r/KingsDominion

If so, what are the wait times like?

I’m hoping to make the most of the day, dropping down to KD after visiting DC on Sunday. What is the best order to do the top coasters/rides in the least amount of time? I plan on being there at opening

A general reminder to please be kind to associates working on 4th of July weekend. They will probably be miserable from the sweltering heat and just barely keeping themselves together and will also likely be short-staffed. Say a kind word, tell a joke (not one they probably hear x100 times a day), thank them for being there. For ride operators, pay extra attention to instructions, and stay calm, so everyone’s ride goes smoothly. Little things like that go a long way.

And to associates working this weekend, good luck! I believe in you! You can get through it! ❤️🤍💙

Does anyone know if the discounted bring a friend passes for the month can be used more than once? I noticed in the description for them it said they can be used (any one day in July) but I’m not 100% if this just means they don’t rollover into the next day or if it means they can only be used once.

Is there an option to extend my parking pass to my friends or would they have to pay the fee?

Welp I got stuck at the top of Pantherian in the front row I never thought I’d experience that but dang I added that to the list 😭 if anyone has photos please post them here :0

Drove up last week for 2 days. It was down both days. Considering driving up tomorrow for just a half day... Is it running today? Looking for a good sign that it'll run tomorrow 🙂

Friday, June 26

What could have been a disaster of a trip, with storms in the forecast and Pantherian closed when I arrived, turned into an incredible visit to a really beautiful park. I ended up loving Kings Dominion. Here are my thoughts.

I got to KD around 5 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2026, after driving about 2.5 hours from BWI. I parked in the nearly empty preferred lot, made the short walk to the gate, scanned in, and was immediately greeted by the fountain and Eiffel Tower. I had just been at Kings Island a few weeks earlier, and while both entrances are nice, I think I prefer KD’s. It is smaller, but the setting felt greener and more quaint.

With Pantherian closed, I wasn’t really sure what to do first, so I just wandered. I started walking to the right of the Eiffel Tower, taking in the scenery and trying to figure out where I wanted to begin. Eventually I made my way toward the back of the park and found Twisted Timbers.

Twisted Timbers - Rides: 16x

I absolutely loved TT. The twisted drop is fine, and the bunny hills immediately after it are fun, but the three airtime hills that follow are incredible. What I really liked is how the layout keeps mixing things up. There are a lot of different elements, and none of them felt awkward or uncomfortable to me, including the final set of bunny hills.

I rode it in the front, middle, and back, and I honestly can’t say I have a favorite seat. Operations were friendly and efficient, and there was basically no line all night. On a lot of rides, I and the other people lapping it would just hop off and quickly switch seats. After three straight rides on TT, and realizing just how empty the park was, I decided my strategy would be to ride every coaster on Friday. If Pantherian opened Saturday, that is obviously where I would spend most of my day.

Racer 75 - Rides: 1x

I can’t say I really enjoyed Racer 75. I loved The Racer at KI, but this version did not do it for me. It was somewhat rough, not unbearable, but definitely not smooth like the KI version, and I got no airtime at all. The worst part was getting a great view of Pantherian sitting there closed. It was one and done for me. After that, I made my way to Rapterra.

Rapterra - Rides: 5x

Oy. I’m very conflicted on this one. I like the theming, and the layout is alright, but it felt surprisingly underwhelming. The launch is fine, and I really liked the first banked turn right after the launch, or whatever that element is officially called. There is no near miss, it feels a little short, and it is not nearly as smooth as I expected. I’ll stop short of calling it rough, but it has this odd bounce to it, almost like a rope going taut and then slack over and over again. If this ride weren’t new, I probably wouldn’t think too much about it. But for a brand-new coaster, yikes.

I rode it twice around 6:15 p.m. on Friday and then three more times first thing Saturday. I have all-season FL, and this was the only time on Friday that it saved me any time at all, maybe five minutes. Saturday morning, it was a walk-on for everyone.

Tumbili - Rides: 1x

I sometimes find these free spinners fun. My son loves them at the SF parks. If I could find a way not to bang my head so much, I would probably enjoy them more. This one is shorter than the Six Flags versions, and because I was riding alone, I maybe got one full rotation. One and done.

