Kings Dominion facts for kids
| Previously known as Paramount's Kings Dominion, 1993–2006 | |
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| Location | Doswell, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 37°50′24″N 77°26′42″W / 37.840°N 77.445°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | May 3, 1975 |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| General manager | Jennifer Schofield |
| Operating season | March through Early November |
| Area | 280 acres (1.1 km2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 44 |
| Roller coasters | 13 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Website | kingsdominion.com |
Kings Dominion is a fun amusement park in Doswell, Virginia, USA. It's about 20 miles (32 km) north of Richmond. The park is owned and run by Six Flags.
This huge park covers 280 acres (1.1 km²). It first opened on May 3, 1975. Kings Dominion has over 60 rides, shows, and attractions. This includes 13 exciting roller coasters and a 20-acre (0.081 km²) water park. The park's name comes from its sister park, Kings Island, and Virginia's nickname, "Old Dominion."
Contents
History of Kings Dominion
How Kings Dominion Started (1972–1983)
After Kings Island in Ohio became popular, a company called Family Leisure Centers decided to open another park. They chose a large area in Doswell, Virginia. Construction started on October 1, 1972. The new park was designed to be much like Kings Island.
In 1974, Kings Dominion had a special preview. Guests could see the Lion Country Safari, a drive-through animal zoo. They could also ride the Scooby-Doo roller coaster. The park officially opened on May 3, 1975. It had fifteen attractions. These included the Rebel Yell (now Racer 75) and the Lion Country Safari Monorail. There was also a log flume, a steam train, and a cable-car sky ride. A 1/3-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower greeted visitors. The park had themed areas like The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera and Old Virginia. In 1975, a ticket cost $7.50. On opening day, 50,000 people visited the park.
In 1977, Kings Dominion added its fourth roller coaster, the King Kobra. This was the park's first launched roller coaster. It stayed for nine seasons before moving to other parks. Kings Dominion was also a filming location for the movie Rollercoaster that year.
A campground opened in 1978. The well-known Lost World mountain opened in 1979. It had three rides: Voyage to Atlantis, Land of the Dooz, and Time Shaft. In 1980, Voyage to Atlantis became Haunted River. Kings Dominion added a third wooden roller coaster, Grizzly, in 1982. A river rapids ride, White Water Canyon, opened in 1983.
Kings Dominion also helped change a law in Virginia. They and other entertainment businesses wanted schools to start after Labor Day. This was so more families would visit the park in August. Also, more teenagers could work at the park. This law was called the Kings Dominion Law. It stayed in place until 2019.
New Management and Growth (1983–1992)
In 1983, Taft Broadcasting Company sold its theme parks. A new company, Kings Entertainment Company (KECO), bought them. This included Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds.
One of the first new rides was Berserker in 1984. It was a looping starship ride. Also that year, Smurf Mountain replaced Land of the Dooz. In 1986, Kings Dominion added Shockwave. This was a stand-up roller coaster with one loop. The King Kobra coaster was removed at the end of that season. A water slide area called Racing Rivers opened in 1987. Avalanche, a unique bobsled roller coaster, opened in 1988. Its trains looked like bobsleds from different countries.
The park kept growing. In 1990, Hanna-Barbera Land got more children's rides. In 1991, a new looping roller coaster, Anaconda, opened. It had the world's first underwater tunnel. Anaconda had four inversions: a vertical loop, a sidewinder, and two corkscrews.
A new 20-acre (0.081 km²) water park, Hurricane Reef, opened in 1992. It had many water slides and a lazy river.
Paramount Era (1993–2006)
Kings Dominion became part of Paramount Parks in 1993. Its name changed to Paramount's Kings Dominion. New rides and areas based on Paramount movies and TV shows appeared. In 1993, a motion simulator ride opened, showing the Days of Thunder film. Lion Country Safari and Smurf Mountain were removed.
In 1994, a new area based on the movie Wayne's World opened. It had a wooden roller coaster called Hurler. This area later became part of Candy Apple Grove. In 1995, Nickelodeon Splat City opened for kids. This was because Viacom bought Paramount. This area later became Nick Central.
