enter the parking lot. Fine—pay for parking for now and take it up with Guest Services.
Once inside, the issue was resolved quickly, and they even refunded the parking fee. Thankfully, that was the last time our season passes caused trouble during the trip. It is the first year that the old Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks are all included in a season pass, and the transition clearly went a little bumpy.
We decided to buy a refill cup right away. It was already warm, and after the long drive we were ready for a cold drink. That is also when we learned that the refill systems are not unified. The cup I bought the day before at Six Flags Great Adventure was not valid here. And the one we bought at Kings Dominion could only be used in the former Cedar Fair parks. Still, no regrets—great concept, and the cup makes a fun souvenir.
Felt so good to be back! Like you're meeting an old holiday fling again after many years...
Time for rides—more specifically, roller coasters. And our first coaster of the day would be Niels’ 300th. For a milestone like that, you want something special, and Kings Dominion certainly provides options. We went with Twisted Timbers, an RMC conversion of an old wooden coaster. I rode it in 2018 and still rank it as my second-favorite RMC (with my number one still ahead of us on this trip).
Seeing Twisted Timbers again felt like running into an old friend. My eyes lit up, and nostalgic excitement surged. Nostalgia can cloud judgment, but Twisted Timbers did not disappoint. It remains a pure airtime machine, launching you out of your seat from start to finish. Thanks to the steel iBox track, it is smooth as butter.
A terrific coaster #300 for Niels, and a strong start to the day. Let the bingo hunt begin. Next up was Apple Zapple, a Mack wild mouse with the same layout as the one found in Legoland parks. The layout itself is nothing remarkable, but the operator made a show out of it. Most American parks equip operators with headset mics to deliver safety instructions and entertain guests. This one was extremely enthusiastic about his Aaaaaappleeee Zaaaaaappleeeee, and his mic was so loud you could hear him from across the park. It made an otherwise ordinary +1 more memorable.
Kings Dominion has a horseshoe-style layout, and we were in one far corner. Instead of zig-zagging across the park, we simply planned to ride whatever coasters we encountered on our way to the other side. That brought us to Racer 75, a classic dueling woodie from 1975. Despite its age, it is still great fun. Less amusing was the fact that only one side was operating, costing my friends a credit and removing the racing aspect which kills the reason they made a duelling coaster. Not fun to see, even on a quiet day.
The next wooden coaster—because American parks are thankfully not shy about woodies—is Grizzly. It is still tucked away, and you have to walk through a gift shop to reach the queue. I rode it in 2018 and did not enjoy it: rough, unremarkable and forgettable. I skipped it and let the others wreck their backs. To my surprise, they returned praising it. A coordinated prank to rope me in? “We suffer, you suffer?” I stayed skeptical.
We continued toward the opposite end of the horseshoe, into the jungle-themed area. Compared with 2018, quite a bit has changed: additional theming that is pretty good for a Six Flags park, plus two new coasters. Those two would be my only new credits here.
The first was Tumbili, an S&S Free Spin. I was relieved I was able to skip the Free Spin the day before, since I had already ridden that one. This one was still new to me. But did it need to ride it? Does coaster-counting always trump enjoyment? In a rare move, already in the queue and nearly ready to board, I bailed. I hate this coaster type. I find it terrifying, I never enjoy it, and I spend the whole experience waiting for it to end. No thanks. One fewer credit is fine.
I was far more excited about the other new coaster. This year the park opened Rapterra, replacing the removed Volcano coaster (which I saw standing SBNO in 2018). It is only the second launched wing coaster from B&M, and the layout looked promising. The queue and station are quite well themed for a park like this. But the ride itself was disappointing. It is simply not smooth. And for a brand-new B&M, that is concerning. Not violent, but enough rattling that I did not need a second lap.
The launch has adequate punch, and the section flying over the pathway is a fun interaction moment. But the coaster desperately lacks near-misses—an essential ingredient for this model. There are some along the launch, but nothing for the rest of the layout. A missed opportunity. I would not call Rapterra a must-do.
We continued our coaster hunt on Reptilian, the park’s bobsled coaster. There are not many of these left worldwide, so I am glad Kings Dominion keeps it running. It does nothing wrong but nothing distinctive either. Fun once, no need to repeat.
On the far end of the park stands Pantherian—better known under its former name, Intimidator 305. A world-class ride. For 2025, the park re-branded it because the NASCAR licensing expired. A new paint job and some tweaks produced a sharp-looking black-and-orange coaster—but also a closed one. Very disappointing, especially for the group. I at least rode it in 2018. They will have to come back.
