Carowinds Discussion Thread

[TurboWagon]

All this hate for Carowinds! If anything, this addition will make it even more well rounded of a park regardless of its small size. I would say that 12 coasters on a lot barely over 100 acres is quite good, especially for the area.

 

Yes, it does stink that it is an old coaster but at least CF is trying to make the best of it and included new trains. Besides, the last launch/boomerang was "white lightning" back before many of us were even born.

 

Lets face it, people will ride it FOR SURE, and like someone said before, be glad for the shorter lines it brings elsewhere!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I like boomerang coasters, especially the one at Six Flags America (Two Face: The Flip Side) because you face other people.

 

Unfortunately Two face probably won't be there for long seeing as how it hasn't re-opened following last year's incident & there've been rumors going around for quite a while of the ride being removed before the 2009 season begins.

[BeemerBoy]

As other people have said, regardless of how we feel about Boomerangs, whenever you go to a park they have lines.

I'd wager to bet the basic nature of it being a one train coaster has a little something to do with that though.

 

Anyway, 5 pages and counting for a relocated boomerang. That must be some kind of record.

[TheCoasterCritic]

For once I can say I was right! I predicted/was hoping that they'd give this coaster the new Vekoma trains. While they're not the really open lapbar trains, at least they are more open and ought to reduce headbang. They had to do something to make this a more exciting addition. Now I'm just hoping they don't have actual live cobras for media day. And I may finally get to ride BORG/Nighthawk now that it may have a diminished line.

 

I'm not sure this park gets enough attendance to support a new hyper coaster. They may even have to take a coaster or two out to install a hyper. I've been in the Charlotte area for a little over a year and it's rare to hear any mention of the park. If it isn't growing then how should people expect/hope for a huge new ride like a hyper coaster?

[carolinacaniac]

Somewhere I saw that they said this was going to be the second tallest in the park at 125 ft., but what coaster is taller? I was under the Impression that there were only two other 100+ ft tall coasters (Afterburn @ 113 ft and Nighthawk 115 ft).

[sushirocks13]

^^ i know, i really like hurler and it's fun but i can see them removing it and putting in a small (yet fun ) GCI woodie or something..... or if they own the HUGE wooded area beside the park they could use that area to house the new hyper and send it off into the woods with some extra theming/flat frides around the station (I don't know, it's just a thought )

[DRACHEN_FIRE_FAN-BOY]

I like boomerang coasters, especially the one at Six Flags America (Two Face: The Flip Side) because you face other people.

 

Unfortunately Two face probably won't be there for long seeing as how it hasn't re-opened following last year's incident & there've been rumors going around for quite a while of the ride being removed before the 2009 season begins.

 

what happened?

[astroworldfan1]

^ I don't remember, but IMO it was overexagerated.

 

-Tatum

[Ccron10]

Great. Instead of your head hitting a cushioned 6 inch thick OSTR, your head will be hitting a 1 and a half inch thick steel bar! Well, I don't know, but I guess the only way to know is to ride it once it opens.

But on this style of restraint the metal framing bar is nowhere near your head.

If your head is rattling a lot without that thick restraint catching it, how far and how much will it rattle?

[revilolee]

If your head is rattling a lot without that thick restraint catching it, how far and how much will it rattle?

I'm sure there will still be rattling but it won't be as severe as you think it will. With the regular OTSR, your head had nowhere to go but to hit them. But I guess we will have to wait and see...

[jarmor]

I like boomerang coasters, especially the one at Six Flags America (Two Face: The Flip Side) because you face other people.

 

Unfortunately Two face probably won't be there for long seeing as how it hasn't re-opened following last year's incident & there've been rumors going around for quite a while of the ride being removed before the 2009 season begins.

 

what happened?

Basically it threw up on some guest while it was kidnapping them. People thought it was the end of the world but no one was severely hurt.

 

Now about carolina cobra/goldrusher/cyclone/cove (the store in CAROLINA boardwalk). What could redeem this coaster to me is if it were well themed (i'm not holding my breath lol) kinda like viper was at SFoG or something other than a metal station.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I like boomerang coasters, especially the one at Six Flags America (Two Face: The Flip Side) because you face other people.

 

Unfortunately Two face probably won't be there for long seeing as how it hasn't re-opened following last year's incident & there've been rumors going around for quite a while of the ride being removed before the 2009 season begins.

 

what happened?

 

The train stalled on the first lift(again) & when they went to bring it down it somehow slipped & "crashed" in the station rupturing a hydraulic line in the process.

