Ao Haru Ride Review

[Jessia Adachi]

Aswith other S&S 4-D Free Spin coasters, the load/unload station has two sides, which requires an employee to control guests going to each side of the station to keep the lines even. Because this is a smaller version of this coaster, there is only one load/unload platform, and only two trains operate on the track at any given time with eight riders per train (four on each side of the track), so even when the coaster is running efficiently, guests can expect the line to move pretty slowly.

The brakes are most noticeable as the track doubles under itself on each of the four layers of track. Because of the free spinning nature of the coaster, the ride experience can be highly variable. However, based on my observations, the back row appeared flipped more frequently than the front. On our one ride of the day, Zach and I completed two full flips in the back row (both on the top layer), while my wife never fully flipped seated in the front row. After less than a minute, the blur of an experience is over.

While the Jungle Expedition name is new for 2022, the transformation from The Congo began in 2018 when Volcano, The Blast Coaster closed. The removal of the unique Intamin launching inverted coaster necessitated the removal of the surrounding iconic mountain, which triggered the thematic change for the land. As part of the change to Jungle Expedition in 2022, Avalanche (Intamin bobsled coaster) has been repainted bright orange and renamed Reptilian, while the Scrambler flat ride has been renamed Arachnidia.

Tumbili takes the place of The Crypt (formerly Tomb Raider Firefall), which was a highly themed Huss Top Spin flat ride removed after the 2020 season. The size and throughput of Tumbili is probably on par with The Crypt, and guests should approach this new coaster more like a flat ride than a typical roller coaster that can carry over 1,000 riders per hour. The expectation is that whatever is eventually installed to replace Volcano will ultimately anchor Jungle Expedition and have a much higher capacity, but for now guests may be frustrated with the slow-moving lines for Tumbili. Kings Dominion has yet to announce what will take the place of Volcano, but construction equipment in the area would suggest that prep work for a future anchor attraction is on the way. Let the speculation begin.

Robert's note: For a review of that bigger Joker ride, check out Bobbie Butterfield's The Joker wreaks havoc at Six Flags Great Adventure. And for my take on the somewhat similar Intamin ZacSpin model, here is my review of the now-defunct Green Lantern: First Flight at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

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Looks like CF did a good job prettying this area up but sadly the attraction itself is awful. I know its supposed to be a filler "NBD" ride, but its literally 14 seconds from the time you clear the lift to the time you hit the brakes, and there is a trim in the middle.

According to what I was told by someone in a supervisor role at the park, Jungle Expedition was originally not expected to open until the beginning of April for the spring break period. However, about a week ago the park decided to open the area on opening day even though it wasn't complete as that is tradition at the park. The crews pulled long hours for the whole week and managed to have the area safe for guests by Friday. Expect the remaining elements to go in place over the next few weeks. As for Volcano's replacement, don't expect anything for at least a couple seasons.

As for the ride itself, it looks like a solid filler attraction and the reduced intensity compared to the bigger models might enable it to appeal to a wider audience. The downside of this is likely to be the capacity. The larger installations typically do around 400 riders per hour, but with only one platform and a need to wait for the other car to fully complete the circuit before dispatching I'm guessing Tumbili is probably only going to achieve about half of that.

@the_man - The area was already prettied up, and I'd say it was one of the most highly themed areas of the entire park when Tomb Raider Firefall was running. The former flat ride had fire and water effects as well as an impressive soundtrack that made it as much fun to sit and watch as it was to ride (though it used one of my least favorite Top Spin ride programs). When Paramount sold the park to Cedar Fair, the movie theming was removed (including a statue that was used in one of the films), and operation of the effects became more intermittent.

@AJ - It's quite possible that the Volcano replacement won't be ready until 2024, but I'd say that's the longest we'll need to wait. They are actively working the site, and left part of the old queue building (the portion that used to be the entrance to the Haunted River), so it will be easy to track the progress of the site prep. When footers start going in, it will be a good indicator that the new ride is @6-8 months away from debuting.

