[RollerBee]

Nearly all of them, the mid 80s gets a little skew. Lots of ride removals in the time period.

[swampfox43]

I have at least 1 or more brochure from every year since the parks 1973 opening (I may not have 2007 or 2008 brochures). Also have several old large fold out maps. I also have the original 16mm film which I have converted to DVD, on the building of Carowinds that was released in 1974 and shown on local TV stations. Also have an original 33rpm record of the Carowinds theme song from 1973. I have plenty of old postcards and was lucky to find a collection of original 8x10 aerial photos (color & B&W) of the park while under construction. One of my most prized possessions is a press kit from the opening year showing the proposed Carowinds hotel with the monorail stop. I have just about every press kit since 1992. Yes, I was a huge collector of Carowinds stuff at one time and although my interests have changed over the past year or so (especially since the park has gone downhill over the past 4 years), I would be hard pressed to offer these to a museum unless they took full responsibility for their safety. I already gave David Mandt & the park a copy of the 16mm film short back in 2000.

Swamp, reading your post from 2009, you mentioned that your feelings for the park have changed, and the park has gone down hill the past 4 years. Here we are 6 years later and the park has gone through a major transformation. I'm wondering if you now feel differently about the park?

Capler, my feelings on the direction CF is taking Carowinds has taken a complete 180º from my feelings during the initial years of their ownership. Let's face it. A used Boomerang was like a slap in the face. I was also still reeling from the mess that Paramount made (they did a few good things tho). But what's done is done. I don't think anyone can agree with everything CF will do or has done for our park (I still feel the Thunder Road demolition was senseless) but I feel confident that CF will continue to impress us with awesome attractions in the coming years.

[RollerBee]

In my opinion, senseless is an understatement. Spending 5 million on rebuilding it only to decide to tear it down instead of spending the remain 2-3 million it needed to operate. The whole voting with their feet thing is bull, if that was so then why is Hurler still hanging around? Lines were shorter in 2012 and 2013 at Hurler than Thunder Road. Yoyo is another example, I have never seen it have more than a one cycle line. Putting Windseeker where Yoyo is would have added traffic to the County Fair and helping Thunder Road. Demolishing a nearly brand new popular wooden coaster is a bad business decision. Carowinds wanted to turn the blue train backwards again for the finale, if it had been done before the final decision to remove Thunder Road was made, Thunder Road's ridership would have increase.

I hope one day Carowinds sees how big of mistake they have made.

[Jay]

Carowinds after opening the waterpark next year:



"Thunder What?"

[BelowThePeak]

In my opinion, senseless is an understatement. Spending 5 million on rebuilding it only to decide to tear it down instead of spending the remain 2-3 million it needed to operate. The whole voting with their feet thing is bull, if that was so then why is Hurler still hanging around? Lines were shorter in 2012 and 2013 at Hurler than Thunder Road. Yoyo is another example, I have never seen it have more than a one cycle line. Putting Windseeker where Yoyo is would have added traffic to the County Fair and helping Thunder Road. Demolishing a nearly brand new popular wooden coaster is a bad business decision. Carowinds wanted to turn the blue train backwards again for the finale, if it had been done before the final decision to remove Thunder Road was made, Thunder Road's ridership would have increase.

I hope one day Carowinds sees how big of mistake they have made.

I really think the decision to remove Thunder Road was more attributed to location than anything else. Hurler, Cyclone, etc. are drawing crowds pretty similar in size to the ones that Thunder Road drew, but the locations both of those coasters sit on don't have nearly as much potential for further expansion as Thunder Road's plot does. I would have rather kept Thunder Road, but honestly, it wasn't drawing many crowds, especially not crowds that a waterpark that's at least 50% larger is going to bring.

So Carowinds' decision makes sense for me. Thunder Road had a very large footprint, sat on land with a lot of potential, and wasn't getting many riders. The way I see it is that this new expansion will draw bigger crowds, creating more revenue which will aid further expansion. Hopefully one day we'll get a wooden coaster that's even better than Thunder Road was.

[Edwardo]

I'll trust the park, who has great leadership from local to the top to the board, with their numbers and information, to make decisions, regardless of how I feel about them personally, that will make the park a continued success. Losing TR sucked. Ultimately I've decided to be happy with where the park is and where it's going than to continue to constantly live in a past that no longer exists and isn't coming back.

[Capler]

I have at least 1 or more brochure from every year since the parks 1973 opening (I may not have 2007 or 2008 brochures). Also have several old large fold out maps. I also have the original 16mm film which I have converted to DVD, on the building of Carowinds that was released in 1974 and shown on local TV stations. Also have an original 33rpm record of the Carowinds theme song from 1973. I have plenty of old postcards and was lucky to find a collection of original 8x10 aerial photos (color & B&W) of the park while under construction. One of my most prized possessions is a press kit from the opening year showing the proposed Carowinds hotel with the monorail stop. I have just about every press kit since 1992. Yes, I was a huge collector of Carowinds stuff at one time and although my interests have changed over the past year or so (especially since the park has gone downhill over the past 4 years), I would be hard pressed to offer these to a museum unless they took full responsibility for their safety. I already gave David Mandt & the park a copy of the 16mm film short back in 2000.

Swamp, reading your post from 2009, you mentioned that your feelings for the park have changed, and the park has gone down hill the past 4 years. Here we are 6 years later and the park has gone through a major transformation. I'm wondering if you now feel differently about the park?

Capler, my feelings on the direction CF is taking Carowinds has taken a complete 180º from my feelings during the initial years of their ownership. Let's face it. A used Boomerang was like a slap in the face. I was also still reeling from the mess that Paramount made (they did a few good things tho). But what's done is done. I don't think anyone can agree with everything CF will do or has done for our park (I still feel the Thunder Road demolition was senseless) but I feel confident that CF will continue to impress us with awesome attractions in the coming years.

I hear you Swamp. I was pissed those first few CF years. Like you, I was mad about the boomerang, especially when KD got Dominator. You know we Carowinds folk have a serious case of Kings Dominion envy, which I blame squarely on Paramount. My feelings began to change with Intimidator. Yes I-305 is taller, but honestly I've always felt Carowinds got the better deal. 305 is popular with fanboys, but overall 232 is a better ride and is more popular with the general public.
With the additions of the past two years and the upcoming year, I am beside myself. I know I should not feel this way, but I get so much joy hearing the KD fans cry about feeling neglected. During all those Paramount years, I cried every time KD got a big unique, heavily themed signature attraction. Now for once, Carowinds is the belle of the ball.

If they could see me now,
That little gang of mine,
I'm eating fancy chow
And drinking fancy wine.
I'd like those stumble bums to see for a fact
The kind of top drawer, first rate chums I attract.
All I can say is "Wow-ee!
Looka where I am.
Tonight I landed, pow!
Right in a pot of jam.
What a set up! Holy cow!
They'd never believe it,
If my friends could see me now!