Volcano is a wonder to behold. From the parking lot at Paramount's Kings Dominion (just outside Richmond, Virginia) you can see this big, brown mound with a yellow track going around it and fire shooting out of the top. You can hear the screams as you're working your way over to it, but as you get closer, you realize these are not normal screams - these are screams of "WOO HOO" and "YEAH" and HAPPY screams.
This was my first LIM coaster and, to this day, it is my Number 1 all-time favorite coaster, LIM or no LIM, steel or woody, inverted or not. Luckily, for me, this coaster is inverted as well, and I really dig inverted coasters - they make you feel like you're flying.
We braved serious June heat and a two hour wait to ride this baby (with our kids, the darlings they are, patiently waiting in line with us - we bought them ice cream after, don't worry, they got something out of this). As we were standing in line, I leaned over to my husband and asked "Do you think we can see the LIM from here?" I had never been on a LIM before and I was curious to see what it looks like taking off.
Well, you certainly CAN see the LIM from the waiting area and it took my breath away. I believe that I literally stood with my mouth agape when we saw it. First the train is there, slowing moving around the track, then it's gone - snap - poof - gone. GONE. And the screams, well, normally you will hear a scream that is long and extended - on this ride, you hear the first AH and it cuts off like someone dropped a rock on the person screaming. It's insane, scary and OH MY GOD IS THIS RIDE FUN!!!!
Normally, I don't really care about sitting in the front seat of a coaster or the back or the middle - as long as I have a seat, I'm happy. I've ridden Volcano in a regular seat and in the front seat and I have to say that there is no comparison. If you have the chance - forget it, MAKE the chance - sit in the front car, it's a whole 'nother experience. As I said before, you start out slowly around a turn to the left to get into position and then WHOOSH. Do you remember playing that game as a kid where a friend would stand in front of you, waving each hand as fast as possible along the sides of your face to simulate a tunnel or something? It's like that, at 72 mph! Just as you're getting used to the phenominal accelleration and you think the car is going to slow a bit - BAM, you hit another set of LIMs....and these shoot you straight up at a 90 degree angle out the top of the volcano. What a rush.
Then, come the inversions. Normally, on an inverted coaster the corkscrews are tight and fast - on Volcano, they are wide and slow. As we were getting strapped in, I wondered why they had additional seatbelts holding the shoulder harness down - I was about to find out. As you go through these corkscrews, you actually come out of your seat and the weight of your body is square on your shoulders! This happens 4 times (I think) and each time you feel the anticipation and fear like the first time. Sing it with me everybody - "Feels like the first time..." ok, sorry, little Foreigner moment there.
Dave will disagree with me on this and say it's not his favorite because it doesn't do much after you shoot out of the volcano - he's right, it doesn't, but that's ok. This bad boy doesn't need to - it's got you hooked from the beginning.
Bottom line - 5 stars out of 5 - the best ride so far.
-- Cathy