yeah, I prefer that color over the orange color that was rumored
Project 2025/Caldera: Rapterra (Launched B&M Wing Coaster)
- Thread starter horsesboy
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Gotta appreciate the dedication to providing an immersive experience, turning Jungle-X into an actual dig site
There’s a tree between Excavators Taters and that game stand that now has a yellow ribbon. Is there going to be a footer over there? Anyhow, here’s my video from today
Kings Dominion Vlog #12 : Project 2025 Construction Update
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Kings Dominion Vlog #12 : Project 2025 Construction Update
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Do we believe this coaster will live up to Volcano? This is kinda KD’s make or break moment.
I think the make or break isn’t going to be the ride, but rather it’s theming. It’s kinda going to be a BBW/Verbolten scenario I hope
Nothing Kings Dominion could have realistically built could live up to the nostalgic image people have in their minds of Volcano.
I disagree. I think it's just the next step in the evolution of the park. Volcano has been gone long enough that I don't think it will look that large over KD 2025 in the minds of most normal people.
I'm still really surprised there is no sign of track at KD or Clermont. I wonder where it is?
Personally I don't think Volcano lived up to peoples memories of Volcano so I will go with no it won't l.
Volcano was a landmark first and experience second. I have no doubt that this ride will be a more complete experience while not looking so bad itself.
I was just at Heide Park in Germany today. Ask me how many of their coasters are painted white.
Speaking of which, I'm really glad this layout looks to be more intense rather than graceful. As much as I loved Gatekeeper and Wild Eagle, Flug der Dämonen showed me the light today. If this coaster is anything like that, it'll be a massive win
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I think as a ride experience this ride will be a superior roller coaster overall. Length, elements, pacing, reliability, etc.
I stand firmly on the opinion Volcano had one of the most incredible openings of any roller coaster ever, however the sequence after that is about 10% as cool (imo*****) as the opening sequence. This is the core issue with the ride experience of Volcano. I suspect this may be the best Wing Coaster in the US barring anything else opening next year we’re unaware of. Thunderbird is currently my favorite wing of the 3 I’ve done, this new attraction seems like a more complete Thunderbird.
I also suspect this will be the most popular attraction in the park potentially if it draws enough people and the marketing hits so ultimately, it will likely do its job from a business perspective and live up to Volcano. Whether it “lives up” to Volcano will ultimately depend how much you specifically loved Volcano and how highly the “coming out of the Volcano” opening stands for that person as an element.
I stand firmly on the opinion Volcano had one of the most incredible openings of any roller coaster ever, however the sequence after that is about 10% as cool (imo*****) as the opening sequence. This is the core issue with the ride experience of Volcano. I suspect this may be the best Wing Coaster in the US barring anything else opening next year we’re unaware of. Thunderbird is currently my favorite wing of the 3 I’ve done, this new attraction seems like a more complete Thunderbird.
I also suspect this will be the most popular attraction in the park potentially if it draws enough people and the marketing hits so ultimately, it will likely do its job from a business perspective and live up to Volcano. Whether it “lives up” to Volcano will ultimately depend how much you specifically loved Volcano and how highly the “coming out of the Volcano” opening stands for that person as an element.
Volcano was just vibes honestly. The idea of a roller coaster that shoots you vertically out of a volcano is cartoonish, but it existed and people rode it. Pair that with nostalgia and rose tinted glasses and people are bound to give it untouchable status. I can still hardly believe it existed despite riding it a bunch as a kid.
That being said, I agree. I'm crazy excited for Flug der Dominion.
That is a factual statement I miss seeing it shoot up fire all the time and making jokes on the avalanche lift hill about the active volcano next to our bobsled run.
Yeah, like how did that not melt all the snow?
For me the Volcano ride wasn’t the thing that was special. I grew up spending a lot of days at KD and the Lost World rides were my favorites. Smurf Mountain and the Haunted River were the two attractions that I spent the most time at. Once those were removed it never felt the same over there but it was still nice to have the mountain there in some form.
Well, Iceland is basically a giant active volcano, so that checks out.
The volcano (lowercase “v”) itself was much more of a spectacle, IMO, than Volcano (uppercase “V”) was.
It had such a larger than life presence. It loomed over the park. You saw it when you drove up into the parking lot. You could see it standing in the background, even from the far end of Candy Apple Grove. Up close to it, it was massive — and the waterfalls and lagoon that surrounded made it feel even more like its own beast in its own world.
But the best part, as @CoasterAuditor alluded to, was when the volcano came to life. Whenever it spewed fire, people would literally stop and watch from all over the park. And one of my favorite effects, less used in the ride’s final years, was a deep rumbling sound coming from the mountain whenever a train launched. It felt like it had a mind and a life of its own.
I hope this new wing coaster is compared only to Volcano the coaster, not the volcano. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t be a fair comparison. There’s pretty much nothing the park could do to match the spectacle of the volcano.
It had such a larger than life presence. It loomed over the park. You saw it when you drove up into the parking lot. You could see it standing in the background, even from the far end of Candy Apple Grove. Up close to it, it was massive — and the waterfalls and lagoon that surrounded made it feel even more like its own beast in its own world.
But the best part, as @CoasterAuditor alluded to, was when the volcano came to life. Whenever it spewed fire, people would literally stop and watch from all over the park. And one of my favorite effects, less used in the ride’s final years, was a deep rumbling sound coming from the mountain whenever a train launched. It felt like it had a mind and a life of its own.
I hope this new wing coaster is compared only to Volcano the coaster, not the volcano. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t be a fair comparison. There’s pretty much nothing the park could do to match the spectacle of the volcano.
I really liked Volcano. We rode it many times. Yes it was all about the launches and shot out of the Volcano, and after that it was just graceful rolls and turns, but I still enjoyed the whole thing and unlike most inverts, you could actually see from any seat on the train (2-across for the win). You had the anticipation and then adrenaline of the launches, and then a chance to relax and just enjoy the ride. I don't know. I don't think those are rose tinted glasses at all.
The one real disappointment for me was that the inside of the volcano was just structure. They could have had theming there, but they didn't.
Volcano was the one and only evac I've gotten to experience, but it was anticlimactic. We rolled maybe 20 or 30 feet out of the station and then just stopped. And then we waited to be evacuated. lol.
I keep editing/adding. lol. Anyway, Volcano was always the coaster we were most excited to ride on every visit and if it was down it was the biggest disappointment of the visit. I think you guys downplay how much it was genuinely loved and you love saying "rose tinted glasses", but for many it was genuinely what we most wanted to ride and most enjoyed when we did.
I'll get off my Volcano soap box now.
The one real disappointment for me was that the inside of the volcano was just structure. They could have had theming there, but they didn't.
Volcano was the one and only evac I've gotten to experience, but it was anticlimactic. We rolled maybe 20 or 30 feet out of the station and then just stopped. And then we waited to be evacuated. lol.
I keep editing/adding. lol. Anyway, Volcano was always the coaster we were most excited to ride on every visit and if it was down it was the biggest disappointment of the visit. I think you guys downplay how much it was genuinely loved and you love saying "rose tinted glasses", but for many it was genuinely what we most wanted to ride and most enjoyed when we did.
I'll get off my Volcano soap box now.
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@Crunchewy I should state, everyone’s attachment to the attraction is going to vary significantly, and I fully understand where your coming from. Makes perfect sense a ride like that captured one’s imagination like @Mushroom described perfectly. It certainly did when I was a kid. Part of me wishes I had been on a bit less coasters than I have so I wouldn’t view the 2nd half of the attraction so critically but I can’t help myself personally. Regardless, was it still fun and a “blast?” Absolutely.
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