Kings Dominion History recording pre 92 part 1

Be sure to view parts 2, 3 & 4 that I have posted, one more part is on its way still. This is parts of a video that I put together for myself to view in 1991. It reviews much of what was Kings Dominion at the time as well as some of its past. This is part one of the video. Please realize that I made this from an old VHS recording. I used camcorder shots I had as well as photos on 35MM slide film. You will find 2 commercials that I found that ran on TV shows of the day. The music from the this show was taken from a sound track album that I have that Kings Dominion sold of there show "Celebration". The show ran at the park in the mid 1980's. Part one of the review show is of the International Street and its attractions, followed by Hanna-Barbera Land and finally you will find the Lion Country Safari theme area of the park. Part 2 will include Candy Apple Grove, Old Virginia and some Memories that had been removed from the park even in 1991. The final parts of this video will show some of the parks entertainment with some slides I had taken of shows before I had a camcorder. I know the quality of this recording is not the greatest but I hope you may enjoy living the memories of Kings Dominions past with me.

[@bustakitayancey7261]

The music they play for when the Safari Village pops up is on another Kings Dominion video but it's used for the Grizzly roller coaster....I fell in love with it instantly and remembered the fun I had on the Grizzly and I feel in love with the track. Also fell in love with the Kings Dominion Celebration show version of Pinball Wizard...such lovely music...has me anxiously waiting for the park to hurry up and open...😊❤️❤️

[@bustakitayancey7261]

This is actually the summer that I was 11 and one of my little sisters and I went - she was 5 - we went with our Henrico Parks and Recreation summer program in tie dye shirts! I miss Hanna Barbera Land.

[@Melisblessed]

Loved some smurf mountain and getting blue cotton candy. Broke my heart when I went one year and it was completely done over. Never went back. I’m almost in tears at my watching this. childhood memories

[@ThemeParkCrazy]

May I use this footage in a video I'm making about the mountains history? I will give your channel full credit.

[@adamr9030]

This takes me back. I grew up in Fredericksburg and I think went for the first time in 87. I remember when Avalanche and Anaconda opened. I can still smell the Haunted River.

[@shavonmontes5869]

Great video!! Im from Va, my family and I went to Kings Dominion all the time!! Wonderful theme park!! Takes me back to my childhood ☺️👍🏽

[@GrimAngelXtreme]

I'm in tears. This is like... NOSTALGIA AT IT'S FINEST! I miss Smurf Mountain so much! Seeing this makes me wanna slap whoever altered the fantastic world that was Kings Dominion pre-corporate "upgrade." The park seems way too commercial now. This was back when it felt like magic. Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@gansdavid]

Yes!!! 100% with you on that. The simplicity and uniqueness of the park just made it so much fun.

[@KDFanPre91]

I am go glad that you found it. Did you see it has a part 2 and 3 as well. After the holidays I will work on more of it. Thank you for the comments. Have a great holiday!

[@cwilber7297]

I remember going there in the 90's. Smurf Mountain, Haunted River and the Time Shaft were all there. The Hurler was brand new and shortly after the Outer Limits Fight of Fear was the new Awesome coaster!. I miss The old Paramount's Kings Dominion with Hanna-Barbera theme throughout. Good old Yogi's cave!

[@bustakitayancey7261]

I wish we could have both this version AND a 4K version to view!

[@geocooley1976]

I miss the days of when the Grizzly was completely in the woods. Now it’s all open and takes away from it. Still my favorite coaster in the park.

[@KDFanPre91]

The music is all from a soundtrack LP that the park sold of its show Celebration many years back.

[@redmysterium]

My wife is in this as an employee!

[@donnareese5770]

I was in that show! Please tell your wife I said "hello"!@@redmysterium

[@manie3232]

Kings Dominion is the only job I had where all my siblings worked there too, although not all at the same time. I worked the the end of the like 1981 season and came back that following summer season. They actually came to my high school and interviewed us. It was a fun place to work. That was back before Paramount took it over. It was a Hanna Barbara themed park at that time. Only went back to the park once since Paramount took over. It was pretty much not the same park that I had fond memories of. The focus with Paramount seemed to be on a much younger audience. It became more of a small kid focused park and also seemed like the park was being used as an advertisement venue for Paramount movies. They took out a lot of nice things like a (full size) train ride that went out in the woods around the parameter of the park displaying historical things along the way like replicas of native American villages, old train apparatus etc. They had a monorail that went into their animal safari where it appeared that you were in a real African safari. There was a dolphin show and other more adult type entertainment. There was a neat haunted boat ride that went through a cave and then exited out down a steep hill were you got half soaked. Definitely not the park I enjoyed when I was young.

