Carowinds Discussion Thread

[jarmor]

Yeah...right across from carolina cobra...forget the fact that the water park entrance is right there...

There is nothing in that area but vortex and trees...how can it be cluttered???

[Brassinthegrass]

Ill have to see it in person, but sometimes I like the "packed house" kind of look in certain sections. I do agree putting it across from the entrance to the water park was poor, but in reality its an Up Charge attraction and won't gather that much of a line or crowd other than the moment of dispatch...

[VF15]

Wow. Mike Fehnel tweeted this picture of Fury 325's pneumatic gates, and they look great.

[GwaziBSRider1]

^ Those are a really nice decorative touch! Sometimes, it's just the little things that make nice things even nicer!

[rcjp]

^True. It might not be anything special but it's certainly a nice touch.

[coasterbill]

That's a very nice little touch. I like what they've done with the Banshee station and now the Fury325 station. While neither will be highly themed, they have started to introduce some nice touches that make them slightly unique and that's a step in the right direction.

[megametal]

Yeah...right across from carolina cobra...forget the fact that the water park entrance is right there...

There is nothing in that area but vortex and trees...how can it be cluttered???

 

Um, no. There are restrooms over there. By across, I mean literally across. Where the old arcade was, not beside Across the midway from the entrance of the ride. And yes, that area is cluttered. There's Vortex, Kaleidescope, and those tree islands that they are removing. That area is already hell to get through on crowded days so it'll probably be worse now.

[jarmor]

Here's a screenshot...You consider that crowded? Its just trees in the area. As you can see...or probably not see...the entrance to vortex isn't on the main path as well as the slingshot will not be. As far as kaleidoscope...its as far away as Carolina cyclone...

 

Great location to put it, should provide great views of fury 325 and downtown charlotte.

[megametal]

And I simply prefer the spot I spoke about. Why is that a problem? Why does my opinion concern you so much? It's not like the park is going to abandon what they've started and move it to my preferred spot. I prefer the spot I spoke of because there are less rides there and the area feels dead right now. I know the Vortex entrance isn't where the ride is going. (Although that maze of an area where the Vortex entrance is is what I was speaking of when I spoke of being shoulder-to-shoulder crowded on weekends. By this I mean the path from the ivy tunnel past Kaleidoscope past the Carowinds Theater. As it makes you go around that side of the shaded area because of the length of the Vortex queue entrance.) Anyway, I was stating my personal opinion as to why it should not go there. No need to take it personally. I suppose in one way it's better as it won't be to the side of the park, but towards the middle. And I guess I shouldn't be startled by a cluttered look. The park stopped being pretty by the late 1990s when most of the trees had been removed.

[michaellynn4]

The placement makes sense economically. The higher foot traffic = more people walking past = more people who can get interested in the new ride and pay to ride it.

[megametal]

True. Still think it'll look ugly right there. However, I know that's the last thing on Cedar Fair's minds.

[jarmor]

The placement makes sense economically. The higher foot traffic = more people walking past = more people who can get interested in the new ride and pay to ride it.

Most coaster folks don't like to think economically...as evident...

 

Not to mention that's the path to fury 325. If it were put elsewhere...in some corner or a dead spot, i'm sure it would be missed very often. Who would want to put an up-charge ride in a dead area??? That's crazy! Noticed they moved the skyflyer right up front. You put blockbuster attractions in a dead area to drive the folks, like carowinds is doing with fury 325. THEN you put an up-charge attraction on the path to the blockbuster attraction where lots more people are gonna be heading now...

[megametal]

Jeez, sorry I even mentioned it. I said I got it, understand why it's being put there but I personally don't like the placement, but you just cannot stop.

[michaellynn4]

Not to mention that's the path to fury 325.

 

Yea, I was going to make that point as well but forgot to mention it.

[UrbanLegend]

post deleted by user

Edited March 13, 2015 by UrbanLegend

[palavos3]

You would have to be out of your mind to think Fury 325 will be a better ride experience than MF. There's only one word for why: scenery. what will you be looking at riding Fury? Highways. On Millennium you have the view of the beautiful lake to your left. Another problem is there are no tunnels on Fury. Millennium has two large ones.

[nicman]

^I agree, but I do like how it is right at the front of the park so you can have a good look at it as your coming in to the park or as you are driving bye.

 

 

there are no tunnels on Fury

 

Well, at least you go underneath a bridge: (if you look carefully you can see it)

[MagnumFreak25]

Um..... this does have a tunnel and Millennium's do absolutely nothing to the ride experience except shield you from the pain of rain.

[jarmor]

You would have to be out of your mind to think Fury 325 will be a better ride experience than MF. There's only one word for why: scenery. what will you be looking at riding Fury? Highways. On Millennium you have the view of the beautiful lake to your left. Another problem is there are no tunnels on Fury. Millennium has two large ones.

All it takes is tunnels and a good view to make a great ride experience??? By default gatekeeper is a better ride experience than most coasters based on that theory right?

[VF15]

Just a thought, I think that Carowinds should probably hold a Christmas event on of these days, similar to how KBF does Knott's Merry Farm. Based on their temperature averages, it would be warm enough to keep the rides open on almost every night, and since Carowinds is starting to grow into a relatively large park, I think a Christmas event would go over well there. Or, is there a reason why a Christmas event wouldn't work?

