King's Dominion

sarahwilk24
Sep 6, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Aug 8, 2025

Planet Snoopy

273 pieces | HSANHE: S009

Assembled by Sarah Wilkinson, January 2025

Interaction Rating: 4 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged, but use extra care)

September 7, 2024

On a sunny September weekend, Sarah and Hunter met their sister, Rachel, and nephew, Andrew, at King's Dominion. It was Andrew's (who had just turned six) first time at an amusement park. The first stop was measuring Andrew's height. He wasn't quite 48 inches yet, which meant many of the bigger rides were out of reach for him. They started slow with Planet Snoopy, a Peanuts-themed kids' area in the park. Andrew rode Snoopy's train, which he soon realized was not thrilling enough for him. He rode the swings with Uncle Hunter and loved it. They rode another spinny ride where they had to lie on their bellies. Getting dizzy, Hunter sat the next one out, and it was Rachel's turn to spin in a simulated hot air balloon that rose into the sky. Sarah, who got dizzy just watching, kept her feet firmly on the ground.

Americana Ferris Wheel

813 pieces | Nidebur: 18023

Assembled by Andrew Deese, Rachel Deese; December 2024

Interaction Rating: 3 / 5 (interaction with the set is okay, but only with help from an adult)

When they were ready to graduate from Planet Snoopy, they moved out into the wider park. Everyone wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel, so they headed there. They had their own car, which was spacious, with huge lap belts that stretched across each bench seat, facing each other. It was a little chilly as they rode to the top, but the view of the park was great. Andrew had fun pointing out the things he spotted, and got excited when he realized there were bumper cars. They had a couple of complete revolutions of the wheel before it was time to disembark and find some lunch.

Carousel

232 pieces | LEGO: 40714 (retired)

Assembled by Andrew Deese, December 2024

Interaction Rating: 5 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged)

With full bellies, but not too full, it was time to try out the Great Pumpkin Coaster, a kid-approved wooden coaster ride with Uncle Hunter, so they sat in one row with Sarah and Rachel in the row behind them. Andrew was unsure of the coaster and nervous to go on it, but by the end of the ride, he was pumped up and ready to try something even bigger and more thrilling. Next up was a steel hairpin coaster with a big, belly-tickling hill. Sarah came away from that coaster missing her favorite reusable water bottle, so while Hunter went to look for it, Rachel and Andrew rode the big traditional carousel. Andrew accidentally chose a horse that didn't go up and down on the first ride, so they rode again so he could pick another horse. The water bottle was never found.

Joe Cool's Driving School

*"City Road Plates" + "Go-Karts and Race Drivers"*

Go-Karts: 99 pieces | LEGO: 60400

Assembled by Andrew Deese, Hunter Williams; December 2024

Road Plates: 112 pieces | LEGO: 60304

Assembled by Sarah Wilkinson; May 2025

Interaction Rating: 5 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged)

The afternoon was a whirlwind of fun rides. Andrew wasn't tall enough for the full-size bumper cars, so he went to Joe Cool's Dodgem School, where he drove a little taxi around and crashed it into as many other cars as he could. He got to drive his own motorized car at Joe Cool's Driving School, which had simulation roads, traffic lights, stop signs, and other pint-sized drivers. Andrew drove very carefully, obeying the traffic rules and looking quite cute in his little red car. When the ride was over, he stopped to help another kid get out of his seat belt. They also took a ride as a family on vintage-looking cars with gas motors (basically go-karts). Andrew wasn't tall enough to drive one, so he sat beside Rachel, and the couple drove the car behind them around the forested track.

Build-a-Pokémon

293 pieces | Wekki: 516613

Assembled by Vanessa Reyes, December 2024

Interaction Rating: 4 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged, but use extra care)

One of the last rides of the day, after Rachel, Andrew, and Hunter enjoyed some Dippin' Dots, may have been the favorite of the day: the Shenandoah Log Flume. All four of them could sit in one flume, with Andrew at the front, screaming in delight. The on-ride camera photo caught everyone's facial expression on the way down the main hill, and Andrew's mix of terror and joy was so priceless that they bought the souvenir photo. They also had a blast on Boo Blasters, a ride in a haunted house where you use blast guns to shoot targets that root out the ghosts (Hunter easily won). On the way out of the park, Uncle Hunter and Aunt Sarah treated Andrew to Build-a-Bear. He chose to make Eevee from Pokémon, his favorite. The couple later received photos of Andrew asleep in the car on the way home, cuddling Eevee. They look forward to the next time they'll go to King's Dominion with Rachel and Andrew. He will be tall enough to ride some of the big coasters, and hopefully it will be a little earlier in the season, so Soak City (the water park) will be open.