40th Anniversary Celebration & Park Revitalization

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Looks like my grandparents aren't the only ones who have "discovered" Kings Dominion! :cool:

Vicky McCue said:
Excited for 40th anniversary! We purchased season passes for 2014. Can't wait to bring our 7yr old grandaughter.

[From Kings Dominion's Facebook Page]
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Looks like Kings Dominion's public image is starting to change. This is what I am so excited about. Kings Dominion will slowly but surely, no longer be a thrill seeker's corral, and will be a place where families can go to have fun and make memories together.

That's what Kings Dominion should be. And that's what they're striving for.
 
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Kings Dominion will slowly but surely, no longer be a thrill seeker's corral
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This is my ultimate hope, for KD to become a park of beauty and fun, to be able to replicate a day at BGW where you can hang out with friends and the rides are only a spur of the moment thing.
 
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After looking through the park's website, it's nice to see Kings Dominion specifically state that they are not just a "rides park." :cool:

Kings Dominion said:
Kings Dominion has a one-price admission as it is a multi-faceted park, not just a ride park. Live entertainment abounds at the park wtih fun-filled shows and roving characters and performers. The park also offers a variety of gift shops, restaurants, a waterpark that is included with park admission and much more.

https://www.kingsdominion.com/plan-a-visit/frequently-asked-questions
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On an unrelated note, check this out.

Kings Dominion said:
Park Mosiac
Be apart of the celebration with our in-park mosaic coming in 2014. Send us your memorable pictures of Kings Dominion to social@kingsdominion.com. Submission deadline has been extended to March 31, 2014.
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Looks like they didn't get as many pictures as they expected. :p
 
Well, they add them in at any time really. From my understanding it's going to be a digital mosaic so it won't be hard to add in pictures.
 
Ah, that makes sense. I wonder how many pictures they got, compared to how many they were expecting?
 
Joe said:
Ah, that makes sense. I wonder how many pictures they got, compared to how many they were expecting?
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Well, I sent the park close to 40-50 pictures from the early 1980's. Maybe I might have a better chance for some of mine to show up. :cool:
 
mwhinva said:
I have one question.

Has anyone experienced a ride attraction whose capacity and wait times were improved by reconfiguring the entrance/exit queue lines?

I realize there can be a bottleneck at the bottom of the ramp in the load station area; but I have never seen the park send out half empty trains due to a lack of riders because of that. Unless there are those who are determined to get the first or last row on the train, most people shuffle through to find the shortest row queue to wait in.

I have a thought on what might happen in the reconfiguration of the ride. This would work whether the park stays with 2 trains or adds a new third train back to the ride. Let me know if this makes sense/is plausible.

Lets say the park converts the current unload section and the current load section in the station to both being a load/unload area. Two trains wait in the station area to be unloaded then loaded. Train in the first area is dispatched and the 2nd train stays in its area or advances forward to the 1st bay awaiting its turn. When the 1st train clears the 1st block on the final brake run, the 2nd train is dispatched from either the 2nd load/unload bay and passes through the 1st load/unload bay to be launched or has already advanced to the 1st load/unload bay and then dispatched from there.

If the park added a 3rd train back to the ride, it would still work. Example, train 1 is in load/unload bay 1; train 2 is in load/unload bay 2; the 3rd train is on the transfer table hold/brake area. Both trains 1 and 2 are loaded. Train one is dispatched and launched. Train 1 comes back and enters the final brake run. I believe there are two blocks on the final brake run; (before the turnaround to the transfer table hold/brake area). If that is the case, then as soon as train 1 clears the 1st block, it stops on the 2nd block.

Meanwhile, train 2 is cleared to be dispatched from bay 2 and advances through bay 1 to be launched. Right behind train 2 is train 3 advancing to load/unload bay 1. Train 3 stops there to be unloaded then loaded. Train 1 starts advancing as soon as train 3 clears the transfer table hold/brake area. It then advances to load/unload bay 2 be unloaded then loaded with the next group of people.

I think this could be the way the park resolves the capacity issue without a costly dual loading station. If KD would invest in buying a 3rd train and adding it back to the ride, the park could see capacity improvement of 35%-40% (or, 25%-30% with just the 2 existing trains). [Volcano did run 3 trains for a period of time. I heard the park either used the 3rd train for spare parts or the park replaced the original 3 trains with new ones; but only bought 2 new replacement trains].

Three train operations would depend on the final brake run having 2 blocks to stop 2 trains on it before the turnaround back to the station. I thought the 2 train operation used electromagnetic brakes until the train slowed down enough for the mechanical brakes to bring it to a complete stop and then release the train to advance to the turnaround. I thought the train continued straight for about one and a half train lengths before hitting the turnaround towards the transfer table brake/hold area.

