Carowinds Discussion Thread

[boldikus]

The majority of the comments are regarding diaper bags or complaints that people have young children and thus need to have bags. It's wild.

[BRTeller]

1 hour ago, boldikus said:

The majority of the comments are regarding diaper bags or complaints that people have young children and thus need to have bags. It's wild.

My comments have been over medical bags. My supplies will not fit in the bag restrictions they set. You can disagree with me on this subject, but I cannot risk it without it. I let the park talk me into putting my bag into a locker and sure enough it went bad in line. Since then they’ve given me ADA passes which fixed that issue, but now this creates a whole different issue. 
 

Granted my bag is just slightly larger than their rules, but it’s filled to the brim with medical supplies at that. My preferred way is to go with just money and that’s it, but my health condition doesn’t permit that anymore. With the no reentry rule, it’s made it virtually impossible to re supply. Which honestly has always given me anxiety at Kings Island and Carowinds. 
 

As for kids and diaper bags I agree, they shouldn’t be at the park for the event. The only other valid concerns I’ve seen have been women’s care products, but I’m neither a women or know the work around on that one so I’m not touching it. 

[YoshiFan]

I would think they would make an exception over medical bags. I know at other parks like Great Adventure they allow those bags to get a tag so ride operators know they can be brought in line or left in the station of a ride when it normally isn’t allowed.

[CoasterNerd87]

Cedar Fair does have a bag tag policy for medical bags. I've seen people with them in lines and allowed to leave them in the stations of rides that do not have loose article bins.

[PKI Jizzman]

Has anyone visited Scarowinds yet this year? I saw they were at capacity on Saturday and turning away passholders/ticket holders, but was curious about Sunday. Sundays they are open same hours at a Saturday which is wild for a CF park.

Going to visit in a few weeks and looking forward to Copperhead for the first time and many Fury rides!

Any suggestions for good eats/drinks outside of the park? Usually Mac's Speed Shop is my go to for awesome BBQ and beer.

[tndank]

Last Sunday (2 days ago) was dead for at least the first few hours. Everything a walk on. 

[Alex26841]

On 9/28/2021 at 2:28 PM, PKI Jizzman said:

Has anyone visited Scarowinds yet this year? I saw they were at capacity on Saturday and turning away passholders/ticket holders, but was curious about Sunday. Sundays they are open same hours at a Saturday which is wild for a CF park.

Going to visit in a few weeks and looking forward to Copperhead for the first time and many Fury rides!

Any suggestions for good eats/drinks outside of the park? Usually Mac's Speed Shop is my go to for awesome BBQ and beer.

I went this past Friday and it was pretty darn busy, but nothing like what I've heard Saturdays have been like. My GF works for Cedar Fair and we were able to get some Fright Lane passes, which were a godsend, because the maze lines were loooooooonnnngg. All looked to be an hour+. Fury's wait was about an hour all night. Sunday seems like the day to go if you can swing it. 

As far as the mazes go they were all fairly decent aside from The Reaping, which was straight up not good. If it's got any sort of wait at all I wouldn't bother. 

[PKI Jizzman]

Thanks for the updates. Alex and I are visiting Saturday/Sunday. It's only $75 for FL on Sunday so Saturday I think we'll just take time with dinner and go to the park later and get some rides/haunts in when the crowd thins out at 11 (hopefully, right?). 

 

https://thesuffolkpunch.com/ Suffolk Punch looks like an awesome spot for dinner and beer, anyone else been? This seems to be the 'Troegs' of the area.

[tndank]

Last two Sundays have been walk on days.  Really advise not buying FL early since you probably won't need It. 

[PKI Jizzman]

Carowinds has not responded to me so while I am waiting for official word...

Fast Lane works all day, both during the day and Scarowinds, right? You don't have to buy 2 separate fast lanes for 1 full day?

Someone is telling me they switch the colors during their break from 5 to 7. It seems absolutely absurd to have to pay $115 for the day and $115 for Scarowinds right?!

[AmyUD06]

When I went in 2019, one FL purchase was required for each portion of the day. Sorry for the bad news.

[hoppedup]

On 10/5/2021 at 11:05 AM, PKI Jizzman said:

Thanks for the updates. Alex and I are visiting Saturday/Sunday. It's only $75 for FL on Sunday so Saturday I think we'll just take time with dinner and go to the park later and get some rides/haunts in when the crowd thins out at 11 (hopefully, right?). 

 

https://thesuffolkpunch.com/ Suffolk Punch looks like an awesome spot for dinner and beer, anyone else been? This seems to be the 'Troegs' of the area.

