The Shockwave

The Shockwave is one of the many roller coasters at Kings Dominion. What makes the ride stand out most is the fact that instead of sitting and riding the attraction you're strapped in standing up. The Shockwave is a green roller coaster located in Candy Apple Grove. The length of this attraction is 2,231 feet (really why cant thy just add nine more feet and make it an even 2,240?). This attraction goes a top speed of 50 miles per hour and that is pretty fast when you think about it.


The coaster was built and designed by a company called TOGO. This company is Japanese and it was one of the first stand up roller coasters designed by this company. But because the the closings of the previous two stand up roller coasters it has become known as the oldest stand up roller coaster in operation. The Shockwave now stands where the Galaxie roller coaster, a small steel coaster of the S.D.C. Galaxie model used to sit. But the Galaxie roller coaster closed because of a very fatal injury to a thirteen year old boy and it was shown as an example of unsafe park attractions. The Galaxie was sold to somewhere in Myrtle beach still known as the Galaxie but that was only until 1997. The Shockwave opened up where it sat in 1986. It is known for not having a level loading station so I guess that means that it is slanted someway more than the other. But this does help with the launch instead of relying on gravity which let's be real isn't always that helpful.

The ride has over 22 million riders and after nearly three decades it will sadly be closing. But to be honest it wasn't that great of a ride it could beat you up badly. The coaster will permanently close on August 9, 2015 and it is actually really sad cause it has such a cool history. I first road the Shockwave on my Birthday well technically weekend celebration with one of my parents and I kind of hated it. The ride has many flaws but does that make it a awful ride, no it doesn't. The coaster has one big loop and let me just tell you when you're standing up and are upside down you kind of imagine yourself plummeting down into your final moments.

They are mainly doing this to keep park goers interested and to also add more to Candy Apple Grove. But there ha been quite a few incidents on this ride that has lead up to its closing. On the evening of August 23, 1999, a 20-year-old man was thrown from the train's final turn at speeds of 40 miles per hour causing him to get a fatal head injury upon contact with a steel walkway.

My mother and I have vowed to even though we never really liked it ride it again. I really do hope we get something really good to replace it though or I will be very upset. I just don't want to think of the day The Grizzly or another one of their rides close.