Carowinds Discussion Thread

[mordecai-75]

can someone tell if i'm seeing things or not? i began to save for a carowinds trip a few months ago. so i priced season passes, " because it is a multi-day trip, it's the best option" but now a few months later, i go back to buy them, and the price has increased . how do you raise prices late in the season " for season passes! ". that's not what has even p!$$ed me off the most. before when budgeted this trip, the website clearly said children 4 and under are free. my 3yo son apparently now will have a more expensive multi-day ticket price then us adults, as i do not see a junior price on season passes. because of this, me and my family will most likely not be going to carowinds. a silver dollar city trip is sounding mighty nice at this point.

How many days were you trying to go? How many people? What days? I'll see what I can find in terms of discounts.

5 days, 2 adults and one 3yo, August 16th through the following Thursday.

[cdcruizer05]

Visited Carowinds yesterday. that makes the 2nd time this season, first was back in April. I was all pumped to ride Fury then, but unfortunately i was still a little to big.

 

Well big news guys, this fella right here was able to ride fury yesterday, and around 8 times at that. Oh man the first drop was insane, seemed like it went on for eternity. Loved the way fury whipped me around, with the turns and switchbacks. The airtime was crazy, i know i had to be a few inches out of my seat on those camel back hills.

 

For those who may be concerned i am around 6 feet tall, 300lbs, and around a 44/46 waist. They allowed me to ride with just two clicks, all is needed for the system to read clear.

 

The rest of the day went well i was able to ride everything but Nighthawk. Can't wait to go back, next tuesday!

[cfc]

The rest of the day went well i was able to ride everything but Nighthawk.

 

And that's not much of a loss. Glad you had a good day.

[cfc]

Hmm--if the food is as good as the "Taste of the Carolinas" event last spring, this might be worth checking out.

 

 

CAROWINDS DEBUTS NEW SUMMER FESTIVAL FEATURING LIVE BANDS, TASTY BREWS AND MOUTHWATERING BARBECUE

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As the place where the Carolinas come together, Carowinds knows a thing or two about having a good time. The park is holding an end of summer party, Bands, Brews and BBQs, beginning Saturday, July 31. This inaugural festival combines three things Carolinians love: the best ale, sounds and barbecue eatin’ around.

 

Bands, Brews and BBQs will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 31 through August 16. Food booths will be open beginning at 11 a.m.

 

“We are excited to continue the enhancements we have made this year to our culinary programs with the introduction of another signature food event. It truly makes it a ‘best day ever’ park experience for our guests”, says Kris Suita, Carowinds executive chef. “And after the positive response we received from our Taste of the Carolinas event this past spring, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to end the summer with something that defines the Carolina experience – mouthwatering BBQ.”

 

Bands, Brews and BBQs is the perfect way to countdown the final days of summer as the midways fill with the sweet smells of smoked BBQ:

 

Guests will be able to visit various booths that will serve smoked beef, pork and poultry. Two smokers were custom built just for this event.

A dedicated booth featuring regional BBQ sauces will offer 24 different flavors.

Guests 21 years of age of older will be able to purchase an amazing selection of craft beers, featuring approximately 10 brands.

 

 

From country to rock, we’ve paired your favorite barbecue and brews with some amazing local bands that will perform each day of the event.

 

The band lineup includes:

 

 

· July 31 – Natty Boh Duo (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tony Barnes (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 1 – Back Porch Orchestra (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Cho Cho Tumbleweed (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 2 – Tony Barnes (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tim Elliot (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 7 – Cho Cho Tumbleweed (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Back Porch Orchestra (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 8 – Early Ray (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Chris Winward (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 9 – Chris Winward (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tim Elliot (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 14 – Natty Boh Duo (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Unspoken Tradition (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

· August 15 – Unspoken Tradition (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Chris Winward (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

 

· August 16 – Chris Winward (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tony Barnes (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

 

 

Bands, Brews & BBQs is included with park admission. Food and beverages for the event are sold separately. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages. To buy Carowinds tickets and view more information regarding special events at the park, visit http://www.carowinds.com.

 

[ArgoZ]

can someone tell if i'm seeing things or not? i began to save for a carowinds trip a few months ago. so i priced season passes, " because it is a multi-day trip, it's the best option" but now a few months later, i go back to buy them, and the price has increased . how do you raise prices late in the season " for season passes! ". that's not what has even p!$$ed me off the most. before when budgeted this trip, the website clearly said children 4 and under are free. my 3yo son apparently now will have a more expensive multi-day ticket price then us adults, as i do not see a junior price on season passes. because of this, me and my family will most likely not be going to carowinds. a silver dollar city trip is sounding mighty nice at this point.

How many days were you trying to go? How many people? What days? I'll see what I can find in terms of discounts.

5 days, 2 adults and one 3yo, August 16th through the following Thursday.

 

5 Days! I don't know why you would need that much time at the park, but if so, a season pass is the only way. There are no other discount options for a visit that long. Carowinds does offer a 2 day pass, which is a decent deal for an out of towner.

[mordecai-75]

^ i wish i could afford more than 5 days! i have never been to carowinds, and as a fan of rides i want to be able to ride everything multiple times, to really feel the nooks and crannies of each coaster. also a large part of each day will be spent riding stuff with my son, he is only 3yo and already at the 44 inch mark, he gets to ride things most children his age don't get a chance to. " and he loves it! seeing the feeling of pure joy on his face is something precious and priceless to a parent. " so we have to alot enough time to make it all happen, i can't just go for 2 days and have his fun take a backseat to mine, that would just be terrible parenting. " he already gets mad that he can't ride the roller coasters with the loopty loops ( as he puts it ) on our weekly trips to dollywood." i will make sure that boy gets to ride the new things he gets to experience as much as he wants, " because that's what a good dad does." anyway, that's why we're going for 5 days, i guess i'll just buy the extra pass for him. " but earlier this year, carowinds' website did say children under 4 were free, i know i didn't misread that when i first started planning".

