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124-560: Following the success of Kings Island in Mason, Ohio , Family Leisure Centers (a partnership formed between Taft Broadcasting Company and Top Value Enterprises, owned by supermarket chain Kroger ) decided to expand into a new region of the country by opening a second park. A 740-acre (3.0 km) site was chosen in Doswell, Virginia , with construction beginning on October 1, 1972. The new park

248-516: A Thrust Air 2000 air-launched coaster made by S&S Power , launched riders from 0 to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) in 1.5 seconds, taking them up an 87-degree incline and down an 87-degree drop. The entire ride's duration was about 25 seconds. Hypersonic XLC broke down frequently and was closed for the first three months of its second season; no other Paramount Parks installed a similar ride. Nevertheless, Hypersonic XLC helped establish Kings Dominion's reputation as "the launched coaster capital of

372-448: A monorail train through a nature preserve until its closure in the 1990s. The area's name changed from Lion Country Safari to Safari Village in the mid-1980s and was changed again by Paramount to Congo in the 1990s. In 2014, the area's name reverted to Safari Village to commemorate the park's 40th anniversary. For the 2022 season, the area was rethemed to Jungle X-Pedition, which includes new immersive theming elements, dining, shopping, and

496-511: A 20-percent stake in Canada's Wonderland . American Financial Group later purchased KECO in 1987 but allowed KECO to continue to manage operations at the amusement parks. One of the first additions under the new management group was Berserker – a looping starship ride added to International Street in 1984. Also that year, Smurf Mountain replaced the mine ride Land of the Dooz, transforming

620-579: A 320-foot-long (98 m) rectangular fountain pool in the center of the walkway, which leads up to a 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower . Guests can ascend the tower by elevator up to the 315-foot-tall (96 m) observation deck. International Street is designed to showcase a variety of European architecture, with buildings representing France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy. The buildings contain an assortment of gift shops, specialty shops, cafés and eateries. The International Street section of

744-427: A 54 miles per hour (87 km/h) launch, four inversions, and an identical "spaghetti bowl" layout to Flight of Fear at Kings Island . Almost as notable as the launch of The Outer Limits was the fact that the entire ride was in semi-darkness; the riders could not see where they were going. Five years after The Outer Limits opened, Paramount Parks' licensing agreement to use theming from the television show after which

868-406: A buyer was found. It remained in operation during the 2007 season and was closed and dismantled several weeks before the 2008 season started. Also during the 2007–2008 off-season, Cedar Fair renamed the park's last rides to open with Paramount theming. Drop Zone Stunt Tower became Drop Tower Scream Zone and The Italian Job: Turbo Coaster became Backlot Stunt Coaster. Tomb Raider: Firefall also received

992-520: A company formed by senior executives and general managers of Taft Attractions Group. Three parks – Kings Island, Kings Dominion and Carowinds – were involved in the sale. Taft invested in KECO to retain one-third interest. Three years later in 1987, Kings Island was sold individually to American Financial Corporation , led by Carl Lindner . The deal included a contract with KECO to continue managing park operations. KECO, which retained ownership of

1116-445: A competing theme park. Construction began on June 15, 1970. Later that year, a public contest was held to name the new park. "Kings Island" emerged the most popular, as the name was a nod to both the local Kings Mills area as well as the park's predecessor Coney Island. Most of the rides at Coney Island were relocated, and much of what remained was demolished. The popular Sunlite Pool attraction continued to operate, however, and

1240-509: A distance of 133 feet (41 m). The jump set a world record that held until 1999. It was the longest successful jump of his career as well as his last major stunt, and the nationally televised event was broadcast live on ABC, landing 52 percent of the TV audience during that hour with an estimated 55 million viewers. Park executives favored the national exposure and additional revenue being generated by record-breaking, newsworthy events that kept

1364-490: A junior wooden roller coaster known as Scooby-Doo . Also present at the opening was a log flume , steam train , a collection of flat rides and a cable-car sky ride that transported visitors between Old Virginia and The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera . In addition, Kings Dominion's 1/3-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower and the International Street Fountain greet visitors near the main entrance to

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1488-545: A low-cost workforce to the amusement park. This law, known as the Kings Dominion Law after the amusement park, stayed in force until 2019. Taft Broadcasting Company sold its theme park division in late 1983 for $ 167.5 million to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO), a new company formed by senior executives and general managers of Taft's Amusement Park Group. Three parks were involved in the sale – Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds  – along with

1612-503: A new children's area called Splash Island; expanded cabana areas, updated bathhouses, and other improvements to the area. As part of the major water park expansion, the area was renamed Soak City. On August 9, 2015, Shockwave closed in Candy Apple Grove permanently, and a swinging pendulum ride titled "Delirium" was built in its place. Hurler closed permanently at the end of the season on November 1, 2015. In 2017, Planet Snoopy

1736-458: A new roller coaster, Tumbili . The area is home to many of the park's thrill rides and roller coasters. From 1979 until 2019, the area was anchored by a large artificial mountain, originally home to the Lost World ride complex and later to Volcano: The Blast Coaster ; the structure was demolished with the coaster in spring 2019. International Street is the park's main entry area, featuring

1860-630: A new sub-area called Coconut Shores, featuring a multi-level water play structure and a children's wave pool. In January 2020, the park also announced the removal of The Crypt to make room for future development in the Safari Village section of the park. Kings Dominion did not open for its normal operating schedule in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . After restrictions were partially lifted by Virginia governor Ralph Northam in November 2020,

1984-699: A number of setbacks generating negative publicity, including the early demise of The Bat and Son of Beast roller coasters, both of which were problematic rides. Kings Island is divided into nine themed sections and operates seasonally from early spring through Labor Day in the fall, followed by two additional holiday-themed events known as Halloween Haunt and Winterfest. Kings Island had an estimated 3.18 million guests in 2021, ranking third in attendance among seasonal amusement parks in North America behind sister parks Canada's Wonderland and Cedar Point . In addition, Kings Island has won Golden Ticket Awards in