In 1996, Kings Dominion added The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear. This was a launched roller coaster that went 54 mph (87 km/h). It had four inversions and was mostly in the dark. Later, the ride's name changed to Flight of Fear. Its shoulder restraints were replaced with lap bars.
KidZville opened in 1997, replacing the Hanna-Barbera section. It added the Taxi Jam roller coaster. Many rides kept Hanna-Barbera character names.
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In 1998, Volcano: The Blast Coaster opened in the old Lost World mountain. This was the world's first launched inverted roller coaster. It had two launch sections and several inversions. Volcano was themed to the 1997 film Volcano. The water park, Hurricane Reef, expanded and was renamed WaterWorks. It added Pipeline Peak, with four enclosed water slides. In 2000, Nick Central opened.
The park added Hypersonic XLC in 2001. This coaster launched riders from 0 to 80 mph (130 km/h) in 1.5 seconds. It went up and down an 87-degree hill. Hypersonic XLC often broke down and was removed after the 2007 season.
In 2002, the park opened Ricochet, a wild mouse roller coaster. This is now called Apple Zapple. In 2003, Kings Dominion opened Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, now Drop Tower: Scream Zone. It was the tallest freefall ride in the world at 305 feet (93 m). In 2004, Scooby-Doo! And the Haunted Mansion opened. In 2005, a Top Spin ride called Tomb Raider: Firefall opened. It was later renamed The Crypt. In 2006, the Italian Job Turbo Coaster opened. It was a family-friendly launched coaster. It was later renamed the Backlot Stunt Coaster in 2008.
Cedar Fair and Six Flags Era (2006–Present)
On June 30, 2006, Cedar Fair bought Paramount Parks. Kings Dominion kept its name for a short time. Cedar Fair then started to remove the Paramount name.
Kings Dominion expanded WaterWorks in 2007. It added a second wave pool, Tidal Wave Bay. It also added a family raft slide, Zoom Flume, and a Tornado slide.
During the Cedar Fair era, the park started Halloween Haunt. This event became very popular.
In 2007, Hypersonic XLC was removed. Other rides with Paramount themes were renamed. Drop Zone Stunt Tower became Drop Tower Scream Zone. The Italian Job: Turbo Coaster became Backlot Stunt Coaster. Tomb Raider: Firefall became The Crypt. The Paramount Theater became Kings Dominion Theater.
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In 2008, Dominator opened. This floorless roller coaster came from Geauga Lake. It has five inversions. In 2009, Americana, a Ferris wheel, also came from Geauga Lake.
In 2010, Kings Dominion opened Intimidator 305. This huge giga coaster is 305 feet (93 m) tall. It has an 85° first drop and goes up to 90 mph (140 km/h). The ride is themed to NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. Also in 2010, the children's areas became Planet Snoopy. This ended the park's 35-year use of Hanna-Barbera characters.
In 2012, Kings Dominion added WindSeeker. This tall swing ride is 301 feet (92 m) high. It gives great views of the area. The park also added Dinosaurs Alive!. This was an extra-cost dinosaur exhibit.
In 2013, Planet Snoopy grew even bigger. It merged with KidZville, becoming the largest Planet Snoopy area. It now has 18 rides.
In 2014, Kings Dominion celebrated its 40th anniversary. They brought back old park favorites. These included the singing mushrooms and the floral clock. Anaconda was repainted. The Congo and Grove areas returned to their original names, Safari Village and Candy Apple Grove.
In 2015, Soak City expanded with new slides. These included Paradise Plunge, Aqua Blast, and Thunder Falls. A new children's area, Splash Island, also opened. Shockwave and Hurler roller coasters closed permanently. In 2017, Planet Snoopy expanded again with three new rides.
In 2018, Twisted Timbers opened. This steel hybrid coaster replaced Hurler. It uses some of Hurler's old wooden supports. 2018 also saw the first WinterFest, a Christmas event. Rebel Yell was renamed Racer 75. Ricochet became Apple Zapple. Tornado, Dinosaurs Alive, and Volcano: The Blast Coaster were removed before 2019.