[coasterbill]

I was down in the Charlotte area for Christmas and the temps were pushing 70 every day. I know this is warmer than average but I've been at Great Adventure when it was in the 30's and every coaster had a 3 hour wait and I've been to Dollywood when coasters had hour plus waits at Christmas when they cut the lines off for low temps.

 

Combine the moderate temperatures with the fact that it seems like 99.9% of people in that area celebrate Christmas and you have yourself a great opportunity. It boggles the mind that this park doesn't put on a Christmas event. I'm convinced that it would be an absolute home run. I know it's not easy to put on a Dollywood level event but they don't have to. Put a ton of lights up, have a few decent Christmas shows (we're not talking Dollywood here), have Santa there and you have yourself a goldmine.

 

This is obviously just my uneducated opinion as I know nothing about Theme Park financials but it seems to be working for SFOG which isn't too far away and it's an amazing success for Dollywood. I would think Carowinds could pull it off.

[pproteinc]

Carowinds actually had a Christmas event called Winterfest back in 2005 in Paramount days, but it wasn't as popular as they hoped for I guess and it was scrapped after that one time. For what it was it was nice. They had parades, Santa corner the park was heavily themed to Christmas and covered in lights and ornaments and only the slower rides were open. i.e skytower, carousal, wave swinger, and scrambler. Plus back then it was cooler during December then I guess global warming took on and now these days it does average between 65-75 here. It doesn't get cold here in Charlotte until mid-January - early March, if it snow typically mid-February early March. I always get mad now in November when the park is closed for the season because it's typically still spring like out if not hot.

[cwgator]

They tried a Christmas event (Winterfest) in 2005 and while it looked pretty decent (from what I've found online), it just didn't draw the crowds like other parks. Mind you that was still under Paramount. I can see in the next 5 years trying a new event. The weather there can be an issue as it's pretty must hit or miss with the flip flop fluctuations in temps/weather there that time of year. You have to remember when it's below 60 degrees for people in the south it's frigid....lol Another factor is current employee demographics. Most are high school/college age as are many seasonal parks. With all the great additions since CF took over and with what's to come they will be able to pull it off better. Once they can make the park more of a resort destination the sooner it may come.

 

The seasonal parks who do have success with these events usually already have a lot more outside influence which helps drive attendance at them. Dollywood for example has the benefit of that whole area being a tourist destination. SFOG also has more of an advantage with that. How many people say "OOOOOOOh...I want to vacation in Charlotte"? I'm not raggin' on the city; I lived my first 28 years there. It's something that hopefully will eventually happen at the park...which I'd love to see and hopefully attend if I'm visiting family around that time. Also since I'm from there I can verikfy that 99.9% of the people who live in that area do not celebrate Christmas.

[VF15]

Carowinds actually had a Christmas event called Winterfest back in 2005 in Paramount days, but it wasn't as popular as they hoped for I guess and it was scrapped after that one time. For what it was it was nice. They had parades, Santa corner the park was heavily themed to Christmas and covered in lights and ornaments and only the slower rides were open. i.e skytower, carousal, wave swinger, and scrambler. Plus back then it was cooler during December then I guess global warming took on and now these days it does average between 65-75 here. It doesn't get cold here in Charlotte until mid-January - early March, if it snow typically mid-February early March. I always get mad now in November when the park is closed for the season because it's typically still spring like out if not hot.

I get what you mean. I looked up the temperature averages for Charlottle, and the average temperatures for November are mostly in the 60s, which is not bad park weather at all. That's why I wish more parks would extend their operating season beyond Halloween (where the climate allows it, of course). Then again, besides coasters enthusiasts, most people don't want to ride a coaster when the temperature is below 60.

[coasterbill]

Carowinds actually had a Christmas event called Winterfest back in 2005 in Paramount days, but it wasn't as popular as they hoped for I guess and it was scrapped after that one time. For what it was it was nice. They had parades, Santa corner the park was heavily themed to Christmas and covered in lights and ornaments and only the slower rides were open. i.e skytower, carousal, wave swinger, and scrambler. Plus back then it was cooler during December then I guess global warming took on and now these days it does average between 65-75 here. It doesn't get cold here in Charlotte until mid-January - early March, if it snow typically mid-February early March. I always get mad now in November when the park is closed for the season because it's typically still spring like out if not hot.

I get what you mean. I looked up the temperature averages for Charlottle, and the average temperatures for November are mostly in the 60s, which is not bad park weather at all. That's why I wish more parks would extend their operating season beyond Halloween (where the climate allows it, of course). Then again, besides coasters enthusiasts, most people don't want to ride a coaster when the temperature is below 60.

 

Like I said... a few months ago we went to Dollywood when it was in the high 30's. Firechaser Express and Mystery Mine both had well over an hour wait while running at full capacity.

 

People will absolutely go to the parks when it's cold (Smoky Mountain Christmas and any Halloween event anywhere prove this) but you need a good festival / themed event and Christmas is the perfect theme for November and December.