Carowinds Discussion Thread

[MagnumFreak25]

LC's was only running one side when I was there, not sure if that was a choice or it wasnt working. Skyhawk generally is pretty reliable on a daily basis, extended down time does definitly happen though.

[John Peck]

Skyhawk (at CP) seems to run nearly everytime I'm there. And except for the cable snap (which was commented by industry experts as a rare incident to have a cable break) I don't know of any other problems CP or any other cedar fair park has experienced.

 

But yes, Screaming Swings are awesome.

 

Let's see, constant closures for weeks / months at a time. The ride was closed for the vast majority of the 2013 season, last year it was closed for a few weeks with a crane working on the support structure between the arms (though last year was overall pretty decent) and then of course the accident in 2014.

 

It's a very unreliable ride. It's a great ride but it's hard to deny that it has a ton of issues. And let's not forget this close call at Thorpe Park. I don't see many people buying them going forward.

 

I guess i don't remember it being down so much in 2013, but if it was, it was. I do remember the crane now. Hopefully they have gotten past those issues.

[coasterbill]

Do the others have problems? Maybe they got a dud lol,

 

The only ones that I can think of that have had problems are SkyChicken at Cedar Point and the one at Thorpe Park. The rest of them seem to run great. Also, aside from the issues with SkyHawk when it first opened and the cable snap issue, it seems to run fine.

 

It was also closed for just about all of 2013.

[WindexCyanide13]

LC's was only running one side when I was there, not sure if that was a choice or it wasnt working. Skyhawk generally is pretty reliable on a daily basis, extended down time does definitly happen though.

LC always does that. It's a good way to save money, and the park doesn't usually have enough people to warrant the use of both sides. I have seen it run Botha sometimes, but not in a few years.

[coasterbill]

They run two during Haunted Graveyard. That's usually about it.

[thrillrider]

I think this was already in plans. Right, the park has only 5 flat rides (outside of planet snoopy); a scrambler, a yo-yo, bumper cars, a 360 boat and an enterprise. To be a pretty big par, that's nothing to brag about lol..

 

Let's not forget about the scrambler, sky tower, flying eagles,and wind sleeper. One can argue that the dark ride and merry go round (even though it's in camp snoopy) should also count.

[Vonni]

Skyhawk (at CP) seems to run nearly everytime I'm there. And except for the cable snap (which was commented by industry experts as a rare incident to have a cable break) I don't know of any other problems CP or any other cedar fair park has experienced.

 

But yes, Screaming Swings are awesome.

 

Let's see, constant closures for weeks / months at a time. The ride was closed for the vast majority of the 2013 season, last year it was closed for a few weeks with a crane working on the support structure between the arms (though last year was overall pretty decent) and then of course the accident in 2014.

 

It's a very unreliable ride. It's a great ride but it's hard to deny that it has a ton of issues. And let's not forget this close call at Thorpe Park. I don't see many people buying them going forward.

 

 

 

 

OMG that video is terrifying!

[Canobie Coaster]

They run two during Haunted Graveyard. That's usually about it.

 

I haven't even seen both sides run at the Haunted Graveyard the past 3 years, and this year I went on Halloween itself.

[jarmor]

I think this was already in plans. Right, the park has only 5 flat rides (outside of planet snoopy); a scrambler, a yo-yo, bumper cars, a 360 boat and an enterprise. To be a pretty big par, that's nothing to brag about lol..

 

Let's not forget about the scrambler, sky tower, flying eagles,and wind sleeper. One can argue that the dark ride and merry go round (even though it's in camp snoopy) should also count.

Honestly, the sky tower as a "flat ride"? A dark ride as a flat ride? I did said . . . outside of planet snoopy so I was referring to the main park as a good bit of adults dont go over there due to feeling the area is for kids. But I did forget about windseeker . . . which I would, personally, consider to be on the same level as the sky tower. Ok, how about this . . . 5 "thrilling" flat rides.

[jray21]

Glad to see some more flat rides brought to the parks. I thinks it's a good decision.

[markysharky17]

Will these flats be ready by opening day? I was thinking about making the trip to Carowinds over spring break but if there not ready I will have to postpone my trip to April

[Lareson]

Will these flats be ready by opening day? I was thinking about making the trip to Carowinds over spring break but if there not ready I will have to postpone my trip to April

 

More than likely not. It's sounding like most of them might be staggered opening throughout the summer, or be installed in 2017. The park hasn't even made any formal announcements about them besides what Monty Jasper said in that LA Times article.