Reptilian - Rides: 2x

I really enjoyed this. It is fast, smooth, comfortable, and there is not much else out there like it. I could do without the full stop mid-course, but that is a small complaint. With a 40-inch height requirement, I also love that kids can ride it.

Flight of Fear - Rides: 1x

This was my first time on one of these. I tend to like dark rides well enough, but I just didn’t enjoy this one. It’s not bad exactly, but I guess I just don’t get it. The alien theme in the station is neat, but then there is almost nothing in the actual ride. And because it is not fully dark, it makes the whole thing feel like something is broken or unfinished. I also found it somewhat uncomfortable, and the capacity is not great. If the line is short at other parks, I’ll try to get on these for the credit, but I won’t be looking forward to it.

Backlot Stunt Coaster - Rides: 1x

Just like at Canada’s Wonderland and Kings Island, none of the effects were working, which turns a very average ride into something below average. I don’t understand why we come to a complete stop at the helicopter scene if nothing is going to happen. Why not just slow down and go into the tunnel? I did ride in the front row, which was marginally better, but this still doesn’t do much for me.

It was about 7 p.m. at this point, and I was getting hungry. I’m vegetarian, so I often end up going with burrito bowls at parks. I ate at Cactus Cantina and got a very large bowl. If you don’t get meat, they give you free guac, which is nice.

Feeling overly full, my plan was to walk around for a while and digest. That plan lasted about two minutes, because I quickly came across the entrance to Grizzly.

Grizzly - Rides: 2x

I rode this near the front and in the very back. I preferred the back, but both rides were good. The drop and turnaround immediately after are forgetable, but once it gets going, the ride is a lot of fun. I didn’t get much airtime, but the pacing after the first turnaround is great. It is smooth, but it still has that wooden coaster jostle that I usually love. With a belly full of beans, though, I was somewhat regretting my timing. Overall, a fun ride.

It was about 7:30 p.m., and the only coasters I hadn’t done were Apple Zapple and Dominator, plus the closed Pantherian. I knew I wanted to finish the night lapping TT, which made Dominator feel like too far of a walk. Instead, I made my way back toward Twisted Timbers and Apple Zapple.

Apple Zapple - Rides: 2x

Call me crazy, but I really enjoy these wild mouse rides. I prefer them to the spinning variety. I love that feeling that the car is about to fly off the track. This was your standard wild mouse, and I enjoyed it.

Rest of the Night on Twisted Timbers

After Apple Zapple, I put my phone in the TT locker and rode Twisted Timbers for the rest of the night. Between the friendly crew and the large group of people lapping it from about 7:45 to 9 p.m., it felt like we had developed a nice little TT community. It was an absolute blast and easily one of the best parts of the trip.

That night I stayed at the Garner Inn because I knew I would be exhausted, and I have a lot of IHG points. The place was ridiculously cheap, and despite the bad reviews, I decided to try it. The room itself was clean and spacious, but very, very barebones. No cups, bare minimum lighting, a TV remote that barely worked, and everything except the conditioner was empty in the shower. The lobby was fine, but the carpeting in the hallway was disgusting. My guess is that they are slowly renovating and waiting until the end of that process to replace the carpets. I wouldn’t call the staff rude, just VERY disinterested.

With all that said, if you are here for one night and visiting KD, it is not a terrible option. I would not spend more than one night there, though.

Saturday, June 27, 2026

I got to the park at 10:35 a.m. feeling somewhat deflated. I had made this trip for Pantherian, and after a very productive Friday evening, I wasn’t really sure what was left for me to do. My plan was to eat early, walk around and enjoy the park for a few hours, hit a few rides, eat again, and then leave.

I walked straight to Rapterra, thinking I would get a couple more rides while keeping an eye on Pantherian. I asked a few employees what was going on with it and got a variety of answers. It seemed like some of them knew a little more than they could say, which is understandable.

After a few rides on Rapterra, I rode Reptilian again, mostly because I didn’t want to leave that area in case Pantherian started testing. Eventually, pretty much giving up hope, I decided to hit Dominator and then get lunch so I could eat again in four hours before leaving.

Dominator - Rides: 2x

I rode Dominator in the front and back. This is not really my usual style of ride, but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I found it smooth, forceful, and just generally fun. I preferred the front, but the back wasn’t bad either. Definitely better than Rougarou.

