How will Intimidator 305 stack up against Millennium Force

The 2nd giga coaster is set to open at our sister park Kings Dominion this year. Themed after Dale Earnhardt it's 305 feet tall. (full details at http://intimidator305.com/)

Ten years after Millennium, how do you think this new giga will stack up?

The website photos suggest a cross between MF and Maverick - giga with some great ground hugging elements. Looks like a lot of fun, but that first drop looks like you start to pull out of it significantly earlier than on MF. That drop on MF is outstanding. So, in that respect, for me, MF holds a distinct edge. Those ground elements though are "intimidating". If smooth, it will be a great ride!

I think it'll be a very different experience, not the least of which is because they're using the Maverick style restraints. The sustained speed on this will likely be much greater than MF since it's close to the ground more than it is up on hills.

I think MF will be a better experience because of the OTSRs on Intimidator 305... What MF has gives a much more wild and free experience, in my opinion.

I about cried a little on the inside. There is only ONE giga coaster for me! ONLY ONE!

I will let you know after I ride it opening day.

I find it very interesting that since Millie was opened only two other gigas have been made, including I305. If you add to that the 2 strata coasters that means there are only 5 in the world over 300ft. That's weird to me since 300ft was topped 10 years ago. I guess that shows you how lucky we are to live near a park that has two of the five.

***disclaimer***. I only count continuous circuit coasters.

I'd say about 5 feet shorter ;)

I think it'll be fun. Lots of speed but not quite as good as Millennium Force. It should be pretty smooth too, one of the things Millennium is lacking as of late. I'm pumped to ride it.

Well Millennium doesnt have airtime, and 305 looks like it will have 0 airtime also, so it is a tie there. Mille is all about speed, and 305 being closer to the ground will feel fast and powerfull. If the headbanging is kept low on 305 then I say that will be better.

Of course I could just be a Mille hater and like to bash on it. :)

I think I305 will certainly be interesting. Although I'm a big fan of big hills, and not just one. To me, if you're going to make a low-to-the-ground coaster with a lot of speed, there's no need to make it 300 feet high. Maverick has a lot of speed in its own right, if you ask me. So I think I'll still like Millie better. But I'm curious to see what people think when it opens.

I sure hope plans for a big trip with my group goes through. Reason being is the trip includes both Intimidators and I'm really wanting to get on 305. I've never felt more intrigued about how a coaster might feel than with 305. And it looks like it's going to be a positive and lateral G fest.....which is always fun ::cough:: Maverick ::cough::. :)

And has there been definite word on whether or not the restraints are going to be the new OTSR straps?

I dunno, it looks like Maverick with a giant first hill to me. I'll still take MF since I rarely ride Maverick because I won't wait that long for it. I just don't think it's worth the wait. I will say thank god MF doesn't have the OTS restraints.

>Of course I could just be a Mille hater and like to bash on it.

:) I think so coz I get plenty of nice floater air on MF but I'm the polar opposite of you and could ride MF all day.

^Well it hasnt been released exactly what the restraints will be like. They came out and said that they won't be the maverick style that they show in the rendering but more of the seatbelt kind that i am guessing is like the ones on the newer Intamin spinners. Having never ridden those style of restraints myself I can not comment on how they will work for this ride.

As for the ride itself, it looks to be like a lot of fun! A lot of low to the ground, high speed stuff with quick transitions. Its layout is honestly quite similar to a mega-lite. I like to think of I:305 as a Giga-lite!

Giga-Lite!!! I love that! Fits perfectly! :D

I am from Richmond, VA and I live 20 mintues from KD. Pictures can't describe how MEAN this thing looks. The first drop is so compact and it might as well be vertical. I like how they combined my two favorite coasters at CP(Millie and Maverick). Which giga will be better?!?!

Looking at pictures only, Millie's layout is definitely way better. Looking at both in real life, I305 by a long shot! Trust me... Millie is my favorite coaster and will always be!!! I mean I drive 10 hours every year to ride the thing. But, I305 definitely looks better! It still baffles me that there is only 2 supports to hold up the lift and drop of this ride. It's an engineering marvel.

Opening day I will give you my honest opinion which is better. I will not be biased since KD is my home town amusement park. I think Millie will probably remain the king of the giga's and if not... Let's try to bring the crown back to CF for the best steel coaster! The Superman ride in New England is nowhere close to being better than Millie!!! So lets all root for the son of Millie... Go I305!!!

Can't wait for CP to open back up!!! I'll be there sometime in July "reppin" my I305 tshirt!

Looks really cool!
Oh wait it's intimin design, it won't be fully operational for about 3 years!

RailRunner said:
Looks really cool!
Oh wait it's intimin design, it won't be fully operational for about 3 years!

Please cite your sources.

Ryan

BRcoastrpsycho34 said:
Let's try to bring the crown back to CF for the best steel coaster! The Superman ride in New England is nowhere close to being better than Millie!!!

Did you even ride Superman in New England? If you did, did you ride it before the Bizarro transformation? I have not been on it since they changed it but was on it before. You are one of the VERY few that have liked MF better than this one. MF was my favorite until I rode SROS which, IMO, is much better. I can actually see someone liking MF better than SROS for the speed aspect but I just don't know how someone could think it is WAY better. After reading that comment about bringing the "crown" back to CF it sounds like a company bias to me. Just my opinion anyway :)

According to the LA times on today's On-Point blog, the people voted and the majority 55% said they thought Millennium Force was the best Steel Coaster In America. I was one of those 55% that voted for Millennium Force. Granted it's not a census vote, but still that's great news. What did the golden tickets give Millennium Force this past year?