Thank you to Kings Dominion for providing our tickets during this trip.
On the way to Kings Dominion, my sisters and I were trying to decide how long it had been since our last visit. We went pretty regularly as kids, and I think individually we’d each visited a few times as adults, but I don’t think any of us had been in almost a decade. I’m not sure why it had been so long. It’s a really easy drive from central North Carolina where we all live. Not only was I looking forward to a fun day-I was curious to see how much things had changed!
It was a little bittersweet to see all of my childhood favorites taken over by Planet Snoopy. No more Yogi Bear’s Cave. No more Scooby Doo Roller Coaster-it’s now the Woodstock Express. Of course, I can’t really complain. The Planet Snoopy makeover is amazing, and full of fun rides for all ages.
The swings were a particular favorite-they had to be ridden twice. I almost talked the little ones into riding the bigger swings. Maybe next visit.
Plenty of my old favorites are still at Kings Dominion, including the Flying Eagles. (My sister is positive they were painted green with a parrot theme when we were little.) We also hit the Shenandoah Lumber Company flume ride, and we even got the littlest member of our party to ride. (It just took a tiny amount of bribery.) We’re still working on those bravery skills, so I’m hoping we’ll get in more roller coasters on the next visit. We did take turns watching the littles to get rides in on Grizzly, Avalanche and Back Lot Stunt Coaster, though!
Although there were memories everywhere, I’ll confess to not remembering much about the shows during my childhood visits to Kings Dominion. I’m sure we saw some, I just can’t remember anything about them!
This time we caught a bit of Charlie Brown’s Jungle Journey at the Peanuts Playhouse. It’s an outdoor theater in Planet Snoopy, and it’s a great way to take in a show and rest your feet for a bit.
My only specific goals for our trip were eating a funnel cake and catching a performance of Origins: A Cirque Experience. Not only was it a great show, it’s a great place to cool off on a hot day. A word of warning-the performers do interact with the audience a bit, which frightened Kyns when they were near our row. Sitting further back in the theater or in one of the side seating areas will help you avoid this if it’s a concern.
There’s a pretty wide range of food options throughout Kings Dominion. (And they’re so much better than when I was a kid!) I personally recommend the funnel cakes on International Street. (Actually, I recommend funnel cakes whenever and wherever they’re available.) Another recommendation? The refillable cups. If you fill one up more than three times it will easily be the best value. Look for refilling stations throughout the park. You can get a refill every 15 minutes. (They track this by scanning a bar code on the cup.) If you’re a season ticket holder, they also offer a season ticket cup.
I’m sure we’ll all be back again soon! (Definitely no more waiting ten years between visits.) The regular season at Kings Dominion is winding down, but that just means The Great Pumpkin Fest, Halloween Haunt and Winterfest are right around the corner. Find out more about their upcoming calendar on the Kings Dominion website!