Kings Dominion - New for 2022: Jungle X-Pedition featuring Tumbili
Earlier today, Kings Dominion in Doswell, VA announced a significant thematic overhaul to one of the park’s lands as well as unveiling the details of Cedar Fair’s only significant construction project for 2022. Coming Spring 2022, Jungle X-Pedition featuring Tumbili!
Jungle X-Pedition (pic courtesy of Kings Dominion)
Jungle X-Pedition
The Safari area of Kings Dominion has undergone a number of tweaks throughout the park’s history, but none as significant as this. Jungle X-Pedition introduces parkgoers to the Amazonian discoveries of Professor Gerald Winston Whey, who so generously sponsored the new area. In 2022, Jungle X-Pedition will consist of a new roller coaster, a retheme and enhancement of an existing restaurant (Outer Hanks), and “exclusive merchandise”. Park Officials did not elaborate on whether this theme will encompass the entirety of the Safari area of the park; I’ll comment on that later.
Park Officials Bridgette Baywater and Scott Clemons introducing Tumbili (pic courtesy of @Coaster101)
Tumbili
Tumbili (Toom-Bee-Lee), the Swahili word for “monkey”, will rise 112 feet out of a recently discovered Amazon temple discovered on the site of the former The Crypt ride. Tumbili will replicate the play of monkeys swinging through the trees, tumbling and falling in 8-person cars while flipping uncontrollably. The layout appears to be the smaller model of S&S 4-D Free Spin (recently installed at Adventureland in Iowa this year) however still looks to be a ton of fun. I have been on two different Free Spin models and I find the unpredictability of the layout to be exhilarating. Tumbili is not the Volcano: The Blast Coaster replacement fans were hoping for, but it does complement the park’s coaster lineup nicely.
Basecamp
Reimagining the former Outer Hanks restaurant, Basecamp is the new eatery, bar, and retail establishment found at the beginning of Jungle X-Pedition. Executive Chef Denis Callinan promises hearty snacks and meals complementing the new area. A new outdoor bar will be built so guests can (hopefully) enjoy a themed cocktail or Tiki drink while watching their friends enjoy the flips and rolls of Tumbili. Retail space will also be added with unique Jungle X-Pedition merchandise.
Basecamp restaurant and retail (pic courtesy of Kings Dominion)
Is there more?
While we were told a lot of information about the immediate area around the old Crypt ride, Kings Dominion was very coy about what this means for the future of the Safari. The teaser campaign run by the park on Social Media involved a number of coordinates from archeological sites around the world, but the park only talked about Professor Whey’s Amazon expeditions. Could this lead to a retheme of the other rides in the Safari? I predict over the next few years, Jungle X-Pedition will expand to include Avalance (themed to a Mayan ruin) and the eventual Volcano replacement (I’m still thinking a Wing Coaster diving around a Stonehenge like structure). We may even see this theme expand to a re-theme and update of Backlot Stunt Coaster, Flight of Fear, and Intimidator 305. Expanding all the way to the back of the park would allow tired properties to be revitalized and harken back to the pre-Cedar Fair days where Paramount would really attempt to theme their parks. If Kings Dominion were to update a very tired section of the park, throw in two new coasters (Tumbili and Volcano replacement) and add some signature food and beverage, we might be looking at true competition for that other Virginia park.