[FSUFanChris]

...but earlier this year, carowinds' website did say children under 4 were free, i know i didn't misread that when i first started planning".

I hate to say it but I think you read it wrong. I've checked Web Archive and every one I check dating back to 2013 says 2 and under...

http://web.archive.org/web/20130315112055/http://www.carowinds.com/season-pass-faq-s

[mordecai-75]

^ i guess i was wrong. i would have bet money on it though.

[woolandmammoth]

I will be visiting family in North Carolina and, in typical enthusiast fashion, decided to try and make it a trip to an amusement park as well. In previous visits to Carowinds, crowds have been fairly light. However, I'd obviously like to try and make the most out of my time at the park. Which day of the week is it usually the quietest? Any days to avoid? I will be in NC from the 9th to the 13th.

 

Thanks everybody.

[FSUFanChris]

^ 11th or 12.

[sirspud]

Just got back from a visit to Carowinds today, and absent a full TR I will just say that Fury 325 is a contender for my number one overall coaster. Not sure where I'd place it right now, but definitely above Millennium Force. The drop was tremendous, the speed insane (and much better use of its speed than MF) and the thing that everyone thought would be missing, airtime, is absolutely ejector seat for the second half of the ride. MF was more visually stunning, though Fury has good integration into the surrounding pathways, but the ride is just totally different.

 

Thunder Road was also really fun, and it's a shame they are taking this out while leaving a woodie that at this point is trimmed to be entirely forceless in Hurler. South Carolina side was good, North Carolina was great.

[Intimidator305]

The drop was tremendous, the speed insane (and much better use of its speed than MF) and the thing that everyone thought would be missing, airtime, is absolutely ejector seat for the second half of the ride.

 

Interesting opinion on the second half of the ride - that's where I feel Fury could have been excellent, but comes up quite short compared to the first half of the ride. After the dive under bridge the ride is a letdown to me as I feel it wastes a lot of potential in my opinion. The ride is intense and wonderfully designed the first half but to me it definitely seems after the bridge the ride was just going for 'length' with an uninspired layout. I still love the ride though.

 

I feel like Leviathan was a great beginning for a B&M giga, Fury 325 took it to the next league, and their next one will be out of this world.

[sirspud]

There was nothing about that airtime that seemed uninspired. Its worth mentioning that both times I rode I was seated near the back. At any rate, it really was some of the most pleasantly violent airtime I've ever had.

[megametal]

I have to agree. The airtime on the return trip is great. The first half is all about speed, and besides the first drop hasn't a lick of airtime. It's a great ride.

[sirspud]

The first half of the ride doesn't have airtime, yes, but it uses its speed in a much better fashion that Millennium Force did. A ride that goes 95 should have part of it be about speed, and this coaster does a better job of that than some of its predecessors. I didn't feel let down by the first half, and I felt like despite not really having airtime, it was actually making the speed sections be a lot more than just wind hitting you in the face.

[DILinator]

I disagree about the first half of Fury not having airtime. I was constantly out of my seat, from getting chucked over the lift hill, to being tossed sideways at a couple of the banked turns! Granted, I mostly rode it in the last or second to last row, which may have more air than the front. Still, I found there to be plenty of out of seat experiences on both halves of the ride...

[cdcruizer05]

I think it has some good air time in the first half, at the drop I'm out of my seat and like others mentioned in some of the turns, it's crazy how it whips you side to side! Of course second half all about air time.

[cfc]

Last day to ride Thunder Road! Who's going?

 

[AirlineITguy]

Last day to ride Thunder Road! Who's going?

 

 

 

I'm here in line, both trains are operational. Very short wait times, Maybe 10 minutes.

[Intimidator305]

'Tis a sad day to see Thunder Road leaving. Personally, I'd rather see every 10 other coasters in the park go before Thunder Road besides Fury, Intimidator, and Afterburn obviously.

 

I'm one of the biggest Rebel Yell/Racer/Thunder Road fans out there, but I trust what Cedar Fair has in store in the long run and am not on the #SaveThunderRoad bandwagon. Thunder Road is definitely the least iconic of the 3 and in my opinion the one in the worst shape, so it's only fair that it goes first. I believe the other ones are safe for many years to come, so the good news is Carowinds fans still have almost exact replicas within a days drive while looking forward to what the future holds at Carowinds.

 

Bring on the August 27th #BigSplash2016 announcement! Only 1 month and 1 day away...

Edited July 26, 2015 by Intimidator305

[Philrad71]

I liked it a lot better than Hurler, but that's not saying much!

[cfc]

I rode Thunder Road back in April when I went to check out Fury 325. The first two-thirds of the ride weren't bad (certainly no worse than Rebel Yell at Kings Dominion). But the last bit after the turnaround was like five miles of bumpy road.

[cdcruizer05]

⬆⬆⬆

I rode it 3 times in a row last Tuesday and I couldn't agree with you more.

[ECZenith]

Nanocoaster models from Coaster Dynamix were shipped over the weekend to the park! They made a model for Thunder Road and Fury 325. If anyone picks one up please share some photos!

[Imagineer Josh]

Nooo, why not just remove Hurler instead?