[Jonathan]

Compilation of 2015 Changes (Updated January 20, 2015)

-Fury 325
-SlingShot in Vortex Plaza
-New parking lot entrance and configuration
-New main park entrance plaza
-Campground improvements
-Expanded live show program
-Expanded Carowinds Theater (new warm-up/multi-purpose room)
-Stage being constructed adjacent to Harmony Hall for outdoor summer concert series
-Movie screenings in Boomerang Bay
-Expanded hours (most hours of operation in park history)
-Revamped food menus with new executive chef and culinary team
-Coke Marketplace - Replacing game stalls near Scream Weaver
-"Taste of the Carolinas", a weekend food festival in April and May
-Roving band similar to the "Clown Band" at Kings Dominion
-Refurbished Skytower cabin


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Stuff unrelated to Fury 325.

https://www.carowinds.com/what-s-new/ne ... es-in-2015

Carolina hospitality will be at the forefront next season – literally! A grander parking entrance, with new toll booths, additional entrance lanes and added parking spaces will create a much-improved traffic flow. Plus we are making way for a much larger, more spacious and more welcoming front entrance plaza. Pergolas and lots of greenery will give a nod to our Carolina heritage, and larger ticketing and Season Pass processing areas will help improve efficiencies.

Certainly a Carolina staple, next year our entertainment offerings will be bigger, better and bolder than ever with an incredibly expanded live show program within the park.

As you likely know, the Carolinas are all about food, and Carowinds is preparing to serve up the very best. We just welcomed an executive chef and culinary team, who will completely revamp our menus with all-time Carolina favorites. In 2015 in all areas of the park, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious, authentic Carolina fare.

New in 2015 - Season Passholders can purchase an All Season Dining plan and enjoy a lunch and dinner each day at participating locations throughout Carowinds. The meal plan is simply uploaded on to your Season Pass ID card and scanned at the time of purchase. Buy yours this Fall before pricing goes up. Pricing as low as $74.25 when purchasing a 2015 Gold Pass.

Other reported info:

-Entrance plaza bridge over service road will be replaced by a non-sloping bridge that is four times wider

[Chris]

If I was a college kid going to UNCC and staying in Charlotte for the summer, I would invest the $135-ish in a season pass and dinner plan. You then have lunch and dinner covered every. single. day. Broke or not. That's pretty awesome.

[RollerBee]

Looks impressve, and spacious. I am glad to the metal detectors gone and no keyholes like Cedar Point. Better looking than Cedar Point but we will be losing a beautiful building. I am surprised to see the bridge staying.

[Edwardo]

I am JUST as excited about all of this as I am the coaster. This is the start, folks.

This is what I was hoping for since we first heard about a new front gate.

And food! And shows!

This is what they meant by next level ish. It's finally going there.

[Edwardo]

Jarsh:

Any chance y'all could get us a private tour of the plantation house for C3? To take pix one last time?

[Jarsh]

I'll certainly ask and see, but with the amount of construction required, it might not be there - at least in a tour-able state anyway.

I am surprised to see the bridge staying.

They've got to have a way to get into the park and keep the access road open, lol.

[Littlegiles]

I think the new entrance has a beautiful and welcoming look to it. Very exciting to see the changes and I'm sure once construction starts we will be happy.

[carowindsman6654]

Me and other CC members learning some cool stuff from John regarding the upcoming park improvements:

[coaster129]

It looks like crap!

[chknwing]

looks like coasterbrah dressed to impress. digging the shoes

[Jonathan]

Me and other CC members learning some cool stuff from John regarding the upcoming park improvements:

Looking forward to hearing more when everyone gets home. I see some mods!

[Chris]

OK, I should have forced myself to make the trip. If nothing else, than to rag on Jarvis for them shoes. Nah, I actually like them.

[carowindsman6654]

Looking forward to hearing more when everyone gets home. I see some mods!

One of the things is that the pedestrian bridge just past Plantation House is going to be torn down and completely replaced. It will be flat and four times wider.

Also, the campground is slated to get some improvements.

[RollerBee]

Four times wider? The rest of Carowinds Plaza looked the same but for the bridge to be four times wider, some buildings will have to be removed. Everything in the concept art looked the same past the actual gate. Maybe they are keeping some surprises for the offseason. Any word on a new or improved fountain?

[redrunner97]

I have come to terms with the Plantation House leaving, but honestly there's one thing that bugs me about this new entrance... (and I'm crossing my fingers it's just something left out of the animation, or something I've overlooked)

Where's the paved NC/SC border?? That is an iconic part of the Carowinds experience, even more so than the Plantation House. I mean everyone has those family pictures of standing in two states at one time next to the big sign.

I sincerely hope they pave a new one so that tradition isn't lost along with the plantation.
This is something that can be saved easily.

... and regarding the plantation house, while it's sad to see it go (and I do wish they could save it in some capacity), I am not that bothered. It couldn't have lasted forever, and we're all the more lucky to have experienced it while we could have.

I would also like an improved fountain, or a new one, but now is hardly the occasion to be begging for more!