Tips for Visiting Kings Dominion Virginia Park with Kids
Kings Dominion is Virginia's best theme park for families to visit for endless fun and the best days year round. Enjoy favorite things for every member of your family from delicious food, fun thrill rides, live shows, and special offers and events. If you are considering visiting King's Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia plan ahead to maximize fun and memories for your whole family.
Whether it's your first time visiting Kings Dominion or you've been many times before, this post will highlight the new attractions to the theme park, information on tickets, special events to attend year-round, and the best rides. Whether your family is made up of young children or older kids, there is a large number of rides and roller coasters for everyone to have the best time on your next visit.
Tips for Visiting Kings Dominion Virginia Park with Kids
Packing List for Family Visit for Kings Dominion Trip with Young Kids:
Backpack
Stroller
Water phone protector case
Comfortable shoes
Snacks
Water Bottle / Refillable Kings Dominion Cup
Change of Clothes
Seasonal Events / Special Events at Kings Dominion:
Kings Dominion features AMAZING annual events, including Grand Carnivale, The Great Pumpkin Fest, Halloween Haunt, and WinterFest. No matter the time of year, Kings Dominion is open now which means festive entertaining shows and meals.
New Family Thrill Rides for Younger Kids:
Planet Snoopy Area at Kings Dominion - Planet Snoopy is packed with endless fun for the younger crowd at Kings Dominion. You may get lucky and see Snoopy and other loved characters around the park for hugs, high fives, and interactive shows. You could easily go and spend all day in Planet Snoopy alone. This is one of the reasons I think having a season pass is key because you do not have to do it all in each visit.
With 17 rides conveniently located in Planet Snoopy even for the shortest of guests, your preschooler will have SO much fun. If you are holding back from going to Kings Dominion because your child is a preschooler, do not hesitate. Planet Snoopy is also conveniently located towards the front of the park which makes it easy and accessible for little legs! There was a TON of shade which was great for parents waiting by rides.
Rides that your younger children will love: Bumper Cars. Peanuts turnpike, sally's sea plane, charlie brown's wind up, lucy's crabbie cabbies,kite eating tree,
Soak City Water Park Kings Dominion
Soak City is Kings Dominion's 20-acre water park packed with extreme water slides, interactive splash pad areas,45-foot multi-level play structure, lazy river, massive wave pool and live entertainment. Beat the hot days in Virginia with unique attractions and lots of fun waiting for you and your family at Kings Dominion & Soak city! Life jackets are provided for guests to use as well.
Family Care Center at Kings Dominion
The Family Care Center located inside of Planet Snoopy is such a gem for families with little ones. Looking to cool off in some AC with the little kids? The Planet Snoopy Family Care Center has it all for moms of newborns to toddlers. The newly expanded Kings Dominion Family Care Center is a 1,100 square foot facility is located next to the restroom in Planet Snoopy and also features a room for parents to feed their children and a microwave to warm up your child’s bottle. The Family Care Center has rocking chairs, rooms for nursing, highchairs and open spaces to unwind.
The Kings Dominion Family Care center has spacious family restrooms available which were so helpful when I was visiting with two small children. The doorways are large enough to fit a double stroller through which makes it is easy for parents of multiple young children.
The Family Care Center has a TV, toys, and seating area for families to use to have a break from the heat and outdoor activities. This is a great place for families to feed little ones and let siblings play, use the restroom, or decompress from sensory overload outside!
The Family Care Center has staff inside available to help with wrist bands for children with information like parents names and phone numbers. This service and wristband is great for families who want to add a extra safety layer to visiting with small children.
Pre-K Pass Kings Dominion
This Kings Dominion season pass is FREE for unlimited visits for children 3-5 years old and is a great opportunity to allow your family to visit Kings Dominion for tons of fun year-round for complimentary admission to special events through the preschool pass too! Do not wait any longer, activate your Kings Dominion FREE Pre-k pass and take your little ones at no extra cost on your next visit for fun for the whole family.
In 2022, Kings Dominion switched to operating year round which is such an exciting change for families in Virginia allowing adults and children to enjoy the theme park year round for the Grande Carnival, Kings Dominion Halloween Haunt, Tricks and Treats Fall Fest, and Winterfest! Kings Dominion & Soak City is ready for your family to enjoy the fun that awaits soon!
As a mom of 3 small and active boys close in age, Kings Dominion’s Pre-K Pass program has been a favorite of mine for many years! Whether you plan to visit Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia once a month or go multiple times a week, with unlimited admission it's a no brainer for parents of children 5 years of age or under. It is such a great way to make fun memories all season long at Kings Dominion with friends and family for FREE!! Yes, you read that right - FREE admission! If your whole family is looking for an affordable way to have a ton of fun, then you need to consider the Kings Dominion Pre-K Pass for children 3-5 years old.
Should I Get a Season Pass for Kings Dominion?
