Dominator (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dominator |
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| Previously known as Batman: Knight Flight (2000-2003) | |
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View of Dominator from the Eiffel Tower
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| Kings Dominion | |
| Park section | International Street |
| Coordinates | 37°50′27″N 77°26′36″W / 37.84083°N 77.44333°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 24, 2008 |
| Geauga Lake | |
| Park section | Power City |
| Coordinates | 41°21′08″N 81°22′27″W / 41.352197°N 81.374284°W |
| Status | Relocated to Kings Dominion |
| Opening date | May 5, 2000 |
| Closing date | September 16, 2007 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Floorless Coaster |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Floorless roller coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 157 ft (48 m) |
| Drop | 148 ft (45 m) |
| Length | 4,210 ft (1,280 m) |
| Speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Inversions | 5 |
| Duration | 2:06 |
| Max vertical angle | 57° |
| Capacity | 1600 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.8 |
| Height restriction | 54–78 in (137–198 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane available |
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| Dominator at RCDB | |
Dominator is a super exciting floorless roller coaster at Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia. It was built by Bolliger & Mabillard, a famous company that makes roller coasters. This ride first opened in 2000 as Batman: Knight Flight at a different park called Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio.
When Cedar Fair bought Geauga Lake in 2004, the coaster got its new name, Dominator. After Geauga Lake closed in 2007, Dominator was moved to Kings Dominion. It opened there on May 24, 2008, in the International Street part of the park. Dominator is the longest floorless coaster in the world. It stretches for 4,210 feet (1,280 m). It also has one of the tallest vertical loops anywhere, reaching 135 ft (41 m) high.
Contents
Dominator Roller Coaster History
Its First Home: Geauga Lake (2000–2007)
The roller coaster was first announced on December 9, 1999. It was called Batman: Knight Flight. At the time, it was the only floorless roller coaster in the Midwest. It was one of four new floorless coasters built for the year 2000. It opened on May 5, 2000.
This ride was part of a big change at Geauga Lake. The park became Six Flags Ohio and then Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. The coaster was in the "Gotham City" area, which is a common theme in Six Flags parks.
In March 2004, Six Flags sold the park to Cedar Fair. This meant all references to Looney Tunes and DC Comics characters had to be removed. Cedar Fair did not have the rights to use them. So, Batman: Knight Flight was renamed Dominator. The "Gotham City" area was also renamed "Power City."
Moving to Kings Dominion (2008–Present)
In August 2007, people started hearing that Dominator might move to Kings Dominion. On September 21, 2007, Cedar Fair announced that Geauga Lake would no longer be a full amusement park. It would only be a waterpark called Wildwater Kingdom. So, September 16, 2007, was the last day Dominator ran at Geauga Lake. Many rides from the park were moved to other Cedar Fair parks.
On October 23, 2007, it was officially announced that Dominator would move to Kings Dominion. It was rebuilt where the bus parking lot used to be. This spot is behind Berserker, another ride. When it moved, Dominator got a new paint job. The supports stayed dark blue. But the track was repainted orange, except for the big vertical loop, which stayed yellow. Dominator opened to the public at Kings Dominion on May 24, 2008.
What's the Ride Like?
When Dominator was at Geauga Lake, it often went near or over the lake. At Kings Dominion, it was built in the International Street section.
The Exciting Layout
After leaving the station, your train makes a small dip. Then it turns right and climbs the 157-foot (48 m) tall lift hill. Once you reach the top, you drop 148 feet (45 m) down to the right. The drop is at a 57-degree angle. You'll reach a top speed of 65 mph (105 km/h)!
Right after the drop, you go into a huge 135-foot (41 m) tall vertical loop. After the loop, you zoom through an overbanked right turn. Then the train rises up into a turnaround above the station. Next, you enter a cool element called a cobra roll. The train then goes uphill and makes a left turn under the lift hill. After that, you hit the mid-course brake run.
After a short stop on the brakes, there's a small drop. This leads into two interlocking corkscrews. These spin you around! After the corkscrews, the train makes a long curve to the left. It dives into another curve along the ground. Finally, you enter the last brake run to slow down. One full ride on Dominator lasts about 2 minutes and 6 seconds.
The Trains and Track
Dominator uses three open-air trains. Each train is made of steel and fiberglass. Every train has eight cars. Each car has one row with four seats. So, 32 riders can go on each train. Riders are held in place by an over-the-shoulder restraint and a lap belt. In 2014, the seats changed from purple to black. The restraints also got some black added to their orange color.
The steel track is about 4,210 feet (1,280 m) long. This makes Dominator the longest Floorless Coaster in the world. The lift hill is about 161 feet (49 m) tall. Dominator also has one of the world's tallest vertical loops at 135 feet (41 m). When the coaster first opened, it had blue supports and a yellow track. The rails were unpainted. When it moved to Kings Dominion, the supports stayed blue. The rails also stayed unpainted. But the track was repainted orange, except for the loop, which stayed yellow.
The Theme of the Ride
When the coaster was called Batman Knight Flight, it was the main attraction in the Gotham City area. It had a cool Batman theme. But when Cedar Fair bought the park in 2004, all the Batman stuff had to be removed. This was because Cedar Fair didn't have the rights to use Batman. Since then, the ride has not had a specific theme.
Images for kids
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Dominator when it was at Geauga Lake
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A train dropping from the mid-course brake run
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Dominator's Loop and Cobra Roll, seen from the parking lot
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