Carowinds

Carowinds
Location	Charlotte, North Carolina & Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States
Coordinates	35.104339°N 80.93968°W / 35.104339; -80.93968
Website	Official website
Owner	Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
General Manager	Bart Kinzel
Opened	March 31, 1973
Previous names	Paramount's Carowinds (1993 - 2006)
Operating season	March - October
Area	398 acres (1.61 km2)
Rides	64 total 13 roller coasters 2 water rides
Slogan	Ride On! The Thrill Capital of the Southeast The Fun & Only

Carowinds is a 398-acre (161 ha) amusement park, located adjacent to Interstate 77 on the state line between North and South Carolina, in Charlotte and Fort Mill, respectively. The park opened on March 31, 1973, at a cost of $70 million. This was the result of a four-year planning period spearheaded by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall, who was inspired to build the park by a 1956 trip to Disneyland and a dream of bringing the two states closer together. It is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company.

History

The original Carowinds logo, used from 1973 - 1992.

Carowinds logo used from 2003-2006

The Carowinds theme park was originally envisioned as a component of a large resort-type area that would have included hotels, a shopping center, a golf course, and a pro football stadium. However, as was true for many other theme parks across the country, attendance at Carowinds was severely diminished by the 1973 oil crisis, and the plans for the resort that would have surrounded the park were abandoned. Hall and the other stockholders of the Carowinds Corporation continued to operate the theme park through 1974, though sagging attendance and mounting debt forced the company to sell out to Taft Broadcasting in early 1975.

The park was purchased by Paramount Communications in 1993 and joined the Paramount Parks family, after ownership bounced from Taft Broadcast Company to Family Leisure Centers (a joint between Taft and Top Value Enterprises), to Kings Entertainment Company, which was the last owner prior to the acquisition by Paramount. The park was renamed Paramount's Carowinds in 1993. Viacom then purchased Paramount in 1994

The name "Carowinds" was derived from the park's original theme. Since the park was built around the history and culture of the Carolinas, the name is a portmanteau of "Carolina" and "winds", representing the winds that have blown across the two states. As the park changed ownership over the years, most of the Carolina themes and cultural attractions were dropped in favor of more generic television and movie themes.

Carowinds opens in late March each year and closes in early November, after the park's Halloween event, "Scarowinds". In 2005, a portion of the park reopened during December for the Winterfest Christmas festival. However, the park did not repeat the event in 2006, citing poor attendance. A similar decision was made regarding Kings Island's Winterfest.

Sale to Cedar Fair

On January 27, 2006, the Dayton Daily News reported that CBS Corporation (which split from Viacom at the end of 2005) would be selling Paramount's Carowinds and other parks in its Paramount Parks division.

On June 30, 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company acquired Paramount Parks, including Carowinds.

Although Cedar Fair continued to use the Paramount's Carowinds name through the remainder of the 2006 season, it began to phase out the Paramount name in press releases, the park website, and in the park. In January 2007, a brand new logo, featuring the Cedar Fair icon, but lacking the "Paramount" name, was revealed on the park website. The new logo featured the trademark Cedar Fair flags, flying on the letter "I" on the Carowinds name. The other four Paramount-branded parks that Cedar Fair acquired all received similar changes. The "Paramount" name was dropped from all of the parks after the 2006 season.

Current areas and attractions

The rides at Carowinds are based loosely around eight themed areas.

Ride Rating System
Rating	Thrill	Description
1	Low	Rides that are generally calm and gentle in nature
2	Mild	Rides that generally have low speeds with gentle motion and braking. Rides have smooth transitions with some changes in elevation and speed.
3	Moderate	Rides that generally have low to medium speeds and/or heights with moderate motion and braking. Riders may encounter unexpected changes in direction and/or speed during portions of the ride.
4	High	Rides that generally have medium to high speeds and/or heights with moderate to rapid braking. Riders may encounter unexpected changes in speed, direction and/or elevation.
5	Aggressive	Rides that generally have one or more of the following: high speeds and/or heights, aggressive and unexpected forces, and rapid directional or elevation change. Riders will encounter many unexpected rapid changes in speed, direction and/or elevation.

