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Avalanche @ Kings Dominion | Coaster Reviews
Avalanche @ Kings Dominion | Coaster Reviews
The Avalanche at Kings Dominion is located in the Congo area (oddly enough) at Kings Dominion next to Volcano mountain. It’s a fun family coaster and one of the few bobsled roller coasters around. Bobsled coasters feature chutes or half pipes without fixed tracks like most roller coasters. This allows the bobsleigh-like cars to move freely as if they were sliding on ice like in a real bobsled course.Unlike Disaster Transport at Cedar Point, Avalanche seats two riders per car with one person sitting in between the legs of the first rider. It can be a cozy or awkward ride depending on who you’re riding with. Often people ride alone for that reason. The cars are appropriately themed with Winter Olympics-like decals for countries like Sweden, Germany, France, & the U.S.
The ride begins with a climb next to Volcano mountain. The first drop is shallow, but just enough to give the train some speed as it traverses a wide downward helix that’s pretty high off the ground. After the wide helix, the train enters a brake run. Avalanche begins pretty tame, but after the long straight brake run, things get interesting. The train dips into a twisted side-to-side section that produces some pretty strong g-forces for a family coaster. Towards the middle of the section, the trains twist right over a waiting area allowing for a great photo op (see picture above). Also, in one of the last few transitions from left to right (or right to left, I don’t remember), there’s even a brief moment of airtime.
Considering bobsled coasters are pretty rare, and the ride’s theming, and fun g-forces, Avalanche is a solid family roller coaster not to missed if you’re ever at Kings Dominion in a group with guests who like tamer rides. If it were a little bit longer it may have earned a 7.0. See the rest of my rating scale. Final Rating – 6.0 (Above Average)
Avalanche is rated ‘TR’ for Traditional. It’s a 2 out of 5 on my Thrill Scale.What’s Your Take?
Have you ridden Avalanche at Kings Dominion? What’d you think? Leave a comment below.
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Bobsleds are rare, aren`t they? I`ll put a review of the Alpine Bobsled up on the Forum ASAP.
This coaster was tame enough for my son to ride when he was only 4 years old. I liked being able to wrap my arms around him … sense of control for a mom, I guess. He thought it was exciting without being scary and I found it to be fun enough so as not to be boring for adults. “The boy” is visiting with me this week and, at 6′5″ tall, I’m glad I don’t have to share a bobsled with him any more!
Another nice thing to note about Avalanche is that it’s friendly to “bigger” guests. While the safety restraints on most roller coasters prohibit people of a certain size from riding, the Avalanche has nice roomy cars/sleds that allow plus sized individuals a comfortable ride.
I actually found this ride to be very bumpy and uncomfortable, but I sort of like the bobsled in the Congo section. I can’t believe they’re putting Intimidator in the Congo!
considering that this is the only bobsled ride I have rode (unless you count disaster transport) I found the ride very fun and unique. It is defiantly a great family ride. Also I guess That volcano mountain used to be covered in snow and thats where the avalanche came from!
maybe, i think it would fit.
I rode this with my daughter back in Aug 09, Even though I rode Disaster Transport and the old Sarejevo at Great Adventure, I was surprised how much fun it was. The last 1/2 of the ride was great. Too bad when we were there it opened up at 12noon instead of the 10:30, otherwise I would have rode it a few more times.
They moved the one at SFGAdv to TGEsc where it`s now known as the alpinew bobsled, has a realy cool paint job and is comlpleteley surrouned by trees naerly haging off the edge of a ravine.