Share thoughts, photos, and reviews from visits to Carowinds or any other amusement park
By dukefanswimmer89
#15411
It was an awesome day...

I went with Cephas and a bunch of pretty much 'inactive' friends on this board (indiangangsta, panthers/dukefan, and no longer inactive 'ted')

Got to the park around 4:00 to get our 2006 passes made, i never realized it was that easy and quick.... then headed off to the flyers, where we think we saw rollernut (he actually showed up! :o - i know....)

Lines were long.... so we did Flyers a couple times (i think 2-3) and then headed upto TG.. once again, pretty long lines, out of the station and down half the stairs.. but we still rode it but didn't stop to talk to chris or bayard, except two other TG crew remembered us from a previous visit like a month ago (it was all ted's high pitch 'screams..' so i guess they noticed us but we didn't stop to say hi, we wanted another flyer ride before 'carowinds' closing....

We walked to wendy's and waited a Borg-length line for dinner, before heading back to buy our SCarowinds tickets and enter the park...


My first thought was .. wow. It was my first SCarowinds visit and i was very impressed by the effect of the entrance to the park. There was plenty of fog, and the theming was incredible. kudos to carowinds for such a great job. The characters were already jumping out at screaming girls, and the music, fog, and theming, and darkness really gave the park an eerie, very cool feeling...

We started heading up the pathway towards Nick Central, walking by Headless Hollow and Massacre Manor (we wanted to save these for later...) Ted was scaring people on his own, and ran off (i had his pass and cell phone, so we figured we'd never find him...) but we continued upto Top Gun, and rode it (no screaming this time, b/c ted wasn't there... and he's the best of all of us..).. After an amazing back row ride, we walked over the Alcatraz Escape. It wasn't too bad, I thought that it could've been a lot more scary if they had had 'scharacters' at the first strobe light, where it's almost impossible to see... Otherwise I 'jumped' once or twice, before we left and headed up country fair. The best midway character of all scared us all while we were talking on the phone (a subtle looking creature jumping out at you with a chainsaw...) We met Ted who was running around with newly purchased 'devil horns' and was scaring park guests, I think in the night he got a combined 6 or 7 park employees encouraging to apply for a job...

We started heading off towards the Borg area, thinking we could use the Borg pathway, but it was roped off! This was the second area I think SCarowinds could improve, opening the Borg pathway would make a nice dark scaring area, and would make flow of the park so much easier! So we walked around Nick Central towards that overgrown tunnel towards Vortex. This was great! The fog and the people lurking around the benches surprised many (although none jumped out at us...) The Old World Marketplace (or at least that's what it used to be, don't know what it is now) near Vortex was themed incredibly. People were jumping over bushes and I was impressed. Vortex was building up a steady line, so we skipped blacking out on its loop and headed instead through Slaughter Street. Its theming and atmosphere was incredible... but the only thought was, where were the employees. The best themed area in the park, and no characters to scare you?? the third area of improvement (there weren't many, i was thoroughly impressed overall...)

Hurler was running magnificently, airtime full... Cephas got a two click ride and i got front row with the usual 3-4 inches the restraint gives me, and it was amazing!! Not quite like the 9:45 ride at C3, but Hurler goes nuts at night.... Drop Zone had a steady line, so we waited for Cyclone (when Cephas lost his phone, ted had already lost his phone AND pass that night, but all got them back...) Cephas met Ted and they went to pick up his phone, while the rest of us queued up for the back car of Cyclone... which was only running one train, so the wait was like 10 minutes. Cyclone gave the usual ejector over the first drop, so we decided to try Alien Crypt 3d (i think that's what its called...) and it was awesome! The line through the pitch black tunnel was very awesome, and the maze itself was my second favorite! The characters blended in very well with the walls, and as Coasterchris said, keep the 3d glasses on!!!

We met up with Cephas/Ted and headed back through the tunnel and into Paramount Plaza, keen to get on rides of Headless Hollow and Massacre Manor. Headless Hollow had a semi-long line, that moved REALLY quickly. This was an awesome-themed maze, but we kept just missing the characters (who seemed more keen scaring the group of girls in front of, and behind of us).. but i was very
impressed and enjoyed some of the jumps they gave us... The exit was near the season pass gate, so we had to walk all the way around... and we began queuing for Massacre Manor... This was a LONG line... we waited about 35-40 minutes for it, but it was made bearable by Ted.... who was laying on the floor, pretending to be dead.. He did it twice, and scared a bunch of people by jumping up and screaming.. they thought he was a 'prop..' He then took to using his really scary smile to chase around some people we recognized from school, and then ran up and down the line, scaring people and making friends with the ride ops.... it was hilarious.... Massacre Manor was by far the best maze... We were paired with two terrified girls, which actually made us scared for the first time... those bugs freaked me out! lol... but I was extremely impressed with this maze.. those linen things hanging actually got fake blood on my brother, and the last guy chasing us all the way out of the maze was awesome... Definately the best maze of the day

Time wrapping up, (we had to leave at 11), we headed upto TG for one last ride.... We talked to Bayard for a few seconds before boarding the back row... Some idiot took off their seatbelt on the lift, so while someone was checking it, Chris stopped and talked to us for a few seconds... We 'screamed' all the way through the station (honestly makes TG so much more fun... i guess that video at C3 was right... lol) and topped off a great day...

