[arby]

My dilemma has little do to directly with the removal of Thunder Road. The past few years it is starting to be cost. Season passes used to come out of my 'misc cash fund' in the budget but have finally gotten to the level of being a line item in the budget. Once something gets added to our budget, it then goes into my ridiculous analysis of want versus need and a cost analysis of bang for the buck and what it's worth to our family based on what we are planning for 2016. Yeah, I know, I'm geeky like that.

I'm about 90% sure we will renew, but it has zero to do with the 2016 announcement, or directly with the removal of TR, for that matter. We know it's going to be good regardless. It has more to do with our budget and the next cross-country road trip I am planning.

EDIT: Once I told my wife and daughter about the Starbucks (I'm too cheap to be a Starbucks fan), they high-fived, so I guess that sealed my fate and the 90% just went to 100%. My financial planning is out the window. I guess I'll renew online right now.

[RollerBee]

My biggest thing is that I want to go to Dollywood, Kings Dominion or Six Flags Over Georgia and having season passes for Carowinds takes that out of the budget.

[arby]

Yeah, that's what I've been alluding to in my posts about season passes. I do understand and appreciate all the improvements which justify price increases and am not complaining about them at all. It's just that at an average of 10-15% increase every year it's starting to take a hit on the budget.

[MarkD]

I hear ya Arby. I am just lucky enough, or unlucky, to be single. (where are all the older women who likes parks and fun? )

Me being single affords me a lot more than most in my budget. My decision to get passes or not usually comes down to what my job has in store for me over the next season. If I'm not able to utilize the pass then I just won't buy one. Has nothing to do with the parks them self.

My only gripe with some people here not getting a pass is their pitiful reasons and complaints. Most of us do have our various reasons to buy or not to buy but from my opinion, and it is mine, the reason not to buy a pass because you don't like what they are adding but then buy a pass when they add something you do like then back and forth is akin to being a one season sports fanatic just because the team does great and drop them like a hot potato the next season.

I don't get passes every year myself but it solely has to do on life situations and not park decisions. That's all I'm saying.

[kirkgun]

Everyone doesn't have to be a water park person to still enjoy the park minus one less ride that we barely rode in the first place. If Fury 325 isn't enough then I dont think anything is. Just saying . . .

They added Fury 325 this year, and I gave them many hundreds of dollars this year to go to the park and enjoy it. Is that not enough? Am I obligated to buy season passes forever now, because they added a great ride?

I also enjoy other things in the park, and there are still other things in the park that I have absolutely no interest in. That's the way it is. That's the way it is for everybody. And I fully understand that everyone has different opinions than me. And I've said it before and I'll say it again, I hope this water park expansion is a huge success for Carowinds. Dead. Honest. Truth. I'd like to have an amusement park in town that is thriving, and not one that is struggling.

Next year, after riding Fury 325 many dozens of times this year, it will be less of a thrill for me. It already has become less of a thrill, this year. It's not getting worse. It's just a much less novel experience that it was the first number of times I rode it. Again, that's just the way it is.

Certainly Fury still be the same great coaster for people who haven't ridden it, or who didn't ride it as many times as I have. But it'll just be more of the same, for me. And it'll cost me more to ride it, for less of a thrill. And next year, there will be fewer other things that interest me in the park. And for those who didn't actually read (or understand my intended message) what I wrote, I clearly said I don't have a problem with the removal of TR. It was unpopular with most people. I also plainly said that I thought it was mediocre. But even being a mediocre ride, it was an attraction in the park that did have some amount of interest for me, massively aided by the fact that TR had very short lines. I don't like the Southern Star as much as I like Fury, but I still ride it too. If they took that out, it also would be one less thing in the park that I enjoy currently.

I understand that the water park needs a significant upgrade. I understand that the park needs a diversity of attractions. They are going to add things that don't interest me personally some years. They are going to remove things, some of which I enjoy. Some people had no interest in Fury. Some think it is too rough. That's fine. I get it. We all have our own personal opinions and desires. Next year will be a double whammy for me: losing something I do enjoy and adding something I don't care about. It's not personal, I know that. It's business. And Carowinds and I are engaging in business. So, I 'm not going to pay more of my money for stuff I have already done many times, for having fewer things that I enjoy, and for adding stuff I don't have any interest in at all. That makes no sense for me to engage in that deal.

maybe they shouldn't have a pass in the first place

That makes me unworthy of being allowed to give Carowinds my money ever? Uh. Okay.

See... that kind of "thinking" is personal. I'm glad that Carowinds and I engage in a business deal, instead of it being personal. Because in business, nobody's feelings get hurt-ed. Mine certainly aren't hurt that they are adding stuff I am not interested in. I am certainly open to doing business again in the future, even if probably not next year. If and when Carowinds adds other things that are fun for me, and provides me a better value for my money, I'll be back to have fun again. I'm sure Carowinds will be glad to take my money, if and when I choose to do that.

I know a lot of you are pretty young, but there's a lot to do in this life. And some of you seem to be pretty obsessed with amusement parks. But I'll give you some old man BS... just to prove what a stupid old man I am.

