General Updates for 2026
- Thread starter mtorange
- Start date
Wow… shitty shitty cash grab. If they were gonna do this at least open the rest of the mazes… only having conjuring is a major no-go for me honestly…
Press release from Six Flags this morning:
Kings Dominion Opens March 21 for the 2026 Season
Park Launches a New Interactive Water Parade Alongside Exciting Enhancements and a Full Lineup of World‑Class Events
DOSWELL, Va. –– March 11, 2026 –– Kings Dominion will open its gates for the 2026 season on Saturday, March 21 and today revealed its events lineup featuring the new SPLASH! Water Parade. The high‑energy procession arrives in June, bringing colorful floats, lively performers, and interactive water elements to the midway, offering guests a refreshing way to cool off during Virginia’s hottest months.
Guests can enjoy the park every day during Spring Break Days, March 28 to April 5, with weekend operation returning through Memorial Day weekend. Kings Dominion begins daily operation through summer on Friday, May 29.
“We’re incredibly excited to kick off the 2026 season at Kings Dominion,” said park manager Jennifer Schofield. “We’re energized for the return of Rapterra, our new launched wing coaster. The way guests embraced the ride last year was incredible. We’re thrilled to continue building that momentum while delivering the exceptional guest experience our visitors deserve. We can’t wait to welcome them through the gates for another unforgettable season.”
At 145 feet tall and 3,086 feet long, Rapterra is the tallest and longest launched wing coaster in the world. Inspired by the flight of the mythical creature the "jungle hawk." The journey begins as riders choose to soar on the hawk's left or right "wing," and board a seat suspended on either side of the track with nothing above or below them. With tension mounting, Rapterra takes flight and riders are launched from 0 to 65 miles per hour in just four seconds.
For the 2026 season, Kings Dominion is introducing a variety of new entertainment, dining, and retail enhancements, including:
• SPLASH! Water Parade
This bright, high‑energy, water‑themed procession arrives this summer and features colorful floats, lively music, and interactive performers. It offers guests a refreshing way to cool down.
• Star-Spangled Nights sponsored by M&M’S®
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with the ultimate display of fireworks and summer fun.
• All‑New Live Entertainment
Guests can look forward to the debut of Pandemonium: A Cirque Extravaganza at the Kings Dominion Theater. This dynamic new production blends acrobatics, music, and immersive visuals, bringing an exciting new level of live entertainment to the park.
Bands in Residence will feature a rotating lineup of the region’s favorite bands, inviting guests to sing, dance, and enjoy the music all summer long.
• Upgraded Dining Across the Park
Kings Dominion is elevating its culinary offerings with refreshed menus designed to enhance every meal. Guests will also enjoy renovated dining locations, including Dogwoods Fries and Sharkey’s Eats, creating elevated service and serving guest favorites like fresh‑cut fries, hand-dipped corn dogs and fresh-not-frozen burgers.
• Fall Events & Halloween Highlights
This fall, guests can enjoy daytime Halloween fun for the whole family at Tricks and Treats and get nighttime frights at Halloween Haunt presented by SNICKERS®. Experience scare zones, hundreds of monsters, spooky themed food and terrifying mazes* including a NEW attraction to be announced later this season.
Event details and dates to be released soon.
*Accessible with a Haunted Attraction Pass
Kings Dominion Opens March 21 for the 2026 Season
Park Launches a New Interactive Water Parade Alongside Exciting Enhancements and a Full Lineup of World‑Class Events
DOSWELL, Va. –– March 11, 2026 –– Kings Dominion will open its gates for the 2026 season on Saturday, March 21 and today revealed its events lineup featuring the new SPLASH! Water Parade. The high‑energy procession arrives in June, bringing colorful floats, lively performers, and interactive water elements to the midway, offering guests a refreshing way to cool off during Virginia’s hottest months.
Guests can enjoy the park every day during Spring Break Days, March 28 to April 5, with weekend operation returning through Memorial Day weekend. Kings Dominion begins daily operation through summer on Friday, May 29.
