Paramount's Kings Dominion is one of my favorite parks. I remember my very first visit back in 1978. I think I was around 5 years old. I remember riding the Vertigo and the canvas top flying over covering up the riders. Kings Dominon has improved dramatically over the past several years. The park offers a extremely large variety of roller coasters.

My very first coaster ride at the park was the Rebel Yell. I was terrified, but I still loved it. I have been to Kings Dominion so many times that I can't began to count. Kings Dominion is one of the best regional parks in the industry. Over the years the parks foliage and greenery has filled in nicely. Most of the rides are heavily themed, and the park is splashed with bright colors. Kings Dominion has something for everyone. They have a ton of stuff for kids and families to do together. Three of their 12 roller coasters are especially designed for families and children. Some of the parks roller coasters are one of kind in the industry like: Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Flight Of Fear, HyperSonic, and Shockwave. All of these coaster have thrilled millions of fans and will continue to thrill other millions for years to come.

Kings Dominion is definitely not Disney or Universal, but it's a safe and friendly place to bring your family and spend time with friends and other loved ones. Paramount's Kings Dominion is one of my top 5 favorite theme parks:

1 - Universal's Islands Of Adventure
2 - Paramounts Kings Island
3 - Cedar Point Amazement Park
4 - Disney's The Magic Kingdom
5 - Paramounts Kings Dominion
6 - Knobel's Amusement Resort
7 - Six Flags Great Adventure
8 - Dorney Park & Wild Water Kingdom
9 - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
10 - Six Flags Fiesta Texas

If you're ever traveling down I-95 definitely give PKD a try, trust me you won't be sorry!

When you've been going to a park since you were only large enough to ride the kiddie attractions, and when you've come back to that park season after season, experienced your first major rides within its borders, and seen it constantly improving with time, it comes to be a place that feels almost like a second home to you. And while some places seem mind-blowing to your young, innocent mind and small body and then lose their magic as time goes on, it's amazing when you enjoy something more and more with each year. Well that's exactly is the way it is for me with the place I proudly call my homepark - Paramount's Kings Dominion.

It all starts with that sign that you pass under as you drive down the monotonous multi-lane highway of I-95... It could be any old sign, but those words stand out clearly as they announce the turnoff for Paramount's Kings Dominion. And approaching from the north, you soon round the bend leading up to the ramp across the highway to the park. Just as you begin to cross, you see it - that stunning sight: the massive Eiffel Tower rising into the air, and the yellow and orange column of Drop Zone just as impressive while its mammoth ring rises over the earth. Then you have Volcano's mountain sitting like a giant miniature sculpture with a brightly-colored toy coaster wrapping around it, along with the twin arches of the Xtreme SkyFlyer and HyperSonic to the far right of the scene, and other rides less visible. After all the miles of tree-lined highway, the park appears so suddenly like a lone oasis in the middle of an endless desert with its beautiful skyline presenting itself to you.

Entering through the front gate of the park and passing into the International Street entry area, you just can't help but feel that sense of wonder at what waits ahead. The sound of roaring fountains mingled with a movie theme in the background... The grandeur appearance of the Eiffel Tower's blue structure towering overhead beyond the fountains and through the trees... As you pass into the park, you feel overwhelmed at the impressiveness of this theme park that waits before you, and helpless to change the fact that you're about to have the time of your life. For me, just walking through the park is an experience of sensory overload with all of the sights, smells, and sounds that I've come to love and recognize immediately.

