Carowinds Discussion Thread

[pproteinc]

Does anyone have any recent pictures of the new flats for next year? I've searched all over the Internet trying to find any, but no luck. I saw some a couple weeks ago, but they've since been deleted. Thanks

 

Top Scan

 

Troika

 

Breakdance - not as elaborate as this one I'm sure

 

Music Express

 

Wave Swinger

Edited April 27, 2016 by pproteinc

[thrilladdict]

Is it confirmed that all of these are going to be installed next year? Or is it more likely that it will take a few years? Sorry... I used to be a Carowinds local but moved to Chicago and might have missed the latest updates.

 

I'll never be able to see a Music Express again without comparing it to the insane model that runs at Electric Daisy Carnival (a 3 night rave in Las Vegas Motor Speedway) each year. Are there any other carnivals in the US that allow you to ride while double-fisting beers? I doubt it... but that's probably fodder for another thread.

[pproteinc]

^ Yes they all will be installed for the 2017 season. Cedar Fair have been aggressively expanding Carowinds with multiple attractions and infrastructure over the past 3 years now. I feel like Carowinds still may have something up their sleeve tho, however 5 rides is a pretty healthy expansion.

[BuffaloWingRider]

I would disagree on Intimidator being dead last of B&M hypers. Have you rode Raging Bull at SFGAm? I would say that one is the worst. Intimidator gets great airtime and is a great coaster. Yeah, anybody would be thinking Intimidator was lame after riding Fury. But Fury is probably the best coaster on the planet. Just my opinion, but Intimidator is a great ride. Also, ride it at night too...You won't be disappointed.

 

Yes, I've been on Raging Bull along with the rest of the B&M hypers here in the states. Intimidator is still last on my hyper list. Also, I had the same opinion of intimidator before Fury was built. It's not a bad coaster at all, just the weakest of the B&M hypers. ...what a waste after the mcbr.

 

Adding to this conversation, Raging Bull has been the only B&M hyper I have ridden and I was sort of let down by it. It gave a fun ride but I was expecting forces and air time like I have heard about other B&Ms but it didn't really deliver. Still good ride, an opinion from someone who hasn't been spoiled by coasters like Fury325 and Intimidator305. I still don't have my own perspective of how the hypers line up though.

[mpmbee]

Wow, all of those flats in one year will be a fantastic addition for Carowinds.

[Johnlloyd]

Does anyone have any recent pictures of the new flats for next year? I've searched all over the Internet trying to find any, but no luck. I saw some a couple weeks ago, but they've since been deleted. Thanks

 

Top Scan

 

Troika

 

Breakdance - not as elaborate as this one I'm sure

 

Music Express

 

Wave Swinger

 

The Breakdance will probably look elaborate as this one at La Ronde. Regardless of how the rides look, they're still amazing additions that should be greatly enjoyed by park visitors. The Mondial Top Scan is really fun as there is one known as Shockwave at my home park, Canada's Wonderland!

 

[BansheeFanshee]

Planning on visitng the park on the second Saturday in June, most likely.

 

Those of you that visit often, what would be expected crowd sizes for a day like that? FastLane needed?

[Keetz]

Planning on visitng the park on the second Saturday in June, most likely.

 

Those of you that visit often, what would be expected crowd sizes for a day like that? FastLane needed?

 

I was at the park this past Saturday and the weather was gorgeous. The park was quite packed, which is typical for a Saturday. I would estimate that all major coasters had a ~45 minute wait all day. With fast lane you go right into the station and board within 3 trains. If you want multiple re-rides it is well worth it. If you just want to hit each coaster 1-2 times, then don't and make sure you ride Nighthawk first.

[pproteinc]

The Breakdance will probably look elaborate as this one at La Ronde. Regardless of how the rides look, they're still amazing additions that should be greatly enjoyed by park visitors. The Mondial Top Scan is really fun as there is one known as Shockwave at my home park, Canada's Wonderland!