“We’re incredibly excited to kick off the 2026 season at Kings Dominion,” said park manager Jennifer Schofield. “We’re energized for the return of Rapterra, our new launched wing coaster. The way guests embraced the ride last year was incredible. We’re thrilled to continue building that momentum while delivering the exceptional guest experience our visitors deserve. We can’t wait to welcome them through the gates for another unforgettable season.”
At 145 feet tall and 3,086 feet long, Rapterra is the tallest and longest launched wing coaster in the world. Inspired by the flight of the mythical creature the "jungle hawk." The journey begins as riders choose to soar on the hawk's left or right "wing," and board a seat suspended on either side of the track with nothing above or below them. With tension mounting, Rapterra takes flight and riders are launched from 0 to 65 miles per hour in just four seconds.
For the 2026 season, Kings Dominion is introducing a variety of new entertainment, dining, and retail enhancements, including:
• SPLASH! Water Parade
This bright, high‑energy, water‑themed procession arrives this summer and features colorful floats, lively music, and interactive performers. It offers guests a refreshing way to cool down.
• Star-Spangled Nights sponsored by M&M’S®
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with the ultimate display of fireworks and summer fun.
• All‑New Live Entertainment
Guests can look forward to the debut of Pandemonium: A Cirque Extravaganza at the Kings Dominion Theater. This dynamic new production blends acrobatics, music, and immersive visuals, bringing an exciting new level of live entertainment to the park.
Bands in Residence will feature a rotating lineup of the region’s favorite bands, inviting guests to sing, dance, and enjoy the music all summer long.
• Upgraded Dining Across the Park
Kings Dominion is elevating its culinary offerings with refreshed menus designed to enhance every meal. Guests will also enjoy renovated dining locations, including Dogwoods Fries and Sharkey’s Eats, creating elevated service and serving guest favorites like fresh‑cut fries, hand-dipped corn dogs and fresh-not-frozen burgers.
• Fall Events & Halloween Highlights
This fall, guests can enjoy daytime Halloween fun for the whole family at Tricks and Treats and get nighttime frights at Halloween Haunt presented by SNICKERS®. Experience scare zones, hundreds of monsters, spooky themed food and terrifying mazes* including a NEW attraction to be announced later this season.
Event details and dates to be released soon.
*Accessible with a Haunted Attraction Pass
TheCoasterNerd
Previously known as @coasters_bgw
No statements that "there will not be WinterFest," either. It's still early.No WinterFest
TheCoasterNerd
Previously known as @coasters_bgw
True, but an events lineup usually features ALL the events. Or at least "all-new winter event, more details will be shared soon" if there was gonna be one. Like they did with Halloween Haunt. The fact that they left out even any mention at all of a winter event makes me a bit nervous
*shrug* SFEC hasn't exactly been following the playbook when it comes to announcing things (just look at all of their out-of-the-blue season pass changes). I'm just saying that the default presumption should be "As of right now, there is no Winterfest event for KD this year, but they're probably exploring bringing it back based on the fact that they sent out a survey" and that should be the maximum certainty that anyone can have. I don't think you can take a complete lack-of-statement-either-way to mean anything more than that.
I was not expecting a Winter announcement at all. I think they are still in the process of trying to figure out what they can/should/will do. The rumors all point to them really hoping to get something back on the books as early as this season, and with in person conversations and surveys going out just a few weeks ago, it's way too early to have finalized one way or the other.
Other important things to note: No Oktoberfest announcement. I think this directly relates to the unknown end-of-season and let's look at Carowinds. Carowinds has shifted their Oktoberfest to the time between Scarowinds and Winterfest this year, and despite seeming weird, I think this is a good business call. This will drive attendance during a naturally slow month of November, rather than invest in 3 events happening simultaneously (and maybe not getting the most ROI to have Oktoberfest and Scarowinds concurrent). Great Adventure had a very successful Heroes and Villains event during this same time period last year. I might even argue that as they continue to charge for Haunt passes, having a FREE adult event in Sep/Oct might negatively impact that same market's willingness to pay for Scarowinds (at least some of the General Public).
