Carowinds Discussion Thread

[coasternut]

^ K.I. hasn't even listed their hours yet. Only preview weekend. I'm fairly sure (just guessing) Coasterstock is off or delayed.

[JJLehto]

Well, I know I always say I never do weekends if I can help it and never opening day. BUT I will be at Carowinds tomm, Sat, for opening day XD   What can ya do? I need to end this road trip sometime. 

Hope it's not tooooo dreadfu- eh it'll prob be awful. Its ok I am finally putting my CF Platinum Pass to use, so honestly if I can grab just a few rides and bolt after a few hours, fine by me. Speaking of: So I don't have my actual pass yet. I've not been to any CF parks since I got it. I have (both digital and physical) my pass with proof of purchase, the QR code etc that you get from their email. To anyone who has used it before: Is this enough for admittance? 

I recall them telling me when I go I can go to somewhere and get my actual ID, makes sense if you need to get the ID in park they have to first let you in. So Im hoping to get in, do some rides, then maybe few hours in go get my physical ID. This feasible? Edit: I also have the day I booked for Carowinds, I had to put in my pass # and they took is so again all should be fine?

[AmyUD06]

1 minute ago, JJLehto said:

Well, I know I always say I never do weekends if I can help it and never opening day. BUT I will be at Carowinds tomm, Sat, for opening day XD   What can ya do? I need to end this road trip sometime. 

Hope it's not tooooo dreadfu- eh it'll prob be awful. Its ok I am finally putting my CF Platinum Pass to use, so honestly if I can grab just a few rides and bolt after a few hours, fine by me. Speaking of: So I don't have my actual pass yet. I've not been to any CF parks since I got it. I have (both digital and physical) my pass with proof of purchase, the QR code etc that you get from their email. To anyone who has used it before: Is this enough for admittance? 

I recall them telling me when I go I can go to somewhere and get my actual ID, makes sense if you need to get the ID in park they have to first let you in. So Im hoping to get in, do some rides, then maybe few hours in go get my physical ID. This feasible? Edit: I also have the day I booked for Carowinds, I had to put in my pass # and they took is so again all should be fine?

Yeah, if you want to keep your pass in the App you can.  If you want a physical card, bring a printout of the code from the e-mail and they can issue you a physical card at the main gate.

[JJLehto]

Oh good you kinda pre empted my next thought: do we even NEED the physical ID? I mean I'll do it, esp if the park gets crowded but long as I can get in and go straight to riding, I'm cool. 

[AmyUD06]

Yup, you don't need the physical card anymore. I'm old school, so I like to have it.  It takes like 30 seconds for them to take your picture (which they will likely have to do anyway) and scan a plastic card and hand it to you.  They're not specially printed with your name or photo or anything.

If you never go to Carowinds, it might be fun to have a pass with that park's name on it just for laughs...mine has Michigan's Adventure since that was the first CF park I went to back in 2017 when I started my current tradition of having passes.

[SharkTums]

Let us know how it is! Hoping good thoughts for you!

[JJLehto]

12 minutes ago, Mike240SX said:

Yup, you don't need the physical card anymore. I'm old school, so I like to have it.  It takes like 30 seconds for them to take your picture (which they will likely have to do anyway) and scan a plastic card and hand it to you.  They're not specially printed with your name or photo or anything.

If you never go to Carowinds, it might be fun to have a pass with that park's name on it just for laughs...mine has Michigan's Adventure since that was the first CF park I went to back in 2017 when I started my current tradition of having passes.

LOL that is a pretty funny idea, bc no I deff don't ever go here. I only am this time since I'm in Eastern TN and it's not that out of the way haha Pretty excited though, Fury alone is worth it. 

9 minutes ago, SharkTums said:

Let us know how it is! Hoping good thoughts for you!

Ha thanks. I see FL is still an option for tomm. If its like bad right from the start will just try to nab one real fast. But I'm ready to make the most of it. I'm just glad to be coastering again and putting my pass to use. The fam got this for me as a christmas gift 2019!!

[JJLehto]

Well it went if anything a bit better than expected. 

Arrived 10:15 and sure enough people were there already but they were letting us in already, which was nice. It also hit me no one paid for parking. Least at that time. With platinum I wouldn't have anyway but yeah people were just going through, no one was even at the booths. So that was interesting. 

Naturally waited for Fury. The line itself was quite short honestly but the ops were slow, took about 45 mins and by this point line was huge so did a quick loop of the park. Nabbed Copperhead Strike, Afterburn, Intimidator before grabbing lunch. All the lines were short but slow moving. Strike was the quickest honestly. I get it, it's opening day. This is precisely why I don't do this lol 

But amazingly after swinging back to Fury and seeing that it was moving quicker I hopped in line and though it was longer physically, took only 30 mins. After this I had an amazing stretch where the wait was like 10-15 mins. No joke. Did 4 in a row for 6 on the day. Given how it started, no FL etc I cannot complain! Also having no idea how ops really work in the nitty gritty I wonder how much impact people have. Honestly, there were quite a lot of people not listening, paying no attention, a walk of shame on near every ride which is a frequency I've never seen, and in one case some people after being almost yelled at by the op "You cant leave stuff in the station" and to please get off the ride and just refusing, to the point where the op said "All 3 trains are waiting, you are holding everything up" and they still refused...some dude on line volunteered to hold their stuff. Yeesh.  