 

 

I have a feeling it's going to be like the one at the sister park California Great America pictured below. The only difference would be the name since Carowinds already have a ride called Peanuts Pirates. I am praying very hard that they do not place it in Planet Snoopy only because I dont see it as a kid's ride but a high thrill ride like at the fairs and carnivals. I just have a wierd feeling the speed will be controlled and horridly slowed down to accommodate a lower height restriction as the one at CGA. Hopefully they prove me wrong.

 

[coasterer]

Taking a day off and making a spontaneous trip to the park tomorrow! I went a few years ago, so I've ridden everything except Fury. I'll probably just sit on Fury all day, and meander once or twice over to Afterburn. Super excited!

[CaptainUnknown]

Anyone else think that they'll name the Top Scan Delirium? What about the others?

[thrilladdict]

What kind of program do the Top Scans at other CF parks run on? I only know of the one at CW but haven't ever been there. I've heard that they can range from mild to holy-***-crazy-pants intensity.

[WOFanatic]

Anyone else think that they'll name the Top Scan Delirium? What about the others?

I'm guessing FlipHawk.

[coasterbill]

Are Top Scans as hilariously unreliable as I would imagine they would be?

[Dom497]

^The one at Wonderland is never down.

[bigcwd2000]

I'll probably just sit on Fury all day

 

[coasterbill]

I'll probably just sit on Fury all day, and meander once or twice over to Afterburn. Super excited!

 

This is the appropriate plan of action.

[pproteinc]

What kind of program do the Top Scans at other CF parks run on? I only know of the one at CW but haven't ever been there. I've heard that they can range from mild to holy-***-crazy-pants intensity.

 

The one at CW is the only park model operating. All the other modals are for fairs and carnivals. I've ridden the fair versions which of course like any other fair ride, out out control, the carnies just have no regard for g-forces and I love everything about it. lol I've heard the CW ride is slightly intense but not as intense as how the carnies run them.

[SFOG1991]

What kind of program do the Top Scans at other CF parks run on? I only know of the one at CW but haven't ever been there. I've heard that they can range from mild to holy-***-crazy-pants intensity.

 

The one at CW is the only park model operating. All the other modals are for fairs and carnivals. I've ridden the fair versions which of course like any other fair ride, out out control, the carnies just have no regard for g-forces and I love everything about it. lol I've heard the CW ride is slightly intense but not as intense as how the carnies run them.

I can confirm the one I went on at the Georgia National Fair was absolutely insane intense. It was a life changing experience and we were able to stay on for an hour and a half of rides. Eventually we had to stop because it was just too much for our bodies to handle. Totally awesome.

[carolinaman]

They are putting water in the wave pool!!!!!!!

[linearinduction]

What kind of program do the Top Scans at other CF parks run on? I only know of the one at CW but haven't ever been there. I've heard that they can range from mild to holy-***-crazy-pants intensity.

 

The one at CW is the only park model operating. All the other modals are for fairs and carnivals. I've ridden the fair versions which of course like any other fair ride, out out control, the carnies just have no regard for g-forces and I love everything about it. lol I've heard the CW ride is slightly intense but not as intense as how the carnies run them.

Samurai at Lagoon says "hi", and it was the first Park Model in North America, even though they are on a Chassis. Climate and Motor Type effect Operation, and Lagoon's AC Motors on their Mondial Rides are a problem in the Climate it's in. The Gear Box failed in just 7 years and took it out for a Season from June on. Samurai is still a fun ride, but not as crazy as it used to be.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[coasterer]

I woke up early and drove up from ATL this morning, and had a wonderful day at the park! Allow me to elaborate a little bit (forgive the length...) -

 

There were lots of kiddos and school groups as the day wore on, but the first two hours were great. Literally no one there. But despite the low crowds, they were stringent on letting me reride on empty seats on Fury for those first two hours (which I love to do when I'm by myself, and try to be discreet about), so I had to keep walking around (which is totally fine), and then I went over and sat on Afterburn, which was running great! That corkscrew though, is SO intense.