Haven't eaten there but the beers are great. My friends say the food is great. The brewer is an acquaintance of mine from his days in Greensboro.

And can confirm, Scarowinds would require a separate FL pass.

[PKI Jizzman]

11 minutes ago, Mike240SX said:

When I went in 2019, one FL purchase was required for each portion of the day. Sorry for the bad news.

That's crazy! Damn, I mean there's nothing telling me that it only covers one portion of the day, nor is there a:

Scarowinds FL pick here!

DAYTIME ONLY pick here!

[PKI Jizzman]

Shady, Carowinds! How are you supposed to know your $115 FL is only good a portion of the day? Oh that fine fine print. Ya got me.

[AmyUD06]

@PKI JizzmanIndeed man. If you'll scroll back to my posts criticizing the fact that Scarowinds was a separately ticketed event (along with FL), you'll find a bunch of veteran members here lambasting me for calling out the BS when almost every other CF and SF park doesn't do that, so tread carefully LOL. 

[coneyislandchris]

What do you think the chances are that they actually would change the wristband colors from the morning session to the evening session?

[tndank]

Fine print does mention it's valid for Carowinds OR Scarowinds.  But I agree, it's a money grab and not well explained. I imagine it's screwed many. 

[jarmor]

I mean. . . i get it but the park has separate hours listed on it's site for SCarowinds and the regular park.  They list seperate tickets for general admission and SCarowinds admission.   It also says select nights.  That, to me, would make me want to carefully check to see if it is a separated event from the daytime hours.  But then again, I can count on one hand the many times I have been to one of the parks that has it all day.

[PKI Jizzman]

It's not a big deal, I'm sure I won't need it during the day hours based on queue times, and the entire trip is essentially free with my plat pass. Not used to dealing with this type of thing from CF and really having to find where in the fine print it is displayed... especially when there is no one on  their phone lines or socials to get a direct answer. 

Must be a pretty damn good event! Glad I didn't redeem it right away in the morning. $230 + tax to have FL all day on Saturday, woooooowie. 

[boldikus]

2 hours ago, Mike240SX said:

@PKI JizzmanIndeed man. If you'll scroll back to my posts criticizing the fact that Scarowinds was a separately ticketed event (along with FL), you'll find a bunch of veteran members here lambasting me for calling out the BS when almost every other CF and SF park doesn't do that, so tread carefully LOL. 

LMFAO.

Lambasted? By "a bunch of veteran members"? Come on dude.  @coasterbill pointed out that it wasn't unusual for the park to do this and that they posted it on their website that this is a thing. Exactly one other member pointed out that Knotts also does this. I would hardly call that lambasting.

If you're gonna talk shit on here you might wanna have the receipts to back it up.

[AmyUD06]

56 minutes ago, boldikus said:

LMFAO.

Lambasted? By "a bunch of veteran members"? Come on dude.  @coasterbill pointed out that it wasn't unusual for the park to do this and that they posted it on their website that this is a thing. Exactly one other member pointed out that Knotts also does this. I would hardly call that lambasting.

If you're gonna talk shit on here you might wanna have the receipts to back it up.

My apologies then. It was two years ago...I didn't actually go back and look it up.

[hoppedup]

Got an email from Carowinds this morning about new passholder T&C.

A Platinum Pass is valid for one park visit per day, and is also valid for free parking at all parks, the registered Passholder must be present in the vehicle. This pass is valid for only one visit per day, and a readmission hand stamp is required for same-day re-entry.  Fees for food, merchandise, games, pay-per-experience attractions, concerts, and special events are not included.

 

Sounds like no more double dipping on Scarowinds days (not that I ever plan to return to the shit show that is Scarowinds). Not a big deal for me, YMMV.

[tndank]

The date on that doc is August 20.  It's clearly been allowed this year.  Perhaps next year they actually implement it?

 

[PKI Jizzman]

Alright that's where I'm going to get 1000% pissed off. I didn't get that update as a Plat Pass holder. I'm going to be livid if I go back into Scarowinds with my FL and they try to say I need to pay up for another visit. On top of everything their socials won't respond and their call center is closed. F off. If I wasn't browsing reddit and theme park forums how am I supposed to know this other than some 16 year old shaking in their boots trying to hand down the message from corporate? 

[AmyUD06]

If I recall correctly from my visit in 2019, both a day at Carowinds and a night at Scarowinds are considered separate "days" for those purposes.  Also, that part of the language did not change in the update.