- March 1st, 2010, 3:05 pm
#38250
Hey guys what are your favorite themed sections of the park? Least favorite? What sections would you like to see re themed?
My very wimpy track record.
Favorite would have to go to Carolina Boardwalk. The combination of the buildings, rides, shops, and plants in that area really place you in a Beach atmosphere. Nick was awesome but with Nick now being taken out, I can't say if Snoopy is going to out do it or not. I am sure though, that Planet Snoopy is going to be awesome. Boomerang Bay (which I now find funny being called this since it is directly across from a Boomerang type roller coaster HAHAHA) has some good themeing to it. Although the themeing can be quickly over looked on a hot, muggy day or a super busy day as well.
My least favorite THEMED sections would be Carolina Showcase, Thrill Zone, and Carolina RFD. All three sections of the park need some major attention and re-themeing.
Carolina Showcase, which if I understand the name correctly, is suppose to showcase the natural beauty of the Carolinas....along with the shows that go on in the Carowinds Theater. However, this area of the park just seems dry, and if it were not for the trees, shaded tunnel, and the two rides it hosts, this area would be completely overlooked and almost never traveled.
Thrill Zone. This area is quite possibly the most viewed piece of the park as a serious "WTF!??". First of all, the music played in that area is from the 50's/60's era. Yet the rides and shops are supposed to attract to the EXTREME TEEN crowd. Now see that would be ok if that were part of the theme....ITS NOT! Yet the rides and shops are supposed to attract to the EXTREME TEEN crowd: the daredevil inside of all of us. But the whole area is a complete dud. Yes, Hurler was extreme (when it first came out) but now is viewed as nothing more than a grumpy, cranky, and hurtful veteran. Skyflyers, yes is extreme, and even Drop Tower, for some, is extreme, but Screamweaver is now also a never-busy veteran. Move Screamweaver beside Carolina Cobra in Carolina RFD and make room for a new extreme flat ride say something like MaxAir or Skyhawk. Something that will draw the crowds back into that area since it is becoming less traveled. And as far as Hurler goes, I hate to say it but, if the park won't expand behind it then chop it and stick a better, more efficient, more reliable woodie there that will be able to withstand the test of time and still be very popular, much like Thunderhead. And for heaven's sake, CHANGE THE MUSIC!!!!!!!! its not like I don't like the doo-whop age but COME ON fit the music to the theme, fit it to your audience that you are trying to attract to. If you wanna market to teens play some hits of the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's, and if it it is supposed to be a THRILL ZONE or EXTREME THRILL ZONE play some techno to get everyone pumped up.
Carolina RFD. I think everyone will agree when I say this whole part of the park, since it stretches almost through the entire park, is just dry. According to the Interactive Park Map on the new Carowinds.com site, this area stretches from Afterburn, to Carolina Cobra. First of all, I know I don't and I am pretty sure not many people know what RFD is supposed to stand for. Renaming it to something simple would seriously help convey a particular theme. Not only that, the park needs to seriously consider where they are to place themeing agents. Take for example the area in front of White Water. The structures and games place you in kinda an old hometown type of setting, which is awesome. But once you pass, Wings Cafe, the theme just kind of dies. The same thing happens after passing the Country Kitchen restaurant heading towards Afterburn. And while I am looking at the map, I think Country Kitchen and Wings Cafe need to switch names. This would help keep names to a somewhat logistical sake. Wings Cafe, being about planes, needs to be near a ride about a plane. Country Kitchen needs to be near a country hometown would be. The area is ok but just needs a touch up to bring it up to par, and also the use of 1 or 2 flats would be nice. Especially, if you could put Sreamweaver exactly ride beside Carolina Cobra.
Anyways thats what I think...I am sorry I didn't mean to get on my soapbox.
