View source for Dominator (roller coaster)

{{Short description|Floorless roller coaster}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox roller coaster
|name=Dominator
|previousnames=Batman: Knight Flight at [[Geauga Lake|Six Flags Ohio/Six Flags Worlds of Adventure]] (2000-2003)
|logo=
|logodimensions=
|image=Dominator (Kings Dominion) 02 Full Layout.jpg
|imagedimensions=250px
|caption=View of Dominator from the [[Eiffel Tower (Cedar Fair)|Eiffel Tower]]
|location=Kings Dominion
|section=International Street
|subsection=              <!--Should be linked.-->
|coordinates={{coord|37|50|27|N|77|26|36|W|region:US-VA_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title,inline}}
|status=Operating
|opened={{Start date|2008|5|24}}
|year=2008
|closed=                  <!--Use {{End date}} -->
|extend={{Infobox roller coaster extend
|location=Geauga Lake
|coordinates={{Coord|41.352197|-81.374284|display=inline}}
|section= Power City        <!--Must not be linked.-->
|subsection=<!--Should be linked.-->
|status=Relocated to Kings Dominion
|opened={{Start date|2000|05|05}}
|closed={{End date|2007|09|16}}
|year=2000
        <!--Use {{End date}} -->
|cost=
|rcdb_number=632
}}
|type = Steel
|type2=Floorless Coaster
|manufacturer = Bolliger & Mabillard
|designer = [[Werner Stengel]]
|model = [[Floorless roller coaster]]
|track =
|lift = [[Chain lift hill]]
|height_ft = 157
|drop_ft = 148
|length_ft = 4210
|speed_mph = 65
|inversions = 5
|duration = 2:06<!--Cited in Layout section-->
|angle = 57
|capacity = 1600 
|cost =
|gforce = 3.8
|restriction_in= 54-78
|trains=3
|carspertrain=8
|rowspercar=1
|ridersperrow=4
|virtual_queue_name=[[Fast Lane (Cedar Fair)|Fast Lane]]
|virtual_queue_image=Cedar Fair Fast Lane availibility.svg
|virtual_queue_status=available
| rcdb_number=4079
}}

'''Dominator''' is a [[floorless roller coaster]] located at [[Kings Dominion]] amusement park in [[Doswell, Virginia]]. Built by [[Bolliger & Mabillard]], it originally opened in 2000 as '''Batman: Knight Flight''' at [[Geauga Lake|Six Flags Ohio]] (later renamed to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in 2001), in [[Aurora, Ohio]]. It was given its current name when [[Cedar Fair]] purchased the Ohio park in 2004. However, following Six Flags Ohio (renamed back to Geauga Lake by Cedar Fair)’s eventual permanent closure in 2007, the coaster was relocated to Kings Dominion, where it reopened on May 24, 2008. Dominator is located fairly close to the park’s main entry plaza, in the area known as [[Kings Dominion#International Street|International Street]].

Dominator is the world's longest floorless coaster, at {{convert|4210|ft|m}}, and it has one of the tallest vertical loops in the world at {{convert|135|ft|m|abbr=on}}.

==History==
===Geauga Lake era (2000–2007)===
[[File:Batman Knight Flight (02).jpg|left|thumb|Dominator while it was known as Batman: Knight Flight]]
Batman: Knight Flight was unveiled at a media event held on December 9, 1999, described as the only floorless roller coaster in the Midwest and one of five like it in the world.<ref name="Announcement video">{{cite web|last=Flaharty|first=Sean|title=Six Flags Ohio announcement video|website=[[YouTube]] |date=17 January 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTIjRxUJ6k |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/FKTIjRxUJ6k |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|access-date=October 30, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="New rides at SFO">{{cite news|title=Get your fill of thrills at the new Six Flags Ohio|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H9NRAAAAIBAJ&pg=3719,4987280&dq=batman+opens+at+six+flags+ohio&hl=en|access-date=October 30, 2012|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=June 16, 2000}}</ref> The ride was planned as part of a major expansion project, along with extensive changes, in an effort to rebrand [[Geauga Lake]] as Six Flags Ohio for the 2000 season. Batman: Knight Flight was constructed in the Gotham City section of the park, which is a themed area common among other [[Six Flags]] parks. The coaster opened to the public on May 5, 2000.<ref name="RCDB-Dominator">{{cite RCDB|coaster_name=Dominator|location=Geauga Lake|rcdb_number=632|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref> While at the park, the ride was notable for interacting with the lake numerous times throughout the course.

