Confirmed: Kings Dominion to open Windseeker and Dinosaurs Alive! attractions in 2012
Submitted by Nick Sim on Thursday, September 1, 2011 08:48
Kings Dominion has confirmed that it will open a new spinning tower ride, WindSeeker, in 2012, along with an animatronic dinosaur exhibit.
The park is following in the footsteps of sister park Kings Island, which debuted versions of both attractions in 2012. WindSeeker will be included with standard admission to the park, while guests will have to pay an additional $5 to tour the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit.
Standing at 301-feet-tall, WindSeeker will see guests swinging in circles around a central tower in a vertigo-inducing variation on the classic "Chair-O-Plane" attraction. Riders will reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour as the arms extend outwards at a 45-degree angle, but will still be able to take in panoramic views of the park and beyond. Kings Dominion is spending $6.5 million on installing the ride.
Dinosaurs Alive! will be similar to the version at Kings Island (which is reviewed here), although on a slightly smaller scale. It will feature 36 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, which will be covered in skin-like materials and will feature realistic movements. Each has been recreated by Dinosaurs Unearthed, a Canadian company which produces travelling dinosaur exhibits.
To make way for the new additions, Kings Dominion will remove the El Dorado flat ride at the end of the 2011 season.
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