 

The ride had only been open for a few weeks after a similar incident had occured,but that first time it happened nobody was injured,just stranded for a good 2 hours before they could bring the train down into the station.

[Goliath513]

This problem is not unheard of for Boomerangs. Back at SFDK when it was still SFMW (I think it was opening year) Boomerang's catch car released the train prematurely and caused it to valley in the cobra roll. The riders had to be rescued by the fire department.

 

 

After this incident, they installed the staircase up there on the ride as well as most other Boomerang coasters. I think the same thing happened a few years later at Lake Compounce on their Boomerang.

 

[PhantomNick]

Well, for the sake of those residents of the Carolinas who will be tackling this "new" coaster, I sure do hope the new trains improve the riding experience. To be honest, when this thing was at Geauga Lake as Head Spin, it rode like garbage! It was far and away the worst boomerang I have ridden (and I typically find them fairly enjoyable at least). As for the name, would we expect anything less from the company that gave us Drop Tower??

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Well, for the sake of those residents of the Carolinas who will be tackling this "new" coaster, I sure do hope the new trains improve the riding experience. To be honest, when this thing was at Geauga Lake as Head Spin, it rode like garbage! It was far and away the worst boomerang I have ridden (and I typically find them fairly enjoyable at least). As for the name, would we expect anything less from the company that gave us Drop Tower??

 

I dunno about the name but I actually think that CF did a decent job(for once) instead of using the old standby of "boomerang" or worse "headspin".

[Electerik]

Great, another boomerang. I can't wait to not ride it.

 

That's pretty much my take on it.

 

First of all, I'm not a credit whore. And I've been on enough Boomerangs that I no longer bother, unless I'm with someone who really wants to ride it, or there looks to be something unique and/or interesting about it.

 

Secondly, I've already been on this one.

 

Having said that, the new trains would probably be enough for me to give it a try, if the line wasn't too long.

 

It's certainly won't lure me back to Carowinds. But, then again, I don't really think I'm the target market.

[sushirocks13]

Trackwork has begun!!!

Photo Courtesy of the "Cobra Cam" @ www.carolinacobra.carowinds.com

[SFjunkie2010]

I'm actually quite excited about this "new" boomerang. Carowinds could use a new ride, and the new trains look interesting as well, and I also hope that it gets some themeing.

[sushirocks13]

HOLY COW!! It's been 8 days and it looks like they may finish trackwork tomorrow!

Photo courtesy of Cobra Cam

[Pufferfish]

Somewhere I saw that they said this was going to be the second tallest in the park at 125 ft., but what coaster is taller? I was under the Impression that there were only two other 100+ ft tall coasters (Afterburn @ 113 ft and Nighthawk 115 ft)

 

For some reason CF remeasured the height of Afterburn and concluded it was 144 feet tall. Where they got this I don't know. Could be they measured from sea level, or they measured from the lowest point to highest point. In any case, I'm just glad I don't have to admit a Vekoma boomerang is the tallest coaster in the park.

[TurboWagon]

Driving I77 South to South Carolina, I could see the lift hill as part of the skyline. You can see how close in height this and Nighthawk really are. I have yet to see a view of TG and CC but I would say that 144ft is generous! Although, the terrain is at a slight downhill grade at the park of the lift hill over the parking lot.

[revilolee]

The log flume ride will be dismantled and cease to operate for the 2009 season to prepare the site for future attractions.

I just read this on Screamscape. Hopefully this frees up enough room for that rumored B&M!

 

www.screamscape.com/html/carowinds.htm

[TurboWagon]

The log flume was one of the oldest rides in the park. Oh well, it opens up a lot of land for the "future attractions" (note it is PLURAL) I wonder if that Rocket Power (formerly Gauntlet) ride will still be there?

 

It also rocks that they won't be removing any coasters to hopefully add another. My hope is that they find a way to use the underpass of the bridge near the entrance for a first drop tunnel of some sort.

 

This is great news.

 

 

Green is the Log Flume Footprint, Red is guessed potential land for attractions. I could also see them utilizing much more if the assumed future coaster is of a large scale.

 

 

I read further.......could it be? The return of White Lightnin' ? Hypercoaster? Total awesomeness.

[jarmor]

White lightnin' will never return...

 

Thats what carolina cobra is for...

[TurboWagon]

^Name wise. Which from a marketing standpoint, would make a lot of sense. Im pretty positive there wont be another boomerang added. Speculation is a B&M Hyper.