[coasterbill]

Will these flats be ready by opening day? I was thinking about making the trip to Carowinds over spring break but if there not ready I will have to postpone my trip to April

 

Just go ride Fury, these flats are icing on the cake but who cares. Fury and Afterburn are all that matters.

[kickflipbacktail]

Will these flats be ready by opening day? I was thinking about making the trip to Carowinds over spring break but if there not ready I will have to postpone my trip to April

 

Just go ride Fury, these flats are icing on the cake but who cares. Fury and Afterburn are all that matters.

 

Hahaha. Intimidator is pretty sweet too!

[coasterbill]

Intimidator is fun but Fury just makes it seem so... eh. Now we always ride it first when we go to Carowinds just because we know if we ride Fury first it's only setting us up for disappointment.

[jarmor]

Will these flats be ready by opening day? I was thinking about making the trip to Carowinds over spring break but if there not ready I will have to postpone my trip to April

 

More than likely not. It's sounding like most of them might be staggered opening throughout the summer, or be installed in 2017. The park hasn't even made any formal announcements about them besides what Monty Jasper said in that LA Times article.

This isn't a six flags park . . . lol. Looking towards 2017.

[fraroc]

Intimidator is fun but Fury just makes it seem so... eh. Now we always ride it first when we go to Carowinds just because we know if we ride Fury first it's only setting us up for disappointment.

 

In my experience,

 

Fury=Insane ejector, especially towards the end

Intimidator=Decent floater throughout

[coasterbill]

I've never seen a new ride steal an old ride's thunder like that. When we went to Canada's Wonderland we loved both Behemoth and Leviathan, at other parks new great rides never made me think less of existing rides. Even a ride like El Toro doesn't make me love Nitro any less even though it's obviously better. Skyrush never stole Storm Runner's Thunder (Farenheit never had any thunder lol), same goes for Millennium Force and Magnum... it's really amazing how Fury just made Intimidator look like a big steaming pile of who gives a f**k.

[SFOG1991]

^Honestly I never thought Intimidator was that great to begin with. It rides so mediocrely compared to other B&M hypers. The first drop might be one of the best on any B&M hyper though. After that, it's Intrimidator with minimal airtime followed by a mid course brake run that might as well end the ride.

 

Still a quality coaster that is a definite crowd pleaser, I just think it was really easy to outshine!

[palmerleeberry]

What Cedar Fair is doing by going out, finding and buying classic rides, and bringing them to operate in their parks has got me saying "OH -YEAH!!!"

 

Carowinds will be getting five classic rides that I'm sure will be a wonderful addition to their lineup. Who knows what the team will find next year when they disembark on another "Amusement Ride Picker" episode, but if they found a "Galaxy" coaster and decided to put it in Kings Dominion, then I'll think I would do the dance!

[DorneyKid14]

Ill be going to the park july 8th and 9th!!!! It is going to be my first visit and i couldnt be more excited!!!!!

[VF15]

I've just confirmed that I'll be heading down to Charlotte this May to visit Carowinds . A few questions...

 

1) I'll likely be visiting the park on May 19th and 20th (Thursday and Friday). How busy should I expect the park to be?

2) In what order should I hit the coasters/rides?

3) For lodging, I'm looking at the cluster of hotels just south of the park in Fort Mill. Any of those in particular that you'd recommend, and are those hotels within walking distance of the park?

4$ Anything else I should know?

[coasterbill]

It won't be busy, ride Nighthawk first and everything else will have short waits all day so it doesn't matter. Have fun!!!

[DILinator]

it's really amazing how Fury just made Intimidator look like a big steaming pile of who gives a f**k.

 

I went to Carowinds for the first time last year, and this was kind of how I ended up feeling as well... We even skipped a second ride on Intimidator at the end of the day, that would have likely precluded us from getting a final ride in on Fury, to get that last Fury ride in (our 7th of the day!)

[CoasterTony]

I don't think anyone has said what the five flat rides are going to be, but the Charlotte Observer has announced them. They will be a Top Scan, a Troika (A clone of Bad Apple at Kings Dominion), a Break Dance (always fan favorites), a Wave Swinger that will most likely replace the Chance Yo-Yo, and a Music Express.