Following the path to the right at the Eiffel Tower circle, you'll cross under a small bridge and into the peaceful territory of Old Virginia. There isn't any entrance sign to this section, but hearing the familiar noise of the Blue Ridge Tollway cars to the left in the woods and passing under the shady trees will let you know at once where you are. You soon come up on a waterfall to the right and cross over the stream below, then you might hear a log splash into the water of the Shenandoah Log Flume as the water swiftly twists and turns boatloads of riders through the trees. Heading to the right at the fork in the path will take you into the farthest reaches of the park, away from all else and into the land occupied by White Water Canyon, where you have the choice of waiting in the ride's fully shaded line for your chance to get wet, or head beyond the loading platform on a gravel path into the woods to an observation point, where the only thing that will actually tell you that you're in a theme park are rafts full of riders making their way down the river. Back on the main path through Old Virginia, following the asphalt under the trees will take you past the classic Paramount Theatre building, and the Flying Eagles as they whizz by in their circular mayhem on the bank of a pond. Finally, you have the option to bear right and enter the narrow wooden walkway that will take you meandering through the woods and up a ramp into the station of Grizzly to roar through the woods on an uncontrollable wooden coaster ride, or to head into the Grove straight ahead or through a tunnel created by overhanging vines to the left.

As you walk down the asphalt and brick-paved midway of the Grove, passing by various games and occasionally under the shade of trees, the alluring smell of fresh funnel cakes makes its way through the air. The whooshing sound of a Shockwave train riding its tubular steel track becomes audible. But above all, you have the gentle hum of fifty-six riders being lifted to the impossible heights of Drop Zone for a minute before it ceases as an enormous ring of passengers is suspended over the park, then plunges with riders screaming or atleast trying to scream. In a few seconds, the sound of the ring descending quickly changes to a lower pitch as it suddenly hits the short strips of brakes on the tower and seems to ride its cushion of air back to the concrete below, the braking action giving off a smell of friction. Just behind Drop Zone and the games and arcade building are the unmistakable white lifts of the classic wooden racer Rebel Yell, a sight that brings back memories of when that lift hill seemed a lot taller than it does now. And heading to the back of the Grove, you have HyperSonic XLC dominating over the pathway, with its white structure rising out of the path and sending trains speeding over the heads of pedestrians below. As a train descends the vertical dive, it's tempting sometimes just to put your arms around a round white support column and feel the vibration of the train passing over. And the launch process is even more of a spectator draw than a coaster freak hugging a support, as a train creeps around the turn from the station and moves to the launch area, the launch dog clamping onto the bottom of the front car. Three beeps, a final pre-recorded precautionary spiel, and without further ado the release of air and a deafening HyperSonic boom comes as the train is dragged down the flat rails and sent on its way into the sky. Meanwhile, the sound of "three, two, one.. fllyyyy!" precedes the freefall of a rider or group of riders on Xtreme SkyFlyer who then proceed to soar up well over the pathway and the turnaround of HyperSonic. And taking the path to the very back of the Grove will bring you between Hurler and Ricochet, where riders are being taken through yellow hairpin curves overhead, or roaring down the first drop of an unpainted wooden structure and speeding past.

Heading back to the other end of the Grove and entering into the Congo, the trees begin to thicken and you pass under misters on the wooden Congo sign. The classic Congo soundtrack plays in the air... The reddish-brown mountain of Volcano looms ahead and overhead with yellow track circumscribing. And walking past the themed restaurants, under the Volcano area sign, and beyond boulders either side of the path will bring you directly in front of one of the most impressive sights in the park: a scorching blast of flame, a rumble, and then a trainload of enthusiastic riders bursts from the mountain peak a hundred and fifty-five feet above to make its way around the mountain and through the rolls. At the launch observation point, you can get a chance to watch the train move from the station and then blast off into the mountain, or head across a wooden bridge into the Expedition Gear shop on the bottom floor of the main Volcano queue hut. Next to Volcano, you can catch a ride on the Scrambler as it repeats its relentless motion under the Congo trees. And to the side of the mountain, you can watch a train of riders climb the white lift hill of Avalanche, and then bank through the bobsled-like steel track as it spirals downwards. Venturing deeper into Congo to the beat of African drums, you come into the realm of Anaconda, its lift hill climbing up high into the sunlight and orange and yellow track twisting around above the waters of Lake Charles. The clinking of the chain can be heard with a train in route to the top, and then that wonderful clear sound of the chain releasing the train on its way, and a trainload of riders roaring down the first drop and towards the lake. A minute later, a train navigating the corkscrews situated next to the path makes for a photogenic spectacle. Passing the Anaconda entrance and the misters of the Coca Cola Cool Zone on the right, you come to a waterfall from a rock formation, and arching across the pathway just there you'll find the sign announcing Flight of Fear. If you continue, you won't have a chance of resisting entering into the line for the coaster and being taken deep into the dark unknown of the enormous white building.

