Volcano: The Blast Coaster to be removed!

[TombRaiderFTW]

https://www.kingsdominion.com/blog/2019/park-update

"After thorough evaluation, the decision has been made to remove Volcano: The Blast Coaster. This wasn’t an easy decision for us, because we know that people love this one-of-a-kind coaster; however, over time it became nearly impossible to keep the ride up to our high standards of reliability and guest satisfaction, and for these reasons we had to make the tough call. We apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced by the removal, but hope they will understand that it was done to enhance the overall guest experience here at Kings Dominion."

[stashua123]

The fact I never got to ride such a one of a kind coaster makes me terribly mad and upset.

 

 

[Creed Bratton]

So sad...really loved that coaster. Glad I got to ride it several times last year during opening weekend.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Somewhere, The Interpreter weeps.

[BeeastFarmer]

 Ouch.  This really hurts.  I had the pleasure of riding this coaster in 2017 and looked forward to riding it next year.  It was one of my favorites.  

[KI FANATIC 37]

Wow! That's a shame. I've only been to KD once, before I305, and Volcano was my favorite coaster there.

 

[Oldiesmann]

I was hoping they'd be able to fix it so I could ride it when I visit the park in July. Such a shame.

[SonofBaconator]

It seems like they won't have anything immediately replacing it since they announced it on a blog vs how KI announced Firehawk's removal. This reminds me of when Dorney announced Stinger's removal on a food blog.

I unfortunately never had a chance to ride it, let alone visit the park. 

[VortexBFForever]

I am so thankful I got to experience Volcano once on my (so far) only visit to Kings Dominion in 2012. I remember saying it was one of my favorite coasters, along with I305, Anaconda, and Shockwave. It may have been seven years since I rode it, but I still remember how fun the launches and rolls were.

Kings Dominion will look very different come the day I return, especially now that two of my favorite coasters there (Volcano and Shockwave) are now gone.

R.I.P. Volcano: The Blast Coaster

1998-2018

[VekomaRulz]

My last trip to Kings Dominion was 2003 before becoming a coaster enthusiast. The only coasters I have ridden there are one side of Racer 75 and Woodstock Express. I was hoping to get back there in the next few years and was really looking forward to trying Volcano.

[DeltaFlyer]

I feel quite privileged and thankful that I was able to ride Volcano 3 times last season. The last time of which I got to experience a rollback and an evacuation from the launch tunnel, which was quite exciting. The ride stayed down the rest of my weekend in the park. 

RIP to such a unique ride. 

[McSalsa]

Oh fudge. I never got to ride it (have not made it to Kings Dominion yet), but Volcano: The Blast Coaster was a very interesting looking ride and one I really wanted to ride, even more so after I rode Wicked Twister at Cedar Point since Volcano was basically a full-circuit version of that ride. However, I kinda understand why it is being removed. It had a lot of maintenance and reliability issues, even for a Intamin coaster, as it was one of their first launched inverts. The fact it was built into the "Volcano" probably made it even harder to repair, too.

Speaking of the "Volcano" itself, I wonder if that is coming down, or just the roller coaster within it. The Mack Bobsled coaster Avalanche- another unique ride as it is the only one in the USA- shares that element with Volcano. Also Kings Dominion is probably gonna need a new big coaster to fill this sudden gap that emerged in their lineup.

And now Banshee becomes the world's fastest full circuit inverted coaster, at 68mph. This new regime at Cedar Fair really doesn't seem to like unreliable/high cost rides, unless they are super popular like Top Thrill Dragster. Firehawk, Witches Wheel (and possibly another HUSS Enterprise at Canada's Wonderland), and now Volcano have all bitten the dust in the span of just 1 year.

[Creed Bratton]

I would think the Volcano itself will come down as well....it's been lookin rough for a few years. 

[JubJester]

Never been to Kings Dominion, so I never got to ride Volcano. 

Seems to me Cedar Fair is getting rid of all the low capacity, mechanically troubled coasters. What could be the next one to go?

[Rivertown Rider]

I'm very sad about the removal of Volcano.  Volcano was always a bucket list coaster since I first heard about it in the 90's and I never made it to KD until this past year.  Unfortunately it had went down a couple weeks before I was there and never re-opened.  KD was still a great park without getting to ride Volcano though.

The footprint that Volcano took up really was not all that big.  If Griffon wasn't an hour away it would be a great location for a dive.  You could potentially start a Wing coaster there and then wrap it back towards the front of the park although it would be tight.

[Imperial79]

Stinger was also closed in 2017.

[silver2005]

Me right now. (Hint- I'm going to Doswell this summer)

I was really looking forward to getting another ride on it. It really is one of my favorite coasters.  The whole launch sequence is so well done even if the rest of the ride isn't as great.  

Also, chalk up another notch in why CF isn't going to work with Intamin anytime soon. 

[BeeastFarmer]

I'd like to see a B&M Flyer in that area. Is it true that BGW has the "rights" to B&M in that market? I've heard that before.

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[silver2005]

^That can't be- KD has Dominator. 

Also, it must be asked given KD's history- will they keep the mountain? It in and of itself seems to be a curse for the stuff that goes in it.  

[BeeastFarmer]

^That can't be- KD has Dominator. 

It was relocated from GL. It wasn't a new to the park coaster.

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[Rivertown Rider]

I feel for KD, they have lost now two coasters in Shockwave and Volcano in just the last four years.  Obviously Hurler is better now as Twisted Timbers, but that park needs a great, ground up coaster drastically.  I understand that it has to be difficult competing with BGW but Cedar Fair needs to give the park another headliner, now that Volcano is gone.

[Oldschool75]

What is it with coasters that are next to a FOF? Some bad karma there. LOL

[stashua123]

What is it with coasters that are next to a FOF? Some bad karma there. LOL

And to think in 2006 that FOF was meant for Carowinds lol.

[Maverick44]

Dammit! Sorry for my language but I really wanted to ride that coaster. Sucks that it was an Intamin ugh! CF can’t be happy.


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[gforce1994]

Not good. It was one of the best coasters ever made, imo. 

Something must have been drastically wrong if the ride never reopened after May’s shutdown.

 

At the end of the day, there will still be a Volcano in Virginia.

[JubJester]

5 hours ago, stashua123 said:

And to think in 2006 that FOF was meant for Carowinds lol.

Probably would of been by Thunderoad, lol.

[chad_1138]

We were making our first KD trip this year.  Oh well 

[CoastersRZ]

The ride was a great ride.  One of my favorites at Kings Dominion.  The ride did not have great capacity though.  So ride wait times were often long.  

It will be interesting to see what Kings Dominion installs in the next few years.  Do we know what new things they are adding this year?  I don`t recall hearing anything big for them.

[Hampshire24]

I went to KD for the first time last September and was immensely disappointed the ride was not operating. I assured myself one day I would be able to ride it, but it doesn’t look like it will be so. At least I got to see the structure in person.

[IndyGuy4KI]

I hope they would replace it with a B&M hyper. They need a hyper in their lineup. I will miss Volcano, my second favorite coaster there after Twisted Timbers.