In 2019, Soak City announced a new area for 2020 called Coconut Shores. In 2020, The Crypt was removed. Kings Dominion was closed for most of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It opened for a short "Taste of the Season" event in December.
Normal operations returned in 2021. In 2022, Safari Village became Jungle X-Pedition. This new area is themed like an archeological dig site. It has new restaurants and shops. A new roller coaster, Tumbili, also opened.
On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair and Six Flags joined together. They formed Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
In 2025, the park opened Rapterra, a launched wing coaster.
Areas and Attractions
Candy Apple Grove
Candy Apple Grove was first called Coney Island in 1975. It got its current name in 1976. This is the largest section of Kings Dominion. It used to have an orchard theme with apple-themed rides. Many of these themes were removed over time. The area was simply called The Grove for a while.
For the park's 40th anniversary in 2014, Candy Apple Grove returned to its original orchard theme. The popular animatronic Singing Mushrooms came back with new technology. A restored floral clock and oversized candy apples also returned. The popular blue ice cream was brought back too.
A part of Candy Apple Grove has a 1950s theme.
Some popular rides here include WindSeeker, a 301-foot (92 m) tall swing ride. Delirium, a spinning pendulum ride, opened in 2016. The newest ride is Twisted Timbers, a steel hybrid coaster that opened in 2018. This area also has an arcade, games, restaurants, and a gift shop.
| Ride | Opening year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Americana | 2009 | A ferris wheel that used to be at Geauga Lake. |
| Apple Zapple | 2002 | A wild mouse roller coaster. It was called Ricochet until 2017. |
| Bad Apple | 2002 | A HUSS Troika ride. It was called Triple Spin until 2013. |
| Candy Apple Grove Stage | 2018 | An outdoor stage for performances. |
| Carousel | 1975 | A historic 1917 wooden carousel. |
| Delirium | 2016 | A 115-foot (35 m) tall spinning pendulum ride. |
| Dodgem | 1975 | A classic bumper cars ride. |
| Drop Tower | 2003 | A Gyro drop tower. It was called Drop Zone: Stunt Tower until 2007. |
| Racer 75 | 1975 | A racing wooden roller coaster with two tracks. It was called Rebel Yell until 2017. |
| Twisted Timbers | 2018 | A steel hybrid coaster. It replaced Hurler. |
| Wave Swinger | 1975 | A swing ride that rotates and lifts riders high in the air. |
| WindSeeker | 2012 | A tall tower swinger ride that spins and goes up a 301-foot (92 m) tower. |
| Xtreme Skyflyer | 1996 | A pay-per-ride skycoaster. |
International Street
International Street is the main entrance to the park. It has a long fountain pool in the middle. This leads to a 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower. Guests can ride an elevator up the tower for great views. International Street shows off different European styles of buildings. These buildings have gift shops, cafes, and restaurants.
| Ride | Opening year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dominator | 2008 | A steel floorless roller coaster. It came from Geauga Lake in Ohio. Dominator is the world's longest floorless coaster. |
| Eiffel Tower | 1975 | A replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is 315 feet (96 m) tall. |
| Grande Bandstand | 1975 | A stage for performances under the Eiffel Tower. |
Jungle X-Pedition
Jungle X-Pedition looks like an archeological base camp in a mysterious jungle. The story is about an explorer who found this land in 1935. This area was once Lion Country Safari. It had a monorail train through a nature preserve. The area was called Safari Village, then Congo. In 2014, it went back to Safari Village. In 2022, it became Jungle X-Pedition. It has new themed restaurants, shops, and a new roller coaster, Tumbili.