2108-529: A practice used by Disney throughout its theme parks. The area's main attractions include the Royal Fountain, a 600,000-US-gallon pool (2,300 m ) capable of shooting 10,000 US gallons (38 m ) of water into the air each minute, and the signature Eiffel Tower , a one-third scale replica of the original which offers a view of the entire park to its guests. Grand Carousel, a classic carousel built in 1926 and originally located at Coney Island,

2232-451: A section of the park was dedicated to its predecessor, Coney Island . The area was constructed to resemble the former park's carnival-style layout and featured many of its flat rides which were relocated, including Monster, Scrambler, and Dodgem. One of the new flagship attractions during the park's inaugural year, The Racer, is located in this section. In addition to rides, some of Coney Island's famous Ginkgo trees were transplanted, lining

2356-561: A small steel coaster brought over from Coney Island, and a new junior wooden coaster in the Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera originally named Scooby Doo . The most expensive ride to open with the park was Enchanted Voyage , a $ 2-million dark ride attraction that featured over a hundred animatronic Hanna-Barbera characters. Kings Island was nationally promoted in two well-known sitcoms : The Partridge Family in 1972 and The Brady Bunch in 1973. Each filmed an episode on location at

2480-403: A suspended roller coaster from Arrow Dynamics , in 1993. Located next to the habitat attraction, it was titled after a film of the same name and was the first ride to be added to the park with a Paramount theme. The following year, the entire area was renamed Adventure Village coinciding with the removal of the animal habitat and monorail ride. In 1999, a two-year expansion initiative began with

2604-510: A swinging pirate ship ride called Viking Fury, which opened in 1982. The area initially opened with the park in 1972 as The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera and was later shortened to Hanna-Barbera Land . One of the area's flagship attractions was a junior wooden roller coaster named Scooby Doo , which like The Racer was designed by John C. Allen but intended for younger riders. Enchanted Voyage , an Old Mill dark ride that ferried guests in unaccompanied boats along water-filled guideways,

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2728-655: A theme park in Northern Kentucky ;– well within Coney Island's primary market that extended as far south as Louisville . The announcement highlighted the need for change and gave Wachs' proposal credibility within the organization. Gary and Ralph met with Dudley S. Taft, president of Taft Broadcasting Company , to discuss a possible merger. Taft Broadcasting was interested in promoting its recently acquired Hanna-Barbera division, and in July 1969,

2852-402: A top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) and features a splashdown water effect finale. In August 2016, Kings Island revealed plans to build Mystic Timbers , a 109-foot-tall (33 m) wooden roller coaster that opened in 2017. The new ride added 3,265 feet (995 m) of track bringing the park's wooden coaster total to 18,804 feet (5,731 m), making it the most of any amusement park in

2976-452: A unique roller coaster concept. The Bat opened to the public in 1981 as the first modern-day, suspended roller coaster featuring an overhead track with train cars that swung freely from side to side, designed to simulate the feeling of flight. Although it was well received, it was plagued with design flaws and constant maintenance that resulted in frequent closures over its short, three-year history. In order to appease frustrated guests,

3100-465: A view of the surrounding area. Kings Dominion also added Dinosaurs Alive! , an upcharge dinosaur walkthrough exhibit, located in the Old Virginia section of the park. This attraction also appeared at Kings Island, Dorney Park, Cedar Point, and Canada's Wonderland. For the 2013 season, Planet Snoopy merged with KidZville during a 7-acre (2.8 ha) expansion to form the largest Planet Snoopy in

3224-614: A year after leaving Deerfield Township, the city of Mason annexed most of Kings Island. A temporary measure allowed for some land to remain in Deerfield in an attempt to appease park officials and reduce the impact on the township. The rest would be annexed in 1999. In 2005, Viacom split into two companies, Viacom and CBS Corporation , with CBS inheriting Paramount Parks. CBS made the decision to sell its theme park division in January 2006. CBS CEO Leslie Moonves stated that despite

3348-485: Is a list of former employees at Kings Island that later became well known in another industry: Dogstreet Cemetery is located at the north end of the Kings Island parking lot and is maintained by Deerfield Township. The historic cemetery dates back to 1803. The Warren County Genealogical Society documented nearly 70 grave sites in the cemetery, though as of 2005 , only 52 headstones remained. On January 11, 2012,

3472-501: Is a secondary queue system that offers shorter wait times on the park's most popular rides. In addition to the standard admission charge, visitors can bypass the standard wait line by purchasing a wrist band that grants access to the Fast Lane queue. A limited number of wrist bands are sold each day. Kings Island offers Fright Lane passes that operate the same way as Fast Lane but are for Halloween Haunt attractions only. The following

3596-505: Is another International Street attraction. Also located here is Kings Island Theater along with a variety of restaurants and souvenir shops. Oktoberfest, relating to the eponymous German festival , opened with the park in 1972. The area resembles a German town with timber-framed, German-style architecture. The Festhaus building is its central attraction, featuring live shows with several indoor eateries. Rides within Oktoberfest include

3720-509: Is themed to NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt , was announced on August 20, 2009, and represents the park's largest-ever capital investment. It was opened to the public in April 2010. Also for the 2010 season, the Kidzville and Nickelodeon Universe areas of the park began being re-themed to Planet Snoopy, as were the children's areas at Canada's Wonderland and Kings Island . The park has renamed

3844-559: Is transformed into a winter village filled with Christmas carolers, homemade crafts, and holiday-themed refreshments and snacks. The event debuted in 1982 and returned annually through 1992, followed by a brief return in 2005. Under Cedar Fair's ownership, the park listened to guest feedback and brought Winterfest back in 2017. They planned several years in advance to increase the scale of the event, which showcases over 5 million color-changing lights and dozens of live performances each night. Fast Lane , introduced at Kings Island in July 2011,