Such a sad sight...
Next was Flight of Fear, a Premier indoor launch coaster. It delivers a powerful launch into a spaghetti bowl of track weaving above, below, and around itself. We would ride a clone of it later in the trip. Speaking of clones, Backlot Stunt Coaster was next. I had forgotten how tiny the trains feel and how punchy the launch is. The helix is intense too. It is a fun family-thrill concept but quite uncomfortable. I am glad we have Mecalodon in Belgium—proof that not everything in America is automatically better. And we still were not done; two more clones awaited us later on the trip.
We were nearly done—three coasters to go. Woodstock Express is one of two coasters in Planet Snoopy, a kiddie woodie. The other kiddie coaster, the Great Pumpkin Coaster, is even smaller. “Great” is generous—basically a tiny oval three meters tall. But it gave me an unexpected extra credit. In 2018, adults were not allowed without a child. In 2025, that rule seems to have changed. Excellent—two new credits after all!
The final coaster needed for a full park bingo (even if it feels wrong with Pantherian closed) was Dominator, a B&M floorless awkwardly located beside the main street and near Planet Snoopy. It surprised me in 2018—much more fun than it looks. And again, it delivered. It is mostly inversion-to-inversion pacing, but still very enjoyable. The orange and blue color scheme is sexy as well.
With that, we had technically completed the bingo—two credits short of what we hoped. Unfortunately, that would become a recurring theme on the trip. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you do not. The park was quiet, so we had plenty of time for rerides. Twisted Timbers was the obvious pick, but the group also wanted another lap on Grizzly.
Curiosity won, and I joined, hoping it was not a setup. Against expectations, they were right. The park must have invested serious work, because the roughness was gone. And it turned out Grizzly is a genuinely enjoyable coaster. Impressive revival by the park.
With some time left, we headed up the Eiffel Tower replica for some photos. We rode the elevator up this one-third-scale version of Paris' ugliest landmark and took in the view. After a while we had enough photos and queued for the elevator down. But gradually it dawned on us that we had been waiting for a long time—forty-five minutes. Had anyone seen the elevator doors open?
Our suspicions were confirmed when two exhausted employees opened the emergency door to tell us the elevator had failed and we would be evacuated via the emergency stairs. Fortunately, the “emergency stairs” were proper, sturdy stairways—not narrow evacuation ladders. And the weather was perfect: no wind, no chill. Still, if the Eiffel Tower is 330 meters high and this one is one-third scale… quick math: roughly 100 meters of stairs. That is not nothing.
Lucky us could look out on a closed Pantherian for almost an hour
Especially not for someone afraid of heights. I coped by looking down and focusing only on the next step. The staircases seemed endless. By the time I reached the ground, my knees were shaking—not from fear but exertion. A bench break was welcome. Staff greeted us with bottled water and vouchers as compensation.
One voucher was for a free funnel cake or ice cream. The group chose funnel cakes; after checking the calorie count, I chose ice cream. I cannot remember the rest—there was definitely a skip-the-line pass, but with the park quiet and near closing, it was essentially useless. Still, the gesture is what matters. They did not have to offer anything, but they did. Excellent customer service.
Stressful in the moment, but now a fun story. Kings Dominion will forever be the park where we got stuck in their Eiffel Tower replica. Unfortunately, also the park with a closed Pantherian. My friends will need to return someday. Which is hardly a punishment: Kings Dominion is a pleasant park with the familiar atmosphere common to (former) Cedar Fair parks. It also offers an excellent coaster lineup. Twisted Timbers and Pantherian are world-class, and coasters like Dominator, Grizzly, and Racer 75 may not be headliners, but they are extremely enjoyable.
We wrapped up the day with a giant pizza at a nearby Italian spot. The next day would bring us to a park I had visited before but found underwhelming at the time. Back then, Kings Dominion was my clear favorite in the region. Curious to see whether that would still be the case.
31/05/'25: Coney Island
01/06/'25: Six Flags Great Adventure
02/06/'25: Kings Dominion
03/06/'25: Busch Gardens Williamsburg
04/06/'25: Hershey Park
05/06/'25: Kennywood
06/06/'25: Kings Island
07-08-09/06/'25: Cedar Point
10/06/'25: Canada's Wonderland
11/06/'25: Knoebels
12/06/'25: Dorney Park
13/06/'25: Six Flags America
DAY 3: KINGS DOMINION
Day three of our American coaster trip began with a solid three-hour drive. Fortunately, the park did not open until 11 a.m., so we did not have to get up brutally early. Still, with 14 roller coasters on offer, we will have to put some effort in today to get the bingo. Today’s destination: Kings Dominion.
