Dominator is a floorless roller coaster at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, built by Bolliger & Mabillard. It wasn’t born there, though — the ride first opened on May 5, 2000, as Batman: Knight Flight at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, before Cedar Fair relocated it to Kings Dominion, where it reopened under its current name on May 24, 2008.
Standing 157 feet tall with a 148-foot first drop, Dominator sends riders through five inversions at speeds up to 65 mph across 4,210 feet of orange track. Its vertical loop, at 135 feet, ranks among the tallest in the world, and the coaster is recognized as the world’s longest floorless model.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Opened: May 24, 2008 (originally opened May 5, 2000 at Geauga Lake)
- Height: 157 ft
- Top speed: 65 mph
- Length: 4,210 ft
- Inversions: 5
The Ride Experience
Riders board Dominator’s floorless trains with no floor beneath their dangling feet, immediately raising the stakes of the 157-foot chain lift hill. The 148-foot first drop launches the train into a towering 135-foot vertical loop, followed by a cobra roll and interlocking corkscrews that deliver all five of the coaster’s inversions in quick succession.
With a top speed of 65 mph and forces reaching 3.8 Gs, the roughly two-minute ride is a compact but intense package. A mid-course block brake gives riders a brief breath before the train winds through its remaining inversions and back to the station.
From Geauga Lake to Doswell
Dominator’s story began in Ohio, where it opened at Geauga Lake as Batman: Knight Flight, themed to the DC Comics character. When Cedar Fair acquired Geauga Lake in 2004, the DC branding was removed, and the ride closed for good on September 16, 2007, as the struggling park wound down operations.
Rather than scrap the coaster, Cedar Fair shipped it to Kings Dominion, repainting the track orange and refreshing the supports. It reopened in 2008 as Dominator, giving the B&M floorless model a second life along International Street.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Dominator FAQs
Was Dominator always at Kings Dominion?
No. It originally opened in 2000 as Batman: Knight Flight at Geauga Lake in Ohio before being relocated to Kings Dominion, where it reopened in 2008 as Dominator.
How many inversions does Dominator have?
Dominator has five inversions, including a vertical loop, a cobra roll, and interlocking corkscrews.
How tall and fast is Dominator?
The coaster stands 157 feet tall, drops 148 feet, and reaches speeds up to 65 mph.
Get More from Dominator
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Dominator, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Coasterman1234 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.