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3968-493: The Backlot Stunt Coaster in 2008. It is similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster rides at Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland , which both opened in 2005. On January 27, 2006, it was reported that CBS Corporation (successor of the original Viacom ), and owner of Paramount Parks, was interested in selling all of its theme parks, including Paramount's Kings Dominion. CBS stated that amusement parks did not fit

4092-452: The 1970s, and was removed in 1980. A steam train ride called Old Dominion Line operated nearby in the same park section. It has since been removed. While under Paramount ownership, Nickelodeon Splat City debuted in 1995, which was later renamed Nickelodeon Central in 2000. After Cedar Fair acquired the park, the area was redesigned in 2010 using a Peanuts theme, one of Cedar Fair's predominant I.P.s , with Snoopy serving as one of

4216-416: The 2009 season, two flat rides once located at Geauga Lake, like Dominator, opened in 2008. Located near Rebel Yell, Americana became Kings Dominion's first Ferris wheel. For the 2010 season, Kings Dominion opened Intimidator 305 , a 305-foot-tall (93 m) giga coaster by Intamin . The ride features a cable lift hill, an 85° first drop and a maximum speed of 90 mph (140 km/h). The ride, which

4340-509: The 2010 season, when Cedar Fair began incorporating its Peanuts theme throughout the park, primarily in the children's area. Nickelodeon Universe was renamed Planet Snoopy to complete the transition. In late 2009, the Mason City Council added a measure on its 2010 ballot that would mandate a 3-percent ticket tax and a 5-percent parking tax at both Kings Island and The Beach Waterpark . Council member Tony Bradburn argued that it

4464-628: The Carousel, oversized candy apples, and the popular blue ice cream that existed in the park for decades. The westernmost corner of Candy Apple Grove, distinct from the rest of the area, is themed to the 1950s. Some of the area's more notable rides include WindSeeker , a 301-foot-tall (92 m) swing ride that opened in 2012, and Delirium, a type of pendulum amusement ride that opened in place of stand-up roller coaster Shockwave in 2016. Candy Apple Grove's newest ride, steel coaster Twisted Timbers , opened in 2018 replacing Hurler and reusing some of

4588-468: The Cedar Fair chain. There are now 18 attractions covering 14 acres (5.7 ha). For the 2014 season, Kings Dominion commemorated the 40th anniversary of Lion Country Safari and the preview-opening of Kings Dominion by returning park icons from past eras. These icons included the return of the classic singing mushrooms, the repainting of Anaconda, an improved queue line for Volcano: The Blast Coaster,

4712-734: The Hanna-Barbera-themed rides in Kidzville to match the Planet Snoopy theme, ending the park's 35-year run with Scooby-Doo and other Hanna-Barbera characters. For the 2012 season, Kings Dominion installed WindSeeker in the Grove section of the park next to the Juke Box Diner. There are other versions of the ride in Cedar Fair parks such as Canada's Wonderland, Cedar Point, Kings Island, Knott's Berry Farm, and Carowinds. The ride stands 301 feet (92 m) and gives riders

4836-665: The Hurler was converted into Twisted Timbers, the park's newest roller coaster, in 2018. In the next year, another children's area, known as Nickelodeon Splat City, opened near the Shockwave roller coaster, this was a product of Viacom purchasing Paramount in 1994. This was later converted into Nick Central. In the 1995 season, The Skyride and The Singing Mushrooms were removed. In 1996, Kings Dominion introduced its second launched roller coaster, and first LIM -launched roller coaster, The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear . The Outer Limits has

4960-527: The International Street fountains and Rebel Yell. The Congo and Grove sections of the park were returned to the original themes, Safari Village and Candy Apple Grove, respectively. For the 2015 season, Kings Dominion continued in celebration of its 40th anniversary with a major expansion to WaterWorks. The expansion included a new 65-foot tall slide complex featuring three different attractions called Paradise Plunge, Aqua Blast, and Thunder Falls;

5084-664: The King Kobra, in 1977. The King Kobra featured a 50-ton counterweight drop launch and was the park's first launched roller coaster. It was in the park for nine seasons before being relocated to Jolly Roger Amusement Park in Ocean City, Maryland , Alton Towers in England , and later to Hopi Hari in Brazil where it exists today as Katapul . Also in 1977, Kings Dominion was one of several amusement parks serving as location for

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5208-417: The Kings Island resort, in 1972 Taft Broadcasting Company built a golf course, hotel and campground. Looping Starship The Looping Starship is an amusement ride manufactured by Intamin of Switzerland . The ride is a swinging ship that can spin a complete 360-degree revolution. The ride has been modified with custom theming to resemble a number of different vehicles, including a Space Shuttle ,

5332-405: The Lost World into The Smurfs theme. Kings Dominion unveiled a TOGO stand-up roller coaster in 1986 called Shockwave , the first of three roller coasters to be added under KECO. Shockwave had one loop, similar to the older King Kobra but added a helix. King Kobra was removed at the end of the season. A water slide complex known as Racing Rivers opened in 1987, and Avalanche , which remains

5456-608: The Paramount name in press releases, the park website, and signage within the park. Kings Dominion expanded WaterWorks for the 2007 season, adding a second wave pool called Tidal Wave Bay, a four-person family raft slide called Zoom Flume, and a ProSlide Tornado. During the Cedar Fair era, the park introduced Halloween Haunt . While the park had always had a Halloween event, the new HAUNT event has been received very well. In December 2006, Kings Dominion put Hypersonic XLC up for sale. The park announced plans to keep it running until

5580-631: The Torrential Twist (two enclosed body slides that wrapped around each other), the Pipeline (four open body slides), Cyclone (three enclosed body slides, the center of which was a free-fall), Tidal Wave (two open slides, which riders rode on inner tubes ), Splash Island (an area for children with five water slides), and a lazy river . Kings Dominion continued its growth when it became part of Paramount Parks in 1993 and switched its name to Paramount's Kings Dominion. New attractions and areas of

