[tarheel1231]

I think some if you are reading to deep into this 'last race' quote. Just because the park isn't directly saying the ride is leaving doesn't mean it isn't. It's like how saying someone has passed away when they mean they are dead.

Unless Hurler stops beating me to death starts providing ejector air, I will not be happy with having one, mediocre signature wooden coaster. It is a dumb, dumb thing to remove one of the park's best and classic coasters.

[coaster129]

You guys are starting to get a little ridiculous. Yes, the loss of Thunder Road is terrible and dissapointing, but Cedar Fair has done a lot of good for the park as well. The fact that the loss of one coaster, (yes, I understand that it's a classic and an icon of the park. I'm just as sad as you all are) is enough to make some of you want to set fire to Cedar Fair HQ is a little over the top. Heck, Carowinds never said that it was leaving, just that it was giving it's “last race”. Does this mean that it is leaving for good? Probably. But, it may still be here to celebrate it's 40th birthday, just in a different form.

Cedar Fair is killing Carowinds, by killing its history. Six Flags over Gerogia has more history now.....

[LocoDriver]

Carowinds has confirmed that Thunder Road will give it's last ride on July 26th.....

I want Paramount Parks back.

Really? While it sucks to lose TR, you want PP back? Paramount would have never invested in the park the way CF has done. Paramount was also guilty of destroying the history at Carowinds. The only difference is when they removed something sentimental it was replaced by a used Vekom. Also, with Paramount in charge I can't imagine ever getting a hyper, much less giga.

I'll take CF any day over Paramount. And, while disappointed about TR, I will at least wait until the entire plans unfold before making final judgement.

[coaster129]

Carowinds has confirmed that Thunder Road will give it's last ride on July 26th.....

I want Paramount Parks back.

Really? While it sucks to lose TR, you want PP back? Paramount would have never invested in the park the way CF has done. Paramount was also guilty of destroying the history at Carowinds. The only difference is when they removed something sentimental it was replaced by a used Vekom. Also, with Paramount in charge I can't imagine ever getting a hyper, much less giga.

I'll take CF any day over Paramount. And, while disappointed about TR, I will at least wait until the entire plans unfold before making final judgement.

You don't quite realize what PP really did?

[RollerBee]

No one has said anything about setting fires and I hope no one does. Even as a joke, no one here needs to be posting that kind of post.

Yes I know what Paramount did, I worked at Carowinds the last Paramount year.

[redrunner97]

The language in the announcement is a bit open to interpretation ("retired" like Mantis, "last race" like Colossus), but I think that's just broken hearts reading too much into a facebook post. Regardless, this is a 2016 speculation thread -so that's what I'm gonna do. Bear with me even though this is a little unrealistic.

What if Thunder Road is being transformed into an RMC-Hybrid or getting steel topper track? That could be the "roll into 2016" that was teased, while the waterpark expansion is the "big splash".

July is the middle of Summer, not the end of the season like many ride closure dates. Could the early closing be to allow for the demolition before water park construction starts in the off-season? Or rather to account for the time to rebuild the track? The recent conference call did say that Cedar Fair was interested in transforming Carowinds their "big park". That same call also talking about the possibility of building a resort hotel on the property. What if they need the space Thunder Road is taking up to not only expand the waterpark, but also to build the hotel somewhere in the general area around the South Gate? Just food for thought, even though this situation is probably much simpler than we would like it to be. It just doesn't make a ton of sense to remove a popular, iconic, landmark coaster when a path already exists under it...

[coaster129]

No one has said anything about setting fires and I hope no one does. Even as a joke, no one here needs to be posting that kind of post.

Yes I know what Paramount did, I worked at Carowinds the last Paramount year.

Take a joke or not, I don't care.

[redrunner97]

On a personal note, I feel that Cedar Fair (and Mike Fehnel) has worked miracles for Carowinds so far. So lets not threaten them, or the park, with fire, violence, or anything like that... okay. It's pretty tasteless. Channel your disappointment (or blatant unholy rage, if that's your thing) in a more productive way.

[coaster129]

On a personal note, I feel that Cedar Fair (and Mike Fehnel) has worked miracles for Carowinds so far. So lets not threaten them, or the park, with fire, violence, or anything like that... okay. It's pretty tasteless. Channel your disappointment (or blatant unholy rage, if that's your thing) in a more productive way.

Is call of duty productive?

[Sean978]

Unless Hurler stops beating me to death starts providing ejector air

Not saying that this justifies removing TR, but if you've rode KD's Hurler you'd be extremely grateful that ours is only somewhat rough.

[tarheel1231]

You know what, if Jarvis is right about the big splash being a log flume, I might be half okay with Thunder Road's absence. I could see them theming it to Powder Keg. Maybe Cedar Fair cares more about park history than we think.

[coasterbruh]

But jarvis did not say it was gonna be a log flume...

Lawyers up...

[tarheel1231]

But jarvis did not say it was gonna be a log flume...

Well that's disappointing.

Reverts back to being mad about Cedar Fair destroying park history.

[coasterbruh]

However, he didn't say it wasn't gonna be one either...

[Jonathan]

My guess: County Fair is completely taken over by the water park with entrances at the existing County Fair ones so that the South Gate becomes a de facto water park entrance. I'm also assuming the water park will be rebranded, probably as Soak City but hopefully not.