Grizzly (Kings Dominion) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grizzly |
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| Previously known as The Grizzly (1982-1996) | |
A train on Grizzly approaching the lift hill
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| Kings Dominion | |
| Location | Kings Dominion |
| Park section | Old Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°50′15.02″N 77°26′49.63″W / 37.8375056°N 77.4471194°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | March 27, 1982 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Taft Broadcasting Company |
| Designer | Curtis D. Summers |
| Track layout | Terrain |
| Lift/launch system | Chain Lift |
| Height | 87 ft (27 m) |
| Length | 3,150 ft (960 m) |
| Speed | 51 mph (82 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:30 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train. |
| Grizzly at RCDB | |
Grizzly is an exciting wooden roller coaster at Kings Dominion amusement park. It's located in Doswell, Virginia. The ride zooms through a thick forest. This makes it feel like the trees are super close, adding to the thrill! Grizzly first opened in 1982. Its design is very similar to an old roller coaster called the Wildcat, which used to be at Coney Island. Another similar ride, called Wild Beast, is at Canada's Wonderland.
Contents
The Story of Grizzly
How Grizzly Was Created
Kings Dominion announced the new Grizzly roller coaster on March 15, 1982. They wanted it to be the most thrilling ride in the park. It was even taller than their popular Rebel Yell coaster. Grizzly was designed by Curtis D. Summers. He also designed the Wild Beast coaster at Canada's Wonderland a year earlier.
Both Grizzly and Wild Beast were inspired by an old ride. This was the Wildcat roller coaster at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Ohio. That coaster was taken down in 1964. The company that owned Coney Island, Taft Broadcasting, also helped create Grizzly.
Where Grizzly Is Located
Grizzly is in the "Old Virginia" part of Kings Dominion. The ride winds through the forest for the first half. Then, it goes into a big open area for the second half. Grizzly officially opened on March 27, 1982. The ride was closed for a short time in 2009 and 2011. This was so the park could fix and improve its track.
What Makes Grizzly Special?
The Wild Forest Theme
Grizzly doesn't have a specific story or character. Instead, it tries to make you feel like you're in a real grizzly bear habitat. The entire ride is deep in the woods. This hides it from the rest of the park. You can't see how thrilling it is until you're right there! This also makes you feel like you're entering a wild, isolated place.
Look and Feel of the Ride
The station where you get on the ride looks like an old wooden cabin. The buildings are brown and look like natural wood. The roller coaster itself is stained a gray-brown color. The ride's trains are bright orange and yellow.
At the start of the long line, there used to be a big stone carving of a grizzly bear. There was also a sign with the ride's name. The sign was taken down before 2008. But a new sign was put up in July 2009. In 2019, a gift shop called "Grizzly Gulch" was added. It's now part of the path to the ride's entrance.