5704-508: The United States. Brokered by Intamin and manufactured by Waagner-Biro, the three-minute ride featured twelve gondolas on each of the two wheels, which were mounted to a long, hydraulic arm. It was removed following the 1986 season and relocated to Wonderland Sydney , where it reopened in 1989. In the 1980s, flat rides Skylab (1986–1997) and Zephyr were added, along with a looping roller coaster named Vortex (1987–2019), which

5828-580: The addition of a new area of the park themed to the 1992 Paramount motion picture Wayne's World , which featured its third full-size wooden roller coaster, Hurler , a shop called the Rock Shop, and a Stan Mikita's restaurant similar to the one featured in the film. Since then, the Wayne's World section has been merged into the Candy Apple Grove; the Stan Mikita's was converted to the Juke Box Diner, and

5952-400: The addition of more children's flat rides. A new, looping roller coaster from Arrow Dynamics called Anaconda was introduced the following year in 1991 featuring the world's first underwater tunnel which travels under part of Lake Charles. Anaconda was also originally billed as having six loops, but unlike Arrow's six-inversion coaster Drachen Fire that opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

6076-420: The addition of new rides and attractions. The park originally opened with sixty attractions which grew to more than a hundred by 2017. The number of themed areas has also expanded from the original five – Coney Island, Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera, International Street, Oktoberfest, and Rivertown – to eight by 2023, including the latest additions of Area 72 and Adventure Port. A water park was added in 1989, and

6200-692: The addition of the park's third wooden roller coaster, the Grizzly , in 1982 and a river rapids ride called White Water Canyon in 1983. Kings Dominion was also active in political lobbying . They and other entertainment businesses convinced Virginia to make it illegal for schools to start classes before the Labor Day holiday in early September. They thought that if students were not able to attend school in August, then more families would spend money at Kings Dominion, and more teenagers would be able to provide

6324-549: The agreement allowed Kings Island to continue using Nickelodeon themes and characters for four years and other Paramount-related branding for ten years, with the option to extend the license on both. Cedar Fair opted for a buyout option within an agreement clause to remove Paramount branding after one season. Beginning in 2008, Face/Off became Invertigo , The Italian Job Stunt Track became Backlot Stunt Coaster , Tomb Raider: The Ride became The Crypt and Top Gun became Flight Deck . Nickelodeon's presence remained until

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6448-403: The amusement park and cemetery were featured on season 8, episode 1 of Ghost Hunters entitled Roller Ghoster . The show investigated claims of haunted occurrences inside the park and around the cemetery, particularly of a ghost reportedly known as "Missouri Jane." Warren County Genealogical Society records document a grave for a Missouri Jane Galeenor, who died in 1846 at age five. As part of

6572-435: The annual publication from Amusement Today , including "Best Kids' Area" in the world for eighteen consecutive years (2001–2018) and "Best New Ride" in 2017 for Mystic Timbers . In the same publication, The Beast consistently ranks as one of the top ten wooden coasters in the world. Kings Island was conceived as early as 1964 when Coney Island , a popular amusement park 10 miles (16 km) east of downtown Cincinnati on

6696-480: The area became known as Wild Animal Habitat and included Adventure Village, a new area within the rebranded section. Over the years, it featured rides such as Screamin' Demon (1977–1987), the first steel looping roller coaster to run both forward and backward in the United States, and King Cobra (1984–2001), a stand-up looping roller coaster that was the first of its kind in the world. Early in its tenure after purchasing Kings Island, Paramount unveiled Top Gun ,

6820-406: The area's renaming to Action Zone and the addition of two new attractions – Drop Zone: Stunt Tower and Face/Off . When it debuted, Action Zone resembled a movie stunt set featuring a water tower as the centerpiece. The water tower was originally part of a skit with stunts and special effects that imitated a live movie set with a director and stunt performers. Son of Beast opened in 2000,

6944-527: The attraction featured depictions of dead miners' bodies that had been mangled by a mining disaster. The attraction drew criticism in the press due to the region's experience with mining disasters. Washington Post writer Peter Galuszka (author of a book on the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster ) said the attraction "hits a little too close to home for me" since "the idea of abandonment is a difficult topic for miners". He added, "At Kings Dominion,

7068-463: The banks of the Ohio River , suffered from a major flood that submerged the area in over 14 feet (4.3 m) of water. Although occasional flooding was common at the successful park, the flood in 1964 was the fourth highest on record and caused considerable damage. Faced with already-limited space for expansion and parking, the event triggered discussions within the organization about relocating

7192-509: The central characters. In 2013, Cedar Fair merged the KidZville section of the park, introducing new attractions and retheming others. Another expansion in 2017 updated the former Nickelodeon Central area of Planet Snoopy with three new attractions and a covered pavilion area. Soak City , formerly known as WaterWorks, is Kings Dominion's water park. It opened in 1992 as Hurricane Reef and is included with admission to Kings Dominion. In 2015,

7316-400: The children's brand marketed at other Cedar Fair parks. For the 2024 season, Kings Island expanded Planet Snoopy, adding a new themed section called Camp Snoopy. It features a new family Boomerang roller coaster from Vekoma called Snoopy's Soap Box Racers, as well as additional play areas and activities for families. Some attractions were also re-themed. During the 2021-2022 off season

7440-548: The children's brand marketed at other Cedar Fair parks. Nickelodeon Universe became known as Planet Snoopy . The area features many rides intended for smaller children, as well as three family-oriented roller coasters and a skater coaster . Amusement Today awarded Kings Island with the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Kids' Area in the World" for eighteen consecutive years (2001–2018). Kings Island's Planet Snoopy

7564-558: The company purchased Coney Island for $ 6.5 million and 1,600 acres (650 ha) in Warren County, Ohio , for $ 3.2 million. Kings Island still owned 773 acres (313 ha) of that purchase as of 2005 . The site is located between I-71 and the Little Miami River in what was then a part of Deerfield Township . Following the purchase, Fess Parker's efforts to secure financing fell apart along with his plans to build