[[File:Dominator at Geauga Lake (02).jpg|thumb|left|Dominator while it was at Geauga Lake]]
Six Flags Ohio was later renamed in 2001 to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, and in March 2004, [[Cedar Fair]] acquired the theme park and restored the original Geauga Lake name. The park was stripped of [[Looney Tunes]] and [[DC Comics]] branding. In the process, Batman: Knight Flight was renamed Dominator, and all Batman branding was removed from the trains and station.<ref name="Dominator info pic">{{cite web|last=Rodgers|first=Joel|title=Dominator picture with history info|url=http://www.coastergallery.com/2000/pkd73.html|publisher=Coaster Gallery|access-date=October 30, 2012}}</ref><ref name="New GL station pic">{{cite web|title=Dominator station at Geauga Lake|url=http://www.coasterimage.com/portfolio/dominator-pictures-2/#!lightbox|publisher=Coaster Image|access-date=November 2, 2012|year=2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610221328/http://www.coasterimage.com/portfolio/dominator-pictures-2/#!lightbox|archive-date=June 10, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In August 2007, rumors of Dominator being relocated to [[Kings Dominion]] began to surface.<ref name=URC>{{cite web|last=Gieszl|first=Eric|title=Historic Geauga Lake Amusement Park Closing Forever|url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/stories/20070922_01.shtml|publisher=Ultimate Roller Coaster|access-date=October 30, 2012|date=September 22, 2007}}</ref> Following Cedar Fair's announcement in September 2007 that Geauga Lake's amusement park would cease to operate, leaving only the [[Wildwater Kingdom (Aurora, Ohio)|Wildwater Kingdom]] water park, plans were made to relocate many of its rides to other parks. Dominator's last day of operation before the move was September 16, 2007, although its destination was not specified.<ref name=URC /><ref name="Rides over at GL">{{cite news|last=Chavez|first=Jon|title=Cedar Fair says ride's over for Geauga Lake|url=http://www.toledoblade.com/Economy/2007/09/22/Cedar-Fair-says-ride-s-over-for-Geauga-Lake.html|access-date=October 30, 2012|newspaper=[[Toledo Blade]]|date=September 22, 2007}}</ref>

===Kings Dominion era (2008–present)===
On October 23, 2007, it was announced that Dominator would be moved to Kings Dominion.<ref name="KD announces Dominator">{{cite web|title=B&M Floorless Roller Coaster Planned For Kings Dominion|url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/stories/20071023_01.shtml|publisher=Ultimate Roller Coaster|access-date=October 30, 2012|date=October 23, 2007}}</ref> It was rebuilt on the former site of the bus parking lot behind the now-defunct Berserker, an [[Intamin]] [[Looping Starship]], in the [[Kings Dominion#International Street|International Street]] section of the park. When it was relocated to Kings Dominion, it received a new paint job. The supports remained dark blue, but the track was repainted orange with the exception of the vertical loop, which remains painted yellow. It opened to the public on May 24, 2008.<ref name="RCDB">{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Dominator|location=Kings Dominion|rcdb_number=4079|access-date=October 30, 2012}}</ref>

==Ride experience==
===Layout===
[[File:Dominator (Kings Dominion) 11 Descente.jpg|thumb|right|A train dropping from the mid-course brake run]]
After leaving the [[station (roller coaster)|station]], the [[train (roller coaster)|train]] makes a small dip before making a 180-degree right turn to climb the {{convert|157|ft|m|adj=on}} tall [[lift hill]]. Once the train apexes the top of the lift, riders drop {{convert|148|ft|m|adj=off}} to the right at a 57-degree angle, reaching a maximum speed of {{convert|65|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, into a {{convert|135|ft|m|adj=on}} tall [[vertical loop]].<ref name="RCDB" /> Following the loop, riders go through an overbanked right turn (which at Geauga Lake passed over the ride entrance) and rise up into a turnaround above the station. After the turn, riders enter a [[cobra roll]]. The train then rises uphill, makes a left turn under the lift hill, and enters the [[mid-course brake run]]. After the brakes, there is a small drop into a pair of interlocking [[corkscrew (roller coaster element)|corkscrew]]s. Following the corkscrews, the train completes a 135-degree curve to the left that dives into a 270-degree curve along the ground, entering the final [[brake run]].<ref name=RCDB /><ref name="Dominator CN">{{cite web|title=Dominator at COASTER-net.com|url=http://www.coaster-net.com/dominator.html/|publisher=COASTER-net.com|access-date=November 2, 2012}}</ref><ref name="KD POV">{{cite web|title=Dominator Kings Dominion POV| date=16 January 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJMU6Ihl3AI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/SJMU6Ihl3AI |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|publisher=Coaster Force|access-date=October 30, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> One cycle of the ride lasts about 2 minutes and 6 seconds.<ref name="Remains closed">{{cite web|last=Slayton |first=Jeremy |title=Kings Dominion ride remains closed after guest found unresponsive |url=http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/jul/23/tdmet02-kings-dominion-ride-still-closed-after-gue-ar-2076334/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204085159/http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/jul/23/tdmet02-kings-dominion-ride-still-closed-after-gue-ar-2076334/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |publisher=[[Richmond Times Dispatch]] |access-date=November 2, 2012 |date=July 23, 2012 }}</ref>