This was the first former Cedar Fair park on our itinerary, now part of the Six Flags group. We had picked up our season passes the day before at Six Flags Great Adventure, and that process had not gone smoothly. Once again, something was wrong: the passes could not be scanned when we tried to enter the parking lot. Fine—pay for parking for now and take it up with Guest Services.
Once inside, the issue was resolved quickly, and they even refunded the parking fee. Thankfully, that was the last time our season passes caused trouble during the trip. It is the first year that the old Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks are all included in a season pass, and the transition clearly went a little bumpy.
We decided to buy a refill cup right away. It was already warm, and after the long drive we were ready for a cold drink. That is also when we learned that the refill systems are not unified. The cup I bought the day before at Six Flags Great Adventure was not valid here. And the one we bought at Kings Dominion could only be used in the former Cedar Fair parks. Still, no regrets—great concept, and the cup makes a fun souvenir.
Felt so good to be back! Like you're meeting an old holiday fling again after many years...
Time for rides—more specifically, roller coasters. And our first coaster of the day would be Niels’ 300th. For a milestone like that, you want something special, and Kings Dominion certainly provides options. We went with Twisted Timbers, an RMC conversion of an old wooden coaster. I rode it in 2018 and still rank it as my second-favorite RMC (with my number one still ahead of us on this trip).
Seeing Twisted Timbers again felt like running into an old friend. My eyes lit up, and nostalgic excitement surged. Nostalgia can cloud judgment, but Twisted Timbers did not disappoint. It remains a pure airtime machine, launching you out of your seat from start to finish. Thanks to the steel iBox track, it is smooth as butter.
A terrific coaster #300 for Niels, and a strong start to the day. Let the bingo hunt begin. Next up was Apple Zapple, a Mack wild mouse with the same layout as the one found in Legoland parks. The layout itself is nothing remarkable, but the operator made a show out of it. Most American parks equip operators with headset mics to deliver safety instructions and entertain guests. This one was extremely enthusiastic about his Aaaaaappleeee Zaaaaaappleeeee, and his mic was so loud you could hear him from across the park. It made an otherwise ordinary +1 more memorable.
Kings Dominion has a horseshoe-style layout, and we were in one far corner. Instead of zig-zagging across the park, we simply planned to ride whatever coasters we encountered on our way to the other side. That brought us to Racer 75, a classic dueling woodie from 1975. Despite its age, it is still great fun. Less amusing was the fact that only one side was operating, costing my friends a credit and removing the racing aspect which kills the reason they made a duelling coaster. Not fun to see, even on a quiet day.
The next wooden coaster—because American parks are thankfully not shy about woodies—is Grizzly. It is still tucked away, and you have to walk through a gift shop to reach the queue. I rode it in 2018 and did not enjoy it: rough, unremarkable and forgettable. I skipped it and let the others wreck their backs. To my surprise, they returned praising it. A coordinated prank to rope me in? “We suffer, you suffer?” I stayed skeptical.
We continued toward the opposite end of the horseshoe, into the jungle-themed area. Compared with 2018, quite a bit has changed: additional theming that is pretty good for a Six Flags park, plus two new coasters. Those two would be my only new credits here.
The first was Tumbili, an S&S Free Spin. I was relieved I was able to skip the Free Spin the day before, since I had already ridden that one. This one was still new to me. But did it need to ride it? Does coaster-counting always trump enjoyment? In a rare move, already in the queue and nearly ready to board, I bailed. I hate this coaster type. I find it terrifying, I never enjoy it, and I spend the whole experience waiting for it to end. No thanks. One fewer credit is fine.
I was far more excited about the other new coaster. This year the park opened Rapterra, replacing the removed Volcano coaster (which I saw standing SBNO in 2018). It is only the second launched wing coaster from B&M, and the layout looked promising. The queue and station are quite well themed for a park like this. But the ride itself was disappointing. It is simply not smooth. And for a brand-new B&M, that is concerning. Not violent, but enough rattling that I did not need a second lap.
The launch has adequate punch, and the section flying over the pathway is a fun interaction moment. But the coaster desperately lacks near-misses—an essential ingredient for this model. There are some along the launch, but nothing for the rest of the layout. A missed opportunity. I would not call Rapterra a must-do.