[@KDFanPre91]

Thank you for the positive feedback. It means so much to me!! I will work on part 4 of this set after the holidays. I have about 50% of it finished. I have been working to put together materials I have and and most of it loaded on the computer. Now I need to finish it off. This video was mostly produced by myself in 1991. The next one will be all new. Bill

[@Damien2213]

Bill this is simply amazing footage. How much of it do you have? I just turned 30 and I grew up running up 95 to Kings Dominion. I went a lot in the mid and late 80's. and maybe once in the 90's before Paramoun ruined the park. Do you have the original sound to any of these videos? I'm telling you if you ever wanted to put all your material on a DVD I'd be the first in line to buy one. Thank you so much for sharing this with us because this footage has been in great demand since forever..

[@davidcj1031]

This music has the firebird suite reference in Safari Village.

[@Saora]

I remember going to Kings Dominion I think it was either 89 or 90....but the funny thing is the only rides I specifically remember the most was Smurf Mountain, and Yogi's Cave. But even though thats all I remember it was still a blast :)

[@shymaury]

Awesome!! The Park opened in the late 70s. We lived in VA and you could see them clearing the trees for the park. The only thing built at that time was the huge tower that said Kings Dominion. You could see this off of 95! I remember going through Smurf Mountain to cool off from the hot summer days at the park in the 80s!!! Miss those days!!

[@marshallmallory5264]

I worked the Rebel Yell in 1995 - oh so much fun!

[@FallicIdol]

I worked on the Anaconda in 93

[@blasphemer9]

The Paramount takeover is what killed Kings Dominion. Hopefully Cedar Fair will repair the damage.

[@Digatone]

Back when I lived in the DC area during the 80's and 90's me and my family went to Kings Dominion and it was fun. Now I live in Shreveport and Bossier and they use to have a theme park but it closed now a local church just buy theme park. The theme park in Shreveport only has one Rollar Coster ride and that is it.

[@joeyharper4976]

I didn't realize that Anaconda used to have 6 trains and i also didn't realize it hardly slowed down at the mid-course brake run.. 🫣😂 very cool footage!

[@AdamsYouTube123]

Kings Dominion really disappointed me as a little kid when they shut down down Smurf Mountain & the Safari! Still to this day, it just doesn't feel the same every time I go there. People who got to visit KD during these days are lucky, it's something I won't ever forget. The early 90's were the best times at this park in my opinion, just too many memories! The whole environment was just better then. I have a few home videos myself from the early 90's on VHS. I have video of smurf mountain and some of the safari. Wish I could get the footage onto the computer, I'll have to look into it. I miss those days!

[@whardingjr]

I grew up on the other side of Virginia, but my grandmother lived in Mechanicsville not thirth minutes from KD. We went every year during the summer. I remember not being able to sleep the night before we went each year. The excitement as we would first see the Eiffel Tower and the iconic mountain. I remember going from riding in HannaBarberra Land to being still to short to ride the adult rides (That didn't last long at all). I remember going and it being so hot that you waited until the hottest part of the day to ride the monorail to see the Safari. To sum things up, i remember the rollercoaster that was where the Shockwave is now. I remember the King Cobra, the Monster, and I remember when WhiteWater Canyon was build such relief on a hot day. You really got wet when it first opened. I miss the old days of KD.

[@johndean4727]

the galaxy was where the schockwave was.it was orange.

[@edsouth]

I really enjoyed this video...especially finally getting some inside footage of Smurf Mountain!!! I recognize some of the music which was also used on a roller coaster VHS I bought at Kings Island in the late 80's! Great stuff!!! Good Job! Thanks!

[@MrRageCollector]

where do you get all the music? Was it played in the park? It has the feel of a time which I thought was gone forever...

[@pmsraptor]

Before Smurf Mountain it was the Land of Dooz (spelling?) It was my father's favorite ride. It was just his speed. He still talks about it and is still annoyed its gone. Lol

[@Shimey013]

Awesome video... Smurf mountain was awesome ...that was like one of my favorite rides back then. Back when they had the paramounts liscense they had it going on, but times change and they change. Havent been in a few years, time to go back i guess and see how things are now...Flashbacks are awesome!!