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7688-407: The company's new strategy. On May 14, 2006, Cedar Fair announced it was interested in acquiring the five Paramount theme parks from CBS Corporation. The acquisition was completed on June 30, 2006. Although Cedar Fair continued to use the Paramount's Kings Dominion name through the remainder of the 2006 season, and had a ten-year option to continue using the Paramount pre-fix, it began to phase out

7812-456: The film Rollercoaster . A campground was completed in time for the 1978 season and the park's well-known Lost World mountain debuted in 1979. Originally, the Lost World featured three rides: a flume ride called Voyage to Atlantis , a children's attraction mine ride known as Land of the Dooz , and a rotor called Time Shaft . Only a year later in 1980, the flume ride was rethemed Haunted River . Kings Dominion later expanded Old Virginia with

7936-548: The final of several of the Paramount Parks to open a Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, now Drop Tower: Scream Zone. The 305-foot-high (93 m) Drop Zone at Kings Dominion was the tallest freefall ride in the world at the time it opened. In 2004, Kings Dominion added Scooby-Doo! And the Haunted Mansion ; similar Scooby-Doo-themed dark rides had opened at three other Paramount Parks during the three previous seasons. In

8060-462: The following season. As of October 20, 2024 : Parts of the 1977 movie Rollercoaster were filmed at Kings Dominion, and the park was involved in a major part of the film's plot. Incidents at Kings Dominion Kings Island Kings Island is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio , United States. Owned and operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation ,

8184-599: The following year, the Anaconda actually has only four inversions: a vertical loop , a sidewinder, and two consecutive corkscrews . A new 20-acre (81,000 m) water park addition called Hurricane Reef opened in 1992. To build the water park, Kings Dominion filled in two-thirds of Lake Charles near the Candy Apple Grove region of the park. Originally it featured the Monsoon Chutes (two pairs of free-fall body slides, at 70 and 50 feet (15 m) high, respectively),

8308-425: The former Wayne's World area in 2001. As part of Kings Dominion's 40th-anniversary celebration in 2014, The Grove was restored to its original orchard theme, and the name was changed back to Candy Apple Grove. The animatronic Singing Mushrooms, popular decades ago, was redeveloped with newer technology and placed back on display. Other features that made a return to the area include a fully restored floral clock near

8432-499: The health and profitability of Paramount Parks, the business was "one that just doesn't fit our core strategy". After receiving interest from several potential suitors, CBS announced the sale of Paramount Parks to Cedar Fair on June 30, 2006, for $ 1.24 billion. The acquisition of Kings Island gave Cedar Fair, who had recently acquired Geauga Lake from Six Flags in 2004, ownership of all three major amusement parks in Ohio . Part of

8556-463: The last Paramount-themed attractions to open at the park, The Italian Job: Stunt Track (now known as Backlot Stunt Coaster), was unveiled. The roller coaster replaced the antique car ride Les Taxis and Ohio Overland Auto Livery. In 2009, the park's first roller coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard , called Diamondback , opened in Rivertown. The 230-foot-tall (70 m) hypercoaster reaches

8680-414: The main entrance. As one of the park's original staples when it opened in 1972, International Street was designed by Bruce Bushman, a former Walt Disney Imagineering layout design artist. The area's architecture and cultural themes represent Italy, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. To save on the cost of construction, the second story of each building was designed on a three-quarters scale, borrowing from

8804-402: The middle of the walkway. Originally called Coney Island, the area was renamed Old Coney in 1980 and Coney Mall in 1986. The area also features game booths, arcades, and concession stands in the style of state fairs and traveling carnivals from the early twentieth century. Zodiac, described as a "spinning, climbing double ferris wheel", debuted in 1975 as one of only two of its kind in

8928-441: The mountain a major transformation. Volcano, which was manufactured by Intamin , was the world's first LIM-launched inverted roller coaster. The ride featured two separate launch sections, a roll-out inversion on the top of the mountain, and three heartline rolls on the way back down. Volcano was themed to the 1997 film Volcano ; the other Paramount Parks added inverted or suspended roller coasters themed to Top Gun around

9052-521: The name The Crypt. The Paramount Theater also changed its name to Kings Dominion Theater. The 2008 and 2009 seasons saw Kings Dominion receive three rides that had operated at Geauga Lake during its dry amusement park's final season. On October 23, 2007, Kings Dominion announced that Dominator , a floorless roller coaster , would be moved to Kings Dominion and located in the International Street section. Dominator opened on May 24, 2008, becoming Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with five inversions. For

9176-405: The next season, Kings Dominion added a Huss Top Spin called Tomb Raider: Firefall , and was named The Crypt, which was a standard size and outdoor version of a similar, but larger, ride named Tomb Raider: The Ride , also now The Crypt, at Kings Island . The differences between the two were that at Kings Dominion riders' feet dangle freely and at Kings Island, which installed a Giant Top Spin, there

9300-444: The number of employees required for park operations has grown from 1,300 to approximately 4,000. Action Zone opened in 1974 as Lion Country Safari, a 100-acre (40 ha) section of the park featuring a monorail ride that took guests on a safari-style tour through an animal preservation. This was part of a network of other safari-style zoos also called Lion Country Safari . It was later renamed Wild Animal Safari in 1977. In 1983,

9424-505: The only Mack bobsled roller coaster in the United States, debuted the following year in 1988. The trains of Avalanche now known as “Reptilian” were themed after bobsleds from various countries including the United States, France, Germany, Canada and Switzerland creating the experience of a bobsled race in the Winter Olympics . Kings Dominion continued to expand over the next few seasons starting with Hanna-Barbera Land in 1990 with

9548-427: The original wooden supports from Hurler. 2018 also marked the debut of WinterFest, a Christmas-themed holiday event, during the winter season. The Rebel Yell and Ricochet coasters were renamed Racer 75 and Apple Zapple, respectively. Tornado, Dinosaurs Alive, and Volcano: The Blast Coaster were all removed before the 2019 season. In August 2019, Kings Dominion announced that Soak City would be expanded in 2020 to include

