The Great Pumpkin Coaster is a gentle kiddie roller coaster tucked into the KidZville area of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. Built by E&F Miler Industries, it opened on March 29, 1997, as Taxi Jam Coaster before the park re-themed it around the Peanuts character Linus and his annual vigil for the Great Pumpkin in 2013.
With a top height of just 8 feet and a single train looping through a short oval layout, the ride is designed as an easygoing introduction to coasters for the youngest park guests. It shares its exact design with the identically named Great Pumpkin Coaster at sister park Kings Island.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Kings Dominion
- Manufacturer: E&F Miler Industries
- Opened: March 29, 1997 (as Taxi Jam Coaster; re-themed 2013)
- Height: 8 feet
- Top speed: About 6 mph
- Length: About 200 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Riders board a single six-car train, seated two across, for a short trip of two turns, a few small hills, and gentle dips around the compact oval track. The entire layout sits only about 8 feet off the ground, making it one of the mildest coasters in the park’s lineup.
A minimum height of 36 inches is required to ride, and the ride’s slow pace and low intensity make it a popular first coaster experience for toddlers and young children accompanied by family.
From Taxi Jam to the Great Pumpkin
The coaster originally opened in 1997 as Taxi Jam Coaster, part of the brand-new KidZville children’s area at Kings Dominion. In 2013, the park retired the taxi theme and re-dressed the ride around Linus and his search for the Great Pumpkin, a nod to the Peanuts comic strip and television specials.
The underlying Miler-built track and trains were left unchanged through the retheme, so the ride mechanics remain identical to when it first opened, as well as to the twin version still running at Kings Island.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
A fan and a mist in one, rechargeable. Very popular in queue lines once the afternoon sun hits.
Build a working coaster on the kitchen table and learn why the first drop has to be the tallest. A good gift for young coaster fans.
Great Pumpkin Coaster FAQs
How tall do you have to be to ride the Great Pumpkin Coaster?
Riders must be at least 36 inches tall to ride at Kings Dominion.
Who manufactured the Great Pumpkin Coaster?
It was built by E&F Miler Industries, a company known for compact kiddie coasters found at parks worldwide.
Was the Great Pumpkin Coaster always called that?
No. It opened in 1997 as Taxi Jam Coaster and was re-themed to the Great Pumpkin in 2013.
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Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.