Carowinds Plaza

Ride	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Carolina Skytower	1973	Intamin	A 262-foot (80 m) tall Gyro tower that gives guests a view of Carowinds and Charlotte. It was originally sponsored by and branded as the Eastern Airlines Skytower.	2
Intimidator	2010	Bolliger & Mabillard	A steel hyper roller coaster. It is inspired by the famous stock car racing driver Dale Earnhardt, Intimidator is the Southeast's longest, tallest and fastest roller coaster. It is 232 feet (71 m) tall and goes up to 80 mph (130 km/h).	5
Nighthawk	2004	Vekoma	A Vekoma Flying Dutchman coaster. Thecoaster operated as Stealth at California's Great America before being installed at Carowinds. When moved to Carowinds, it was known as Borg Assimilator and was themed after the Borg character from the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation. The theming was removed when Cedar Fair acquired the park, and the ride was re-named Nighthawk.	5
Rip Roarin' Rapids	1982	Kings Island Entertainment Company	A river rafting water ride.	3

Carolina RFD

Ride	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Boo Blasters on Boo Hill		Sally Corporation	An interactive dark ride where guests shoot targets. Originally, the building was a theater and variety shows were shown inside.	2
Carolina Cobra	2009	Vekoma	A standard Boomerang roller coaster, relocated from Geauga Lake. Riders are pulled up the lift hill backwards and then released down the hill forwards and go through a cobra roll and a vertical loop before then go up another hill, repeating the ride in reverse.	5
WhiteWater Falls	1988	Hopkins Rides	A shoot-the-chutes water ride.	4
WindSeeker	2012	Mondial	A 301 feet (92 m) tower swinger ride that spins to music and a light show. It is the largest ride ever built at Carowinds.	4

Carolina Boardwalk

Opened as Carolina Crossroads

Ride	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Carolina Cyclone	1980	Arrow Dynamics	A steel roller coaster featuring two vertical loops and two corkscrews. It was the first roller coaster to feature four inversions.	5
Carolina Goldrusher	1973	Arrow Dynamics	A steel roller coaster. It was the first roller coaster at Carowinds and is only one of three original rides still operating.	4
Ricochet	2002	Mack Rides	A steel wild mouse roller coaster.	4

Carolina Showplace

Ride	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
The Scrambler		Eli Bridge	A classic Scrambler ride. It was originally named Kaleidoscope.	3
Vortex	1992	Bolliger & Mabillard	A steel stand-up roller coaster. It was the South's first stand up roller coaster.	5

County Fair

Added to the park in 1979

Ride	Year Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Action Theater	1994	Iwerks Entertainment, Inc	A 3-D motion simulator theater which currently houses SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D.	4
Afterburn	1999	Bolliger & Mabillard	An inverted roller coaster. Formerly named Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (1999-2007).	5
Dodg’ems		Majestic Rides	A classic bumper cars attraction.	3
Southern Star	1986	Intamin	A Looping Starship thrill ride. Formerly known as Frenzoid.	4
Thunder Road	1976	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters	A wooden racing roller coaster. It is notable as being the first coaster to cross state lines.	4
Yo Yo	2008	Chance Morgan	A yo-yo swing ride. It currently occupies the spot where Whirling Dervish, the park's original Wave Swinger was located. It was relocated from Geauga Lake.

Thrill Zone

Opened in 1994 as Wayne's World

Ride	Year Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Drop Tower: Scream Zone	1996	Intamin	A Drop Tower ride with a height of 160 feet (49 m) and a drop of 100 ft (30 m). It was originally named Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (1996-2007).	4
Grand Prix Raceway	2006	R.E. Enterprises	A Go Karts attractions. It requires an extra fee.	4
Hurler	1994	International Coasters, Inc	A wooden out and back roller coaster.	4
Scream Weaver	1975	Anton Schwarzkopf	A Schwarzkopf Enterprise ride.	4
Xtreme Skyflyer	1995	Sky Fun	A Skycoaster upcharge attraction.	5

Planet Snoopy

Planet Snoopy is an area designed for children. It replaced Nickelodeon Central.

Ride	Description	Thrill level
Character Carousel	An antique carousel. The only attraction in Planet Snoopy that is not themed towards the Peanuts.	1
Charlie Brown's Wind Up	A miniature swing ride.	1
Flying Ace Aerial Chase	A Vekoma suspended family coaster. Formerly called Rugrats Runaway Reptar.	2
Flying Ace Balloon Race	A flying balloon ride	2
Joe Cool's Driving School	Kids cruise in electric ' 50s' style Cadillacs and Corvettes on a 1,200-foot (370 m) track.	2
Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie	A big city chase through Lucy's neighborhood ensues on this miniature, 15-foot-high (4.6 m) roller coaster with cars resembling taxi cabs. Formerly Hey Arnold's Taxi Chase.	2
Peanuts Pirates	A rotating pirate ship ride themed to The Peanuts relocated from sister park Canada's Wonderland where it was once known as The Great Whale of China.	3
Snoopy vs. Red Baron	A small plane ride themed to Snoopy.	2
GR8 SK8	A swinging ride that falls at 33 feet per second (10 m/s)	4
Snoopy's Junction	A miniature train ride.	1
Snoopy's Space Race	A small flying jet ride.	2
Snoopy's Yacht Club	A mini speed boat ride relocated from sister park Canada's Wonderland where it was known as Bedrock Dock.	1
Woodstock Express	A family wooden roller coaster. Formerly Fairly Odd Coaster and Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster"	4
Woodstock Gliders	A Flying Scooters ride themed to Woodstock. First resided at Cincinnati's Coney Island Park in 1935. In 1972, debuted as Flying Eagles at sister park Kings Island with the park's opening. Moved to Carowinds in 2005.	3
Woodstock's Whirlybirds	A mini monorail with helicopter cars themed to Woodstock.	2

