[coasterbruh]

I'm just anxious to see the new front gate signing in its little plaza area. LOL

I'll show you . . .

[kirkgun]

I have to say that is huge improvement to the water park. Huge. It's easy to see why TR had to come down in the middle of the season to get work started on it.

But you can still count me as one who would rather have TR, since water parks don't do much for me and it just creates an even larger section of the park that I won't ever use.

I just hope this water park expansion works amazingly well, and makes Cedar Fair big piles of cash. That way, they are eager to get the next big coaster built at Carowinds soon, that I will enjoy.

[intaminboy]

With the new water park entrance, what are everyone's views on keeping the south gate?

[tarheel1231]

I say keep it. It usually opens once the parking lot gets past a certain point. Plus it's right next to the water park lot, so you could leave Carolina Harbor, put your stuff back in your car, then head into the park without driving or having to carry your stuff around the park.

[HavenHamilton]

So if Bondi Beach goes bye bye, then what goes in that area? Might be a good spot for a resort hotel.

And I will really appreciate the new exit down on that end of the parking lot.

[FamousAmos]

But wait!!! There's more . . . But not on the 27th

Oh, yeah. There is certainly more. And I can't wait until they debut the new (content removed)

And, I like the south gate. It could use a little TLC though

[intaminboy]

I would love for it to stay and receive a mini makeover.

[tarheel1231]

So if Bondi Beach goes bye bye, then what goes in that area? Might be a good spot for a resort hotel.

And I will really appreciate the new exit down on that end of the parking lot.

Bondi Beach is probably safe, I think they want to avoid crowding in the pools. And while I can't see a hotel coming anytime soon, I could see them renovating/expanding Camp Wilderness before they go all out resort.

[coasterbruh]

So if Bondi Beach goes bye bye, then what goes in that area? Might be a good spot for a resort hotel.

And I thing the distance from south gate to harbor gate will be on the same scale as south from the north.

[tarheel1231]

Yeah, I have to retract my earlier statement now that I look at Google maps. Still, on days the park is crowded, it would be easier finding a parking spot than driving all the way to the north gate.

[KIJester]

Jay said..."Also underlying maintenance issues for Thunder Road still may have necessitated it's removal"

We don't know that for sure. Cedar Fair owns (or did own) 3 racers. KI Racer opened in 1972 (43 years) yet is not being removed. Rebel Yell opened 1975 (40 years) and is not being removed. Even considering a scenario that Paramount Parks or even Kings Entertainment (for that matter) did not properly maintain our beloved TR, it merits no explanation why they would be removing the youngest of the three coasters. As stated by a previous poster, Cedar Fair had PLENTY of land to expand on down towards Carowinds Blvd (sans the city/county easement) so put me in the
"No justification to remove TR" category.

and oh by the way......we get another wave pool, whoopee!!

REALLY??

[Jay]

YOU guys don't know that for sure. I've heard from enough sources that Thunder Road had major maintenance problems, stuff that retracking by GCI wouldn't fix, as it would be much more intricate. Simply put, Thunder Road wasn't popular enough to spend that kind of money on it, while this waterpark addition will make it's money back extremely quickly. This isn't rocket surgery. Also don't tell me what I know. Thanks.

[coasterbruh]

I just love when people feel that can run a park with ZERO years experience vs someone with more years experience than most of us being alive. Bottom line, cedar fair did what they feel was best for them to do, regardless of how we feel it should have been done.

[TheCoasterMan1]

Well I have seen and heard complaints about how Thunder Road was ruining the guest experience in the water park. The coaster was so loud that it was hard to feel like you were relaxing.

I feel this is kind of true. Carowinds wants to bring a sense of place so when people visit their waterpark they want to make them feel like they are at the beach. Having a loud coaster and screaming passengers running through the middle is not ideal.

It was time for TR to go. Do I wish they wouldn't have wasted that money on refurbishing it? Sure, it could have went to other things. But I can say that this waterpark expansion is definitely propelling Carowinds into one of the Big 3.

Now:
1. Cedar Point
2. Kings Island
3. Canada's Wonderland
4. Carowinds

Future:
With a Triotech and one more roller coaster Carowinds will be number 3. Carolina Harbor will be better than Splash Works.

[uscbandfan]

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

Other than the new food service building, I don’t see a special reason to be rid of Thunder Road. Nothing new is in its way. There must be another reason… be it maintenance, ridership, or maybe even a future something that’s not shown here. I don’t see anything wrong with having Dorsal Fin on one side of TR’s lift hill and the new water slide complex on the other. Near the turnarounds, there is already the original access road to the original water park under TR that could be used to access the new Wave Pool area and I believe there is a pass-through near where the sidewalk from Dorsal Fin to where the new water slide will be.

They did this at King’s Dominion and it works like a champ. Hmmmmmmm…

Maybe there's noise complaints at KD. Then again, KD has enough trees they could share to help baffle noise. It's spread out more. That's one thing I DIDN'T like about KD is that the water park was TOO spread out.

I'm still awaiting the bombshell that explains TR's removal. These plans don't.... so far...