In interesting news this week, fans of Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion may be surprised to see that this iconic roller coaster has just been renamed to “Project 305” on the official Kings Dominion website. It has been announced that “A certain roller coaster we all know and love—one of the tallest, fastest and most thrilling on the East Coast—is undergoing a transformation.”
The reason for the change of name appears to be that the licensing deal Cedar Fair had to use Dale Earnhardt’s Intimidator branding has now come to an end.
Manufactured by Intamin, Project 305 is a giga coaster, a classification reserved for rides that exceed 300 feet in height. It was the second giga coaster in the United States when it opened in 2010, following the opening of Millennium Force a decade earlier.
We await further details regarding the promised transformation but for now “Project 305” remains the exact same rollercoaster just without the iconic Intimidator 305 name.
This also means that Intimidator at Carowinds has had a name change too. Intimidator is now “Thunder Striker”.
Thunder Striker now has the tag line “Stripped Down & Souped Up for Intense Speed!” and is described on the official Carowinds website as, “Take a joy ride—if you dare—on Thunder Striker, the tallest, fastest, longest hyper coaster in the Southeast. It’s also one of North America’s tallest steel roller coasters at an astonishing 232 feet tall. With seven extreme drops and speeds up to 80 miles per hour, Thunder Striker delivers unmatched, unforgettable thrills.”
Intimidator at Carowinds is a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster featuring a drop of 211 feet and speeds of 80 miles per hour. These B&M hypercoasters are generally quite popular among guests and provide great speeds and airtime. They aren’t overly intense and offer quite a fun coaster experience.
The theming now appears to be based around dirt road racers with Thunder Striker being the “fastest, meanest hot rod in two states.” In terms of the actual ride experience, fans will not be able to notice any difference it is purely the change of name which has been made.
What do you think about these name changes from Intimidator 305 to Project 305 at Kings Dominion and Intimidator to Thunder Striker at Carowinds? What do you hope happens in the proposed transformation on Project 305 at Kings Dominion? Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
