Carowinds Discussion Thread

[prozach626]

I've never participated in this argument, but on one of my frustrating coaster facebook groups someone shared a video of Leviathan looking like it was going to valley during a cool day, a couple days ago. It was like sub TTD cresting slow. I'm not trying to get involved, but it just made me think of this discussion. I would have shared it, but I was on my phone.

[pǝʇɹǝʌuı]

I saw the same video on Insta. Crazy stuff.

 

I have a friend who op'd Diamondback at Kings Island. He said that some days they'd do their first test runs in the early morning when it was cold and the train would barely make it into the brake run after the splashdown even if the MCBR did absolutely nothing. I asked if they'd ever tried it with a full stop on the MCBR and he said they wouldn't dare.

[coasterbill]

I found the Leviathan video. The trees are absolutely whipping around so I think the issue is more high winds than extreme cold. The people in the video aren't even wearing jackets (though they're also Canadians).

[VF15]

Got to ride Copperhead Strike for the first time on Sunday after work. It was a much better ride than I had anticipated based on some reviews I’d read/heard. Launches were solid, layout was a lot more forceful and intense than expected, inversions had great hangtime, and it had a few nice moments of ejector air. Second best ride in the park behind Fury 325 in my opinion.

 

Also got to ride Intimidator, Afterburn, and Fury. Intimidator was running much better that my last ride on it in 2016, Afterburn is still a great intense old-school invert, and Fury is still as incredible as ever.

[thrillseeker4552]

Copperhead is my second favorite ride in the park too. It's a fantastic addition and I don't understand any of the complaints about it. It's kind of a perfect ride for me.

 

I had the same reaction as you when I rode it in June. I learned to NEVER trust the reviews of "hardcore enthusiasts." They bitch no matter what the ride is.

[Canobie Coaster]

The only flaw with Copperhead Strike is the fact the launches are extremely weak. The rest of the ride is fantastic though.

[hoppedup]

I'd love to know how much they pushed it during testing and how much faster they could make it go without undue strain on the ride. Would be great if they could run it a bit faster at certain times. I know it sounds like I am complaining, but it is still a really fun ride. And it is open for Winterfest this year!

 

That said, it is #4 for me at Carowinds, behind Fury, Afterburn, and Intimidator.

[tndank]

I don't think it's supposed to run faster. The point is the hang time and just making it through the loops, right?

[coasternut79]

I don't think it's supposed to run faster. The point is the hang time and just making it through the loops, right?

I agree. The ride was designed with this in mind and I think they nailed it. Every time I ride it I get off thinking that was so much fun which is in my opinion exactly what you should think after riding a coaster.

 

For me at Carowinds it's Fury, Copperhead, Afterburn, Intimidator in that order. I will say 2 -4 are very close.

[Canobie Coaster]

That hangtime on the loops is fantastic, especially with the lap bars.

[hoppedup]

I don't think it's supposed to run faster. The point is the hang time and just making it through the loops, right?

 

I know it's the point with this coaster. I am just curious how those inversions would be with some speed. I don't really care for the hang time. They have Southern Star for that.

[Canobie Coaster]

Looking back, it looks like 40 degrees is the start temperature for Fury.

 

Does anyone know what Copperhead Strike needs? I'm guessing it may be lower if it runs for Winterfest.

[jarmor]

I don't think it's the start temp but the lowest temp it can run. If my memory serves me well, I was at the park this past weekend and while fury was just getting up and running I remember seeing Copperhead going.

[Canobie Coaster]

Thanks!

[DILinator]

So, I'm planning to go to Carowinds with my kids a week from tomorrow, and the forecast currently calls for Highs of 56, and a low of 34 at night. Now, does that mean if the temp dips below 40 prior to the park's closing at 8, they will shut down Fury? Or if the temp isn't above 40 in the morning, its opening will be delayed? Obviously, I don't know the hourly temps this far in advance, but if it's going to be below 40 for a couple of hours of the day, and Fury's operation is endangered, I may not bother going all that way. I know the temp will surely be high enough for it to run during the day, but I was really looking forward to Fury night rides. We can always do two days at SFOG instead.

[jarmor]

Chances are you'd get a delay start until it warms up. Keep in mind, that low may not hit until well after the park has closed as well.

[Canobie Coaster]

Shout out to the Fury crew tonight. They hit 36 dispatches in the last hour (a new record)!

 

And that was with only two of the three trains available.

[coasternut79]

Shout out to the Fury crew tonight. They hit 36 dispatches in the last hour (a new record)!

 

And that was with only two of the three trains available.

I was there and can attest that the last couple hours of operation they were cranking out trains lightning fast. However, for whatever reason Fury opened with only 1 train running and they didn't put the second one on until 3:00. It was the only ride in the park that had any sort of line. I don't understand why they do this but at least they made up for it with a good finish. It was nice to get a few front row rides to end Fury's operating season!

[coasterbill]

Glad they ran it yesterday. We heard that it was closed all day Saturday and the park closed early due to the terrible 50 degree weather with abundant sunshine. We were laughing pretty hard from the Nitro queue when we saw that.

[VF15]

I was there last night as well and couldn’t believe how fast the crew was dispatching those trains. Had a great time getting some last Fury rides in for the year.

[Canobie Coaster]

Shout out to the Fury crew tonight. They hit 36 dispatches in the last hour (a new record)!

 

And that was with only two of the three trains available.

I was there and can attest that the last couple hours of operation they were cranking out trains lightning fast. However, for whatever reason Fury opened with only 1 train running and they didn't put the second one on until 3:00. It was the only ride in the park that had any sort of line. I don't understand why they do this but at least they made up for it with a good finish. It was nice to get a few front row rides to end Fury's operating season!

 

When I saw how slowly the empty test trains for Fury crawled into the brake run, it made sense why they opened with one train. I don't think they wanted to chance sending an empty until it was fully warmed up.

 

I was on the second to last public train in the front so we got a double ride to end the day.

 

Glad they ran it yesterday. We heard that it was closed all day Saturday and the park closed early due to the terrible 50 degree weather with abundant sunshine. We were laughing pretty hard from the Nitro queue when we saw that.

 

It definitely is nice having parks in the northeast that don't care what temperature it is when they run rides.

 

Except SFNE is very strict about Goliath needing it to be 50 degrees. But I consider that mercy keeping it closed.

[coasternut79]

A few pics from the last official operating day before Winterfest:

[hoppedup]

Glad they ran it yesterday. We heard that it was closed all day Saturday and the park closed early due to the terrible 50 degree weather with abundant sunshine. We were laughing pretty hard from the Nitro queue when we saw that.

 

I was in Charlotte all day Saturday (no Carowinds this trip). The wind was pretty high most of the day. I found a weather report that said gusts were up to 10 mph Saturday at Charlotte Douglas. I call BS. I was outside and walking a lot of the day and I would guess the gusts were more like 20-25+ mph.

 

I worked off of boom lift equipment for many years and we grounded all of our aerial work at 25 mph winds.

 

Not sure what the guidelines are for Fury, but Saturday was a blustery day in the Queen City.

[coasterbill]

I would guess the gusts were more like 20-25+ mph.

Wow, I hope nobody died.

 

... this park is a parody of itself sometimes.

 

You're talking about wind gusts that would MAYBE, POSSIBLY close a typical Sky Ride.

Edited November 18, 2019 by coasterbill

[hoppedup]

I know Fury is always hauling ass when it hits the trim brake, so I guess those kinds of wind would not be an issue.

 

Have we subpoeanaed the records from Fury's anemometer yet?