- June 28th, 2010, 1:47 am
#41217
headed in saturday night around 8pm to hit initimidator at night. lines were still pretty long, about 20 mins wait. they were using three trains, and had the single rider line open. line was about 1/2 full through the second maze thing under the canopies next to the coke machines. my second ride i went for the single rider line and it was VERY frustrating. the guy running the line as you enter the station, telling everyone to go in, fill everything up, go stand wherever you want....he wasn't paying attention to the odd numbers of groups, just motioning everyone to come in. the single rider line just sat there with about 30 people in it, and meanwhile there TONS of empty seats going out. from then on i just stayed in the regular line. Gotta say, though, riding intimidator at night, or riding anytime in the back row, is absolutely my favorite experience. what a blast. they were running 3 trains.
hit the flyers (now gliders) for some night flying, but i gotta say that at night it is a lot harder to know how high you're getting or when you're at the high point or low point to switch the sail. had fun doing a few rounds, but headed back to intimidator since i knew i'd be back for the day Sunday
sunday was really hot. my first time trying to take advantage of all the season pass benefits, trying to figure out how to "get into victory lane plaza 15 min early." basically EVERYONE got to victory lane plaza when they opened the main gates at 945, so i headed over and there was a guy checking for passes at the demo seat, and if you had one he let you go in about 9:55. they played the star spangled banner, then let everyone else in behind us, then they started running the two trains this time.
after the first ride in the back seat naturally (man that thing just PULLS you up and over hauling @$$ over the crest of the lift hill when you sit in the back...) i hit the flyers. was their first customer...did a few rounds on that, didn't have to get out. they started running the contest to get a "free" ride without getting out when the line got longer. won a few of those, and headed over to try and claim a spot for the "30 minutes early entry to the water park." very long line of people waiting to get in at 1025 am, and when they finally cracked the gate open about 18 inches next to the mini golf, people started moving. many of the folks in line had no idea you needed a pass to get in early.. they really ought to have a sign saying season pass only or something (they'd probably sell some more passes that way too). got a spot at the big wave pool in the back that i knew would have some shade later in the day, and then went back to intimidator and the flyers.
left for awhile to get lunch out of the park and run a couple errands, got back, did intimidator and flyers a bit more, thunder road in the back (OUCH, not again in back), and a few rides on After Burn. But I got so hot i went back to swim for awhile. about 4:30 some black clouds started gathering, and i was done swimming anyway. i headed over to cobra, the mine train, and was about to ride ricochet when they apparently spotted lightning so they started closing everything even though there was no rain. i was ready to eat dinner, which was waiting for me in the cooler in the car, so i figured i'd head out, take a break, and as I am at my car, the lightning heats up, squall comes through, rain lets loose, and people start fleeing (especially the season pass lot). the people who paid for just one day probably thought let's wait it out, but eventually by 5:00 or 5:15 even they were leaving. and then it all stopped and was nice and cool. the front had come through, and taken with it all the heat and humidity. the whole placed smelled like steamy hot wet asphalt, but people were bailing.
i headed to Initimidator, hardly a line at all, just at the tunnel with guard rails, that was it. the single ride lane was closed all sunday, i might add, and i was happy about that because they didn't seem to be paying much attention to it the day before anyway. i make my way up to the loading area, and "sorry folks, lightning, we are on a temporary hold" i leave for the flyers figuring they fly nice and close to the ground and sure enough they are running. i win a few free rides, but it's really not very crowded because the people have left, especially the families with young kids. probably 12-15 people in line tops. ride it a few times till i realize Intimidator is running, and from that point on i pretty much just rode that again and again. the line was no longer than at the bottom of the stairs from 6 pm till closing.
i did a quick jump over to raging rapids to cool off then came back to Intimidator for one last ride to dry off (or so i thought it would be one last ride) i was on the very last train of the night, they'd already stopped the line, nobody was left in the station, and when we came around to unload, they said "you are the luckiest train today, stay in your seats if you want to ride again" the whole train went nuts and cheered, and we were off again.
what a fun day at carowinds!
my only peeves are people who cut thru the trash can blocked passage way (there's a reason it's blocked you guys) to re-ride intimidator, and the fact they dump everyone out in that gift shop with NO PLACE to move. the aisles are so narrow that here come 32 people every 1-2 minutes, and you get all mixed in with people looking for their photo, people trying to buy powder candy, and people who are really shopping. let us go AROUND please...
overall though, great job
hit the flyers (now gliders) for some night flying, but i gotta say that at night it is a lot harder to know how high you're getting or when you're at the high point or low point to switch the sail. had fun doing a few rounds, but headed back to intimidator since i knew i'd be back for the day Sunday
sunday was really hot. my first time trying to take advantage of all the season pass benefits, trying to figure out how to "get into victory lane plaza 15 min early." basically EVERYONE got to victory lane plaza when they opened the main gates at 945, so i headed over and there was a guy checking for passes at the demo seat, and if you had one he let you go in about 9:55. they played the star spangled banner, then let everyone else in behind us, then they started running the two trains this time.
after the first ride in the back seat naturally (man that thing just PULLS you up and over hauling @$$ over the crest of the lift hill when you sit in the back...) i hit the flyers. was their first customer...did a few rounds on that, didn't have to get out. they started running the contest to get a "free" ride without getting out when the line got longer. won a few of those, and headed over to try and claim a spot for the "30 minutes early entry to the water park." very long line of people waiting to get in at 1025 am, and when they finally cracked the gate open about 18 inches next to the mini golf, people started moving. many of the folks in line had no idea you needed a pass to get in early.. they really ought to have a sign saying season pass only or something (they'd probably sell some more passes that way too). got a spot at the big wave pool in the back that i knew would have some shade later in the day, and then went back to intimidator and the flyers.
left for awhile to get lunch out of the park and run a couple errands, got back, did intimidator and flyers a bit more, thunder road in the back (OUCH, not again in back), and a few rides on After Burn. But I got so hot i went back to swim for awhile. about 4:30 some black clouds started gathering, and i was done swimming anyway. i headed over to cobra, the mine train, and was about to ride ricochet when they apparently spotted lightning so they started closing everything even though there was no rain. i was ready to eat dinner, which was waiting for me in the cooler in the car, so i figured i'd head out, take a break, and as I am at my car, the lightning heats up, squall comes through, rain lets loose, and people start fleeing (especially the season pass lot). the people who paid for just one day probably thought let's wait it out, but eventually by 5:00 or 5:15 even they were leaving. and then it all stopped and was nice and cool. the front had come through, and taken with it all the heat and humidity. the whole placed smelled like steamy hot wet asphalt, but people were bailing.
i headed to Initimidator, hardly a line at all, just at the tunnel with guard rails, that was it. the single ride lane was closed all sunday, i might add, and i was happy about that because they didn't seem to be paying much attention to it the day before anyway. i make my way up to the loading area, and "sorry folks, lightning, we are on a temporary hold" i leave for the flyers figuring they fly nice and close to the ground and sure enough they are running. i win a few free rides, but it's really not very crowded because the people have left, especially the families with young kids. probably 12-15 people in line tops. ride it a few times till i realize Intimidator is running, and from that point on i pretty much just rode that again and again. the line was no longer than at the bottom of the stairs from 6 pm till closing.
i did a quick jump over to raging rapids to cool off then came back to Intimidator for one last ride to dry off (or so i thought it would be one last ride) i was on the very last train of the night, they'd already stopped the line, nobody was left in the station, and when we came around to unload, they said "you are the luckiest train today, stay in your seats if you want to ride again" the whole train went nuts and cheered, and we were off again.
what a fun day at carowinds!
my only peeves are people who cut thru the trash can blocked passage way (there's a reason it's blocked you guys) to re-ride intimidator, and the fact they dump everyone out in that gift shop with NO PLACE to move. the aisles are so narrow that here come 32 people every 1-2 minutes, and you get all mixed in with people looking for their photo, people trying to buy powder candy, and people who are really shopping. let us go AROUND please...
overall though, great job
Maybe you just didnt know it was there so maybe you can try it next time and it will help you out.
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