9672-427: The other two parks, also added Great America to its portfolio after purchasing it in 1989 from the city of Santa Clara, California . In 1992, Paramount Communications Inc. (formerly Gulf+Western) purchased KECO along with Kings Island from American Financial in a deal worth $ 400 million. Paramount formed a new division known as Paramount Parks . KECO owned 20% of Canada's Wonderland, and Paramount bought out

9796-533: The park at the forefront of the industry. To keep momentum going, Kings Island spent years researching and designing a mammoth roller coaster, The Beast , which opened in 1979 as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world. It was designed and manufactured internally by the park. On the heels of early success came turbulent times beginning in the 1980s. Kings Island partnered with Arrow Development , an amusement ride company well known for its work at Disneyland and Disney World , to develop

9920-458: The park in 1972. The area included attractions such as Kings Mill Log Flume and Shawnee Landing, a canoe ride in a part of Rivertown known as Kenton's Cove. Throughout the 1970s, Rivertown saw the addition of several attractions including Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal in 1973, which was an elevated log flume ride that operated through the 2000 season, and The Beast roller coaster in 1979. Designed internally by Kings Island, The Beast opened as

10044-518: The park opened for a limited capacity winter event titled "Taste of the Season" that operated for three weeks the following month in December. The event featured specialty food trucks, seasonal decorations, a small selection of rides. Normal operation resumed for the 2021 season, and in August of that year, the park announced that Safari Village would receive a makeover for 2022. The upgraded section of

10168-697: The park themed to Paramount's television shows and films appeared at Paramount's Kings Dominion almost every season that they were under Paramount's ownership. In 1993, they added a motion simulator attraction, originally featuring the Days of Thunder film, and Lion County Safari was removed at the end of the season. Also in 1993, Smurf Mountain was removed, leaving only the Time Shaft and Haunted River remaining in The Lost World Mountain until 1995 when both rides were removed. The 1994 season saw

10292-585: The park was built by Taft Broadcasting and opened in 1972. It was part of a larger effort to move and expand Coney Island , a popular resort destination along the banks of the Ohio River that was prone to frequent flooding. After more than $ 300 million in capital investments over the years, the park has grown to feature over a hundred attractions including fifteen roller coasters and a 33-acre (13 ha) water park. Early in its history, Kings Island appeared in popular sitcoms and received widespread recognition for its record-breaking attractions and events. One of

10416-490: The park was partially restored years later. Less than two years after breaking ground, Kings Island opened its gates to the public on April 29, 1972. It was the first of several preview events. The grand opening was held the following month on May 27, 1972. One of the first signature attractions featured at the park was The Racer , a wooden roller coaster consisting of two trains that race side by side on identical tracks. Designed by legendary designer John C. Allen , who

10540-425: The park's most well-known attractions, The Racer , is often credited with reviving worldwide interest in roller coasters during the 1970s. A variety of attractions over the years introduced notable milestones, and The Beast and Banshee are two that have set enduring world records. The largest single investment in park history is Orion , a $ 30-million giga coaster that opened in 2020. The park has also experienced

10664-430: The park, Jungle X-Pedition, is themed to an archeological research facility and dig site. The area received similarly themed restaurants and retail shops, as well as a new roller coaster named Tumbili , a 4D Free Spin model manufactured by S&S – Sansei Technologies . On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals between Cedar Fair and Six Flags was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Candy Apple Grove

10788-445: The park, and actors in costume engage with guests. The event originally debuted as FearFest in 2000, and the name was later changed to Halloween Haunt in 2007. Winterfest is an annual Christmas-themed holiday festival that operates from mid-November through late December, featuring ice skating on the Royal Fountain as well as the special lighting throughout the park. Some rides and attractions are in operation, and International Street

10912-424: The park, the event was renamed Halloween Haunt in 2007. In 2017, Kings Dominion's Halloween Haunt was voted the second-best theme park Halloween event by USA Today. Kings Dominion cancelled the event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . In 2013, Halloween Haunt featured a walk-through maze called Miner's Revenge. Advertisements for the attraction characterized it as "the worst coal mine accident in history," and

11036-672: The park, which originally included the walkway, buildings, and Eiffel Tower, was expanded under Paramount ownership to include the former Action Theater . Along with International Street, Old Virginia is the only original section of Kings Dominion that has kept its same name throughout the park's history. Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the area has a vintage, rustic theme marked by its wooded architecture and country-style decor. An Intamin Flying Dutchman flat ride called Jamestown Landing operated in Old Virginia through

11160-524: The park, which were later broadcast on ABC . The Brady Bunch was produced by Paramount Television , a large Taft Broadcasting shareholder. The park also held several world-record-breaking events. In 1974, 69-year-old Karl Wallenda set a world record for the longest tightrope skywalk at a distance of 1,800 feet (550 m), which was performed 60 feet (18 m) off the ground. The following year, Evel Knievel successfully jumped fourteen Greyhound buses on his Harley Davidson at Kings Island, clearing

11284-512: The park. Leading the way was Gary Wachs, son of Coney Island president Ralph Wachs, who with friends and family owned a majority of stock. He decided it was time to relocate the park to stay competitive. After years of research and traveling abroad, he presented ideas for a new theme park to the company's board of directors. Some board members opposed relocating, including significant stockholder Charles Sawyer. It wasn't taken seriously until 1968 when actor Fess Parker announced plans to build

11408-406: The park. Original themed areas included The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera, International Street, Lion Country Safari, Old Virginia, and Coney Island. Daily admission price in 1975 was $ 7.50, and a dollar for parking. Opening day of the park saw 50,000 guests, with an additional 50,000-60,000 guests waiting to enter. Kings Dominion added its fourth roller coaster, a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop known as

11532-468: The previous support structure. In addition to rides, the area features an arcade, carnival games, counter-service restaurants, and a gift shop. Jungle X-Pedition is themed to an archeological base camp in a mysterious jungle. The area's fictional backstory centers around an explorer who discovered the uncharted land in 1935, naming the location "Site X." Initially, the area was part of one of the park's original attractions, Lion Country Safari, which contained