[@AaronTheWanderer]

I miss the haunted river.

[@JEH78]

Wow does that bring back memories. I have been looking for Smurf Mountain pictures/foogtage for years. I always remember as a kid going there and even on trips to Myrtle Beach we were always staying awake when we drove past KD and needed to see Smurf Mountain...which our dad called doo-doo mountain because it looked like a huge pile of you know what.

[@KDFanPre91]

I am just not sure about laws regarding the sale of something like this so I have never done that. I have just mailed people somethings as gifts before but it gets hard to do as that costs as well and time involved. The music and things I am sure would have moneys do in order to sell. I am glad you enjoy the videos and I so enjoy sharing. Bill

[@phoenixshade3]

Ah, nostalgia... Good old Scooby Doo, before they renamed and repainted it. Smurf Mountain and the Haunted River with its blue-dyed water... Now if you had footage of the old waterskiing show on Lake Charles before they filled most of it in, you'd really be hitting my childhood hard. I have continued going since then, but this is such a blast from the past. Thanks for posting these.

[@KDFanPre91]

I have more footage and will post part 4 in a month or so I hope. I just need to spend time finishing it. I have most of the video in order but need to work on the sound tracks. Most of what is shown is footage I just shot over the years at the park.

[@KingsDominionGeek]

Thank you so much for posting this! I love Kings Dominion history!

[@Endorkish]

I miss this ride even though I was 4 the last time I rode it. It kind of scared me. I'd still rather have Volcano though! I remember waiting 4+ hours in line to ride it during its first month!

[@southplnk]

do you have the original commercial for the grizzley?

[@KDFanPre91]

@southplnk I do not have that commercial but I am rather sure I have seen it on here. If you do some searching you may turn it up. I am just not sure where it was.

[@abstraxt1043]

Great memories!! Thanks for sharing.

[@moviesthatneedtobemade8261]

It used to be such an awesome magical place when I was a kid! Now they've modernized it like everything else...reminds me how Star Wars got its makeover.

[@mariahcarey50]

Back then the tickets were so cheap. Like $10 dollars. That is what my dad told me!

[@indyracingnut]

I remember working there during that time...My favorite memory was working the Berzerker. Funniest thing I ever remember seeing drop from the boat was someone's dentures!!! hahahahaha!!

[@amberxDARKO]

look closely next time you go. they still have old boats and shit from the haunted river by flight of fear. the water and junk is gone i think but the boat is still there with volcano

[@TacoTot]

Thank you for sharing this. This was the first year I ever went to KD (was 9 years old then) and I fell in love with the park. Although this wasn't the fist park I'd been to (lived in Denver prior to this year and went to Elitch's) this was where I rode my first roller coaster - The Grizzly! Anyways, your videos bring back some great memories. Thank you.

[@TrainsitFan]

Thank you for the vid. I was wondering what the smurf mountain ride was like. I've only known about Volcano.

[@KDFanPre91]

Thank you for the comments and please tell everyone you can. Note that the show is in four parts on my sight and several of the old shows from KD's past are fully posted on my sight as well. Look through the list of my videos, You will find many from Kings Dominions history! That is what started this sight! My love for the old Kings Dominion!!!

[@KDFanPre91]

My guess is that what he was saying is that much that made it more then just an amusement park has been removed. Its not that its not a great park but that it was also a very special place with the combination of rides and shows and things like the safari, train, Lost World, cable cars and many theaters that have been removed. The loss of theming has also removed much of its charm. The park is more like the world and less like a world of make believe like it was.

[@exoticdreams2000]

OMG I have to tell you, I have LOVE that you posted all this footage. I use to live in Hampton Va and would go here once or twice a year and remember the Smurf mountain and the Safari ride in the am track type vehicles, and the blue ice cream. Now its all techy, glitz, spacey. Sure isn't what I remember loving as a kid, and I'm only 27. I will be watching the rest of you vids tomorrow. THANK SOOOO SOO MCUH

[@ghetty78]

The Haunted River was me and my sister's favorite ride

[@jrollj]

The haunted river was right next to smurfs mountain

[@Shaguar47]

Amazing! I'm only 22, but i remember seeing smurf mountain before it was volcano and I've been trying to recall memories of it ever since. thank you so much for the awesome footage!

