2015 Season Park Map and Shows Revealed

[Hokie305]

The 2015 season park map has arrived! https://www.kingsdominion.com/images/uploads/file/KD15-045%20Park%20Map%20And%20Guide%20Final(1).pdf

I do like it better than last years since it looks more full and complete. It has some trees along with names on the major attractions and overall just looks better.

It also lists the new shows for the 2015 season!
Cirque Imagine: June 20 - September 7 Kings Dominion Theater
PEANUTS Palooza: March 29 - October 31 Grand Bandstand
Charlie Brown's Happy Campers: March 29 - October 31 PEANUTS Playhouse

Returning shows for 2015 include...
The Lost World 3D: Action Theater
Open Mic Karaoke: Grove Stage
Schroeder's Sing Along: PEANUTS Playhouse
All Wheels Sports: PEANUTS Showplace
PEANUTS Meet & Greet: Planet Snoopy

I believe we may see another show announced for the Grand Bandstand once the Dominion at Dusk arrangements are made for the peak of summer to go along with the fountains, light show, and fireworks.

The Cirque Imagine show should be great - I only heard fantastic reviews of the Cirque show at Kings Island last season!

 

[APE]

Cirque Imagine was awesome last year at KI! I'm sad I will be at the park just before the shows start.

 

[Mushroom]

Sooo glad KD40: On Stage is not coming back. It sucked. I've heard amazing things about Cirque Imagine at Kings Island, though, so I am expecting big things for the Kings Dominion Theatre. It also sounds like something incredibly unique and not just another music revue. My only concern is that is shares some elements with All Wheel Sports, although the are presented very differently. Here's a video of KI's show:

Charlie Brown's Happy Campers is a new Peanuts show that is currently featured at Knott's Berry Farm. Frankly, I'm surprised Charlie Brown's All-Stars is done after two seasons. Anyway, here's the show at Knott's:

Other interesting notes:
- After criticism over the map design in 2014, the park has removed the quadrant-style map and returned written labels to the attractions
- Plant-like illustrations are now added to the map, in response to criticism
- Shoot the Curl's location is replaced by a new Coca-Cola Marketplace
- There is indeed a new path leading along the backside of the old Shoot the Curl area
- Unsurprisingly, there is no Safari Stage for 2015
- Tidal Wave Bay drinks is a new drink stand near Hurricane Heights
- Baja Bends is sporting its new color scheme

 

[Lord Robert]

Cirque Imagine is coming for 2015 eh? I really like this. Plus I'm glad that the Peanuts show at International Street is FINALLY changing. We had Peanuts Rockin' Party since 2010! No Mason Dixon Music Hall rename this year... Oh well.

I sure hope the new things this year are really good.

 

[MAZ]

If the show is anything like the one that played in safari village during haunt, I'll like it. A lot.

 

[mwhinva]

Not to poo-poo the 2015 shows; but, I feel that entertainment department took a major hit for this season.

There is no real live performance art (singing/dancing) at the park for 2015. Just street/circus style athletes. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the talent in either show. But, why have almost identical styles of performance in the same season? The only difference I see between the two is that one show has a few more acrobats in a theatrical setting while the other focuses more on the street wheel scene (more bikes).

I have my theories on this; reasons that hurt entertainment from taking off again at the park:

1) Budget - never enough money to create shows with strong production values. The performer talent pool grew over the last 2-3 years; but, the money to create/produce the productions was limited or even scarce. And poor reception of those shows was sometimes evident. (Little/no sets; costume changes; most shows performed to canned music).

2) Lack of entertainment venues. Not enough venues to watch shows in relative comfort. To me, the Grove Stage was a disaster. No place to sit; no place to get out of the direct sun. Poor overall environment to enjoy a show production. The park has no excuse to say they dropped these types of shows because of poor reception by the GP; when you risked heat stroke standing on asphalt to watch it. I've never understood a park this size not having at least one other small shaded amphitheater that seats 200-300 folks. To me the park should have one other indoor theater as well. Not as big as the KD theater (seats close to 1200); but one that could seat 700-800 folks.

3) Too much of the same style/genre show productions. Current pop music revue, current pop music revue, current pop music revue, any one love a current pop music revue? How about mixing the shows up like having the British Invasion show featuring the music from the 60's/70's, or the Totally 70's or Totally 80's shows featuring music from those eras. Music/songs from TV shows old and current. Anything but a current pop music revue. These types of shows have been performed at other Cedar Fair parks, why not KD?

I just can't figure out if Kings Dominion has a hard time selecting a good entertainment production company that is a good fit for the park; or, if it is the low budget the park has to work with and the entertainment company struggles to get the level of good performers and money to put on a show with strong production values (sets/costumes/lighting/sound). It has to be tough for the park's entertainment management to get out a product that most of the public will like; especially, when you have to go up against theme park show productions in the region like Busch Gardens and Hershey Park.

Oh well, I can always hope for the future.

 

[Mushroom]

Mwhinva: I don't think this is the final listing. KD Golden Years told me the official lineup will be announced soon, and should be different from what we have right now.

I also don't think the map is final. There are mistakes and typos all over the place.

 

[APE]

To anyone somewhat interested in Cirque Imagine. I am not big on going to the shows at parks, I've seen several in various places but they are just not for me. I enjoy skating and BMX but even the All Wheels show had me bored. Cirque Imagine is the only one i have seen that i really enjoyed and would go back to watch again and again.

 

[Caleb]

It bothers the heck out of me that on the map there is a hill just after the first drop on the hurler, the anaconda looks taller than the intimidator, the grizzly track goes thru its lift hill and the Eiffel Tower looks so short. There is plenty of more mistakes on the map just to lazy to write them.

 

[Mushroom]

Cirque Imagine at Kings Island is produced by Les Productions Haut-Vol, a cirque/acrobatics production company. Les Productions Haut-Vol also produced Skeleton Crew during Haunt 2014 at Kings Dominion, so it's probably safe to assume they will produce this show as well.

 

[netdvn]

It bothers the heck out of me that on the map there is a hill just after the first drop on the hurler, the anaconda looks taller than the intimidator, the grizzly track goes thru its lift hill and the Eiffel Tower looks so short. There is plenty of more mistakes on the map just to lazy to write them.

If the KD map bothers you, the BGW map is just as bad. I still prefer this design over the 2008-2013 one anyway.

 

[Party Rocker]

I don't think as far as BGW goes, there was ever a map that truly accurately pictured the coasters. They show some of the same recognizable elements, but they aren't perfect at all.