From there, I went to Grain and Grill and got mac and cheese, rice, and vegetables. It was a ton of food and pretty good. After eating, I resigned myself to marathoning Drop Tower for a couple of hours because I love that style of ride and wasn’t really feeling anything else.

But as I was walking over to Drop Tower, I noticed that Pantherian was testing. My heart rate immediately picked up. I abandoned the drop tower plan and jogged over to Pantherian, thinking that if it opened, I wanted to get on it ASAP in case it went down again quickly.

Pantherian - Rides: 13x

It was about noon when I got to the tunnel leading to the ride where the lined started while the ride was testing. I was about tenth in line, and I ended up talking with the people around me, who were all equally cautiously optimistic. Trains were running consistently for about an hour and a half. I would love to know what the issue was/is. I got the sense that no one really knew if it was going to open even after testing for over an hour.

As we watched one of the ride ops make her way toward us, everyone got quiet trying to get a hint at an update. Hearing the words “we will be opening” felt amazing. Even if I only got one ride, that alone would make the trip worth it.

I got on the first train in the third row because I did not want to risk waiting for the front then having the ride go down. Sure enough, after the first train, there was a 20-minute delay, but only because someone had gotten sick. Throughout the day, the ride went down several times, but never for more than 20 or 30 minutes while I was there, at least until I left around 5:30 p.m.

My Thoughts on Pantherian

This was the last North American giga I needed to ride, and I’m putting it as my #1, just ahead of Fury. From there, it’s Millennium Force, and then I can’t decide between Orion and Leviathan.

Pantherian feels like a ride I would make in Planet Coaster. It is hard to believe Intamin decided to put a banked turn immediately after a 300-foot drop at 90 mph. I greyed out every time, and after my eighth ride, I fully blacked out. The worst moment was coming out of the first turn near the bottom of the first airtime hill. Usually, my full vision came back at the top of that hill.

I am susceptible to greyouts, but it seemed like a lot of people were having similar experiences. I overheard one conversation where someone asked his friend how the ride was, and the friend said, in all seriousness, “I don’t know, I blacked out almost the whole time.” I also reviewed videos from my Meta glasses and noticed that a guy in front of me was basically limp for almost the whole ride. It is just wild to me that a ride like this exists.

The first drop is good, but not the standout. The first turn is bonkers, and the first hill is fun, but what really makes the ride for me are those fast, snappy turns. My favorite being the last one because it produces some insane ejector airtime. The ride is also super smooth. I didn't experience any type of rattle or shaking. I rode in the very front, throughout the train, and in the very back. The front is fun, but I much prefer the back. The forces back there are on another level.

As I mentioned, after my eighth ride, I needed a break. I legitimately felt like my body could not take another ride in that moment. I think this is the first time I have ever felt that the intended intensity of a ride, not roughness or discomfort but the actual design of the ride, kept me from immediately getting back on. I’m not counting rough rides like Hades 360, which I had to stop riding because of how rough it is.

After that blackout, I drank a bunch of water and finally hit the Drop Tower I had neglected earlier. I also saw the show Cirque Imagine. It was OK at best. I did enjoy the air conditioned theatre, though. After that, I got some pizza and walked back to Pantherian, thinking I would wait for the front row, which was the only long wait for the ride all day. FL was maybe a two-train wait, and the regular line was maybe four or five trains, so there was very little wait overall.

When I got to the queue, I realized the ride was closed and the line was empty. By sheer luck, it reopened within a minute of me getting there. I was hoping for a little more time to digest the pizza, but I couldn’t pass up a front-row walk-on. After five more rides, I started to black out harder again and decided to call it. It was an absolutely amazing time. I met so many friendly enthusiasts. Although I’m not particularly social, I really do love the coaster community.

I hit Dominator one last time before leaving the park around 5:45 p.m.

Final Thoughts

Kings Dominion is a beautiful park with a great collection of rides. Everyone was friendly, the park was clean, and there were a decent number of drink stations and restaurants. I found the park a little difficult to navigate, but not in a bad way. It is just not your typical circle layout. The kids’ area looked decent too, though it seems like Woodstock Express is down a lot.

Is it worth a trip as a nonlocal without Pantherian open? If you are driving through, absolutely. Otherwise, a special trip is probably borderline. With Pantherian? Absolutely. This coaster is one of a kind and is a must ride.