[@Kidwhofailsmost]

@inuyashachobitsfma ut busch gardens is a family THEME park not amusement park. PLus, they are getting two more rides

[@KDFanPre91]

@awesomegirlO The music is from a show soundtrack from one of the parks shows one year.

[@jsimmons7929]

Smurf Mountain was the best! I used to just get in line over and over. I loved KD back then.

[@whodatletsgocaps9691]

growing up in Alexandria, I always loved going to Kings Dominion...thanx for the memories

[@adnerb38]

I worked the Safari Monorail the summer of '89. Still one of my fondest jobs to this day. Definitely an interesting experience.

[@EverythingSkits]

Didn't someone died

[@EverythingSkits]

Didn't someone die

[@VAWineNB]

These are great videos.....some rides not featured that go back to the original (1975-76) era of the park: Jamestown Landing in Old Virginia, Parrot Troopers (a similar ride) in Safari Village, Witch Doctor (a Scrambler-like ride) in Safari Village, Vertigo (an enclosed circular coaster in Candy Apple Grove, as seen in the movie Rollercoaster), and a spider ride either called the Bad Apple or Monster.

[@davidcj1031]

How did you get this Soundtrack music album?

[@TheConservativesrock]

I remember riding Diamond Falls when I was 9. I believe they removed it right after that season. I miss it. Only got to ride it that one time. :(

[@IJustFiguredThisOut]

Was Diamond Falls the one in Smurf Mountain that later became the Haunted Whatever Ride?

[@TheConservativesrock]

No, they were different rides. Diamond Falls had a bridge you could stand on and get soaked when the big boat of people came down the hill.

[@Endorkish]

Diamond falls iirc was one of those rounded boats river rapid type rides that got you sooooooaked.

[@hotmama9772]

+TheConservativesrock yes at that bridge!! the super soaker for real!!!

[@hotmama9772]

+TheConservativesrock lls at "big boat of people" lol!

[@KDFanPre91]

@mariahcarey50 I so remember opening year and the price to get in that year was like $7.95 or something like that. I know it was 7 something. I was just out of 11th grade back then. Years fly by!

[@woodencoasterfan]

I'll be making my first trip to KD latter this year and I'll be making many, many videos of most of the rides there. Is the Skyride still there and are there still remnants of the old rides that used to be in the mountain before Volcano opened?

[@ImmortalThanos]

I rode the very last ride through Smurf Mountain. On the way through, the train broke down and everyone had to walk out of the mountain on foot. As a little kid, I remember being scared to death as we walked out. We had to hug the walls of the tunnel, dodging the animatronic creatures in the various scenes and trying not to fall onto the track. The ride never re-opened; I believe it was remodeled and updated into a roller coaster. That's the last time I ever went to King's Dominion.

[@fabledglory5841]

I have been here at 94,02,04 and 12. Plan on going back soon. I barely remember this. My dad knows all of this. I was born in 1992. So this is a fun history lesson. Plus soon KD will be 40 years old!

[@ChonkyCats]

It's funny watching old footage of rides that actually still exist today

[@manie3232]

I remember back when I was an area host on International Street, the street where you enter when you first come into the park Every different part of the park had its own unique theme music. I don't remember all the theme music from back then in the early 80's when I worked there but I do remember one of them which played on International Street back then. Here is the link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/naLKZJ9pp8R3iKs

[@TheScream2023]

No y’all didn’t use the wiz song

[@KDFanPre91]

@Tunnelfish Well back in the days that you were at the park the food was quite a step above what it is today. You had quite a few selections to pick from. While they were over priced it is even more so today and a lesser quality and much smaller selection to pick from. A lot depended on what resturant you went to. Busch Gardens has always had better food. That is without question. Today sadly I would much rather go to Busch as well. I hope some day it will change back for me again.

[@civalwar80]

I'm so old smurf mountain was the land of the Doos before smurf mountain

[@maureenfloresca7660]

I used to love Land of the Dooz!

[@DaedalEVE]

Remember all this. The 80’s and early 90’s were the golden age for Kings Dominion. And that water ride at 7:00 I remember that scaring the crap out of me. I don’t remember it having belts and I would literally lift up out of the seat. That was the scariest thing there!