I went to KD for the first time like 15 years ago (and rode Volcano) and thought the park was a dump, that was right after CF bought it. It improved quite a bit in subsequent visits and will definitely be going back as Twisted Timbers is one of my favorite coasters, but I can say with confidence I will never be riding Tumbili.

I think there's a place for smaller coasters like this, but parks have to be really careful when marketing them. Since they are by every definition roller coasters (unlike Larson Loops), you're going to naturally get comparisons to larger, more traditional coasters, but they should be instead advertised as flat rides. If you went by the merchandise in the various gift shops around Kings Dominion, you would have thought Tumbili was a world-class record breaking roller coaster - there were a half-dozen different t-shirts and other merch for the new ride.

Much like Tempesto at nearby BGW, there is a niche for a ride like this at KD, but fans need to approach this like they would Drop Tower, Delirium, or Berserker, and not like I:305 or Twisted Timbers. In other words, this is a replacement for The Crypt, NOT Volcano. In a perfect world, KD would have announced Volcano's replacement by now (or at least drop some hints at what's coming), so excitement for Tumbili can be properly contextualized.

Considering this park is about 48 mins from me, I'm in no rush to ride it. I understand what Russell is saying about not approaching the ride as a rollercoaster, but tell that to the general public who has witnessed the local news stations reporting on "Kings Dominion's newest coaster".

Interesting review. Weight distribution does indeed make a difference on these S&S free spin models. As to the larger ones such as Joker, the one I rode with the most flips and highest intensity is Batman at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Although no two rides are the same, that one is consistently wild and I haven't been able to figure out why.

@NCPete - The bright orange paint job on Reptilian (formerly Avalanche) is pretty striking. We didn't get a chance to ride because the coaster was still testing when we finished riding Tumbili and didn't want to wait around, but you'd have to believe that the new paint and refurbished trains probably provide a faster/smoother ride experience.

I'll also note that there are some fun Easter Eggs throughout the new land. They put up some travel posters by the restrooms near the entrance to the land that harken back to old attractions including Diamond Falls, the Haunted River, Smurf Mountain (called "doozer mountain" to avoid the trademark), and Volcano. It's always nice when park operators are self-aware and give these nice little winks and nods to long time fans. That's something that guests have come to expect from Disney and Universal, so it's cool when smaller regional parks are willing to spend just a bit more for these extra special touches that long-time fans notice and appreciate.

Ao Haru Ride received several adaptations during its run. A novelization by Akiko Abe ran in Cobalt. In 2014, a limited edition drama CD adaptation was released to promote the then-upcoming anime television series by Production I.G, which aired in July 2014. A live-action film adaptation was later released in December 2014. A live-action television drama adaptation is set to premiere in Q4 2023.

Ao Haru Ride was critically acclaimed in Japan and was consistently named one of the best series of 2014 by several manga industry professionals. The series achieved popularity among readers who strongly identified with Futaba's personal growth. The series was also one of the best-selling manga in 2013 and 2014.

Futaba Yoshioka is a 16-year-old high school student who attempts to fit in with her female friends by acting "unfeminine", due to a history her female classmates ostracizing her out of jealousy. As a result, she feels her life is uninteresting. One day, she reunites with Kou Tanaka, her first love who had previously moved to Nagasaki in middle school. Kou, who now uses the surname "Mabuchi", has become a completely different person than she knew back then, as he is now cold and indifferent. When the new school year starts, Futaba decides to make a positive change for herself and volunteers to become the class representative. She is joined by Kou and her classmates, Yuri Makita, Shuko Murao, and Aya Kominato, who all form a bond together.

Futaba learns that Kou's mother had died after he moved away, and as she helps him with his grief, she falls in love with him again. However, just when Kou is about to move on from his past, Yui Narumi, his friend from Nagasaki, moves to his town, and he stays with her to help her through her father's death. When Futaba realizes she cannot change Kou, she decides to move on. When she begins a relationship with Toma Kikuchi, Kou realizes his relationship with Yui is holding him back and preventing him from accepting positive changes in his life. After he removes himself for good, he begins actively pursuing Futaba. Futaba's lingering feelings for him complicates her relationship with Toma, and they amicably break up.

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