This area has many of the park's thrill rides and roller coasters. A large artificial mountain used to be here from 1979 to 2019. It was home to the Lost World rides and later Volcano: The Blast Coaster. The mountain was taken down in 2019.
| Ride | Opening year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Arachnidia | 1976 | A classic scrambler ride. It was called Witch Doctor and then Scrambler. |
| Backlot Stunt Coaster | 2006 | A family LIM-launched roller coaster. It's based on the movie The Italian Job. Riders launch into a parking garage and dodge police cars. It was called The Italian Job: Turbo Coaster until 2007. |
| Flight of Fear | 1996 | A LIM-launched roller coaster. It used to have shoulder harnesses, but now has lap bars. It was called Outer Limits: Flight of Fear until 2000. |
| Pantherian | 2010 | A giga coaster that is one of the tallest in the world. It was called Intimidator 305 and then Project 305. |
| Rapterra | 2025 | A steel wing roller coaster. Rapterra is the world's tallest and longest launched wing coaster. |
| Reptilian | 1988 | A bobsled roller coaster. It is the only Mack bobsled coaster in the United States. It was called Avalanche until 2021. |
| Tumbili | 2022 | A 4D Free Spin roller coaster. It replaced The Crypt. |
Old Virginia
Old Virginia is one of the park's original sections. It has kept its name since 1975. This area has a rustic, country theme. It looks like the Blue Ridge Mountains. A steam train ride, Old Dominion Line, used to be here.
| Ride | Opening year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Tollway | 1975 | Cars that drivers steer along a guide rail. |
| Flying Eagles | 1975 | A Flying Scooters type ride. |
| Grizzly | 1982 | A wooden roller coaster. |
| Kings Dominion Theater | 1975 | An indoor theater for shows. It was called The Mason-Dixon Music Hall and The Paramount Theatre. |
| Shenandoah Lumber Company | 1975 | A classic log flume ride. |
| White Water Canyon | 1983 | A River rafting ride. |
Planet Snoopy
This area was first called Nickelodeon Splat City in 1995. It became Nickelodeon Central in 2000. After Cedar Fair bought the park, it was re-themed in 2010. It now uses a Peanuts theme, with Snoopy as a main character. In 2013, Planet Snoopy merged with the KidZville section. This added new rides and re-themed others. Another expansion in 2017 added three more rides.
| Ride | Height Requirement | Opening Year | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | Over 42" or with adult | 2010 | An interactive dark ride. It replaced Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Mansion. |
| Charlie Brown's Wind Up | Over 36" or with adult | 2013 | A small swing ride. |
| Flying Ace | Over 48" or 44" with adult | 2000 | An Aviator swing ride. It was called Nickelodeon Space Surfer. |
| Flying Ace Balloon Race | Over 42" or with adult | 2013 | An aerial teacups ride. |
| Great Pumpkin Coaster | Over 36" | 1997 | A children's roller coaster. It was called Taxi Jam. |
| Kite-Eating Tree | Between 36" and 54" | 2017 | A mini drop tower. |
| Linus Launcher | Over 42" or 36" with adult | 2013 | A circular ride where riders lie face down and swing. |
| Lucy's Crabbie Cabbies | Under 54" | 1975 | Children's bumper cars. It was called Boulder Bumpers. |
| Lucy's Tugboat | Over 42" or with adult | 2013 | A rock-n-tug ride. |
| Peanuts 500 | Over 36" or with adult | 2017 | A miniature whip ride. |
| Peanuts Turnpike | Under 54" | 1978 | A car ride guided by a rail. |
| Sally's Sea Plane | Over 36" or with adult | 2017 | A Crazy Bus ride. |
| Snoopy's Junction | Over 36" or with adult | 2013 | A train ride. |
| Snoopy vs. Red Baron | Between 36" and 54" | 1990 | A flat ride with miniature airplanes. |
| Snoopy's Rocket Express | Over 42" or with adult | 2013 | A slow-moving monorail ride. |
| Snoopy's Space Buggies | Over 36" or with adult | 2013 | A circular ride where vehicles bounce up and down. |
| Woodstock Express | Over 46" or 40" with adult | 1974 | A small wooden roller coaster. It was called Scooby-Doo and Ghoster Coaster. |
| Woodstock Whirlybirds | Over 36" or with adult | 2013 | A teacups ride. |
Soak City
Soak City is Kings Dominion's water park. It opened in 1992 as Hurricane Reef. Entry to Soak City is included with your Kings Dominion ticket. In 2015, the water park was expanded and renamed Soak City.
