Entire New Themed Area + New S&S 4-D Free Spin Coaster Headed to Kings Dominion in 2022

© Kings Dominion

Kings Dominion has announced the addition of a new roller coaster, restaurant, immersive retail location and a totally new themed area for the park's 2022 operating season.  The major capital expansion will see the addition of the Jungle X-Pedition themed section, which will replace the park's existing Safari Village area.  Kings Dominion has put a lot of effort into creating a cohesive theme for the new area, complete with a full backstory:

"After a decade of searching in the Amazon jungle for a place he called “X”, in 1935 Professor Gerald Winston Whey found his prize – ancient ruins of temples built by humans to worship animal spirits. But not just worship: legend had it that animals possessed all who entered the temples. Whey claimed to experience that phenomenon firsthand after being possessed by a monkey, or Tumbili, as the Swahili call it.

Fellow archaeologists lauded Whey's astounding discovery but scoffed at his claims of spiritually connecting with animal spirits. Whey's great-granddaughter Alexandria believed, though, and today operates the ancient site as Jungle X-pedition. She needs additional explorers to help excavate the area and find proof in Professor Whey's claims. Are you game? Come to Jungle X-pedition for the adventure of a lifetime!"

 

© Kings Dominion

Among the new themed land will also be the Basecamp, which features the highly renovated restaurant that is currently known as Outer Hanks.  I'm not totally sure if the restaurant is named the Basecamp, or that's a sub-section of the greater Jungle X-Pedition area.  Either way, it's set to feature "hearty meals and snacks prepared by" the park's Executive Chef.  Nearby will be a new "immersive" retail location that will offer plenty of souvenirs for visitors.

 

© Kings Dominion

The star addition of the expansion is the new roller coaster, named Tumbili - which is the Swahili word for monkey.  The ride is one of S&S' 4-D Free Spin coasters, the same model as we saw debut this season at Adventureland.  The ride will utilize magnets that make the cars flip passengers throughout the ride, and also offer a different experience each dispatch.  The ride features some wonderful theming that tie it back to the "monkey god" temple described in the area's backstory.

Tumbili will stand 112 feet tall and feature a vertical lift hill as on other 4-D Free Spin coasters.  The ride will last around 55 seconds and passengers will travel at a maximum speed of 34 miles per hour over the 770 feet of track.

© Kings Dominion

The coaster will have supports that are painted to look like large bamboo beams, and the track will be a fittingly jungle green.  The layout includes two raven turn drops and several undulating hills that will be perfect for flipping riders head over heels on.

“Kings Dominion is in the business of making people happy, and the introduction of Tumbili and the Jungle X-Pedition themed area in 2022 is sure to excite our park guests,” said Bridgette Bywater, vice president and general manager. “We place a lot of focus on providing immersive experiences for our guests, and both of these certainly deliver on that promise. Riders will want to ride Tumbili again and again because, depending on the weight, position, and rider interaction, it provides a different ride experience every time."

 

I'm impressed with the level of detail and theming that the park has put into this expansion, and am excited to see how they incorporate the existing Avalanche bobsled coaster into the area.  By all means, let this level of theming permeate into all the Cedar Fair parks!

 

Kings Dominion has also announced that when Haunt returns this fall for their 20th year of screams there will be a new maze, new scare zone and new live entertainment - plus Winterfest will feature an all new parade this year.