YES, YES, YES, YES! Did I say YES? If you have a child aged 3-5 they are eligible for a Preschool Pass which is FREE! If you have a child under 3 they are free and do not need a ticket to enter the park. The gold pass is a great option for parents and older children and is 105$ total but can be broken up into 4 payments which makes it very reasonable as well. The passes include unlimited visits during that park year, free parking with the Gold or Platinum Pass, and discounts for dining around the park. If your family is planning on attending Kings Dominion 2 times in a season, then a pass is worth it! Find more info about ticket options, pricing and what is included on this helpful page for Kings Dominion.
What are the best Family Dining Options at Kings Dominion?
There are 35 dining options located conveniently around the park. Kings Dominion offers many dining options to choose from at various price points which is a great resource for feeding hungry children at the theme park. If you are planning on staying at Kings Dominion for the whole day or will be visiting often with a season pass, then consider the dining plan options.
We opted for the premium all day dining plan - which includes an entree or snack as often as 90 minutes. This also includes drink refills as well. The premium dining pass is 39.99 and when we looked at how much one meal would cost for each member of our family this was the best deal for more bang for our buck. I would most definitely purchase the dining plan for future visits as well. You swipe your wristband for meals vs having to keep track of a debit card which was a nice addition for a flustered parent managing small kids. You can read more about the dining plans at Kings Dominion to find the best fit for your family.
The souvenir drink bottle is a must purchase. Even if you are only planning to be at Kings Dominion for one day the cup is a great way to save money and stay hydrated on a hot day. You can refill every 15 minutes for FREE with purchase of the cup which is awesome as well. The refill stations are everywhere throughout the park which was awesome with thirsty and hot children in tow!
If we had to pick our favorite dining option, it was hands down The Outpost Cafe. We were able to use our premium dining pass for a meal and we devoured it in minutes. The Outpost Cafe is located in the Jungle X-Pedition area beside Tumbli. Diners can enjoy tasty entrees including fire seared prime rib, crispy fried shrimp, citrus marinated grilled chicken and savory grilled sausage with sides including zesty Swedish potatoes, Bahamian peas and rice, seasonal roasted vegetables and more. We had the crispy fried shrimp, peas and rice and all agreed it was divine.
We grabbed a Cinnabon to take home and eat for breakfast the following morning while discussing our favorite rides at Kings Dominion! The park has picnic areas to eat or sit and relax all around the park.
You cannot leave Kings Dominion after a day of fun without stopping by the World’s Greatest Funnel Cakes. My favorite toppings are whipped cream and strawberries and I think it’s the best way to end a long and fun day!
Where is Kings Dominion Located?
Kings Dominion is a Cedar Fair property and is located at 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell, VA 23047. Kings Dominion is conveniently located 45 minutes from Richmond, 2 hours from DC, 2 hours from Virginia Beach, and 3 hours from Roanoke, VA. Kings Dominion is a great day trip and a short drive from many parts of Virginia or if traveling farther can be broken down into an awesome multi day trip if staying locally!
Season Passes for Family Members
Kings Dominion is introducing the a new season pass for the 2023 season. The Silver Pass comes with free parking and gives passholders admission to the park from opening day through the end of summer. The Silver Pass also provides admission to daytime fall events. The Silver pass does not give admission to Halloween Haunt or WinterFest.
There are two other season pass level options available for purchase with additional park admission benefits for example the mid tier gold season pass includes all special events throughout the year and the highest tier platinum pass includes unlimited visits to not only Kings Dominion but all Cedar Fair Entertainment parks.
Yes, all Season Passes issued by Kings Dominion include free parking as a benefit. The season passes also include 10% off of dining, merchandise, and bring a friend tickets. Season passes can be paid through payment plans as well!
What are the Hours for Kings Dominion?
Park hours at Kings Dominion vary year round but we spent 10am-8pm at the park and the kids still were not ready to leave! You can check hours for the day you are planning to visit by clicking this calendar link or downloading the mobile app.
The mobile app was great to look at for a map / directions as well as see wait times and where the closest restrooms and dining were! We all had so much fun during our first of many summer visits to Kings Dominion with our family. We laughed so hard, smiled until our faces were sore, and made memories that will last a lifetime. Best of all, its such a great and easy to get to location in Virginia so we can go back a ton in the coming months! If you haven’t visited Kings Dominion in the fall or winter for their holiday events, you are missing out! The fun doesn’t end in summer!
If you are living in or visiting Virginia with small children and looking for theme park fun for your family, Kings Dominion is a must stop destination! Whether you are looking for more traditional rides or finding your first ride on the great pumpkin coaster, spend an entire day or an entire season at Kings Dominion for lifelong memories at this fun place! The best part of Kings Dominion
What is your family’s favorite part of Kings Dominion? Have you or your family members visited yet this year? See you there soon!