Besides a few small improvements needed, I was extremely impressed with the amount of work that went into making SCarowinds. The transformation from 6-7 is incredible, and the park was well staffed and very clean. Although in the past I've heard things about problems with security, etc., gladly I witnessed none of that and had a lot of fun.... Good Job Carowinds for a great job, and you should hire Ted, he was better then any other employee I saw there!!!
By RollerBee
#15414
Yep, I was there. I didn't stay for SCarowinds but I was impressed with all the decorations.
By Ted
#15421
Well, this being my first SCarowinds adventure - I must say it was a blast. Even though dukefanswimmer basically has the facts down in stone - I'll give the night in my perspective... heh..

Of course, we've arrived at Carowinds at around four o'clock. I bought my season pass, and gained a sense of dignity. With the company of all that dukefanswimmer has mentioned, we advanced to the flyers and had a couple of great runs. We've also went to some coasters, and retreated to our Wendy's retreat during the time the park was closed. While dukefanswimmer and his friends went to Wendy's, I found out that I've lost my phone (apparently, I'm not the only idiot in our group that loses their phone...) and went back to retrieve it from a Ride-Op in the Flyers. Once I ran back to the North Gate to Guest Sevices, I got my phone, and ran back. Cardio rates probably spiked to 157. I get to Wendy's, have a brief snack - and we collectively walk to the South Gate. I then realize that I've misplaced my season pass (kids, don't do drugs...), and ran back to get it. I manage to finally catch up with the crowd, and we walk the remaining 200 feet to the North Gate - where we begin our beloved SCarowinds adventure.

It began with a small twist. Dukefanswimmer and his friends urged me to go scare a couple of people, and we went to Runaway Reptar to start our night. After that, I was urged yet again to go and scare a couple of GP's, which I've done. I handed dukefanswimmer my cell and my season pass - as my pants didn't have pockets. Needless to say, I got lost. I went to the Old World Marketplace, where I was found for a brief five minutes by the crowd (the crowd refers to the people dukefanswimmer has listed...) and seperated again. After at least fourty minutes of scaring rampage, I purchased the devil horns, and went my way. I saw the crowd, and we pledged to stay together. We went to the mazes, which dukefanswimmer elaborately explained in his post. It was a fun way to spend my night.

The rest of the night went in a pretty uniform manner, and I must say I've deeply enjoyed my first SCarowinds adventure. Departing from the park at around 11:58, I looked back at the red aura of the park - and sighed deeply. What a day, what a day...
By Cephas
#15422
^Ted, your my hero!

I agree with most of what lucas has said. The borg pathway needs to be open, to create a circular, and more accessible park, and so us lazy park guests can get places with less effort. My only real problem with scarowinds, is that...IT WASN'T SCARY! I got scared once the entire night-when one guy jumped out from behind a tree in headless hollow. Because of my fearlessness, I had to find amusement from other sources. B) In headless hollow, where you turn the corner of that shed, I hid and jumped out and scared some peeps on my own. It was hillarious, but everybody got really pissed at me-even though they were at scarowinds to be scared....

I vote myself as the best 'scarer' in headless hollow last night ( :P ), but I was nowhere near as good at ted...

To elaborate on ted...

When we were in line for massacre manor, the line was moving REALLY slowly, so we all sat down on the ground while we waited. Ted laid down and pretended to be dead. The line then began to move, so we all got up and moved foreward-all of us but ted. Ted laid on the ground in the middle of the line, and people started gathering around him saying "is he alright?" and stuff like that. Within 90 seconds there were about 50 people in a circle around him, including 2-3 employees. Ted seized the oppurtunity, jumped up, and screamed. Everybody in the circle around him freaked, it was hillarious. Best part of the night...by far. Ted repeated this activity 2 more times in that line, with similar results.

We also saw some peeps from our school, so ted began to follow this one guy around. The chase soon heated up, and ted was running around the quene area pursuing his 'victim'-with the victim screaming "GET AWAY...GET THE F**K AWAY!" It was awesome, we were all dying of laughter.

This one lady behind us got really pissed at ted...for good reason ( ;) ) ...she yelled at ted to stop...ted owned that redneck with his mad debate skillz.

After the manor (which was really dull btw...) we were walking over the covered bridge by reptar, when ted did his dead thing again. This time, about 100 people were gathered around him within 2 mins, including 2 security guards. Some girls walked on him and tried to steal his phone-the security guards stopped them, so ted kept his act up. Finally, when security was going to call for backup, ted jumped up and screamed. All 100 people jumped in fear and completely freaked out. Ted got a warning from security, but a janitor watching told him to apply for a job.

I only wish that I had brought my camcorder...

I also lost my phone on the hurler for the 2nd time this season... :ph34r: ...the hurler crew is really great about finding it, and getting it to lost and found...
By dukefanswimmer89
#15431
^ Ted was awesome....

but about 'it not being scary..' I disagree...

I think its the attitude and company you take into SCarowinds that defines whether it was scary or not. Your joking around and thinking above the 'scaring' had some to do with it, you being with people who do not scare easily (others screaming helps you get scared plus the scharacters go after people who are more likely to be scared) are more reasons why. Its not that SCarowinds isn't scary, its that your weren't capable of being scared at the time....

As Mr. Fisher always says, Attitude > Aptitude
By Cephas
#15434
Most of the scaracters just stood there and didn't jump out at you. That was so dull.