I love this ride and have missed it the last few times like many people due to it going down.

I understand mechanics age and things need to be replaced, as well as previous supply chain / transport issues for parts. Not mad they keep trying to make it work.

Not mad but Just genuinely curious, it seemed to run smoothly for a while but the last couple years it's a roll of the dice not if but when it will go down. Is this just age? Did they change something at some point in the original coaster (other than theme/branding) that is causing continued issue? Is this just the nature of these types of extreme coasters? (I am glad I rode Kingda Ka before it's removal)

I've seen mentioned about the company that makes?designs? it being known for coaster issues.

Just a life long coaster lover looking to learn more. No shade or judgement, genuine curiousity post.

Having just had to replace my 15yo car, I get it that nothing lasts forever.

Was here last night and pantherian wasn’t open at all, was only open for 3 cycles at the very start of the day apparently. So far nothing today and afraid it’s a long term thing, would be really bummed if I could never get on it as I’m from NH. Anyone know anything?

How has it been in past years

First off I have to say that this park is one of the best that we have been too. It was clean, the staff were so nice and the matinee crew worked over time to keep the rides running. All of the ride reviews were over the course of the weekend 06/26/26-06/27/26. We mainly rode the coasters and if it didn’t make the list we missed it.

My top four coasters at Kings Dominion are tied. Each are unique and a 5/5 for ride experience and theme.

Pantherian: No notes you are perfect, thrill seekers from all over congregated at the gate and even with the wait it was a well spent hour.

Grizzly: If you like the Hurler at Carowinds this coaster is like a spiritual cousin with a steeper drop in. Chefs kiss.

Flight of Fear: if you don’t know anything about this ride don’t look it up. This was an incredible blind leap of faith.

Rapterra: longer wait time than anything else but once it’s running you forget about that.

For the rest of the coasters I’ll go in descending order, although even the rides I didn’t love were still worth riding one time!

Twisted timber: 4/5 the ride is fantastic but the locker situation is a bit cumbersome. The first run was surreal but the subsequent runs had diminishing returns.

Backlot Stunt Coaster: 4/5 very quick and smooth track. Good for both thrill seekers and casual rollercoaster fans.

Dominator: 4/5 very smooth track, has a similar energy to afterburn (rip topgun) I liked the back row the best here.

Racer 75: 4/5 we had the same design at Carrowinds for a long time before they decommissioned the ride to make way for the water park. Call it what ever you’d like but boy did this make me nostalgic for thunder road back home at Carowinds. Wooden framing rail coasters feel like home.

Reptilian: I was unfair to this one at first, the first car was very unsettling to ride in but the second run I sat a few cars back and I changed my opinion. 1/5 in the first car if you don’t like being knocked around 3.5/5 further back on the train.

Tumbilli: 3/5 The rides design makes the wait pretty long with a moderate crowd. Worth doing if the lines vacant but I’d skip it if the wait is more than 15 minutes. Operators were incredibly nice too. 06/26/26

Apple Zapple: if you like being thrown around in a car with sharp turns give this a shot. My preference is fast smooth tracks so this one was never going to be a favorite for me.

2/5 for ride experience 5/5 for operators energy and whimsy.

Non coaster rides: Drop tower 4/5 (it’s scary but that’s intended I am just a baby when it comes to that ride style)
Delirium: 4/5 I wish it was longer and the pendulum did a full rotation but it’s really fun.

Awesome park. I’m envious of the locals! Stay whimsical kings domain!

Hi! Flew in for some VA rollercoasters, and curious if you think we’ll need fast pass Monday? There’s two of us, and we’re ok waiting up to 20-30 min. Fast pass ultimate is currently $79 for Monday. Sites all say it should be a slow day but would love your thoughts!

I used to be a supervisor back in the day for anaconda. does anyone have any good photos of the area it was at? have they done anything with the site? the lake? or is it typical KD fashion and left it to over grown weeds and whatnot. can you at least look out onto the lake or no? thanks!!!

A friend randomly had an itch to go and started a group trip to KD. Been so long since I been. I recently been to Epic Universe in Florida and it was fun.
Would KD hit the same?

Would ride operators make me remove them? Supposively they are 1 time use, secure, and waterproof..