Specific Type: Wooden
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Since 1982, The Grizzly has been prowling the backwoods of the Old Virginia section of Paramount's Kings Dominion (now simply Kings Dominion). The Grizzly became Kings Dominion’s first terrain-designed coaster and third wooden coaster in all, the park already having the Rebel Yell and Scooby Doo’s Ghoster Coaster. The coaster began with a good reputation before it even opened because of it being modeled after the now extinct favorite Wildcat at Coney Island Park in Cincinnati, Ohio (seen at right). Grizzly was designed by Taft Attractions Group and built by King’s Entertainment Company, their first of three coasters. Once the guests hike through the dense forest that surrounds The Grizzly, they board the train and start out of the station. It’s a small drop and a 180 turn and the riders start their way up the lift hill to the 87 foot drop that awaits. Down the hill the train flies and then back up a hill and into a slow turn-around that builds up anticipation for what comes next. All guests tuck their arms back into the train as it dives into a long, dark tunnel with plenty of head-chopper effect and a nice dip in the middle. The train then speeds out of the tunnel into a high hill and another turn-around that sends the train rolling back away from the station. The train speeds along the track a rolls over a hill that takes them right back over the tunnel that they went through seconds before. After the hill, the riders fly through the last turn-around that sends them back toward the station. A couple more dips and it’s into the brakes. The Grizzly follows the classic double out-and-back formation that resembles a figure eight. Nonetheless, it is a very thrilling wooden coaster and being surrounded by dense forest enhances the feeling of speed. |
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