INTIMIDATOR 305

INTIMIDATOR 305

Kings Dominion

I had been looking forward to riding this Intamin giga coaster and refused to be intimidated by the size and speed.  You can see Intimidator 305 in the background as you enter the Kings Dominion parking lot and it strikes a mighty pose.  It also delivers one hell of a punch.  The 300-foot first drop was, as I had anticipated, awesome.  Although there are no sizeable drops after this one – there IS one good airtime hill – there are other elements which make this ride noteworthy.  The most remarkable aspect of the ride – other than the first drop, of course – is the number of twists in the track.  The sharp twists in an otherwise flat track were amazing, like nothing I had ever experienced.  Guy in the seat behind me yelled “Holy shit!” and that pretty much sums it up.  It’s quite a ride.

Comparisons between Initimidator 305 and Millennium Force are inevitable, as they’re the only 2 coasters with a 300-foot droop at the time that I am writing this, both were built by Intamin and both use cable lifts.  Both coasters have outstanding features and I can’t say that one is better than the other although I am leaning slightly in favor of Millennium Force because of the scenery (breathtaking view of Lake Erie from the lift hill) and diversity (e.g., overbanked turns and tunnels).   I did think that the first drop on Intimidator was a little more intense, possibly because of the slightly steeper angle of descent (85 degrees as opposed to 80 degrees).   The ride duration, however, is shorter - just over a minute, but it's about as action-packed a minute as you're going to get on any coaster.

There are two things I didn’t much like about Intimidator: 1) the time from loading to dispatch struck me as inordinately long; and 2) the harnesses struck me as cumbersome and probably unnecessary on a coaster with no inversions.   When I rode, there was a definite lag before we heard the recorded “Gentlemen, start your engines!” and off we went.  As for the harnesses, although they’re soft – unlike those on many coasters – these contraptions were a pain in the neck to get in and out of with little room for sliding the head out at the end of the ride.

Despite the drawbacks mentioned above, I liked Intimidator 305 enough to ride it 7 times.  It’s a gem. 5 out of 5 stars. For more information about rides at Kings Dominion, go to www.kingsdominion.com/

VOLCANO

VOLCANO

Kings Dominion

The sign outside this ride says VOLCANO THE BLAST COASTER and it truly is a blast, in more ways than one.  Never a fan of suspended coasters, I didn’t expect to like this ride so was pleasantly surprised; I liked it so much that as soon as I got off, I got right back on.  Once the train is dispatched, it ascends to a tunnel where there is a pause before the riders are launched from 0 to 70mph.   There are four inversions on the twisted track and they are by far the wildest and most enjoyable I have ever experienced.  They’re startling and totally unexpected, but startling in a good way.  Not at all rough like those on Anaconda; just a whole lot of fun.  I was thinking WHOA, while laughing my head off.   Particularly noteworthy is the roll out at 155 feet, during which the train is completely inverted.  Everything on this ride happens so fast that you don’t know whether you’re coming or going.   The second launch comes as a complete surprise and blasts the riders out of the volcano.   You suddenly find yourself upside down looking straight up at the sky, and this is quite a moment.   If you look around you during the inversions and realize how high up you are, it's almost scary.  The ride is short  - just over a minute – but sweet.   4 out of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Kings Dominion, go to www.kingsdominion.com/

ANACONDA KINGS DOMINION

Anaconda

Kings Dominion

This looked like an interesting ride although I had some reservations about getting on it – with good reason, as it turns out.  Once harnessed in and having reached the point of no return, I told myself OK, let’s do it and get it over with.  From the loading station, the train ascends 128 feet and descends 144 feet into a tunnel, then goes up into a vertical loop followed immediately by a half corkscrew.   These first two inversions were extremely rough; I banged my elbows and hit my head against the harness several times.   That was enough to spoil the ride, as I don’t find getting beaten up by a roller coaster  to be much fun.   Fortunately, the final two inversions were actually a pleasure, as they were not nearly as rough as the first two.   I would by no means classify this as a high thrill ride and it doesn’t travel at high speeds but does have some nice elements and is probably a good coaster for its type. 3 out of 5 stars. .  For more information about rides at Kings Dominion, go to www.kingsdominion.com/

THE HURLER KINGS DOMINION

The Hurler

Kings Dominion

This coaster is fairly unremarkable by today’s standards.  It’s a classic woodie with all that that implies.   After ascending an 83-foot lift hill, the train makes a turn before arriving at the first drop.  The 80-foot drop is nothing to write home about and the rest of the ride is about the same, consisting of a banked turn and series of drops most notable for their bumpiness.  The maximum speed is only 50mph.   I found it to be a fun ride with some pops of airtime but a rough one.  It was rough even in the front row so I can only imagine how rough it must be in the back.   2 ½ our of 5 stars.  For more information about rides at Kings Dominion, go to www.kingsdominion.com/