Boomerang Bay

Boomerang Bay is a water park with an Australian theme.

• Jackaroo Landing: A water play area.
• Great Barrier Reef: A wave pool.
• Bondi Beach: A second wave pool.
• Kangaroo Lagoon: A water play area.
• Wallaby Wharf: A water play area.
• Crocodile Run: A lazy river.
• Sydney Sidewinder: Two twisting water slides.
• Down Under Thunder: A mammoth water slide.
• Awesome Aussie Twisters: Two dark water slides.
• Pipeline Peak - Body Slides (Ripsnort Ridge & Screamin' Wombat): Two dark body slides.
• Pipeline Peak - Tube Slides (Bondi Pipeline & Tasmanian Typhoon): Two dark tube slides.
• Kookaburra Bay: A pool.
• Platypus Plunge: Two kiddie water slides.

Scarowinds

In 2000, the park introduced Scarowinds; an annual Halloween attraction. Scarowinds is presented on select nights in September and October when the facility is transformed into a haunted theme park. The experience includes numerous haunted attractions and incorporates most of the existing park rides into a nightmarish experience.

Mazes

• Defex
• Camp Killauee
• Corn Stalkers
• Dead Inn
• Last Laff 3-D
• Silver Scream Sinema
• FURY (a never before seen maze at any Cedar Fair park)
• The Asylum

Scare Zones

• Feeding Frenzy
• The Cemetery
• The Playground

Live Shows

• Eternal Jamnation
• Creatures of the Night

Carowinds Festival of Music

The annual Carowinds Festival of Music allows music students to play and receive comments and ratings from nationally-recognized adjudicators. Bands, choirs, show choirs, and orchestras can all play for ratings. Plaques and ribbons are awarded for ratings of superior and excellent.

