Project 305

This article is about the roller coaster at Kings Dominion. For the roller coaster at Carowinds formerly known as Intimidator, see Thunder Striker. For the class of Russian river passenger ships known as "Project 305", see Dunay-class motorship.

Project 305
Previously known as Intimidator 305 (2010–2023)
Project 305 as seen from the Eiffel Tower in 2011
Kings Dominion
LocationKings Dominion
Park sectionJungle X-Pedition
Coordinates37°50′15″N 77°26′23″W / 37.83750°N 77.43972°W / 37.83750; -77.43972
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateApril 1, 2010 (2010-04-01)
Opening dateApril 2, 2010 (2010-04-02)
Cost$25 million[1][2]
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelGiga Coaster
Lift/launch systemCable lift hill
Height305 ft (93 m)
Drop300 ft (91.4 m)
Length5,100 ft (1,554 m)
Speed90 mph (145 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration3:00
Max vertical angle85°
Capacity1,350 riders per hour
Height restriction54–78 in (137–198 cm)
Trains2 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 32 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Project 305 at RCDB
Video

Project 305 (originally known as Intimidator 305) is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, United States. The ride was manufactured by Intamin and opened to the public on April 2, 2010. Themed to racing, the coaster was originally named after the late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, who was commonly known as "The Intimidator".[3] It is located in the Jungle X-Pedition section of the park near Anaconda on the former site of the Safari Monorail ride.[1] Standing at 305 feet (93 m) tall and reaching speeds up to 90 mph (145 km/h), it is the second giga coaster to be built in North America, following Millennium Force at Cedar Point. The $25-million investment was the most expensive of any ride in park history and the 14th coaster to debut at the park.[1][4]

Project 305 has a first drop of 300 feet (91 m), which reaches a maximum descent angle of 85 degrees.[1] Its lift hill structure was unique at the time, utilizing only two main points of support at the hill's crest.[5] At its highest point, Project 305 reaches a height greater than the observation platform of the park's tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower attraction.[6]

Following Project 305's first operating season, the first turn on the ride underwent a major reconstruction to reduce the number of greyouts and blackouts reportedly being experienced by some riders. In early 2024, Kings Dominion renamed the coaster "Project 305" on their website and announced that the ride was undergoing a transformation, likely due to expiring licensing rights to the Intimidator name.[7] It began operation under the new name for the 2024 season.

  1. ^ a b c d Marden, Duane. "Project 305  (Kings Dominion)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  2. ^ "The Ride". Kings Dominion. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  3. ^ "Press Release on RCDB". August 20, 2009. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Blog Announcement was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Blog Complex Build was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Announcement P.1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Taylor, Blake (February 28, 2024). "Carowinds' Intimidator roller coaster is now Thunder Striker, Kings Dominion to follow". Attractions Magazine. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.