Fast Lane
Fast Lane is a special system at Kings Dominion. For an extra cost, visitors get a wristband. This lets them skip the regular lines on 17 popular rides.
Halloween Haunt
Halloween Haunt is a yearly Halloween event. It happens at Kings Dominion on weekends in September and October. It started in 2001 as FearFest. After Cedar Fair bought the park, it was renamed Halloween Haunt in 2007. In 2017, it was voted the second-best theme park Halloween event by USA Today. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2013, Halloween Haunt had a maze called Miner's Revenge. This attraction showed scenes from a mining accident. Some people felt this was too realistic and upsetting. They said it reminded them of real mining disasters in the area. Because of this, Kings Dominion removed Miner's Revenge from the Halloween maze lineup the next year.
Attractions
As of October 20, 2024[update]:
| Attraction | Type |
|---|---|
| F.E.A.R. | Maze |
| Blood on the Bayou | Maze |
| Cleaver Brothers Carnival | Scare zone |
| Condemned | Maze |
| CornStalkers: Blood Harvest | Maze |
| Grimm Woods | Maze |
| Masquerade | Scare zone |
| Pumpkin Eater | Scare zone |
| Site X | Scare zone |
| Trick Or Treat | Maze |
| Uprising | Scare zone |
Timeline
- 1974: Preview with a film theater, Scooby-Doo (now Woodstock Express), and Lion Country Safari.
- 1975: Grand opening, Eiffel Tower, Rebel Yell (wooden coaster), and Galaxie (steel coaster).
- 1976: Apple Turnover (Enterprise flat ride).
- 1977: King Kobra (Steel coaster).
- 1978: Kings Dominion Campground.
- 1979: Lost World (Themed area) with Journey to Atlantis, Land of the Dooz, and Time Shaft.
- 1980: Haunted River replaced Journey to Atlantis.
- 1982: Grizzly and Amphitheater.
- 1983: White Water Canyon; Galaxie coaster closed.
- 1984: Berserker; Smurf Mountain replaced Land of the Dooz.
- 1985: Diamond Falls and Scooby's Play Park.
- 1986: Shockwave; King Kobra removed.
- 1987: Racing Rivers.
- 1988: Avalanche.
- 1989: Sky Pilot.
- 1990: Hanna-Barbera Land expansion.
- 1991: Anaconda.
- 1992: Hurricane Reef (Water park).
- 1993: Days of Thunder; Smurf Mountain removed.
- 1994: Hurler.
- 1995: Nickelodeon Splat City; The Time Shaft and The Haunted River removed. Old Dominion Line steam train removed.
- 1996: The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear and Xtreme SkyFlyer.
- 1997: Taxi Jam; Hanna-Barbera Land renamed KidZville.
- 1998: Volcano; Action Theater replaced Days of Thunder.
- 1999: Hurricane Reef expanded to WaterWorks.
- 2000: Nickelodeon Central; Pipeline Peak added to WaterWorks.
- 2001: HyperSonic XLC; The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear became Flight of Fear.
- 2002: Ricochet and Triple Spin; Diamond Falls closed.
- 2003: Drop Tower.
- 2004: Scooby-Doo & The Haunted Mansion.
- 2005: Tomb Raider Firefall (later The Crypt).
- 2006: Backlot Stunt Coaster.
- 2007: Tidal Wave Bay, Tornado, and Zoom Flume added to WaterWorks; FearFest became Halloween Haunt.
- 2008: Dominator; Hypersonic XLC removed.
- 2009: El Dorado and Americana; Grizzly retracked.
- 2010: Intimidator 305; Nickelodeon Central became Planet Snoopy; Boo Blasters on Boo Hill replaced Scooby-Doo & The Haunted Mansion.
- 2011: Snoopy's Starlight Spectular; Grizzly retracked.
- 2012: WindSeeker and Dinosaurs Alive!; Fast Lane debuted.
- 2013: Planet Snoopy expanded and merged with KidZville; 8 new rides added.
- 2014: 40th Anniversary; International Street fountain restored, Candy Apple Grove and Safari Village returned.
