[bgwfreak]

Ok, so I was rereading the thread I started about SonFest and started to think about the most crowded day I could remember at Carowinds.

I'll list mine, tell us about yours.

The busiest day I can ever remember was somewhere around 1995 for Christian Music Day.

The headliner was <a href='http://www.carman.org/' target='_blank'>Carman</a>. If you are not familiar with him, he is basically the Christian music version of Tom Jones. He's very high-tech almost Vegas type show.

The Paladium was sold out.

Well I got there for the show and they had shut down admission into the park. They were turning people away at the place you pay to park! Luckily I had already been there that day and so they let me in because I had a ticket to the Paladium.

Parking was insane. There were cars all over the grass area, even parked over in the mall because they couldn't get in the park.

Traffic backed up all the way onto I-77 and could be seen backed up down I-77 for 1/4 mile!

Lines for food were like 30-45 minutes. Don't even talk about rides, at least an hour for everything. It was just insane.

Needless to say I didn't do much but go to the concert.

That's probably the last time I can remember the Paladium completly full including the uncovered area.

It was one wild night. (As Bon Jovi would say).

Ok now. Ken I know you have to have a story about opening day for Thunder Road.

[swampfox43]

I'll go waaay back for this one. It was 1977 and the Doobie Brothers were playing the Paladium. What was really cool was that we saw some of the band members in the same train with us on White Lightnin' hours before the concert started.

I remember cresting the hill of Thunder Road and seeing the entire parking area by the turnaround, completely full! The park was busting at the seams, parking was non-existant, even the nearby hotels were sold out.

That moment really sticks in my mind.

[TheFluffyGun]

I do recall during the Christian Concerts there were soo many people in the park While working in Admissions there had been a couple instances that they could not allow any more people into the park. I believe the attendance was 35- 40,000 plus. There have been times when there was a concert going on we would park people in grassy areas. Bad move on upper managements part because It stormed later on and car were stuck in the grassy area.

[MarkD]

My day was 2 years ago, on a Friday, when I met my Son and his senior class from Narrows, Va. I thought being a Friday it would not be that bad but I think it was senior day for the World. I got there early, as a good pass holder would, and enjoyed what I could until 10:30 when they showed up. By then the park was already way too crowded for me but I stuck it out for him. Well, the first thing we rode was Borg, as no one other than me has ridden it. 2 hours later we finally got on and rode it. After that ride everyone was hungry so we headed to The Country Kitchen and ate. Well, after lunch we walked around, looked at the lines and I said Good-Bye to everyone. I called my Son later that night and he said they did not ride anything else because the lines were just way too long. They played games and won prizes. I can't imagine being in the park from 10:30 am until 7pm and only ride one thing, and my Son loves riding as much as I do. On my way out, the grassy area between parking and the road was bumper to bumper buses and Thunder roads area was full also. NEVER AGAIN!! lol

Now, although this is not the busiest day, it is the longest line I have ever seen getting into Carowinds. It was the Clay Ache-my-heart concert. I can't remember why I was going to the park that late, maybe it was a Scarowinds night, but the car line was from the ticket booths all the way back to the I-485 exchange. I remember laughing at all the people in their cars because they were all single file. I just went into the left lane, passed them all, and was parking within 10 minutes. I know there were people in their cars for at least an hour to get in.

[bgwfreak]

I'll go waaay back for this one. It was 1977 and the Doobie Brothers were playing the Paladium. What was really cool was that we saw some of the band members in the same train with us on White Lightnin' hours before the concert started.

I remember cresting the hill of Thunder Road and seeing the entire parking area by the turnaround, completely full! The park was busting at the seams, parking was non-existant, even the nearby hotels were sold out.

That moment really sticks in my mind.

Wow. I didn't know the Doobies "did" Carowinds.

Of course I was 5 then, so it's not surprising I don't remember it.

I remember the days that Little Foot or whatever they were called were there about every summer.

[chargercrazy]

Are you talking about Little Feat?

I wish I was alive in the 70s. The music today just seems to be lacking. I was born a generation too late.