11656-481: The remaining 80% stake in 1993, raising the total number of parks to five. Later that year, Paramount Parks began incorporating themes from its movies into each park. Viacom entered the picture after acquiring Paramount in 1994, paving the way for the inclusion of Nickelodeon themes. Nickelodeon Splat City , an interactive splash pad area, was added in 1995, which later evolved into Nickelodeon Central (2001) and eventually Nickelodeon Universe (2006). In 1997,

11780-459: The return of classic blue ice cream, among other additions. They also returned the Rebel Yell roller coaster to its original red and blue colors. The 2014 season also saw the return of the iconic floral clock, the popular clown band, and the renaming of Johnny's and Trail's End Grill restaurants to the original names, Dinner Bell and Hungry Hippo, respectively. New lighting packages were added to

11904-463: The ride got repainted for the parks 50th anniversary celebration. Rivertown is an area within the park that features a western theme depicting a town with ranch-style buildings, old wooden signs, and one of the park's most iconic attractions, the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad . Originally intended to be named Frontier Land , the area was eventually named Rivertown when it debuted with

12028-596: The ride was named expired; the Outer Limits theming in the ride and its queue was removed, and the ride was renamed Flight of Fear. After the 2000 season, Flight of Fear's trains also received lap bars instead of shoulder restraints. 1997 featured the debut of KidZville, a re-theming of the Hanna-Barbera section. The park added the new Taxi Jam roller coaster, and Scooby's Playpark became a construction-themed playpen called Kidz Construction Company. Yogi's Cave

12152-536: The same time. During the next two seasons, Kings Dominion expanded Hurricane Reef behind the Rebel Yell and renamed it WaterWorks . The new portion of WaterWorks includes Pipeline Peak, a set of four enclosed water slides, one of which (the Night Slider) is the world's tallest dark free-fall slide. In 2000, Nick Central opened, replacing Nick Splat City and part of Kidzville. The park added its third launched roller coaster, Hypersonic XLC , in 2001. Hypersonic XLC,

12276-410: The second year of the area's two-year expansion. It was the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world and the first of its kind to feature a vertical loop. As a result of a number of structural issues and two accidents, the ride closed permanently in 2009 and was eventually demolished in 2012. Other notable rides include Delirium , which opened in 2003 as the largest Giant Frisbee ride in

12400-500: The south track of The Racer began running its trains backward in 1982, which became so popular that the change remained until 2008. The park also pushed forward with its next major addition, King Cobra , which opened in 1984 as the first of its kind to be designed from inception as a stand-up roller coaster. Kings Island also went through a series of ownership changes over the next decade. Taft sold its theme park division in 1984 for $ 167.5 million to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO),

12524-585: The suggestion of living miners left to die is meant to inject some enjoyable dramatic tension". Kathleen Geier of Washington Monthly decried, "agonizing deaths are being served up for fun and profit to the gawking, peanut-crunching masses" and asked, "What next – a thrill ride based on the Rana Plaza factory disaster in Bangladesh? Auschwitz : The Theme Park?". Following the controversy, Kings Dominion dropped Miner's Revenge from its Halloween maze lineup

12648-563: The tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the world, and in addition to retaining its record length, it remains one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today . Other rides added over the years include a river rafting ride called White Water Canyon , which opened in 1985, and a heavily themed, indoor flat ride called Tomb Raider: The Ride (later renamed The Crypt), which opened in place of Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal in 2002. The Crypt closed permanently in 2011. In 2005, one of

12772-479: The transition. Area 72, formerly known as X-Base, is an area themed as a secret aerospace research facility that features two roller coasters. The area first opened as a small subsection of Coney Mall when Flight of Fear was introduced in 1996. It expanded in 2007 following the addition of Firehawk and was labeled X-Base, a name only designated by a small sign in Coney Mall. Firehawk closed in 2018 and

12896-465: The water park was expanded and re-branded as Soak City. Fast Lane is Kings Dominion's virtual queue system. For an increased cost, visitors get a wristband enabling them to get to the front of the line on 17 of the most popular attractions without queueing. Halloween Haunt is an annual Halloween event at Kings Dominion on weekends during the months of September and October. It debuted in 2001 as FearFest, but following Cedar Fair's acquisition of

13020-528: The world". Hypersonic XLC was removed after the 2007 season. The early 2000s saw Kings Dominion opening new rides similar to existing rides at other Paramount Parks. In 2002, the park opened its new wild mouse roller coaster , Ricochet (Now known as Apple Zapple), Carowinds also installed its Ricochet in 2002. Diamond Falls, the Shoot the Chute ride closed that season. The 2003 season saw Kings Dominion become

13144-460: The world, and Banshee , the world's longest inverted roller coaster which opened in 2014 at the former location of Son of Beast. In 2023, Kings Island opened a newly themed area called Adventure Port, which introduced family rides Sol Spin and Cargo Loco. The area was previously a part of Oktoberfest and includes a mine train roller coaster called Adventure Express , which opened in 1991. Adventure Express received theming enhancements during

13268-424: The world. Included with park admission, Soak City is a 33-acre (13 ha) water park featuring two wave pools , several children's areas and a variety of water slides. It originally opened in 1989 as WaterWorks and has since been expanded several times. It was renamed in 2004 to Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay , based on the titular character from the film "Crocodile" Dundee , played by Paul Hogan who

13392-557: Was a floor. In the 2006 season, Kings Dominion opened the Italian Job Turbo Coaster , its fourth launched roller coaster. Unlike the previously built launched coasters at Kings Dominion, each of which was faster than its predecessor, the Italian Job Turbo Coaster was designed more like a family ride and features multiple launches at 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). The coaster was later renamed

