NEWSEY NOTE 8/8/00
Paramount’s Kings Dominion
Last Sat. In 7 ½ hours solid, non-stop I did Paramount’s Kings Dominion. I covered it rather thoroughly and survived rather well, decided about ½ way home that I was incredibly tired, and wasn’t worth much on Sun. A few observations may be useful in case you ever go there or to any of the other Paramount parks scattered around the country.
A very high percentage of the rides are the roller-coaster type in which your body is subjected to sudden drops. No thanks!
The Scrambler keeps you moving in 1 plane but is wilder than it looks. It superimposes 2 rapid circular motions. If you aren’t on the outer edge of the 2 person bench style seat when the ride starts, you will be at the end.
The Wave Swinger is an ornate pretty piece of equipment. You’re in an uncomfortable seat suspended by cables from the ends of arms that radiate outward from a center pole. As the arms rotate around the pole (and you of course, are swung outward) the pole elongates upward and you rise accordingly. At the top you are high enough that you have a grand view. It is a pleasant ride. The Nickelodeon Space Surfer is similar but not as pretty and with much more comfortable seats.
Beware! the sign on the overlook where you can watch people in large inflatable rafts go down the tumbling Diamond Falls warns that you may get wet. You get drenched!
They seem to be trying to get every cent out of a visitor that they can. Food is grossly overpriced. Foldable Chinese sun hats that they probably paid less than $1 for are $6. Lockers near the water attractions are $5 along with a sign saying that there are lockers for 75 cents on the far side of the park. However, you have to be fully dressed to get there. Swimsuits are OK only in the Waterworks area.
STORM REPORT
Last night we had a wild storm and a 20 hour power failure. This AM the next door neighbors and their visiting daughter and family from IL ate breakfast out and took a tour of the neighborhood. I’ve never seen anything like it. 3 houses had large trees lying on their roofs. Another had a very spectacular split.