The change at Carowinds would be even more beneficial at KD as it gets colder earlier, and having an event to drive attendance after Haunt ends and some rides start to close down is important. I think there's a good chance Oktoberfest is simply in limbo as a result of the unknown's of Winterfest. I think it's possible they announce late summer Winterfest is returning along with Oktoberfest in November. I also think they are still finding the funding to make Winterfest worth it, and cutting Oktoberfest might enlarge Winterfest's budget slightly. Either way, I don't think this is a definitive kill of Oktoberfest OR Winterfest for this year. If it is offered, Winterfest will be different than it ever has before, with new focuses or big cuts, so that it doesn't eat up the same money it used to. Here's hoping they find the right balance between cutting the most costly expenses but making the event still profitable and competitive in the market.
Not surprising that Haunt is returning, but I am surprised that they announced a NEW Haunt Attraction to be announced later. I figure we were getting one with all the surveys, but the park has never confirmed any major additions to Haunt like that before the season even started. I think SF knows that with the end of season still up in the air, offering that tidbit will get some excited about new offerings to their current fall lineup, and if they do end up extending the season or events lineup that would just be icing on the cake.
Excited for the Cirque show, but surprised by the lack of an i-Street show. Perhaps the Splash parade will end on the main stage, and perhaps the Bands in Residence may make use of the stage too, but I'm shocked they don't have a nighttime Eiffel Tower show in the works. All the new lights that went on the tower and i-Street last year should be a no brainer to bring new music with a generic theme as a fun, very low cost dance party, especially when they need a reason to keep guests in the park longer into the night. Hopefully we don't show up to the season and that light package was just on loan and is gone, but they cut down several trees to make that work last year.
I will say there are at least two rumors I’ve been hearing about the summer entertainment lineup that have not been shared publicly yet. One of those rumors does directly conflict with something that has been announced today, so it may be outdated.
Unsure why the park put out an incomplete lineup today.
Unsure why the park put out an incomplete lineup today.
What could work for the houses would be an interactive behind the scenes type tour with how they build and operate the houses. Let some of the artistic strengths stand out.
First Kings Dominion Permit filed with Hanover County. We already knew about some upgrades at Dogwood, Sharky's, and replacing the former Boardwalk Fries locations. I wonder which eatery this permit was filed for, though.
I didn't realize the Boardwalk Fries locations were all going away. That'll be interesting to see how the park handles replacing each of those. There are, what, 4 or 5 of them in the park? Including two "main" locations with a larger menu (the Planet Snoopy and Old Virginia locations).
Hopefully they replace them with something original instead of another chain. Any chain eatery leaving the park is a win in my book.
The two big ones are being replaced with in brand food standsbthatvI believe will sale mainly snack foods.
According to the app, the Old Virginia location is now “Blue Ridge Bites” and the one by Firehouse is now “Hook and Ladder snacks.” No idea of either’s menu or any cosmetic theming but at minimum, I like how they are tied by name into their areas.
Don’t believe it has been mentioned on here yet, but park hours for this weekend are now 10-6, with spring break operating hours being either 10-6, 10-7, or 10-8.
Happy Opening Day #51! I won’t be there today, but I’ll share anything new that I see on social media.
I’d love to hear any updates from y’all, also!
I’d love to hear any updates from y’all, also!
$5 for a bottle of water? $7.50 for popcorn? $18 FOR A TURKEY LEG?!
Normally I'm not phased by prices at parks but Jesus, these seem insane even for the park market, right? It's always hard for me to justify buying food/drinks in-park given that I have the meal and drink plans, but with prices like those, there's no chance in hell.
Normally I'm not phased by prices at parks but Jesus, these seem insane even for the park market, right? It's always hard for me to justify buying food/drinks in-park given that I have the meal and drink plans, but with prices like those, there's no chance in hell.
Last edited: