Dominator

[CoasterAuditor]

Ended up getting tied up with this ride tonight. I noticed as I was walking up from jungle X the lift seemed to be making a much louder I wanna say “banging cracking noise” while appearing to struggle with the trains weight a bit more then it usually does. It did this consistently and in 15 years of riding dominator I’ve never heard it make this noise when the train hits the lift hill. It did it on my ride as well so I figured I should tell a ride operator. It would specifically occur as the chain started to pull the train up and it seemed to be struggling with the trains weight.

This caused them to immediately take the ride down, get a full report from me on this noise and they had me listen to two more test trains with a ride op who thought initially I was just telling them about the usual sound it makes but after the 2nd train he heard the noise as well. I was walking out at park close from Jungle X and I saw it in maintenance mode with the lights on the lift and brake runs on and they were taking the trains off the track. I’m not sure if KD always does that after park close or not but figured I’d mention it. I don’t always walk that way out after the park closes so not sure if that’s typical for them, if anyone knows more about Dominators operations please chime in if that’s a daily occurrence or not.

 

[A_Sad_Squirrel]

lights on the lift and brake runs on and they were taking the trains off the track. I’m not sure if KD always does that after park close or not but figured I’d mention it.

Lift and brake lights are always on and trains get taken off every night.

 

[AIR]

Ended up getting tied up with this ride tonight. I noticed as I was walking up from jungle X the lift seemed to be making a much louder I wanna say “banging cracking noise” while appearing to struggle with the trains weight a bit more then it usually does. It did this consistently and in 15 years of riding dominator I’ve never heard it make this noise when the train hits the lift hill. It did it on my ride as well so I figured I should tell a ride operator. It would specifically occur as the chain started to pull the train up and it seemed to be struggling with the trains weight.

This caused them to immediately take the ride down, get a full report from me on this noise and they had me listen to two more test trains with a ride op who thought initially I was just telling them about the usual sound it makes but after the 2nd train he heard the noise as well. I was walking out at park close from Jungle X and I saw it in maintenance mode with the lights on the lift and brake runs on and they were taking the trains off the track. I’m not sure if KD always does that after park close or not but figured I’d mention it. I don’t always walk that way out after the park closes so not sure if that’s typical for them, if anyone knows more about Dominators operations please chime in if that’s a daily occurrence or not.

All it takes is a couple of pads on the ARBs to be a little damaged to start making a different noise on the rack. The lift feed section there has a small section of ARB rack.

If a B&M can be taken off its own weight for the night, it does. Most parks that have storage tracks put the trains aside for storage, inspection and maintenance for the following day.

 

[MrBradferd]

Dominator is so ungodly underated I swear. It has such a good and unique layout. The back row has really good forces and yanks you down the drop into floater hangtime in the loop and then feeling it pull you around the 2 turns after is so good. Everything after the mid course is kinda rough and rattly but still good. It's my number 2 in the park besides i305. Yes even TT. I got 3 rides on TT tonight and I dont know.. i just cant get into it that much. It's painful as hell, my whole back and ass is out at the end from the ejector. Kinda 1 trick pony imo

 

[guy305]

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They’re well into the repaint of the OG colors

 

[MusicEnlightens]

Looks good, although I think it will be way more striking in person to see new paint than in pictures.

Not surprised by the use of the same colors. For those that suggested lighter blue options, I think that would have looked really cool, but Dominator is meant to stand out over the parking lot/entrance of KD. Blues would look beautiful but blend into the skyline too much, rather than contrast with it (not to mention Woodstock right next door, which is very blue)

Save the the striking blue steel track for the next high-thrill coaster, you know in like 12 years.

I also think keeping Dominator the same colors saves money by not needing a new logo, new rebrand merch, and even marketing can stay the same. Heck, Anaconda had been featured for years on the website/apps/advertisements with a clearly photoshopped brilliant red track, even though in reality it desperately needed a paint job. Keep the same marketing pictures for Dominator, except the touched up pictures actually look like reality now!

It still begs the question what will become of this area, with the repaint but no retheme, and Berserker's demise. My hope would be for a new flat ride to replace Berserker in the future, but I also see Joe Cool closing soon too. If Carowinds' new River Raft blast is a success, I see that taking over Joe Cool's plot of land, and possibly Berserker's as well, with some revamped walkways between Dominator and Planet Snoopy. I think that could be a much bigger draw than Joe Cool for families (not just kids) and with a shortened operating year as a water attraction, it would only require staffing May through August (since cost-cutting is so important these days).

 

[MrBradferd]

So happy it's keeping the same colors. It was kinda a unique set of colors and the loop being seperate is iconic to me

 

[Chungulatron]

I still don’t understand why they don’t paint the loop to match…

 

[MrBradferd]

I still don’t understand why they don’t paint the loop to match…

Because why. It's different

 

[Turbo]

I still don’t understand why they don’t paint the loop to match…

I always thought it was to signify it as one of the worlds largest loops.

Wasn't it the largest when it was built?

 

[MrBradferd]

I always thought it was to signify it as one of the worlds largest loops.

Wasn't it the largest when it was built?

Yes probably still is the largest stand alone loop? Not sure what else is

 

[SLC Headache]

Yes probably still is the largest stand alone loop? Not sure what else is

I want to say Flash at Lewa Adventure took the record from Dominator.

 

[MrBradferd]

I want to say Flash at Lewa Adventure took the record from Dominator.

Ohhhhh yea. Maybe in america then?

 

[MisterToro]

I think Full Throttle at SFMM matches Flash for the tallest freestanding loop, IIRC. And Steel Curtain, when it reopens, will have the tallest inversion again.

 

[rollercoastercoaster]

I honestly never knew the loop was intentionally a different color. I thought it was just very badly faded

 

[guy305]

Yellow was its OG color scheme when it was in Ohio

 

[Nicole]

There was a discussion of the yellow loop previously:

Dominator

On to Dominator in my reviews of first rides. I loved the fact this coaster was a walk on both Friday and Saturday except maybe two rides. It definitely gives me flash backs to Hulk on a smaller scale. I imagine that this is what they may be trying to do now with the Hulk upgrades. It's like...

parkfans.net

 

[farfeather]

Its to match the yellow corkscrew on Flight of Fear, obviously

 

[jwranson]

Its to match the yellow corkscrew on Flight of Fear, obviously

They should add a yellow element to all the coasters at KD

 

[WrierSiamang152]

They should add a yellow element to all the coasters at KD

The perfect spot for TT would obviously be the first corkscrew.