[LocalYokel]

I know most of the hotels around Carowinds are pretty dumpy but it seems like people who stay in them are there to do other things besides Carowinds.

The hotels on Carowinds Blvd aren't just dumpy, they are seedy. Drug busts and prostitution stings are common. This bust occurred during the recent ACE event, http://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/ ... 25116.html

If Carowinds is going to become a multi-day park they need a quality hotel that they control. The existing hotels do a poor job of attracting people who can afford to drop $1000 for a few days at Carowinds.

I think it's great that CF says they're adding accommodations. Hopefully Carowinds gets the 2017 investment.

[Jarsh]

I know most of the hotels around Carowinds are pretty dumpy but it seems like people who stay in them are there to do other things besides Carowinds.

The hotels on Carowinds Blvd aren't just dumpy, they are seedy. Drug busts and prostitution stings are common. This bust occurred during the recent ACE event, http://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/ ... 25116.html

Dang it! I was working too hard (no pun intended) and missed all the action!

[Tosu97]

What year does that Dinos Alive thing end? Like 2018?

I'd be willing to bet that is when Planet Snoopy will get a nice sized expansion that will hopefully connect it with County Fair. I'd expect the usual CF flats that were added in the Gemini Midway and Route 76 expansions. We might even get some cars back.

[kirkgun]

Questions about 2 things, for all of you more tuned into this stuff than me:

1. Mid-Sized thrill rides. Anybody got some reasonable rumors floating around for what and where these might be going?

2. Dark-ride/digital experience. Same question as above.

[tarheel1231]

Questions about 2 things, for all of you more tuned into this stuff than me:

1. Mid-Sized thrill rides. Anybody got some reasonable rumors floating around for what and where these might be going?

2. Dark-ride/digital experience. Same question as above.

I think the mid size thrill rides are things you would find on the Gemini Midway or Route 76. Basically family rides. I could see Carowinds receiving some as part of a revitalized county fair.

The dark ride/digital experience is probably referring to the amusement darks (Triotech dark rides). It doesn't look like any amusement darks are planned for 2016, so I can only assume they are talking about introducing virtual reality to one of the existing coasters in the chain.

[Tosu97]

^^ I don't know what they mean by mid-sized thrill ride. Possibly the next round of flats to go around the chain? Possibly a few pipe scream clones? So I would tend to agree with tarheel there.

But that dark ride thing is like at Knotts or Canada's Wonderland. I believe its been said that in the next few years, every CF park will receive a one of these triotech dark rides.

[arby]

Very interesting read. Thank you for finding and sharing it, Tarheel1231.

I found it interesting to see that CF uses net promoter scores. We use the same benchmark at work. I was curious about that since one of the questions they asked in the last survey I took seemed targeted to that. I'd be curious what their NPS score actually is for each park.

The more interesting stuff, though, is what is coming. I would be really surprised if Carowinds wasn't the park to get the hotel in 2017 - just because there really isn't anything decent close by. Some of their campground is a little seedy and needs some love, too.

It looks like a lot of great things are still to come, and I suspect that Carowinds will continue to get some major capital investments to get the park closer to the level of the four above it. After my recent visit to KI, I was reminded of how great a park it is. No wonder their attendance is so high.

[Jonathan]

To follow up on this, here is the Carowinds investor day presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/cedarfair/car ... esentation

[tarheel1231]

Screenshot_2015-08-13-10-43-39_kindlephoto-116588281.jpg (182.52KiB)Viewed 4662 times

This slide caught my attention. People are taking the "Cedar Point of the South" quote too literally. Carowinds will probably have the same effect Cedar Point has in their market, but looking at this slide, Carowinds is probably going to turn into Kings Island of the south ride-wise in the next few years. So that means an expanded water park, larger Planet Snoopy, and more family rides. And that's nothing but good considering a large amount of people actually like Kings Island better than Cedar Point.

[gabed]

I actually prefer Cedar Point over King's Island, but that's just me. I feel like we are going to become the Cedar Point of the South eventually and Fury supports this belief. The comparison to King's Island is just that, a comparison, and an outdated one at that according to NewsPlusNotes. I'd say a triotech ride and a Planet Snoopy expansion are destined to happen in the near future, but I also believe that more record-breaking coasters will find their way to Carowinds within the next 5 - 15 years. But again, that's just me. I'm not very credible or even correct very often so don't take anything I say as fact.

[Jonathan]

Carowinds has a long way to go before it becomes the Kings Island or Canada's Wonderland of the south, much less the Cedar Point.

[Edwardo]

Jarvis, Mean Streak isn't being considered for an RMC conversion within the next five years. Not trying to be...famous (lol)...here, but it's not in their current five year plan. I know plans can change, but I don't see much of a reason for theirs to change at this point.

I too think people take the statement "CP of the south" too literal. CP is a destination park with accommodations that make it at least a two day park. THAT is more of what they're trying to turn carowinds into.

I don't know the specifics, but...it looks more like Ghost Rider is getting topper track instead of a full RMC makeover. At least that's the prevailing rumor. I hope that's true, because the ride is great the way it is when it runs well.

I would almost guarantee that you'll see the last two standups in the chain converted in the next few years, these slides pretty much confirm that. And that's great. Rougarou was a much better experience than mantis.

And I've been saying for the last year pretty much what these slides say. Look at what the parks have been doing: family flat package, atmosphere, triptych dark rides, diversifying the lineup. That's what they're doing. And now they're moving into water park expansions. Yes, plural.

In 5 years, like Jerry said, we won't recognize the park. I'm already over TR's removal.

And I can't wait to go to Bands, Nrews, & BBQ this weekend. It's been successful at other parks, CP's was great (right Doug?), and I'm glad they're pushing those kinds of things out to all the parks.

Screw Dick Kinzel for being so stale for so long.

[TheCoasterMan1]

Screw Dick Kinzel for being so stale for so long.

I agree but I disagree. Most of the world-class rides in the Cedar Fair chain came through him but when it came to park experience he was stale. Matt Ouimet is a great fit because he is improving on what the Cedar Fair parks were missing and that is the experience more than the rides.

[Edwardo]

That is exactly why i used the term stale. He *was* fresh at some point. He did good things. But then he lost his freshness.

"People gotta eat". That is a huge strike against him.

And the whole trying to sell to Apollo and how much money they lost. He would have been fired from any company where he didn't control the board.

He got arrogant or he got Alzheimers. I'm not sure which. The only 2 GOOD decisions he made towards the end were Paramount Parks and Maverick.

[FamousAmos]

There are plans to add an on-site resort as well as employee housing (similar to Cedar Point and King's Dominion). I do NOT know when the project will start nor do I know on what part of the property it will be placed (the projected idea is to use the recently purchased land near the interstate, whenever it was purchased). That's a tad bit far away from the park, and it would also block the view (somewhat) of the park, however, that is one proposed location (any ideas on how it can connect to the park?)

Talk about me all you want. Keep thinking that I know nothing. Makes no difference to me