===Trains===
Dominator operates with three open-air steel-and-fiberglass trains. Each train has eight cars that have four seats in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.<ref name=RCDB /> Riders are secured by an over-the-shoulder restraint with a lap belt. In 2014, the seat color was changed from purple to black, and the restraint (previously all orange) added black to its color scheme.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kdfans.com/2014/opening-day-update/|title=Opening Day Photo Update|date=6 April 2014 }}</ref>

===Track===
[[File:Dominator (Kings Dominion) 03 Half Layout.jpg|thumb|right|Dominator's loop and cobra roll, viewed from the parking lot]]
The steel track is approximately {{Convert|4210|ft|adj=off}} in length, making it the longest [[Floorless Coaster]] in the world.<ref name="D URC">{{cite web|title=Dominator at Ultimate Roller Coaster|url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/yellowpages/coasters/dominator_pkd.shtml|publisher=Ultimate Roller Coaster|access-date=November 2, 2012}}</ref> The height of the lift hill is approximately {{Convert|161|ft|adj=off}}. Dominator features one of the world's tallest vertical loops at {{Convert|135|ft|adj=off}}.<ref name="D URC" /> When the coaster first opened at Geauga Lake in 2000, it was painted with blue supports, yellow track and unpainted rails. When Dominator was relocated to Kings Dominion, the supports remained blue and the rails remained unpainted. The track was painted orange but the loop remained yellow.<ref name="Dominator CN" />

===Theme===
As Batman: Knight Flight, the coaster was the star attraction of the Gotham City themed area and featured [[Batman]] theming.<ref name="Dominator CN" /> When Cedar Fair bought the park in 2004 the name was changed and all Batman theming had to be removed before opening day. There has been no theme for the ride while it has been owned by Cedar Fair (which has since merged with Six Flags).

==Incidents==
{{main article|Incidents at Six Flags parks}}

* On May 30, 2000, a 17-year-old female park employee suffered injuries after falling 10 to 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m) from the passenger loading area of Batman: Knight Flight.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2000-05-31 |title=Six Flags employee injured in fall at park |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-six-flags-emplo/54322570/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |work=The Akron Beacon Journal |pages=6}}</ref>

* On July 20, 2012, a 48-year-old woman from [[Pitt County, North Carolina]], was found unresponsive on Dominator after its train returned to the ride's station.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=WNCT |date=July 26, 2012 |url=http://www2.wnct.com/news/2012/jul/26/6/woman-east-suffers-seizure-episode-aboard-rollerco-ar-2465744/ |title=Pitt County woman dies after riding Virginia roller coaster |access-date=July 27, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730082310/http://www2.wnct.com/news/2012/jul/26/6/woman-east-suffers-seizure-episode-aboard-rollerco-ar-2465744/ |archive-date=July 30, 2012 }}</ref> An incident report described that she had a "seizure-like episode" after riding the roller coaster.<ref name="Dominator-WTVR">{{cite news| publisher = WTVR| date = July 26, 2012| url = http://wtvr.com/2012/07/26/update-on-womans-death-after-kings-dominion-rollercoaster-ride/| title = Update on woman's death after Kings Dominion rollercoaster ride| access-date = July 27, 2012}}</ref> The woman was taken to a hospital, where she died. Autopsy results revealed that she had a [[brain aneurysm]].<ref name="Dominator-WTVR" /> The ride reopened three days later, after it passed two safety inspections.<ref name="Dominator-WTVR" />

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category multi|Dominator (roller coaster)|Dominator (Geauga Lake)}}
* [http://www.kingsdominion.com/rides/Thrill-Rides/Dominator Dominator's Official Page]
* {{RCDB|4079|Dominator}}
* [http://www.coaster-net.com/dominator.html Photo gallery] at COASTER-net.com

{{Kings Dominion}}
{{Geauga Lake}}
{{Batman in amusement parks}}

[[Category:Geauga Lake]]
[[Category:Former roller coasters in Ohio]]
[[Category:Roller coasters introduced in 2000]]
[[Category:Roller coasters in Virginia]]
[[Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags]]
[[Category:Amusement rides that closed in 2007]]
[[Category:Floorless Coaster roller coasters manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard]]