With all that being said, I wonder if that means the entrance and exit side of the station area will be reversed. What was the loading area will become the exit and the exit becomes the entrance side. Course, there are major infrastructure changes that would have to happen to the front load bay (1) on the entrance side and changes on the 2nd load bay on the exit side. Mainly, creating space to enter and wait for your row in bay 1 and room to get to the exit ramp in bay 2.

My head is starting to spin. I'll leave it at this. :shocked:
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I wanted to take the time to answer your question because I see this pop up a lot. Volcano is already one of the most demanding rides to work at because of the requirements placed upon the operators. Cycling 2 trains is already difficult, and a third would just leave the third train waiting in the BB before unload. Making both locations unload/load wouldn't be possible since certain requirements need to be met for operators to get around and check restraints, etc. I believe the only blocks on Volcano are the one before unload, one at unload and one at load, which is how the 3 train system was explained to me anyways. If there are more blocks, operators do not have control over them. Hope that answers your question. I've recommended a 3rd train before and once this was explained to me it all made a lot more sense.
 
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VolcanoDiva said:
I believe the only blocks on Volcano are the one before unload, one at unload and one at load, which is how the 3 train system was explained to me anyways. If there are more blocks, operators do not have control over them. Hope that answers your question. I've recommended a 3rd train before and once this was explained to me it all made a lot more sense.
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Still not saying a 3rd train is or isn't possible, but wouldn't the slow down area (the area upon re-entering the mountain and before the turn into the station). Count as a block? It's always dark inside so I don't have any idea if the train is capable of being stopped there.
 
Evan said:
VolcanoDiva said:
I believe the only blocks on Volcano are the one before unload, one at unload and one at load, which is how the 3 train system was explained to me anyways. If there are more blocks, operators do not have control over them. Hope that answers your question. I've recommended a 3rd train before and once this was explained to me it all made a lot more sense.
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Still not saying a 3rd train is or isn't possible, but wouldn't the slow down area (the area upon re-entering the mountain and before the turn into the station). Count as a block? It's always dark inside so I don't have any idea if the train is capable of being stopped there.
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I'm trying to think of a time we had a train stop there. A train isn't usually sent out until the previous train reaches the block before unload. My mind is thinking of one case, but I cannot say with 100% accuracy if there is one, sorry. Even if there was a block there, having people sitting in the dark isn't a great idea.
 
Well. If there would be 3 trains (and there used to be trains a few years ago) the train would be held on the transfer track. So it wouldn't be complete darkness as you could look forward into the station if the stations got held.

I'm guessing here and saying that the train in the load station can't be dispatched until after it clears the final brakes (inside the mountain before the turn). It would have to be constant moving and no stopping, but I'm sure it can be done with a bit more effort in pushing the guests through the gates.

Also, is there any reason that the train in unload takes forever to advance into the load station? Almost every time I ride, the train in unload just sits there for a solid 30-45 seconds after the train in the load station has been dispatched which eats up a good amount of time.

All of this confuses me on how they are going to improve the RPH next season. As so far all we have seen is work being done on the queue house.
 
Kings Dominion just updated their Facebook page with 18 photos of the park covered in snow. I thought I would place the link here as several of the pictures show the places in the park that are undergoing a makeover for the 40th anniversary.

The last picture in the series shows the International Street fountain pool. It looks like the whole pool has been stripped of the old incandescent lighting and all water jets have been removed as well. Because of the snow cover, I can't tell if the park had to dig up any of the bottom of the pool to do this. It does look weird with the pool totally stripped of everything! :shocked:

Kings Dominion in the snow.
 
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That's the 1nd* time we've gotten to see a lot of the construction going on. Pretty unique way of providing an update.

As a side note, Kings Dominion is gorgeous in the snow, one of the many reasons it needs a Christmas event. ;)
 
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https://www.kingsdominion.com/live-auditions/musicians-singers-musicians
Hmm...

I'm guessing there's a lot they haven't told us yet. According to Evan's link, the park will be hiring not only singers and dancers, but live musicians for street performances. We know the Clown Band is returning, but the page also says they are looking for fiddle, guitar, and banjo players. Some sort of street performance coming to Old Virginia?

Also, this really caught my eye:
Kings Dominion said:
ACTORS — Prepare a family-friendly comedic monologue no longer than 90 seconds in length that displays your personality, comedic ability, and announcing style.
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:shocked: Street actors? If this means what I think it means, Kings Dominion may very well be leaps and bounds ahead of BGW next year. Which is funny because street performers used to be BGW's specialty.
 
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