[@KeyRealtySolutions]

Can you tell me Kings Dominion jingle from back in the day? It started out with "Ho Ho Ho Ho you really gotta..."

[@JayAlfordElementJMusic]

Wow, KD has changed drastically.

[@KDFanPre91]

@takylasmith Yo Ho Yo Ho you really gotta go, To the great big world of make believe at Kings Dominion. Streets of magic worlds of laughter and a tower of dreams. That was what it started out as opening year. It changed over the years. Later is was "Streets of magic worlds of laughter and a mountain of fun" Another was Yo Ho Yo Ho, Betch cant do it all, At Kings Dominion.... What I listed may not be fully right. Its what I remember it as. Bill

[@aleashalockhart5218]

I went yesterday 6/25/18 and it was so different from this there was no shockwave, Hanna babera, smurf mountain, it was so different now we have intimidator and twisted timbers!

[@mztmomo]

This is when KD was soooo much fun.... I miss smurf village and the blue ice cream.... Aww man this video has bought a lot of memories when I use to go as a kid

[@inuyashachobitsfma]

@KDFanPre91 Why would you rather go to busch gardens? They took out the big bad wolf now there are only 4 rollercoasters (not counting the kid one) and kings dominion has MUCH more rides and things to do so much better busch gardens should be a big food place since thats all they do

[@KDFanPre91]

I remember all of those as well and some that you talked about are shown on other videos that I have posted.

[@marshallmallory5264]

which was the green coaster?

[@amyathey2298]

Marshall Mallory the Scooby doo

[@aleashalockhart5218]

Marshall Mallory scooby doo or shockwave

[@jonlate4581]

King Kobra was green also.

[@four5tringer8]

Does anybody or know anybody that has videos of the haunted river that used to be in the mountain where volcano is now. That ride was my favorite when i was a kid yet ive never seen anyone post a video or have any vids from this ride.

[@MegaVolcano]

I completely agree with your title. KD was great until 1992, then Paramount messed it all up. For me, the biggest crime was phasing out Hanna Barbara Land and characters. Yogi's Cave will always hold a special place in my heart.

[@manie3232]

I totally agree. I worked there one full season. Paramount took a great park and ran it into the ground.

[@KingsDominionGeek]

Can I say again how much I LOOOOVE this video?

[@KDFanPre91]

@woodencoasterfan The Skyride was removed years ago and the Volcano mountain is all the remains of what was at that location. I am sure if you could walk inside of the mountain that you could find signs of what was but most everything was removed before the coaster was built. While I love Volcano, I would take what was there before any day.

[@brianhartman2960]

great video!!! ever since paramount and now cedar fair took over..it feels very corporate..

[@echostar034]

congrats kd you made it from a tiny unoticable park to a previous record holder with a worldwide famous ride the 305!

[@andrewcolsen]

TheFourohsix Kings Dominion was noticeable back in the 70s and 80s when I went there. It was one of the best parks on the east coast then. We didn't have a Six Flags on every corner like now.

[@AaronTheWanderer]

Used to be the haunted river, a better ride

[@JerseyJeff84]

@awesomegirl, I laughed out loud too when it drops out!

[@noremac891]

1:18 i would NEVER be able to go on that

[@websuspect]

Do you know why all the parks here got rid of the sky cars.

[@KDFanPre91]

@inuyashachobitsfma I agree with you that with coasters KD has Busch beat by far. I love wood and Busch has none sadly. The thing is that I like a more rounded park. KD is coasters mainly and a water park. I want coasters, shows, good food and family rides as well. The best park in the area from where I live is now Hersheypark. It has better wood coasters in my view and lots of steel as well. They also have many shows. Its the most rounded park today. It is like kd use to be!

[@WeHateThePatriots]

Heh. I remember when it was the Anaconda running the park. The Anaconda was the big daddy. People came for the Anaconda. Now we have Volcano, Dominator, I305. Man times have changed.

[@nftking1]

dat music tho..

[@Alittlesleepywitch]

My daddy took my mom here for their anniversary ^.^

[@i305guy]

2:33 heh heh someone dropped something that's ok I almost fell out

[@kerrrylmfao]

been there every year of my life and i dont remember alot of that.. also im 13 but ya know lol

[@carcatcher1562]

Dodododod

[@Ace_Man_Gaming]

Worst music ever.

[@andrewcolsen]

x16900 it's supposed to be nostalgic.