13516-428: Was added for the 2016 season. Kings Island announces an expansion for the 2025 season with the addition of RiverRacers, a dual-racing water coaster. Halloween Haunt is a Halloween -themed event at Kings Island that operates on weekends from September through October. It features haunted houses, mazes, live shows, and most of the park's regular season attractions. Special lighting and fog effects are utilized throughout

13640-429: Was added in 2011, which features two-person swing carriages that rotate around a central tower at a maximum speed of 30 mph (48 km/h). For the 2019 season, an antique car ride called Kings Mill Antique Autos, designed to resemble the retired Les Taxis (1972–2004), returned to Coney Mall as a new attraction. At the heart of the amusement park, visitors are greeted by International Street, which lies just beyond

13764-484: Was added in 2023, replacing part of Oktoberfest and adding two new family rides – Sol Spin and Cargo Loco. Through the 2024 season, Kings Island expanded Planet Snoopy with the addition of a new themed section called Camp Snoopy. On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals between Cedar Fair and Six Flags was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Kings Island has invested more than $ 300 million in improvements since its grand opening in 1972, including

13888-437: Was also a primary attraction that opened with the park. Shaped like a large TV set, the building housed separately-themed areas that made heavy use of animatronic Hanna-Barbera characters. The ride was overhauled for the 1984 season when it became Smurf's Enchanted Voyage . In 1992, the building was transformed once more into Phantom Theater , replacing the ride's waterways with an Omnimover -style system of transport. It

14012-401: Was also hired to promote the revamped water park. Following Cedar Fair's acquisition of Kings Island, it was later renamed Boomerang Bay , and all references to the film character were removed. On September 2, 2011, Kings Island announced a $ 10-million expansion of the water park for the 2012 season, as well as a plan to rename it Soak City . Tropical Plunge, a seven-story water slide complex,

14136-506: Was also the largest in the Cedar Fair chain until 2013, when Kings Dominion doubled the size of its Planet Snoopy section. The portion of the area that borders Rivertown was revamped in 1995 with the addition of a kids' play area, stage and water attraction, and the new sub-section was named Nickelodeon Splat City . In 2001, the log ride Kings Mills Log Flume was updated with a children's theme and renamed The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure. The Rugrats Runaway Reptar inverted roller coaster

14260-464: Was convinced to come out of retirement, The Racer was the first of its kind in 35 years and played an integral part of the roller coaster renaissance of the 1970s. Decades later, it was distinguished as a Roller Coaster Landmark by American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) in recognition for its historical significance. Other roller coasters present on opening day in 1972 were the Bavarian Beetle,

14384-569: Was designed with similar themes, rides, and activities as sister park Kings Island. Following a limited preview of the park's Lion Country Safari, a drive-through animal zoo with 230 species of animals, and the Scooby-Doo rollercoaster in 1974, Kings Dominion officially opened on May 3, 1975, offering fifteen attractions including the Rebel Yell (later renamed Racer 75 ), the Lion Country Safari Monorail, Galaxie , and

14508-519: Was expanded with the addition of three new children's rides in the former Nickelodeon Central side of the area. On October 15, 2016, Kings Dominion announced that the Hurler wooden coaster would be permanently closed. For the 2018 season, Kings Dominion opened Twisted Timbers on March 24, 2018, three years after Hurler operated for the last time, converting the track from wood to steel. It was built by Rocky Mountain Construction utilizing many of

14632-444: Was introduced the same year. This expansion into an area that was originally part of Rivertown became known as Nickelodeon Central . Hanna-Barbera Land was gradually converted over the next several years and eventually renamed "Nickelodeon Universe" in 2006. Following Cedar Fair's purchase of the park from Paramount in 2006, Nickelodeon-themed elements were eventually removed and replaced with Peanuts comic strip themes in 2010 –

14756-431: Was known as Coney Island when the park first opened in 1975. It was renamed Candy Apple Grove in 1976. The area is Kings Dominion's largest section in the park, and in its early years, it featured an orchard theme that included three apple-themed rides: Apple Turnover, Bad Apple, and Adam's Apple. Much of the apple-related themes were removed over the years, and the area became known as simply The Grove when it merged with

14880-429: Was necessary for the city to help pay for infrastructure improvements, as well as cover police and fire expenses. The proposed tax hike was the center of debate for several months, as Kings Island actively encouraged the public to write, email, and call Mason City Council representatives to express opposition. On February 8, 2010, Mason City Council voted 5–1 against the measure. A new themed area called Adventure Port

15004-440: Was removed prior to the 2019 season. The park began leaking clues that implied a new ride would take its place, and in August 2019, the park unveiled plans to build Orion , the park's first giga coaster , with park guests and press in attendance. The area, which received an updated theme and was added to the official park map for the first time, was renamed Area 72 for the 2020 season. When Kings Island first opened in 1972,

15128-426: Was rethemed to Treasure Cave and many rides in KidZville, such as Scooby-Doo's Ghoster Coaster , George Jetson's Spaceport, and Huck's Hot Rods, continued to bear the names of Hanna-Barbera characters. Kings Dominion added another launched roller coaster in 1998, Volcano: The Blast Coaster , in the former Lost World mountain. The mountain's previous rides had all been removed several years previously, and Volcano gave

15252-627: Was the first in the world to feature six inversions. Following Paramount's acquisition of the park in 1992, Coney Mall was further expanded in 1994 with the addition of Days of Thunder, a NASCAR -themed motion simulator ride based on the 1990 film of the same name . The ride was housed within Action Theater located near The Racer's turnaround, and it was later updated with different shows based on James Bond , SpongeBob , and other themes before its closure in 2013. A 301-foot-tall (92 m), three-minute swing ride called WindSeeker

15376-538: Was themed as a behind-the-scenes tour of a haunted theater. The theme and ride vehicles would see additional changes over the years – Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle in 2003 and Boo Blasters on Boo Hill in 2010 – but the same underlying transportation system was retained each time. Following Cedar Fair's purchase of the park from Paramount in 2006, Nickelodeon-themed elements were eventually removed and replaced with Peanuts comic strip themes in 2010 –

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