If you enter into WaterWorks to escape the summer heat, you find yourself surrounded by water slides, with a concrete expanse stretching out ahead of you. Taking the path farther towards the back of the park will reveal the pathway under Rebel Yell that will lead you into the forested new half of the waterpark. And if you make your way back at the front of Kings Dominion, you can check out one of the largest themed kids sections of any park, with Nickelodeon Central residing just beside the Eiffel Tower and KidZville adjacent at the very front of the park. You can see why kids love these two sections, when you have Nickelodeon and Hanna-Barbera characters and theming, and plenty of small rides to satisfy thrillseekers-in-training just about everywhere you turn. But not everything in the two sections is strictly for kids - you can always catch a relaxing trip around near the tops of the pine trees on the Nickelodeon Space Surfer, or squeeze into the train on Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster for a ride that's sure to bring back memories if you grew up on this classic PTC junior wooden coaster.

Wherever you are in the park as the sun begins to sink, a new magical element is added to the experience. There's nothing like walking along the midway on a relaxing summer evening and just taking everything in. The sun casts its golden rays on the park as the Eiffel Tower, Drop Zone, and all of the other sculptures and symbols of Kings Dominion stand tall overhead, reaching into the colorful sky. You make your way down the path, past the screams and shouts of riders, as the familiar tune of a movie theme plays in the air that you might immediately associate with the park when you hear it, like the theme of Forrest Gump, Chariots of Fire, or Top Gun.

All in all, you really couldn't ask for a better park atmosphere than the one that you get with PKD. The sights, the smells, the sounds, the tastes... All things that join forces to bring you that distinctive experience not quite like any other. There's just nothing like a perfect day at the park that will leave you coming away with awesome new memories, each time, and anticipating your next visit to the park.

Kings Dominion is a fairly decent theme park, with a good variety of rides. But there are downfalls though, including the food. The food is nasty and the park offers very little variety, only serving basic carnival and midway foods such as pizza, burgers, and pretzels. Also, the park is kind of dirty and rundown in places, such as terrible restrooms and a serious lack of theming throughout the park.

Another downfall is that all of the roller coasters there are very short and worth no more than an hour's wait. There is also a serious lack of water rides and the water park is crap. All around, Kings Dominion is an okay park, but could use many improvements, but feel that it is better than other parks in the Washington, DC area, including Six Flags America.

This is one of the best parks in the country! If you're looking for awesome roller coasters, then go to KINGS DOMINION!!!

I have been going to this park ever since I was a small child, and the park has been and is very outstanding! My first big roller coaster was the Hurler, and Kings Dominion is also home to my all time favorite: Volcano the Blast Coaster. There really is something for everyone here with 2 kids sections, 3 themed sections, and a free waterpark. They also have an assortment of rides for all ages with 8 big roller coasters and 4 family coasters as of 2005. In 2005 there were 3 shows and a few good shops and restaurants for non-thrill seekers. Overall, the park is clean, pretty well themed, and generally most of the attractions are opperating all the time. PKD is by far the best theme park I have been to (out of SFA, PKD, BGW, and SFOT) and seems to add something new every year, so there is always something to look forward to next season. It is known as the "launch coaster capital of the world," as it has 3 soon to be four launch coasters. The one thing about the park that I would like to see get better, besides adding perhaps a custom show, is the park simply needs a hypercoaster. There is no reason why a park with 13 roller coasters and 400 acres of land to add on to doesn't have a 200 foot plus roller coaster. Other than that, they have a ton of great coasters and other great attractions that makes one outstanding theme park!