Also two enthusiasts (besides hearing their convo, we can always just tell...) kept hogging the B&M rows to themselves. Plopped down one on each end, and ofc no one is gunna test sitting between em. Maybe I've gotten so used to FL and zipping through I've never realized how much hassle people cause. That said for opening day not sure if it was thaaaat crowded. I ducked out around 4ish to head to Doswell for KD tomm but yeah not a bad day for a few hours on season opener. Should also say: I enjoyed Copperhead Strike more than last time. I was pretty meh about it but this visit, idk why but it was better. A little more punchy and whippy and this was before noon. Intimidator still a bit of an underappreciated gem, Afterburn is great and Fury.....nothing needs to be said. Though after 2 once it was really warmed up. My god, I forgot how fast that thing is. Like the low dive before the big helix almost couldn't keep my eyes open. What a ride. 

Then the rest....I didn't bother lol Carowinds has to be one of the most unequal parks out there like what a strong top 4 then plunges off a cliff.

 

 

[thrillseeker4552]

I agree about the lineup "plunging off a cliff" after the top 4. Copperhead Strike was a wonderful addition since it somewhat filled the "middle ground" gap but, yeah, still very unequal.

Honestly, their lineup would drastically improve if they *removed* both Nighthawk and Vortex, then maybe RMC Hurler and add a GCI at some point. But now I'm dreaming. Thanks for the report!

[Hilltopper39]

Thanks for the report! I'm planning a trip up there in a few weeks with my kids, one who is over 54" and one just over 50". I'll probably get FastLane for myself and my oldest to do Fury/Copperhead/Afterburn as many times as we want, then hopefully lines the rest of the lineup for the little one aren't that bad. Can't imagine the lines for the Boomerang or the mine train get that long even on a crowded day.

[bill_s]

The mine train is popular and low capacity enough I'm sure it can get a wait. Don't skip it though, I find it only halfway down that cliff -- while not on the scale of the top 4 it's a good ride on its own terms. It's also right in the middle of the park, essential to get the lay of the land and implying a certain history. It would be in the way of new additions except everything else is already around it. When they're ready for a new coaster they'll probably remove Nighthawk and Vortex next door. (I'd love Nighthawk if it went straight into a brake run after swooping over the water but the rest is trash, or makes me feel like I am. Could be great for a laugh with friends.)

[tndank]

Fury line shut down at 630 for 845 fireworks.  Awesome on a holiday weekend.

[JJLehto]

2 hours ago, tndank said:

Fury line shut down at 630 for 845 fireworks.  Awesome on a holiday weekend.

Ouch

 

[tndank]

11 minutes ago, JJLehto said:

Ouch

 

Just glad I found out around 6 and just spent the next hour and half lapping it with FL until they closed it. Thankfully, they left FL open til about 730. 

After closing the normal line at 630 they had to keep reopening and closing the line for 5 or 10 a few times to keep it running until 730. 

[PKI Jizzman]

Brutal and a bummer. Night time Fury is stellar. 

[CoasterGuy06]

"What more can we do to piss off our guests today?"

-Cedar Fair, probably

[JJLehto]

1 hour ago, tndank said:

Just glad I found out around 6 and just spent the next hour and half lapping it with FL until they closed it. Thankfully, they left FL open til about 730. 

After closing the normal line at 630 they had to keep reopening and closing the line for 5 or 10 a few times to keep it running until 730. 

Oh good. 

Reminds me of my visit to KI, hopped on line for Beast and it closed down for the fireworks show, which sure I get it, but it stayed for a loooooong time. Well past the end of show. Not sure if common or not, but yeah..finally opened it back up and told us who were on line "this is it" so we got 1 ride and that was it. These things happen but still is a bummer! But yeah nice, that's a helluva marathon for Fury (cool face)

[dabrian]

If CF completely stopped fireworks outside of July 4th would anybody care?  

[KIEnthusiast]

6 minutes ago, dabrian said:

If CF completely stopped fireworks outside of July 4th would anybody care?  

yes

King’s Island

daily fireworks since

1972!!!!!!!

[CP_RULES]

3 hours ago, KIEnthusiast said:

yes

King’s Island

daily fireworks since

1972!!!!!!!

Sounds expensive for the park (and chain). Is the show any good? Nostalgic (aka an old tradition) does not mean good or worth it. 

3 hours ago, dabrian said:

If CF completely stopped fireworks outside of July 4th would anybody care?  

Not me. I wouldn't care.

[CoasterGuy06]

The first time I saw the fireworks at KI it was on (I think) a Tuesday night in August 2011, and my friends and I were all like "That's it? Maybe just save the money and do good shows Friday-Sunday."

 

Closing rides for fireworks is understandable, but when you've been closing your lines at closing for years/decades and you suddenly start closing them early, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

[KIEnthusiast]

41 minutes ago, CoasterGuy06 said:

The first time I saw the fireworks at KI it was on (I think) a Tuesday night in August 2011, and my friends and I were all like "That's it? Maybe just save the money and do good shows Friday-Sunday."

 

Closing rides for fireworks is understandable, but when you've been closing your lines at closing for years/decades and you suddenly start closing them early, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Fireworks and

early closings

since

1972

[Nrthwnd]

^ You're just posting it that way,

because you like to to do it that way.

'Nuff said.    KIE-ku.

[disownedpear]

Do the ops here have a problem with snapping on the flyers? The KD ones sure did ha. 

[CoasterGuy06]

1 hour ago, KIEnthusiast said:

Fireworks and

early closings

since

1972

I've been to KI when they had 10PM fireworks like 6 times and they never closed the lines early. I always timed my rides on other coasters so I could get in line for The Beast at like 9:50. The ride is usually already shut down for the show, but they allowed people to get in line right up until 10. About 15-20 minutes after the show ends they would usually get the all clear to re-open and they would cycle everyone in line through for the last ride of the night.

 

Actually one of those nights they actually got a call that they could NOT reopen for some reason and instead they told us the park had kept Diamondback running so we could get one last ride on it.