[LyonsRonnie1]

The way he's talking in that interview, they feel it's important to continuously update ALL of the parks so I believe they'll be adding new rides pretty much every year or two everywhere.

[Capler]

My take away is that they are focusing on future growth potential. They started off by saying it cost too much to build a park from the ground up, therefore they looked at the under performers as a way to grow future profits. They believe Toronto and Charlotte provide the best opportunity with the properties they already own.

[Tosu97]

This whole thing kinda reminds me of what Cedar Fair did with Knott's back in the late 90's-mid 2000's. In that period I think they got 3 major coasters? Ghostrider, Xcelerator, and Silver Bullet I think? Not to mention all the other somewhat major additions they had. Perilous Plunge, Windjammers, ect.

[FamousAmos]

correct me if I'm wrong but part of the new toll plaza road will be in the land carowinds purchased right? So its a safe assumption that these plans for expansion were in motion as far back as 2011.

Maybe, maybe not, we likely will never know. It appears the toll area could have been done regardless of the land purchase. All they had to do was shift the lanes more to the other side. Basically, they did not need that new land to do this.

I am a new member here to this forum. I took the liberty in using the current plans to trace a layout of the new roadway and toll plaza: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 89b1061d68

sorry for the bad quality, but this is what we can expect. The new toll plaza cuts into the new area of land that was purchased back in 2011.

[Edwardo]

The park in Toronto was never an under performing park. It beat out CP for years.

They're trying to grow some parks, but as for KI, KD, and CW, they're trying to maintain.

[Tosu97]

That is correct. I think I even read somewhere that the three they were gonna focus on growing are Carowinds, Valleyfair, and California's Great America. That + maintaining Cedar Point, Canada's Wonderland, Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Knott's as major players in the amusement industry = continued success for Cedar Fair.

[Wormy]

Scroll down.

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/07/09 ... about.html

[jsz1002]

Scroll down.

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/07/09 ... about.html

Woo hoo, Cedar Point of the South!

[coasterbruh]

That was just pillow talk...

[Tosu97]

......I think we look more like the Canada's Wonderland of the south right now

[bgwfreak]

So we have to wait 40 years, but we'll be the 4th biggest park (in attendance) in the chain.

[Edwardo]

Best part of the article dealing with Carowinds is that they're looking for a hotel operator.

I'd love to see a Kalahari Resort. Perhaps they'll eventually open one up or buy the one near the park themselves.

Everyone tends to take that statement about being the CP of the south as huge coasters. I have a feeling they're talking about making it a multi day park. That's not just big coasters.

[Jarsh]

Exactly. Although without the beach to help, they are gonna have to do some major renovating to the waterpark to get that. Right now, you can easily do both the waterpark and the amusement park together in one day. At least if they expanded the waterpark greatly or at least added newer slides (which they seem to have started doing) this will make people want to designate a whole day to it. Right now, it's kinda pathetic.

A Castaway Bay resort would look nice in the back corner by 77...

[RollerBee]

All of Carowinds and Boomerang Bay in one day? Do you have kids?

[Jarsh]

On a normal summer day when the park is open 10-10 (like today), you can easily spend several hours in the waterpark and ride everything and then spend the remainder of of the day/night in the amusement park.

In my opinion, there isn't one multi-attraction, single gate park in the Southeast that is a full 2-day "destination" park. Six Flags Over Georgia, Carowinds, Lake Winnie and Alabama Adventure have small, on site water parks that can be done in a short amount of time and the theme park can be enjoyed the remainder of the day.

Now, for a two day experience with two gates on one property, Dollywood & Splash Country and Six Flags Over Georgia & White Water are the only ones in the area, but those require seperate admission. If Six Flags and Carowinds would expand their on site water parks with more attractions, then that would push those parks closer to a multi day visit, but as it stands now, they aren't in my opinion.