- 2015: 40th Anniversary continued; WaterWorks expanded and renamed Soak City. Shockwave and Hurler closed.
- 2016: Delirium opened.
- 2017: Planet Snoopy expanded with Kite Eating Tree, Sally's Sea Plane, and Peanuts 500; Tornado closed.
- 2018: Twisted Timbers and WinterFest. Rebel Yell renamed Racer 75 and Ricochet renamed Apple Zapple.
- 2019: Big Wave Bay, Dinosaurs Alive, and Volcano: The Blast Coaster closed.
- 2020: The Crypt removed; park closed until December due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2021: Coconut Shores area opened in Soak City.
- 2022: Tumbili coaster opened. Avalanche renamed Reptilian and Scrambler renamed Arachnidia.
- 2023: Year Round operations started; Grizzly retracked. Gran Prix Raceway closed.
- 2024: Year Round operations ended. Intimidator 305 renamed Project 305. Anaconda, Berserker, Joe Cools Driving School, and Peanuts Road Rally retired.
- 2025: Rapterra opened. Project 305 renamed Pantherian. Winterfest was canceled.
Retired rides and attractions
Former roller coasters
| Roller coasters | Type | Opening Year | Closing Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxi | Steel | 1975 | 1983 |
| King Cobra | Steel - Shuttle Loop | 1977 | 1986 |
| Hypersonic XLC | Steel-Launched | 2001 | 2007 |
| Shockwave | Steel – Stand-up | 1986 | 2015 |
| Hurler | Wooden | 1994 | 2015 |
| Volcano: The Blast Coaster | Steel-Inverted-Launched | 1998 | 2018 |
| Anaconda | Custom Looping Coaster | 1991 | 2024 |
Other rides
- 1974-1993: Lion Country Safari
- 1975–1983: Adam's Apple/Vertigo (Himalaya ride)
- 1975–1995: Old Dominion Line (steam train)
- 1975–1995: Sky Ride
- 1975–1988: Bad Apple (Monster)
- 1975–2011: Yogi's Cave
- 1976–1993: Apple Turnover (Enterprise ride)
- 1976–1990: Mt. Kilimanjaro (Bayern Kurve)
- 1976–1983: Flying Bobs
- 1979–1980: Lost World Mountain: Journey to Atlantis
- 1979–1995: Lost World Mountain: The Time Shaft
- 1979–1983: Lost World Mountain: Journey to the Land of Dooz
- 1980–1995: Lost World Mountain: The Haunted River
- 1984–1993: Smurf Mountain
- 1985–2002: Diamond Falls (shoot the chute)
- 1986–1996: Fred's Jungle Gym (children's play area)
- 1987–1996: Racing Rivers (waterslide complex)
- 1989–1998: Sky Pilot
- 1992–2004: Kiddie Cove (children's area of WaterWorks)
- 1992–2007: Spiral Chute (two, body waterslides)
- 1992–2014: Shoot-The-Curl (water slide)
- 1995–2012: Snoopy's Splash Dance
- 1997–2012: KidZville
- 1998-2019: Soak City Splash House
- 1999–2019: Big Wave Bay (wave pool)
- 2005–2019: The Crypt (HUSS Park Attractions Top Spin)
- 2007–2017: Tornado (a ProSlide Tornado water slide at Soak City)
- 2009–2011: El Dorado
- 2010–2016: Snoopy's Moon Bounce
- 2012–2018: Dinosaurs Alive! (animatronic dinosaur walkthrough)
- 1995-2023: Gran Prix Raceway
- 1984-2025: Berserker(looping starship)
- 2000-2024: Joe Cools Driving School
- 1990-2024: Peanuts Road Rally
Kings Dominion logos
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Original Kings Dominion logo used from 1975 to 1992.
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Paramount's Kings Dominion Logo used from 1993 to 2003.
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Paramount's Kings Dominion logo from 2003 to 2006.
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Logo used briefly in 2007.
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Kings Dominion 2008–present.
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See also
In Spanish: Kings Dominion para niños
- Incidents at Kings Dominion
