Going to PKD and Carowinds for first time

[dwerling]

Going on a east coast trip visiting these former Paramount parks and have never been there before. Some info would be great like:

1. What to ride first? (If it really matters)

2. Best seats? (Especially on their wood coasters since it really makes a huge difference sometimes)

3. Any closures known of at this point?

4. Amazing can't miss food or shows

5. Are the waterparks really good or not really worth visiting?

6. Any other relevant info is great too.

 

Going to PKD on Sunday 15th & Carowinds on 18th

Thanks

[Coasterlvr_nc]

At Carowinds on a weekday it shouldn't be terribly crowded, but I have found personally that Hurler is best in the front or near the front, while Thunder Road forewards seems to be best near the back. The longest line will be for Borg Assimilator and I reccommend you hit it right at opening or right at closing (I have always had close to walk-ons on most of my visits right at closing.

[Kingbooba]

1. What to ride first? (If it really matters) At Kings Dominion, try to hit Volcano, Hypersonic, Flight of Fear, Italian Job, Shockwave, and Drop Zone first as they get the longest lines quick. Most people usually head to Volcano and Hypersonic first though. At Carowinds, Borg Assimilator, Top Gun, and Vortex usually get the longest lines.

2. Best seats? (Especially on their wood coasters since it really makes a huge difference sometimes) Volcano - Back | Hurler - SKIP IT | Grizzly - front | Thunder Road - front | Rebel Yell - back

3. Any closures known of at this point? Don't think so

4. Amazing can't miss food or shows - Doesn't matter, no shows or food at either park are really amazing

5. Are the waterparks really good or not really worth visiting? - Kings Dominion - Great, but it'll be busy seeing Tornado was added | Carowinds - Probably not worth visiting

6. Any other relevant info is great too.

 

Average que waits:

 

Volcano - 30 minutes to an hour

Flight of Fear - walk-on to 20 minutes

Italian Job - 10 to 20 minutes

Tomb Raider - 10 minutes

Avalanche - 10 to 40 minutes

Anaconda - walk-on to 10 minutes

Shockwave - 10 minutes to an hour

Drop Zone - 10 minutes to an hour

Hypersonic - 10 minutes to an hour

Rebel Yell - walk-on to 5 minutes

Ricochet - 5 to 45 minutes

Grizzly - walk-on

Borg Assimilator - 10 minutes to 2 hours

Top Gun - 10 minutes to an hour

[redfoot12]

Just to show that people have differing views on where to sit...

I like the front on Volcano and the back on Grizzly.

[kraken613]

Top Gun is best in the front row or my favorite seat is the back left its forces at their best back there!

[no_brain_er]

Personally, the backwards train on Thunder Road was always better than the forwards train, and it's best in the very front or very back.

Also, the Carolina Cyclone gives relatively smooth rides in the very back seat. (Plus it feels cool when you go over the loops!)

[dwerling]

Thanks for the info. Keep on commenting if there is anything else or if someone has other tips. I really like to plan stuff out ahead of time.

 

Also I was planning on riding the flying eagle swing things @ Carowinds. I always hear about people "snaping" or something like that. How is that officially done and is it regulated there?

[Kingbooba]

Skip Hurler at both parks unless you have medicene to help a headache.

[yankees15]

I have only been to King's Dominion so i can only help for that park.

 

Here is the order to ride in:

Hypersonic XLC- front row

Hurler- front row

Ricochet

Rebel Yell (both sides)

Drop Zone

Tomb Raider

Volcano- front and back are awesome!

Flight of Fear

Anaconda

Italian Job- front row

Alvalanche

Shockwave

Grizzly- front row

 

I personally loved Hurler and thought it was smooth. Everyone says how rough it is but on my ride there was only one rough part and that was the turn after the first drop. The rest of the ride was filled with airtime. Grizzly on the other hand I thought was really rough and I didn't enjoy the ride one bit. Maybe I caught Hurler on a good day and Grizzly on a bad day.

