Park Experience
Overall my experience at the park has always been good. That says a lot because I've had a season pass there for about 4 years straight. The prices tend to be a little high 1 because this is a pretty popular park. Breakdowns are a constant problem with two of the newest rides Outer Limits and Volcano. It seems that the downside of this new LIM technology is that these rides are prone to breaking down for hours at a time. They almost always seem to have the problem fixed sometime that same day so it's not that tragic, just be prepared to change your game plan if need be. I don't suggest waiting at the ride unless you've ridden everything else.
Grade: C+

Theming and Atmosphere
My main beef with PKD is its lack of good theming. I suppose there's a tradeoff in the amusement park industry. You either offer lots of rides and less landscaping and theming or the opposite less rides but more theming and longer, potentially better rides. The rides at PKD are kind of "plopped down" and most don't use the terrain or even 2 leave up many trees. Overall the atmosphere is nice although, 3 it's definitely a large park so expect lots of people on weekends and maybe even some weekdays. Its still a pretty park with huge fountain pool, an Eiffel Tower replica, and that shrinking lake I mentioned.
Grade: C

Coaster Reviews
Rebel Yell
Type: Wooden Twin Racing Coaster
Year Built: 1975
Length: 3368'
Height: 85'
Drop:
Speed: 56mph
This wooden racing coaster has two identical tracks allowing the trains to race through the circuit. Unfortunately, on my visits to the park the operators seldom run the trains together, in effect defeating the purpose of having a racing coaster, (Or at least crippling it somewhat.) Aside from this flaw the ride still boasts a decent drop and in genuine PKD style one of the trains has been turned around and runs its circuit with riders facing backwards. This can be somewhat interesting. The circuit is pretty basic with no fun banking or anything really creative. Still for an older coaster it's still worth riding.
Grade: C-

Hurler
Type: Wooden Roller Coaster
Year Built: 1994
Length: 3157'
Height: 83'
Drop:
Speed: 50mph
The Hurler, located in the Wayne's World section of the park, is a fun wooden coaster that uses a double out and back layout. It's a lot of fun and definitely worth riding. There's nothing really special about this coaster it's just a good solid wooden coaster.
Grade: B

Grizzly
Type: Wooden Roller Coaster
Year Built: 1982
Length: 3150'
Height: 87'
Drop:
Speed:
In my opinion this ride is best wooden coaster in the Mid-Atlantic and probably one of the best on the East Coast. If you're like me and can't get to Kings Island to ride the Beast, the Grizzly should satisfy your appetite until you can make the trip. The Grizzly isn't anywhere near as long as the Beast or its sequel the Son of Beast, but this ride delivers thrills. This may be in part because it has the same design as the Coney Island Wildcat, a classic wooden ride in its own right. It has a great first drop followed almost immediately by another, a tunnel and a small helix. Unlike the majority of the other rides in the park PKD decided to leave a few trees around this ride which enhances it 4 because you can't really see it until you're on it. I still remember the varying rumors and horror stories about how terrifying the Grizzly was when I was a kid from my friends. For whatever reason the Grizzly is truly the 'Beast of the East'.
Grade: A

Scooby Doo
Type: Wooden Family Roller Coaster
Year Built: 1975
Length:
Height:
Drop:
Speed:
This tame coaster is great for beginners and kids who aren't ready for the 'big leagues' yet. Although, the last time I rode it I found the cars to be a little small and my knees were pinned in the car. Still parents, kids, and everyone in between can be found on this little wooden coaster.
Grade: C

Avalanche
Type: Bobsled
Year Built: 1988
Length:
Height:
Drop:
Speed:
This is another 'coaster' that's great for families. While the Avalanche rises relatively high 5 this is just to gain speed for the Bobsled-styled twist and turns there's no drop, but a surprising amount of speed. Traversing the banked troughs is rather fun, but not too thrilling. The bobsled cars are decorated as different countries and the viewing area in the center is great for photos or just taking a breather from all the excitement. The line tends to move pretty fast as they often run three or four trains at a time. While waiting in line you get a great view of Volcano and some shade. Avalanche is a great ride to jump on to break up the adrenaline pumping thrills of the bigger rides.
Grade: B

Shockwave
Type: Steel - Stand Up
Year Built: 1986
Length: 2231'
Height: 95'
Drop:
Inversions: 1
Speed: 50mph
The Shockwave along with the rest of the steel rides at the park follow PKD's frustrating formula of a quick 'gimmick' but a short, under-achieving ride. It's a stand up coaster which is cool, but it's one of the park's shortest rides. I definitely think twice when I see a long line for this one. After the initial 90' drop, a vertical loop, a fun downward helix, and a few small jerky 'hills' repay you for your sometimes 90-minute wait. Again, because it's a stand up coaster its worth at least one ride if you have the time or have never been on a stand up coaster but overall this ride is pretty anti-climactic.
Grade: C-

Anaconda
Type: Steel - Looping
Year Built: 1991
Length: 2700'
Height: 128'
Drop: 144'
Inversions: 4
Speed: 50mph
Next to the themed 'Mountain' and the Flight of Fear, Anaconda dominates PKD's skyline. It rises128 feet above the lake before dropping 144 feet into an underwater tunnel, the only underwater tunnel in the world I think. This Arrow steel looper does four inversions, two vertical loops and two corkscrews all over the lake (which has basically been shrunk down to a large pond by the expansion of the water park). After the break run halfway through the ride you enter the butterfly configuration. It's unique to the Anaconda and it's basically two funky helixes, a great prelude to the double corkscrews. The corkscrews over the lake are very slow which enhances the feeling that you might just fall out. This ride is a lot of fun and a definite must ride but again a little too short for my taste. In its defense it delivers thrills and the line always moves pretty fast.
Grade: B+

