[lingerdog]

Just noticed in this article. http://www.heraldonline.com/2015/03/07/ ... .html?rh=1. A little about Carowinds 2016 plans. "Spin-off development, however, is not the only thing in the mix. Carowinds vice president and general manager Mike Fehnel said Thursday the park plans another “sizable investment” announcement at the end of this year’s season."

[Carowindsman]

It will be an updated Boomerang Bay

[tarheel1231]

^ Or Soak City.

[FamousAmos]

I think that we will get a Water Park Expansion next year that will go to the other side of Thunder Road. Why else would they add 900+ lots at the front of the park? Yes, it is a luxury, but now we have almost enough parking space to fill up the park! So, that's why I think that the parking lot next to Thunder Road will be removed. Here is what it would look like:

Waterpark Expansion.JPG (571.87KiB)Viewed 3069 times

Obviously, the park would probably never remove this much lot space, however, if all of this were removed, it would open up enough space for a water park expansion, hotel, seasonal employee dorms, new maintenance shop space, and other stuff that could happen in the next 10 years or so. And if more space is needed, they own all of the land that follows Carowinds Boulevard too. I would like to see trees placed in the current parking lot adjacent to Intimidator though. That entire area could use a lot of shade.

This is just mu two cents.

[Yosoleboricua]

I think that we will get a Water Park Expansion next year that will go to the other side of Thunder Road. Why else would they add 900+ lots at the front of the park? Yes, it is a luxury, but now we have almost enough parking space to fill up the park! So, that's why I think that the parking lot next to Thunder Road will be removed. Here is what it would look like:

Waterpark Expansion.JPG

Obviously, the park would probably never remove this much lot space, however, if all of this were removed, it would open up enough space for a water park expansion, hotel, seasonal employee dorms, new maintenance shop space, and other stuff that could happen in the next 10 years or so. And if more space is needed, they own all of the land that follows Carowinds Boulevard too. I would like to see trees placed in the current parking lot adjacent to Intimidator though. That entire area could use a lot of shade.

This is just mu two cents.

I wonder if they will be redoing the south gate entrance too,not as big as the front gate but remake it and add some Boomerang Bay signs and stuff.

[coasterbruh]

I think that we will get a Water Park Expansion next year that will go to the other side of Thunder Road. Why else would they add 900+ lots at the front of the park? Yes, it is a luxury, but now we have almost enough parking space to fill up the park! So, that's why I think that the parking lot next to Thunder Road will be removed. Here is what it would look like:

Waterpark Expansion.JPG

Obviously, the park would probably never remove this much lot space, however, if all of this were removed, it would open up enough space for a water park expansion, hotel, seasonal employee dorms, new maintenance shop space, and other stuff that could happen in the next 10 years or so. And if more space is needed, they own all of the land that follows Carowinds Boulevard too. I would like to see trees placed in the current parking lot adjacent to Intimidator though. That entire area could use a lot of shade.

This is just mu two cents.

Well its not as much lot space as they are adding right now. If they remove to the building in the lot, that would take around 300 spaces. they are adding 900 so it wouldn't be much of a loss.

[FamousAmos]

^^Exactly my point. By removing much of that parking lot space, there would be a lot of room to expand.

[LocalYokel]

Most of the south lot near Thunder Road was closed last season. Early in the season it held the parts for the new slides and after that they left it fenced off. I think part of that lot could be repurposed and guests would still have sufficient parking spaces.

[TheCoasterMan1]

I personally feel that the south gate will become an expansion to boomerang bay and an entrance to boomerang bay and an entrance to the park. It is evident that the south parking lot is being removed for a boomerang bay expansion, and with the increasing size of Boomerang Bay it makes the most since to add an entrance just for the waterpark, but still be the 2 parks for 1 deal. With the hot Carolina summers I know many people that just come for the waterpark and don't even ride the roller coasters. With Carowinds having one of the closest waterparks for miles besides Wet n' wild emerald pointe, Boomerang Bay is a very popular waterpark. I think to improve the guests day at the park not having to walk a mile to the water park through an already crowded amusement park would be great!

[Yosoleboricua]

I did a crappy edit of the expansion edit of the parking using the pic above. I didn't even bother finish so don't hate on it lol.

[PatrickMcPherson]

Personally I would love to see the waterpark approach Carowinds boulevard, so it somewhat resembles Myrtle Waves water park when you drive past. You can see how close the slides are to the highway in the picture, and it's really nice be that close to the rides as you drive to the park. If any of you have been to that area of Myrtle Beach you'll understand more what I'm talking about. That way maybe the park could save more lot space, while still adding a plentiful amount of new water park space.

[saxrokinhomo]

I was wondering if the space allotted between the parking lot and highway was just arbitrary or dictated by some zoning rules.

[FamousAmos]

No, the park owns the land up to Carowinds Boulevard. If they wanted to, they could do stuff there. Honsetly, who even parks that far into the parking lot? It's just a space-waster right now, so I hope that they remove a large portion of it like what we see in the above pictures. Obviously, they wouldn't want to get rid of ALL of what we got rid of in the above images. People would still want to park close to the new waterpark entrance.

[coasterbruh]

I have strong reasons to believe the water park expansion won't go past that building in the parking lot. Just "speculating"

[FamousAmos]

Well, yes, I have to agree with you on that one. I was just saying that that's how much space is potentially available for future use. Not including the land adjacent to Carowinds Boulevard. I'd like to see them have employee housing like Cedar Point or King's Dominion one day. Mike said that that's something that could possibly be done in the "near" future. Only time will tell. But yeah, the expansion really shouldn't go beyond that maintenance building (for now anyway). I could see perhaps a parking lot upgrade in that area, similar to what's coming to the campground parking lot next year, with more trees/planters in the parking lot. I guess we'll find out soon right?