[All Clear]

Grizzly has been really hit or miss this year. A friend of mine told me that he'd been on it and said how awful and rough it was, even near the front and I just said, "Not my Grizzly." But I rode it a couple of days later and couldn't believe the shimmying. I popped up there yesterday afternoon for a bit, though, and it was back to the same perky Grizzly that I love. Who can say?

 

The Hurler, OTOH, IMO, seems to be consistently running waaaaay better than last year, but not as good as 3 or 4 years ago. (I've only been on the Carowinds Hurler once, so I can't really help you there.)

 

The Rebel Yell is not bad at all in the first two cars, particularly if you stay off of the axels, but the track is mighty warped in a couple of places. As I've said before, if they leave it as is, the first drop will soon be a double-down. The jackhammering in the back of the train is nearly unbearable for me. I seriously thought I had vertebrae scrunching into each other.

 

Basic rule of thumb for all the PKD woodies, stay near the front unless you've got prescription-strength painkillers handy.

[coasterbear30]

A buddy and I visited a few weeks ago and here are my recommendations-

 

Hit Top Gun first as it is the best coaster in the park IMO. It gets a longer line quicker. Then Borg after that or unless you are getting credits, skip Borg all together. It was the WORST steel coaster my friend and I had ever ridden. After that, it doesn't really matter as the rest are really just nominal waits. There is nothing worth skipping other than Borg IMO. I was scared to ride Hurler as I remember it being really rough, but we rode it twice and it wasn't that rough at all. Just sit near the front. It does provide a good bit of airtime. The Vortex was a bit rough on the ears, but was an ok ride. I would not suggest the water park unless it is free. I don't remember it being all that great.

[dwerling]

Are both Drop Zones open? I know the one at KI is still closed

 

And can anyone answer my eagles "snapping" question.

 

Also I have heard that XLC is a bit rough (true or not)

[All Clear]

PKD's Drop Zone has been open recently.

 

XLC is seventeen seconds of misery for me, but there are a lot of people who like it. I tend to get very, very stapled right when it starts to climb the spike, making the rest of the ride an experiment in agony. Also, the last time I rode it, I was holding the bars like you normally would (if you have opposing thumbs) and nearly got said thumbs ripped of when we slammed to a stop at the end. So, yeah. I'm not a fan. If there's no wait, give it a whirl for the experience. It's not worth more than 10 minutes, though.

[coasterbear30]

When my buddy and I were at Carowinds a few weeks ago, they have the Phantom flyers and they do allow snapping. When the ride starts all you have to do is hold the fin to your right so it is actually turned left and then change it quickly to the opposite direction, it will catch the wind and sling you outwards and then when you get to the highest point turn it back so it goes down and repeat. It was my first time on flyers and I got really high air on them. They were a lot of fun.

[yankees15]

In my opinion Hypersonic is only rough on the turn after the hill. The launch is really fast, powerful, and smooth. The climb is pretty smooth with maybe a jolt or two but nothing bad. At the top you get some sweet ejector air. The drop is vertical but only for a short time, and there is some air on the drop as well. The big turn is pretty rough, but all it is is the train shaking from side to side so you get bounced around a little. Then the last hill you get some more ejector air but it is right into the breaks which stop the train VERY quickly, so brace yourself.

[Coasterlvr_nc]

AT carowinds for Hurler, if you must ride it sit in the first 2 rows for the smoothest ride (not entirely smooth but bareable)

 

And when it comes to snapping:

For the first full rotation from where you start to that same spot keep your fin facing outward (away from the center). After that point it toward the inside until you get as close as you are going to get then back outwards until you reach the apex of your swing and continue to do so. Good luck with snapping!

[dwerling]

I can't wait to attempt this snapping thing, sounds like fun.

 

My 100th coaster will be @ Carowinds and I'm thinking it will be Top Gun.

[carolinacaniac]

Top Gun is a good choice for #100. It is a great ride. When I rode it back in April, it was running fast and intense. The back was very intense as someone else said, but the front is a great ride too.