Flight of Fear
Type: Steel - LIM, Multi-Element Looping, Enclosed
Year Built: 1996
Length: 2705'
Inversions: 4
Speed: 55 mph
For Outer Limits PKD took a stab at theming for a change. A considerable amount of theming. The station and ride itself are all enclosed in a building designed to be 6 some kind of facility for government testing of a UFO, basically a fancy warehouse. Along the inside portions of the queue line 7 there's a movie playing that sets the premise of the storyline for the ride. The ride is propelled by a revolutionary LIM launch system. One that has most likely changed roller coasters forever. Instead of the traditional lift hill the ride uses Linear Induction Motors or Magnets that propel the train down the track. The result, a rocket-ship like launch 8 that rivals the adrenaline felt at the crest of the initial drop of traditional coasters. Waiting for the ensuing launch and then accelerating is the 9 funnest part of the ride. From there the ride gets a little rough. The ride leaves the station and heads to a tall cylindrical building where riders find a literally "tangled knot" of track including 30 vertical curves, 25 horizontal curves, four inversions, and oh yeah semi-darkness. (To see what this tangled mess looks like check out my Joker's Jinx review). Head banging on the shoulder harnesses used to be pretty heavy and made Flight of Fear almost unrideable guaranteeing riders headaches. Fortunately, PKD replaced the stiff shoulder harnesses with lap belts, 10 remedying the head banging. Thanks to the launch and weird "Area 51"-esque theming 11 this is a must ride.
Grade: B

Volcano - The Blast Coaster
Type: Steel - Steel Inverted, LIM
Year Built: 1998
Length: 2757'
Height: 155'
Drop: 80'
Inversions: 4
Speed: 70 mph
12 Yet another coaster that suffers from PKD's short ride formula. Again, the park turned the theming up a notch. Using an existing themed mountain that had been closed for years Intamin built the world's first LIM inverted coaster. The mountain rumbles, spews out smoke, and even fire at the mouth of the volcano. Luckily they have the fire part scheduled to flame up when riders AREN'T flying out of the mouth upside down. 13 Anyway, the initial launch is exhilarating. This time you hit the LIMs on the go and you can't tell exactly when it will happen and the anticipation is great! After accelerating you swing out behind the mountain to your left, the speed is most raw and exciting I've ever experienced. After the short U-turn you head back into the mountain where you hit the second set of LIM motors that blast you up out of the mouth of the volcano as you invert 155 feet in the air. Not bad, but another Virginia park would've given an even longer and better themed ride. All of that speed on the back side of the mountain is wasted. Not an inversion, helix, hill, tunnel, or anything. The banked turn and raw speed is great but more could have been done. After being blasted out of the volcano, riders experience 3 more inversions. Three smooth, slow barrel rolls, the last of which is well placed right next to the mountain, giving a near-hit feeling. Once the barrel rolls are over the train takes an abrupt swoop back into a dark, un-themed mountain as you ride to the station. 14 Volcano definitely gets an 'A' for effort but the ride really could have been better.
Grade: A-

Hypersonic XLC
Type: Steel - Air Compression Launch
Year Built: 2001
Length: 
Height: 
Drop: 
Speed: 80 mph
PKD continues to fight for the "Coaster Crown" by being the first park in the world to offer a coaster with a 90 degree incline and 90-degree drop (symmetrically equivalent to an upside down "U"). So riders literally go straight up and straight down thanks to another evolution in the roller coaster propulsion, compressed air. Even more impressive than the now semi-common LIM motors, compressed air launches allow for a 0 to 80 mph launch in 2 seconds! Definitely a thrill ride. In true PKD-style the ride is "plopped" down basically on top of a fairway between the Rebel Yell and the Hurler. They might want to invest in some of the 2 million acres of Virginia wilderness that surrounds the park, I don't know. As far as giving you a blow by blow review, to be honest, I can't. Covering 2???' feet at 80 mph, there's not a whole lot to recount. Immediately after the launch riders climb the hill, go back down, make a turn, do a tiny bunny hop and hit some really loud and very, very abrupt brakes. Hopefully, future Air Compression coasters will be longer and more memorable.
Grade: B

Ricochet
Type: Steel - Wild Mouse Coaster
Year Built: 2002
Length: 1340'
Height: 52'
Drop: 50'
Wild Mouse Coasters are great family and kiddie coasters that emphasize hairpin turns and small sudden drops. 15
Grade: C

Other Rides and Attractions: PKD offers two staple water rides, as well as the usual suspects: the Merry Go Round, Swings, Bumper Cars, etc. Recently added, was the Drop Zone, which is the tallest drop ride in North America, at just over 300' tall. 16 The park has a 3D attraction that has been Days of Thunder, James Bond  and Tomb Raider in the past. What PKD offers that most parks can't boast is its own water park including tons of slides, and a large wave pool. The entire park and surrounding area can be seen from the 1/3 replica Eiffel Tower.
Grade: A

Paramount's Kings Dominion
Final Grade B-