 

Around 11:30, after the crowds kicked in, I got on Fury again and then didn't get off for nearly 2 hours. The ride ops were wonderful, letting me re-ride, cracking jokes, checking in on how many laps I was at, actively helping me find empty seats, - and then (this blew me away) one of them actually gave me two flash pass tickets, one for any other ride so I could take a break and go ride something else, and one for Fury so that I wouldn't have to wait in line if I came back. HA! What a guy! Great crew.

 

Fury was terrific. Everything about it was great. From the honey comb motif to the pacing to the airtime to the intensity. The first ride I took didn't really blow me away, but the more I rode it, the more I loved it. I LOVE how complete it feels. It's long, it hauls, and from a composition standpoint, its layout is super satisfying. The first drop was AMAZING. It goes on forever, and you're pulled out of your seat over the top... and THEN it somehow changes its radius or something 2/3s of the way down and KICKS you even FURTHER out of your seat. Then you slam into seat again in the pull out. Man, the noises that came out of my mouth! Fantastic.

 

I have to say, I definitely preferred the back. The front was great and exciting (like in an ugly crying/screaming sort of way), but the airtime and intensity was way higher in the back for me. I loved the first half with all the low to the ground turns with pops of airtime - the train just flies through these! Then the turn around! Let me digress...

 

I have to admit, from watching videos and seeing pictures, I didn't understand the point of the sideways airtime at the top of the turnaround. I so badly wanted it it straighten out so you got a nice square twisting pop over the top before plunging into the tunnel. Even after the first time I rode it, I was like, "What's the point of sideways airtime??" But then as the day wore on, I loved it more and more, and by the end of the day I was like "OH YEEEAAAHHH SIDEWAYS AIRTIME" and screaming orgiastically and letting my whole body flap limply off the left side of the train as it crested the hill.

 

I really loved the layout. Layouts are a big deal to me. I'm a big fan of layouts that make sense in terms of pacing, terrain, etc, that are complete and don't let down in intensity, and are grand in scale (to me, Voyage, Goliath Walibi and Katun are my standards of layout perfection). Fury's layout was VERY comprehensive and complete, and had everything you might want in a layout. But if I had one critique however, it would be the banked airtime hill immediately after the tunnel. The pull out of that hill is so shallow and goes on forever, which is a really underwhelming way to go into the trim (which actually wasn't thaaat bad) - then the helix - which worked great compositionally but was definitely a weak spot experientially, especially following that super shallow pull out. The three airtime hills on the jaunt back to the station were the cherry on top. I loved it. I really did. It's definitely in my top 10 steel, and maybe but maybe not in my top 5. IMO, it's more enjoyable and complete than Skyrush, Maverick, I305, MF, even Superman/Bizarro. I rank it behind Goliath Walibi, Medusa Steel, Katun, Storm Runner (I just love Storm Runner), and maybe Shanghai's megalite? Hard to compare to something so tiny and compact.

 

I grabbed a quick ride or two on Vortex, Hurler, and the mine train early on. They were all fine (and Vortex was actually way more enjoyable than I had given it credit for from my last visit). Towards the end of the day, I grabbed a ride on Carolina Cyclone, which was just terrible. And i had a few rides on Intimidator, which was just as boring as everybody warned me after riding Fury all morning, despite having really nice moments of airtime. Unless you are in the back outside seats or the very front, the most exciting part of that ride is the Barbecue smell at the end. Also, it's one of the only rides ever to have made me slightly nauseous after a few rerides. Not really sure why.

 

Walked out the gate dead beat but extremely pleased. Great day.

[DILinator]

Fury is life. That is all!

[Pyrozooka0]

Just got out of the park. Fury is awesome, as are the Fury bug plushes.

[Whodey]

Popped into the park today. I took Uber for the first time. That was awesome deal because my hotel was in Southpark and I only paid $12 to get there. The park was empty except 186 ACE members. Fury was a great ride. The highlight was the Craft beer stand in the Taste of Carolina section. Only 4 tokens(just under $6) for a beer which I thought was a good deal in a park where a funnel cake cost $10.