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Volcano: The Blast Coaster to be removed!


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Look at the last line of the blog post:

 

2019 is going to be a great year at Kings Dominion, and we have some exciting announcements up our sleeves that are sure to thrill our guests and associates alike. Stay tuned for more information, and thank you for your support.

 

 

Could this mean that there will possibly be a new coaster replacing Volcano in 2020? I am personally hoping for a GCI inverting woodie or a B&M family invert.

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20 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

They need a good, reliable, airtime hyper that does not grey you out on the first drop.

I don't disagree, but I feel like this would be hard to market.  I know many friends who have the attitude of "why ride Intimidator when Fury is on the other side of the park?"  It's one thing to top what you had, it's another to take a step back.  Of course they could always market it differently or something, but I really think that a "gimmick" ride is far more likely.  Think dive or wing.

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Dang. Volcano was always a cool ride and my first launch coaster. The one time I went to Kings Dominion was 2001 and I only rode it once. I remember being talked into riding it (as it looked terrifying to younger me), but it ended up being awesome. I remember they added another train right when I was in line, therefore when I boarded, we stopped before hitting the first launch. I said the launch felt like a "giant was pushing us" and those barrel rolls at the top were crazy (that may have been my first barrel roll too)- it felt like the world was spinning! Sad to see it go, but great things may be on the way. I wonder if they'll still keep that giant Volcano...

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2 hours ago, jtro223 said:

I wonder if this is in anticipation of the new large coaster BGW is rumored to get?

 You might not be too far off there...

It's highly rumored that Busch Gardens is getting a HUGE intamin which would certainly be favored over a 20 year old coaster. Kings Dominion might want to pump something out in the next couple of years to compete but only time will tell. This park has been losing coasters left and right so it would have to be something that would redeem these losses.

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I remember riding the ride for the first time during opening weekend last year. It was fun, almost received a roll back as well! Its sad to see the ride go and interesting to see what develops on the land where the ride once sat.

(ignore the CoasterMatt watermark, that page is no loner available)

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I agree with @chugh43 that possibly a MACK could be installed. Due to the early demise of Volcano and a need to fill the spot quickly, I assume it will be a fiscally sound option to fill the gap. My top 3 guesses would probably be a MACK, Gerstlauer, or GCI (Non-Kiddie Coaster), as they would be a something that could be installed at a lower cost and something their direct competitor BGW does not have.  Sorry, Michigan's Adventure it looks like more trash cans for you. LOL

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I was reading through some of the responses Kings Dominion has gotten on FB over the removal.... Man people are such drama queens.  I can understand being disappointed and even angry - but not to the point of getting verbally vicious with people you don't know over a coaster.

Count me in as one that isn't surprised by the removal.  Its always been "temperamental."  It did have a good run - 20 years, that's nothing to sneeze at.  Remember, if you took the collective total number of days "The Bat" at Kings Island operated it would amount to less than one season.  Now "Volcano" gets to become one of those "There once was a coaster named _____ and I got to ride it" rides that will be ingrained into KD's history.

Now, here's my personal feelings.  I "liked" the coaster - but it wasn't the end-all-be-all.  My reaction the first time I saw it being built was "They've ruined the mountain."  They literally butchered the original "Lost World/Fantasy Mountain" structure to install it.  On top of that, the ride's structure looked ridiculous IMO.  They could have done a MUCH better job with the structure as to not obscure the mountain.  It looked like scaffolding... like the mountain was in a constant state of repair.  Also they lopped probably 20 feet off the top and removed the elaborate waterfall to install the blast hole - which really bummed me.

The first time I rode it (I rode many times over the years), I was underwhelmed.  It was fun, don't get me wrong, but I remember the general feeling was "That's it?"  I remember being surprised that the initial launch was not what propelled you out of the top... rather it was just a launch into a long straightaway and then a wide turn behind it.  It was back behind it that you realized they basically cut out the most of the back of the mountain.  Imagine if the straightaway and turn had been enclosed!  After the inversion out of the top, the ride slowed to a crawl.  The barrel rolls were some of the slowest I've ever experienced and although fun, it wasn't necessarily "scary."  But then, the coaster did a swooping, fast dive down into.... brakes.... wah wah.   Everyone.... and I mean EVERYONE I rode it with over the years always said it was a let down - especially the ending.  It's finale was on par with Adventure Express... a big build up to... the final break run.

Now, you have to understand that the first time I went to Kings Dominion, the mountain was brand new... they were literally still putting the finishing touches on it.  I was in awe of it - and I remember vividly how it looked and how amazing it was to look at.  My parents and I waited an eternity to ride "Land of the Dooz."  I wouldn't get on "Atlantis" the precursor to "Haunted River" (which I rode many, many times.)  Also, my dad always told the story he waited for nearly 2 hours with me to ride "The Time Shaft" - only when we got there and I saw what it did I chickened out (I was 6 years old.)  Finally, many don't remember that there was another ride on the right side of the mountain called "Mount Kilimajaro" which was a Bayern Curve that went in and out of the facade.

