[gabed]

^^Woah woah woah, hold on.

Carowinds has gotten ONE coaster since I-305 (which is an amazing coaster I might add), not three. Cobra opened in 2009 and was relocated from Geauga Lake. If you're going to open up that can of worms then I'd love to add how you guys got Dominator, the best coaster from that park. Not to mention that Intimidator opened with I-305, making Fury the only coaster that has been added to Carowinds since your last coaster.

Next up, Carowinds is drawing more people from it's market because it's market is growing at an extreme rate. The heavy investments we've been getting are more or less just the cherry on top. The fact that Carowinds has virtually ZERO competition surrounding them helps a bit too...

Third, don't act like King's Dominion has gotten absolutely nothing. Since your last coaster, you've gotten a multi-million dollar light show, a Windseeker (say what you want, I love these), a huge Planet Snoopy expansion that I am quite jealous of, some awesome drop-box slides, and now one of the greatest flat rides ever built. Just because you don't get coasters all the time doesn't mean that your park is going nowhere.

Finally, this:

that makes the pain of losing a coaster even worse.

Dude, you lost a TOGO stand up for a giant frisbee, not a bad trade if you ask me.

I don't mean to sound rude, but just because one park is getting heavy expansions and your park isn't doesn't mean that you just go and criticize what Cedar Fair is doing. When you get down to it, it's just business. I know it sucks to not get a coaster for awhile, but you can't just go around pouting about it.

[RollerBee]

Better Shockwave than Rebel Yell, I heard at C3 that Hurler(KD) is on the chopping block so maybe a coaster will replace it.

[gabed]

KD Hurler either needs some serious re-tracking or a wrecking ball as soon as possible. I'm sure a new coaster would be a great fit there! Isn't King's Dominion rumored for a coaster in 2017 anyways?

[arby]

Yeah, overall KD is a better park than Carowinds with a well rounded selection of rides and coasters. It hasn't had the axe taken to it and it has nice shade areas, and so forth. While we are happy to have Carowinds as our home park, we'd all be just as happy to have KD as our home park.

Cedar Fair has been doing a relatively well balanced approach to investing in all of its major parks from what I've seen. However with Raleigh #4 and Charlotte #9 in Forbes' list of fastest growing cities in the U.S., coupled with the relative neglect Carowinds has gotten over the years, the size and condition of the park has been preventing it from serving the target market effectively. Because of that, they are putting extra investments into it in the short term (I suspect for about 4-5 more years) just to try and bring it up to snuff with KD. I have little doubt that they will see it reward them proportionally so they can continue to invest in all of their properties.

I have a few non amusement park fanatics like myself who have been to both Carowinds and Kings Dominion and all of them have said that Kings Dominion is a much better park. You will note, that I am not taking into account the additions of Harmony Hall, Fury 325, and the new entrance. Those still don't even the playing field but they are large steps in that direction.

[rhpsmagenta]

I agree when it comes to overall rides that KD is an overall better park. That topped with the overall atmosphere. The abundance of trees was nice. Even though Fury is my favorite overall KD has a better coaster lineup. I had never been there till Sat. But the themeing of some rides was awesome and made Carowinds look sad. I will also agree with the above that Dominator was the best coaster to come from Geauga lake. Since it is apparent Carowinds got the shafts when Paramout owned it that it needs more work unlike KD.

[FamousAmos]

If Jarvis has taught me anything, it's how to (attempt) to stir the pot.

^Well, we got Top Gun... Paramount was good to us.

[PatrickMcPherson]

If we're talking about markets here, then since I'm going to college in Raleigh, and I get to hear what all of these teenagers are saying around here- Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a bigger draw than Carowinds for the Raleigh area. Raleigh citizens should go to Carowinds primarily, but many don't, and I think that Cedar Fair is trying to solve that problem. (Get the word out with Fury, then wow everyone with a nice water park and other ammenities when they arrive)

[Jonathan]

That was my perception when I lived in Raleigh as well. I even fell into it myself. I had a Busch Gardens season pass and went there several times a summer while there were a few years where I hardly went to Carowinds.

[tarheel1231]

It's funny you guys mention Raleigh, I found this on tripadvisor a few days ago.

Screenshot_2015-09-02-18-15-25_kindlephoto-309989604.jpg (146.28KiB)Viewed 5106 times

[Merthecat]

Hey, I come from Raleigh to go to Carowinds. Sometimes more than once a month. But it helps that I have family in Charlotte to stay with.

I'm still trying to convince my parents that a trip to KD or BGW would not be a bad idea, though...

[RollerBee]

Hehe, I pretty much have my family convinced that Kings Dominion is better than Carowinds, they have Thunder Road...err... Rebel Yell!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Yeah, plus Kings Dominion already has a superior coaster lineup to Carowinds IMO. Fury is the best ride at either park, but when I think of the coasters that are "must rides" for me when I go to the parks, there are three at Carowinds now (Fury, Intimidator, Afterburn) and five at Kings Dominion (Grizzly, I-305, Volcano, Flight of Fear, Dominator). Rebel Yell and Avalanche are a lot of fun too.

Volcano hardly compares to afterburn,which I'd gladl take as an alternative if I could trade it with carowinds. I was at KD yesterday(thursday) and when in line for windseeker noticed that they had two carowinds employees running the ride,one was wearing a Fury325 uniform and the other wearing a best barbeque shirt with the carowinds logo on it and both had carowinds employee badges. Is it commonplace for cedar fair to send employees from one park to another if one of the parks are short staffed?

[pproteinc]

I dont see why not. It's all the same company.

[uscbandfan]

I could see no problem with it as far as the company goes. But that's one hell of a change in your commute to work!!!!

[Merthecat]

I've seen multiple employees at Carowinds with Kings Dominion employee badges.