[KenB]

WBTV had a story about the July 4th crowds at Carowinds and the resultant traffic jam after the fireworks. I heard a bit about this after leaving the park today and eating at the KFC - some of the workers were talking about how long it took them to get home due to the traffic jam. I've been to Carowinds fireworks before, and it took a while to get out of there, but it sounds like this was much worse. Or it's media hype, who can tell?

The thing I'm wondering about - the story says there were estimated to be 40,000 to 60,000 people at the park. Even accounting for people that visited earlier and left before the fireworks, those numbers sound pretty high for Carowinds. Is it even possible for them to accommodate 60,000 people? I hate to imagine the ride lines if that's anywhere near accurate.

I guess now we know why they repainted the T-Road parking lot...

[Blue Moon]

I was back in the park to get a few laps on Intimidator during the fireworks. I finally got home at about 12:30am. I live only 15 minutes away. Crowds were fine until Boomerang Bay closed. Intimidator had around a 45 minute wait.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I'm pretty sure the capacity at the park is around 50K, but I could be a little off on that.

All I know is, I got out of there after work at about 11:40 last night and it still took me about 20 minutes to get from the state line next to Thunder Road to I-77.

[TrojanCamMan]

I was watching the webcam periodically last night and happened to take a screen shot at 11:30, an hour and a half after the closing of Carowinds.



At about 12 the lights in the park were beginning to start to turn off.
At 12:30 the entire parking lot was empty minus a few stray cars.

I also took video of the webcam from about 9:55 to 10:20. You can see a few flashes from the fireworks. Quick question! Where were the actual fireworks shot from?

[Skycoastin Steve]

Pretty sure the fireworks were shot from the access road between the season pass lot and Hurler, or at least somewhere over in that general vicinity.

[derek_lentz]

They actually set up the fireworks in the season passholders parking lot. That parking lot was closed for the day.

[RollerBee]

I worked at Carowinds for July 4th back in 2006 and was stuck in the Carowinds employee parking lot until after midnight, and did not get home until around 2am. Carowinds traffic after fireworks is hell on earth, and that is being nice. I advise against staying for the fireworks, Drop Zone had a 30 minute wait at 10PM, and on a normal night, by 10PM, DZ was closed. Carowinds capacity is around 60,000 and to my knowledge has only been hit twice. The last two days of 2005(regular season). That was when season passers got a bunch of free tickets for friends.

[TrojanCamMan]

You would think that they would shoot them from behind the skytower, kinda like Disney would do with their castles. Would make for some really cool pictures with coasters in the background if you are standing in the Carowinds plaza.

[Wormy]

Arriving at 8PM, the entire Plaza Fiesta parking lot was already packed. The hill to the left was packed. South Gate parking was packed. The ride lines were packed. The lines to the GAMES were packed. Ordering the Outer Hanks special at 8:30, packed. Intimidator, packed, but the crew moved people quicker than Coney Island hot dogs at noon.

Having the sense to beat the traffic and leave when the works started at 10, the hill across from South Gate was packed, and the exit, already packed. Even the I-77 shoulder was packed, slowing northbound traffic in the right lane to a crawl, from which I was able to see most of the show.

So yeah, on the fourth, it's packed.

[Edwardo]

Wish I'd have known you were there Doug, I got there just before 8 too.

The park was packed, most of the grassy parking areas were full. Tons of people sitting outside the park and over at Plaza Fiesta to watch the fireworks. There were lines for everything, even food. I rode Intimidator once (Single rider line, only waited about 25 minutes, surprisingly) and the silver side of Thunder Road (Man it was sucking) with no wait.

Got an Intimidator Dog at one point because I was hungry, but mostly walked around shooting pix and video.

I got to my car at the south gate about 5 minutes after the fireworks stopped at 10:30. I got on I-77 around 11:30. Traffic was terrible but I knew it would be going in.

[RiDeWaRrIoR]

This is why I avoid that area on the 4th.... Its been a long while since I was out that way, one year I went just to the firework store across the street and we were stuck there for like 3 hours...

[intimidator rider]

WBTV had a story about the July 4th crowds at Carowinds and the resultant traffic jam after the fireworks. I heard a bit about this after leaving the park today and eating at the KFC - some of the workers were talking about how long it took them to get home due to the traffic jam. I've been to Carowinds fireworks before, and it took a while to get out of there, but it sounds like this was much worse. Or it's media hype, who can tell?

The thing I'm wondering about - the story says there were estimated to be 40,000 to 60,000 people at the park. Even accounting for people that visited earlier and left before the fireworks, those numbers sound pretty high for Carowinds. Is it even possible for them to accommodate 60,000 people? I hate to imagine the ride lines if that's anywhere near accurate.

I guess now we know why they repainted the T-Road parking lot...

it was bad i was there july 4th we leaft the park at about 1045 or so and we dindnt get out of the parking lot intil about 130 or later it was packed