That having been said, my opinion of Volcano was always kind of stilted because I missed the grandeur of the original Mountain.  It was a good idea, in theory.  And Lord knows by the time Volcano arrived the Mountain needed something (during the early Paramount years - it fell into such disrepair that it was embarrassing.)  But in retrospect, I probably would have been more thrilled if they had just done a major refurbishment of the original rides.

My biggest concern in all of this is that they will demolish the entire mountain.  Sounds like they will.  Knowing how badly it was kept, only to be gutted and ravaged by the installation of Volcano, I cant imagine it will be salvaged.  That is what will really upset me.  Frankly, when I think of KD, the Mountain always comes to mind... more so than their Eiffel Tower - because seeing it for the first time as a kid was such a "WOW" moment in my life.  I guess I'm just lucky I got to see, ride and enjoy it in all incarnations.

Finally - below is a write-up I did on another board many years ago when someone asked about the original mountain.  It gives a bit of insight as to it's original history.

The mountain was not built for "Volcano." It was there for many years before the roller coaster was added.

It was originally built for the 1978 season. It was called "The Lost World: Fantasy Mountain." and when it opened, it had 4 rides. Those rides were "Professor Backenforth's Journey into the Land of the Dooz", "Time Shaft","Mt Kilimanjaro" and a dark boat ride called "Journey to Altlantis."  

 -"Land of the Dooz" was a family themed ride in which you rode a train through the mountain and past various animated scenes.

-"Time Shaft" was an indoor Rotor. A Rotor is a round room in which guests enter, it spins, they stick to the wall and the floor drops out beneath their feet. This ride was unique because it was all the way inside the mountain and had an elaborate lighting and music effect system.

-"Mt. Kilimanjaro" was a Bayern Curve that ran in and out of a side portion of the mountain. A Bayern Curve is a bobsled-type attraction that was popular many years ago. It is a simple idea where you sit in a train of cars that traverse a circular track. As the ride continues, the bobsled picks up speed.

-"Journey to Atlantis" dark boat ride they had only lasted the first season. It was changed for 1979 into "The Haunted River" which was a heavily themed scary boat ride excursion into various haunted scenes. It ended with a big splash down drop outside the mountain.

In 1984, "Land of the Dooz" was changed into "Smurf Mountain." It still used the same train and course, but the Smurf characters were put in place of the "Dooz" characters.

Although I am not exactly sure when, in the 1980's "Mt Kilimanjaro" also disappeared. You can still see where the ride existed though. It is the grown-over portion of the mountain nearest to the entrance to the Flight of Fear plaza.

By the mid 1990's the "Haunted River" and "Smurf Mountain" were worse for the wear and were closed. Some of the treasure relics of "Haunted River" were moved into the re-themed "Yogi's Cave" in Hannah Barbera Land. The queue for "Smurf Mountain" and "Haunted River" were combined to form the queue for "Volcano." The station for "The Haunted River" is now the "Volcano" exit and gift shop. You can still see where the boats flowed through a trough up to the station. PKD has an original "Haunted River" boat permanently placed in that area now. All the skeletons from "Haunted River" were used as decorations in the exit. 

The entrance and tunnel that led guests into the mountain and to "The Time Shaft" was widened and opened up and became "Volcano's" launch tunnel. The old station you see is probably the one that is pretty high up in the mountain and was actually not a station. Rather it was there for decoration only. On a similar note, you can still see the tracks from the old "Dooz" and/or "Smurf" ride when you are in the station of Volcano. If you look up the side of the mountain where the small waterfall is, you can see where the tracks were simply cut off with a blowtorch.

Finally, when "Volcano" was added, quite a bit was chopped off the top of the mountain's peak in order to widen the opening for the coaster. I would say a good 15 feet was removed. Prior to "Volcano" the mountain did not shoot fire, but rather had a wonderful large waterfall from the very top.

Really, the mountain is a shell of its former self. Although I like Volcano and think it is fun, I personally think it ruined the look of the mountain. Volcano has way too much scaffolding supports around it and obscures the mountain itself. The designers should have spent more time and attention and used as few supports as possible.

Finally, "Lost World: Fantasy Mountain" was the initial "test" for an even larger mountain project that the original owners of the park were planning. They were in initial design stages for Canada's Wonderland in Toronto. That park's signature piece is a large mountain built in the very same manner (although about 3 times the size) as Dominions. The difference was, when Wonderland's opened, there were no rides housed inside it. That has now changed over time.

 

 

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I agree with the 'that's it?' sentiment.  For having such a great start, just a bunch of 0g rolls and s-curves was pretty underwhelming.  Then again, it was the first launched inverted coasters, and Intamin is usually lax on making good layouts for prototype coasters, so I'll give them a little leeway there.  

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I’ve been to KD several times and always had limited “play” time inside the park. Every time I was there Volcano was down. I never got to ride. 

To me, I feel sorry for some of the KD guests who, while I do believe that this was unavoidable in this situation, bought season passes and tickets without knowing  that this wouldn’t be part of the lineup. It’s kind of like buying tickets to a music festival and one of the headliners cancels. 

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