Volume 3, No. 6. March 28, 2003
New Arrivals
It’s
a drop tower!
Paramount’s Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, announces the arrival
of Drop Zone Stunt Tower and SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D movie,
March 22, 2003. Drop Zone measurements: 305 feet high (93 meters), 272-foot
drop (83 meters), 72 mph (116 km/h), 56 passengers, 93-second-long ride. Delivered
by Intamin.
Considering Paramount’s Kings Dominion missed out on the opportunity to
get advanced press in the week leading up to its season opener (see related
story in this LOOP), day one attendance surpassed that of the
2002 season's opening day. Reason: “Weather,” said the park’s
public relations manager Mark Riddell. “The weather was absolutely perfect.
There’s a fair amount of cabin fever in the world, and people were so relieved
to be out of their homes.”
The opening of Drop Zone Stunt Tower seemed hardly impacted by the lack
of media coverage. Riddell had been regularly sending construction shots and
updates to thrill ride enthusiasts and media members, creating more buzz than
drop towers typically get. On opening day, Riddell led a pre-opening walk-back
to the ride for about 50 enthusiasts, “the largest number of people we’ve
had for a walk-back,” he said. These were the first public riders, and
they set the tone for the day.
“You see it on their faces,” Riddell said. “The expressions say
the same story for every rider. They are so shocked at the end of what they
just experienced, then they laugh, then they get back in line.” Unlike
Paramount’s first Drop Zone Stunt Tower installation at Kings Island
four years ago, this one does not rotate during its ascent. “That gives
you a reason to get in line again to get a seat on the other side,” Riddell
said. The lack of rotation also allows 16 more seats. Furthermore, this tower
drops from a greater height (Kings Island’s drops from 264 feet) and descends
5 mph faster. Whether repeat riders or first timers, Drop Zone Stunt Tower
maintained a steady 30 minute queue throughout opening day, Riddell said.
It also drew a large non-participatory audience. Located on a plaza in The Grove,
the new ride enticed many guests to lounge about on seatwalls and in the area’s
refurbished eateries. “I never got there on Saturday when there wasn’t
a large group of people sitting in that area,” Riddell said. “That
area of The Grove has become as valuable as beachfront property.”
While Drop Zone Stunt Tower drew the bulk of attention on opening day,
the park’s new 3-D movie starring Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants
definitely has broader appeal and might end up being Kings Dominion’s hottest
new addition this season. “Awareness of SpongeBob was not as great,”
Riddell said of the two new opening day attractions. “After all, when you
come to the park you see Drop Zone from the parking lot. But I think
SpongeBob is one of those great guest satisfiers that will grow with
word of mouth.”
Riddell said the new 3-D movie, which occupies the park’s motion-seat theater
that showed Seventh Portal the past two years, “tracks closely to
the TV show.” In that he’s something of an expert. “I have 2-year-old
twins, so I see it every day.”
THE LOOP is written and produced by Eric Minton, Minton Enterprises, LLC. To see more examples of Eric Minton's work and Minton Enterprises services, visit www.ericminton.com.
©2003, Minton Enterprises
LLC
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