Timeline

Southern Star, originally added in 1986

Hurler, added in 1994

See also: List of closed rides and attractions

• 2012: WindSeeker, a 301-foot-tall (92 m) thrill ride
• 2011: Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular, a million-dollar nighttime walk-through light and sound experience featuring the Peanuts characters.Snoopy's starlight spectacular utilizes light,sound,and motion to create a full sensory experience. Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular runs from May 28 to September 4 in the County Fair and the Planet Snoopy sections of the park. Carowinds will stay open till 10pm every night June 27 to August 7. "Nights of Fire", nightly fireworks show will play July 1 to September 4 at Carowinds Plaza at 10:00 pm. Vortex receives a new red track and grey support paint scheme. Ricochet receives a touch up paint job. Work continues on Thunder Road and Hurler's rehab and work continues on replacing pavement with brick pavers to help reduce heat flow from walkways. Carowinds also expanded the park by 61 acres (250,000 m²).
• 2010: Intimidator: A 232-foot-tall (71 m), 5,316-foot-long (1,620 m) Bolliger and Mabillard hyper coaster. Nickelodeon Central becomes Planet Snoopy. Carolina Cyclone is repainted blue, yellow and orange.Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion becomes Boo Blasters On Boo Hill, with new special effects; all connections to Scooby Doo have been removed. Carowinds rebuilds more sections of Thunder Road. Carowinds starts replacing pavement with brick pavers to help reduce heat flow from walkways.
• 2009: Carolina Cobra, a Boomerang roller coaster featuring new trains from Vekoma, opens in the former location of the Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator. Carowinds rebuilds more sections of Thunder Road. Nighthawk was repainted with yellow track and navy blue supports. Hurler receives some re-tracking. Scarowinds returns for its tenth year. Wild Thornberrys log flume removed for a new attraction. Dora the Explorer Azul's Adventure's track is also modified.
• 2008: A second wave pool named Bondi Beach added along with cabanas in Boomerang Bay. This added 20 acres (81,000 m²) to the park making it 112 acres (0.45 km²). Geauga Lake's Yo Yo swing ride was also added in the County Fair section. Flying Super Saturator only operates on the Boomerang Bay operating calendar. Thunder Road now runs both sides going forwards again. The Flying Super Saturator is removed from the park in August.
• 2007: Frenzoid was put back in as Southern Star in County Fair section. The price for a single day ticket dropped for the first time ever. Carolina Skytower was repainted to look like an American flag.
• 2006: Frenzoid was removed. WaterWorks was rethemed and renamed to Boomerang Bay and converting the old Frenzoid lake into a heated lagoon. Thunder Raceway Go-Carts was built in the Thrill Zone. Paramount Parks is sold to the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company for 1.24 billion dollars. This puts Carowinds under the Cedar Fair family of parks.
• 2005: Nickelodeon Central expands into Animation Station, featuring Phantom Flyers (relocated from Kings Island as Flying Eagles), Flying Dutchman's Revenge, Little Bill's Cruisers, Dora the Explorer Azul's Adventure (Formerly Yogi's Jellystone Tour) and Frenzoid removal begins in September.
• 2004: BORG Assimilator (later renamed Nighthawk) Flying coaster added.
• 2003: Nickelodeon Central, featuring Rugrats Runaway Reptar (New Vekoma Jr. SLC), Wild Thornberrys River Adventure (Formerly Powder Keg Flume), and Rocket Power Air Time (Formerly Gauntlet); Carolina Sternwheeler (Original Ride) riverboat removed.
• 2002: Ricochet and rethemeing of Carolina Crossroads area to Carolina Boardwalk.
• 2001: SCOOBY-DOO's Haunted Mansion; WaterWorks expansion; Whirling Dervish (swing ride) removed
• 2000: Scarowinds (Later renamed Scarowinds' Halloween Haunt) Halloween Event; Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator (steel coaster)
• 1999: Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (Later renamed Afterburn) was added in the County Fair section of Carowinds.
• 1998: Taxi Jam (Later renamed Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie), TV Road Trip, and Chopper Chase (Later renamed Lazy Town Sport-o-Copters).
• 1997: WaterWorks water park
• 1996: Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (later renamed Drop Tower: Scream Zone) was added in the Wayne's World (later renamed Thrill Zone) section of Carowinds.
• 1995: Xtreme Skyflyer was added in the Wayne's World (later renamed Thrill Zone) section of Carowinds.
• 1994: Wayne's World (later renamed Thrill Zone) section with Hurler and Carowinds Monorail removed.
• 1993: Action Theater was added in the County Fair section of Carowinds. Paramount Communications buys Carowinds, King's Dominion, King's Island, Great America, and Canada's Wonderland
• 1992: Vortex was added in the Carolina Showplace section of Carowinds.
• 1991: Expansion of Paladium; Speedway Cars removed.
• 1990: Gauntlet (shooting star, later renamed Rocket Power Air Time).
• 1989: Riptide Reef water park; Expansion of Paladium.
• 1988: WhiteWater Falls; White Lightnin' coaster removed; Black Widow (thrill ride) removed.
• 1987: Expansion of Hanna-Barbera Land with three new rides; Old Jalopies antique car ride removed; Oaken Bucket removed.
• 1986: Frenzoid, a looping Viking ship was added.
• 1985: Blackbeard's Revenge (mystery house).
• 1984: Smurf Island (themed area).
• 1983: Cable Skyway removed.
• 1982: Rip Roarin' Rapids; Ocean Island (water park).
• 1980: Carolina Cyclone was added in Frontier Outpost.
• 1979: County Fair area added. Meteorite (enterprise); PT Bumpem's Auto Stunt & Thrill Show (bumper cars); Whirling Dervish (wave swinger); Wild Bull (Bayern Kurve); Carousel.
• 1977: White Lightnin' (Schwarzkopf shuttle loop coaster) in Pirate Island (entrance in Country Crossroads); Whirling Well renamed Oaken Bucket and moved to east midway.
• 1976: Thunder Road; Carowinds and Carolina Railroad removed.
• 1975: Paladium Amphitheatre; Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera (themed area) featuring Scooby Doo coaster; Surfer (Tagada); Wagon Wheel (Chance Trabant); Waltzer (Schwarzkopf spinning ride).
• 1974: Country Kitchen is added; Whirling Well (Chance Rotor); picnic areas open. The Double-Decker Carousel is removed from the park at the end of the season and placed in storage.
• 1973: Carowinds opens on March 31; the Monorail is still under construction and opens later. Original theme areas: Plantantion Square, Contemporary Carolina, Frontier Outpost, Pirate Island, Indian Thicket, Country Crossroads and Queens Colony.

External links

• Carowinds Official Site
• Festival of Music Official Site