We continued our coaster hunt on Reptilian, the park’s bobsled coaster. There are not many of these left worldwide, so I am glad Kings Dominion keeps it running. It does nothing wrong but nothing distinctive either. Fun once, no need to repeat.
On the far end of the park stands Pantherian—better known under its former name, Intimidator 305. A world-class ride. For 2025, the park re-branded it because the NASCAR licensing expired. A new paint job and some tweaks produced a sharp-looking black-and-orange coaster—but also a closed one. Very disappointing, especially for the group. I at least rode it in 2018. They will have to come back.
Such a sad sight...
Next was Flight of Fear, a Premier indoor launch coaster. It delivers a powerful launch into a spaghetti bowl of track weaving above, below, and around itself. We would ride a clone of it later in the trip. Speaking of clones, Backlot Stunt Coaster was next. I had forgotten how tiny the trains feel and how punchy the launch is. The helix is intense too. It is a fun family-thrill concept but quite uncomfortable. I am glad we have Mecalodon in Belgium—proof that not everything in America is automatically better. And we still were not done; two more clones awaited us later on the trip.
We were nearly done—three coasters to go. Woodstock Express is one of two coasters in Planet Snoopy, a kiddie woodie. The other kiddie coaster, the Great Pumpkin Coaster, is even smaller. “Great” is generous—basically a tiny oval three meters tall. But it gave me an unexpected extra credit. In 2018, adults were not allowed without a child. In 2025, that rule seems to have changed. Excellent—two new credits after all!
The final coaster needed for a full park bingo (even if it feels wrong with Pantherian closed) was Dominator, a B&M floorless awkwardly located beside the main street and near Planet Snoopy. It surprised me in 2018—much more fun than it looks. And again, it delivered. It is mostly inversion-to-inversion pacing, but still very enjoyable. The orange and blue color scheme is sexy as well.
With that, we had technically completed the bingo—two credits short of what we hoped. Unfortunately, that would become a recurring theme on the trip. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you do not. The park was quiet, so we had plenty of time for rerides. Twisted Timbers was the obvious pick, but the group also wanted another lap on Grizzly.
Curiosity won, and I joined, hoping it was not a setup. Against expectations, they were right. The park must have invested serious work, because the roughness was gone. And it turned out Grizzly is a genuinely enjoyable coaster. Impressive revival by the park.
With some time left, we headed up the Eiffel Tower replica for some photos. We rode the elevator up this one-third-scale version of Paris' ugliest landmark and took in the view. After a while we had enough photos and queued for the elevator down. But gradually it dawned on us that we had been waiting for a long time—forty-five minutes. Had anyone seen the elevator doors open?
Our suspicions were confirmed when two exhausted employees opened the emergency door to tell us the elevator had failed and we would be evacuated via the emergency stairs. Fortunately, the “emergency stairs” were proper, sturdy stairways—not narrow evacuation ladders. And the weather was perfect: no wind, no chill. Still, if the Eiffel Tower is 330 meters high and this one is one-third scale… quick math: roughly 100 meters of stairs. That is not nothing.
Lucky us could look out on a closed Pantherian for almost an hour
Especially not for someone afraid of heights. I coped by looking down and focusing only on the next step. The staircases seemed endless. By the time I reached the ground, my knees were shaking—not from fear but exertion. A bench break was welcome. Staff greeted us with bottled water and vouchers as compensation.
One voucher was for a free funnel cake or ice cream. The group chose funnel cakes; after checking the calorie count, I chose ice cream. I cannot remember the rest—there was definitely a skip-the-line pass, but with the park quiet and near closing, it was essentially useless. Still, the gesture is what matters. They did not have to offer anything, but they did. Excellent customer service.
Stressful in the moment, but now a fun story. Kings Dominion will forever be the park where we got stuck in their Eiffel Tower replica. Unfortunately, also the park with a closed Pantherian. My friends will need to return someday. Which is hardly a punishment: Kings Dominion is a pleasant park with the familiar atmosphere common to (former) Cedar Fair parks. It also offers an excellent coaster lineup. Twisted Timbers and Pantherian are world-class, and coasters like Dominator, Grizzly, and Racer 75 may not be headliners, but they are extremely enjoyable.
We wrapped up the day with a giant pizza at a nearby Italian spot. The next day would bring us to a park I had visited before but found underwhelming at the time. Back then, Kings Dominion was my clear favorite in the region. Curious to see whether that would still be the case.
Last edited: