[super7]

This site shows what once was a great park http://www.carowindsearlyyears.com/

Looking back at old photos of Carowinds, the park was a well-themed regional theme park with great atmosphere when it was built. Lots of details in each section brought the theming to life. Virtually all of the original theming has been removed, and the areas are more of designations of where things are than actual themed areas.

There was water everywhere form the Sternwheeler river to the lagoons of Pirate Island, the Powder Keg Flume, the wharf area in Plantation Square and the creek between Country Crossroads and Queens Colony. Today, virtually all of that has been destoryed.

As the wood was replaced on Thunder Road and not painted, the ride is looking pretty ragged. A small but great example of how C-Class things are done at Carowinds. The sign across the top of the ride doesn't event fit the frame.

The park has received 2 good B & M coasters, but all other coaster installations since Carolina Cylcone in 1980 have been mediocre at best.

True family rides like the monorail , sternwheeler, skyway and car rides removed with no similar replacement.

What park removes a wave swinger and eventually replaces it with a sub-standard yo-yo? LOL. Carowinds.

Its definitely a park not worth traveling to visit from a distance. There is not enough unique and special that justifies it anymore. Shame that a park that was such a well-designed in the beginning has been deteoriated to the point it is now.

[Jay]

The changes over the last 30 years have been well documented and discussed ad nauseum on these forums. Carowinds is by no means a "crappy" park it's just different than it was 30 years ago. How many parks can say they are the same park that they were in the 70s? Especially when you've had as many different owners as Carowinds has! I think nostalgia kind of makes people get a 'tunnel' vision to a place where everything was better. Only being 25 I never went to the park in the 70s or 80s but I can't say I would trade Intimidator, Afterburn or the Flyers for anything that the park used to have.

I thought about closing this, since it seems to just be bashing the park, but I'll leave it open for now, maybe generate some discussion.

[RollerBee]

The changes over the last 30 years have been well documented and discussed ad nauseum on these forums. Carowinds is by no means a "crappy" park it's just different than it was 30 years ago. How many parks can say they are the same park that they were in the 70s? Especially when you've had as many different owners as Carowinds has! I think nostalgia kind of makes people get a 'tunnel' vision to a place where everything was better. Only being 25 I never went to the park in the 70s or 80s but I can't say I would trade Intimidator, Afterburn or the Flyers for anything that the park used to have.

I thought about closing this, since it seems to just be bashing the park, but I'll leave it open for now, maybe generate some discussion.

Carowinds has better rides as a whole than Six Flags Over Georgia, in terms of coasters it is really neck to neck. Lack of shade is my only concern as far as Carowinds. I will also say this, in the last five years I have been to:
Carowinds - 2011(2)
Dollywood -2011
Freestyle Music Park - 2009
Tweetsie - 2007
Emerald Pointe- 2007, 2009 and 2010
Of all of thoose parks, Carowinds is the one that I couldn't ride all the rides I wanted to in one day. Carowinds is far from a crappy park.

[Picklesthedrummer]

Carowinds is one of my favorite parks I have been to. It currently is 3rd behind Disneyland and Kings Island for me. Afterburn is the B&M invert I have been on (I haven't been on Montu or Alpengeist yet) and Intimidator is my 2nd favorite coaster. Carowinds gets better and better every year. I can't wait to see what Cedar Fair has in store for the park in the next few years.

[Trickster872]

I wouldn't consider it a crappy park. Paramount did neglect the park, and now cedar fair is doing everything to catch carowinds up with its sisters. It's not going to happen overnight. Cedar fair just purchased a bunch of land for carowinds, so give it 10 years and lets see carowinds then. I actually can't wait.

[chknwing]

Dont like it? Dont go. It's simple. One less person in line.

[RRRAPIDS]

Dont like it? Dont go. It's simple. One less person in line.

I agree ^^^^
Carowinds has a cool selection/variety of coasters, and (now with Windseeker) a nice selection of flats, a popular waterpark that does well in the summer, and one of the best "Kiddie Areas" I've seen. To be honest, Carowinds atmosphere is better then, "SOME" of the other cedar fair/ or six flags parks in my opinion.

[chunkyskunk]

I completely disagree with the subject of this thread for many reasons that would take too long to type. We may not have the best park overall, but we have a great park that I am proud of for many reasons. I visited King's Dominion in October for the first time ever. First of all, I rode I305 on the front row and both me and my brother had had enough. I decided to go one more round and agreed the second time around with my first thought. I moved on quickly and was SOO thankful for our B&M. Anyways, back to the point, my problems with I305 is for another thread. Carowinds ride operators, for the most part, have great personalities and enjoy having fun with the crowd. I have a 5 year old nephew and in addition to my own trips with family and friends this past season, I was with him three visits this year and almost all of the Planet Snoopy operators in particular were great. I went on every coaster at KD, minus the small kiddie coaster, and several flat rides and not one single operator had any personality. They all looked miserable. I will have to say that the Peanut's Pirates and the Gliders crew were the best overall at our park. Also, I always have to visit the nice ladys in the candy shop for some Buy 2 get 1 free fudge. They are always great. As for KD, I was glad I went and got my credits, but I will stick with Carowinds and stay very happy. I could go on but it is getting late, time for bed.

[drpeppuh93]

^I COMPLETELY agree with what you're saying about the ride operators. On any normal day in the park they are cheerful and friendly to everyone. But this past summer, I got stuck in Intimidator's station for over an hour after it started raining one day and they kept us entertained the whole time. It was literally monsoon-ing (seriously, that isn't an exaggeration) and no one wanted to run to the gift shop bc you'd be soaked before you got down the steps. So they talked to us over the intercom and started telling us fun facts about the park... then they started talking about other cedar fair parks and telling us about them... and then after we had no more park stuff to talk about they started playing games with us and they got one person to sing. It was actually very entertaining and I was very impressed. They seemed well prepared for the situation, as well as just all around nice people.
In addition to this.. we have great rides, the park is clean, there's room to grow. I don't understand how you can call it "crappy." But whatever. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I do agree with what someone said above...
If you don't like it then don't come. It just makes the line shorter for those of us that do...

[chunkyskunk]

Great story about the rain. I should have added Intimidator to the list of great rides operators to my list of a few I mentioned. Most times, they are great. Also, I have seen some good personality come through on Thunder Road. My mother (70 years old) and her best friend were with me and my nephew this past visit and the operator on the Scrambler was so patient and kind with them getting in and out as my mother has an artificial knee and is slow. I do agree that the park is really clean and the addition of more and more brick pavers are nice as well. I do wish they would stop taking our water/ponds away. Would love to see more water similar to the way it use to be.

[arby]

I agree with all the rebuttal posts. I've been to my share of parks, and we continue to visit new parks every couple of months. Carowinds is far from a crappy park. You do have to keep in mind that it is an amusement park (and they plan to continue in that direction) and not a theme park. I personally like both types of parks.

The park is well maintained and Cedar Fair has shelled out over 50 million in capital improvements since they took over ownership. They have always had a friendly staff since we started going in 2000, and they are even friendlier since CF took over. I won't credit that to CF (since I've been to a lot of their parks) but rather the management of the park.

I expect we are going to continue to see great things come to Carowinds in the next 5-10 years. I'm happy that it is my local park.

[TrojanCamMan]

Carowinds has to be one of the fastest growing parks in the United States. Year after year since Cedar Fair bought the park we have seen refurb, repaint, and expansion year after year. This will continue, and Carowinds will grow to be a "powerhouse" amusement park. It is very hard to maintain a theme park status when you have the many owners as Carowinds has. It is still a great park, crappy is not a word that should be used for a park that is a really big underdog in the industry.

[Wolf]

The park is amazing. I don't think I've met an employee there that was unpleasant to be around. They're always kind and willing to help out for the most part. We were going on Scrambler one day, and one of the people in my group had a wheelchair. The ride operator kindly helped lifted her out of the chair and moved the chair out of the way of the ride. When the ride was going, he was saying fun things like, "Scream if you're having fun!" in a hilarious voice. Talk about kind-hearted. That was just one such example of Carowinds employees being awesome. Not to mention they have great rides, which usually aren't crowded if you decide to come on the right day. They are also a rapidly expanding park with a ton of potential.

So don't call Carowinds crappy. If you think it really is, don't come.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I wouldn't say it's a crappy park. I went down there back in august to visit some family in the area & really enjoyed the place for the few hours I was there.I must say that afterburn is one sweet B&M invert that I would love to have at KD any day over volcano & intimidator was a pretty good ride as well.The only rides I didn't find enjoyable were thunder road & vortex(give me KD's shockwave any day) but other than that the park as a whole is very good & I hope to visit again some time.

[RiDeWaRrIoR]

^ Glad you enjoyed your visit last year. I didnt ride shockwave when I was @ KD just because it didnt look that entertaining to me. I rarely ride vortex, maybe 1 time a year, only because its a B&M I didnt care for volcano all that much, mainly because of how slow the barrel rolls are and the drop into the brake just sucks, but I really want a launch coaster in our park, and I hope its in the works, we need something different and I really think a launch would be a nice addition. I hope to go to KD again this year, really enjoyed it up there and I would love to go back.