Amusement parks are great. But, amusement parks are just one small band of color in the spectrum of fun that can be had in this world. Maybe, next year I'll enjoy some of the other ways to have fun, instead of paying more for less of the same stuff I've already done many times at Carowinds. Maybe I'll finally go to to the real Australia and play in the water on the real Great Barrier Reef. That does interest me. I love watching the sea life on coral reefs. Splashing around in chlorinated water in a concrete pool and plastic tubes doesn't have much interest for me, and it's partly because I've done stuff like that before plenty of times. Maybe I'll finally check out the volcanoes on the Big Island. Maybe I'll go to see the grizzlies in Denali. Maybe I'll see more concerts. Maybe I'll ride my motorcycle to the Grand Canyon (although I have already been there, I've never ridden all the way across the country). I might be old, but there are many things that I still want to do, that I've never done even once. I've ridden Fury dozens of times already. And it'll still be there on the other side of town, many years down the road. I can totally see me buying season passes again the future, just probably not next year. End of old man rant.

[uscbandfan]

My biggest thing is that I want to go to Dollywood, Kings Dominion or Six Flags Over Georgia and having season passes for Carowinds takes that out of the budget.

Six flags used to have a way you could get a discounted 2-day pass. Thats the only way we ever went to SFOG. Too far to go for just a one day adventure. But those 2 day passes were awesome.

[RollerBee]

When I went in 2006, they sold me a season pass for $50, five cheaper than a single day ticket. I was only planning on a day trip but thanks to Six Flags it turned it to a two trip. It is a spur of the moment trip, I literally woke up one day and decided to go. i had my last paycheck from Carowinds and no bills to pay, I miss those days.

[tylerSC]

Don't know if it is planned for next year, but I seriously hope Carowinds has some major flat rides in mind, such as the Skyhawk and Delirium that have been announced at other Cedar Fair parks. Since Carowinds seems to be lacking the most for these type of attractions.

And I would guess a Delirium frisbee ride may be a likely possibility, as Cedar Fair seems to have a multipark contract with Mondial, as was the case with the Windseekers. Their version seems similar to the Huss Maxair, but does Maxair go completely upside down also?

Although the Skyhawk would fit more with the Wright Bros. theme that has been teased again.

[tarheel1231]

Looking at the water park expansion, I don't see us getting any brand new flats. Carolina Harbor probably costs at least $15- $17 million. That investment alone is worth as much as CP's new dive coaster. I do think Carowinds is a prime candidate for classic flat rides next year with Thunder Road gone. I'm hoping for a real waveswinger to replace Yoyo, an eyerly monster (The Witchdoctor), and one of those Do-se-do rides.

[tylerSC]

Looking at the water park expansion, I don't see us getting any brand new flats. Carolina Harbor probably costs at least $15- $17 million. That investment alone is worth as much as CP's new dive coaster. I do think Carowinds is a prime candidate for classic flat rides next year with Thunder Road gone. I'm hoping for a real waveswinger to replace Yoyo, an eyerly monster (The Witchdoctor), and one of those Do-se-do rides.

Those are all good flat rides. I would also like to see Carowinds bring back the Witchdoctor (Octopus). And before the Yoyo, they used to have a classic carnival swing ride, the Whirling Dervish. I forget why they ever got rid of it.

But I still think there's a chance of a Delirium ride from Mondial, as Cedar Fair now seems to have multipark contracts with some of these manufacturers, just like the Windseekers and B&M coasters.

[coasterbruh]

Looking at the water park expansion, I don't see us getting any brand new flats. Carolina Harbor probably costs at least $15- $17 million. That investment alone is worth as much as CP's new dive coaster. I do think Carowinds is a prime candidate for classic flat rides next year with Thunder Road gone. I'm hoping for a real waveswinger to replace Yoyo, an eyerly monster (The Witchdoctor), and one of those Do-se-do rides.

Remember . . .Cedar Fair is pumping more than normal amounts of money into carowinds. Anything is possible . . . at a later date.

[tarheel1231]

Looking at the water park expansion, I don't see us getting any brand new flats. Carolina Harbor probably costs at least $15- $17 million. That investment alone is worth as much as CP's new dive coaster. I do think Carowinds is a prime candidate for classic flat rides next year with Thunder Road gone. I'm hoping for a real waveswinger to replace Yoyo, an eyerly monster (The Witchdoctor), and one of those Do-se-do rides.

Remember . . .Cedar Fair is pumping more than normal amounts of money into carowinds. Anything is possible . . . at a later date.

Are they not announcing Starbucks on the 27th?

[TheCoasterMan1]

Decided to enjoy a morning cup of coffee with my $1.32 (regular: $12.99) mug from the intimidator gift shop.

[chknwing]

coasterbruh has hinted at alot of different things but I think its obvious not to expect more than a water park expansion and what we saw in the blue prints. "at a later date" coasterbuh has to be alluding to the 2016 announcement. I doubt carowinds gets the log flume this season hes been hinting that were getting.

[coasterbruh]

Looking at the water park expansion, I don't see us getting any brand new flats. Carolina Harbor probably costs at least $15- $17 million. That investment alone is worth as much as CP's new dive coaster. I do think Carowinds is a prime candidate for classic flat rides next year with Thunder Road gone. I'm hoping for a real waveswinger to replace Yoyo, an eyerly monster (The Witchdoctor), and one of those Do-se-do rides.

Remember . . .Cedar Fair is pumping more than normal amounts of money into carowinds. Anything is possible . . . at a later date.

Are they not announcing Starbucks on the 27th?

Hell, I dunno. I didn't write the transcript this time . I'm going into this blind as pretty much everyone on here . . .

coasterbruh has hinted at alot of different things but I think its obvious not to expect more than a water park expansion and what we saw in the blue prints. "at a later date" coasterbuh has to be alluding to the 2016 announcement. I doubt carowinds gets the log flume this season hes been hinting that were getting.

Don't forget the water coaster!