Theme Park Insider - Park Review

Location: Kings Dominion is located right off Exit 98 on Interstate 95, 20 miles north of Richmond, VA and 75 miles south of Washington, DC.

16000 Theme Park Way
Doswell, VA 23047.

History: Kings Dominion was opened in 1975 by Family Leisure Centers, a joint venture between Top Value Enterprises and Taft Broadcasting Company, both of Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1982, senior executives from Taft Broadcasting purchased the theme park division of Taft and formed Kings Entertainment Company (KECO) which included Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Kings Island, and Canada’s Wonderland.

In 1993, Paramount purchased KECO and Kings Dominion became part of the Paramount Park chain.

In 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment purchased Paramount Parks and is the current owner of Kings Dominion.

Hours: http://www.kingsdominion.com. Kings Dominion is open from April through Halloween.

Tickets: Buy and print online. Always try to buy your tickets in advance, to save time when you get to the park.

Reservations: Kings Dominion does not offer any type of Fastpass or ride reservation system.

Strategy: As with any amusement park, arrive early (at least :30 minutes before opening) and hit the headliner attractions first (usually roller coasters).

Intimidator 305 and Volcano (which is notorious for frequent breakdowns) are the most popular attractions at Kings Dominion, so hit them first. Beyond those two uber coasters, the hottest rides in the park are: Dominator, Backlot Stunt Coaster, Flight of Fear, Grizzly, and Rebel Yell. Ride them early in the morning (or in the hour before park closing) to avoid long waits.

Once you have hit the headliners, circle back around the park making sure to hit The Crypt, Avalanche, Anaconda, Shockwave, Ricochet, and Hurler. Time permitting, you may want to ride Berserker, Drop Tower, El Dorado (rumored to be closing before the 2012 season), White Water Canyon, and the Shenandoah Log Flume. Lastly, visit the Eiffel Tower for some nice views of the whole park.

There are two sections of Kings Dominion set aside for families with very young children: KidZville and Planet Snoopy. Most of the rides in these areas are pretty standard midway fare, similar to those found at a touring carnival.

WaterWorks is free with park admission and offers 20 acres of water-filled activities. It generally opens an hour or two after the main gate.