[coasterbruh]

After going to the SC state fair and experiencing the "Attack of the clones" I went to Scarowinds to see what all the fuss was about. My first indicator that this wasnt gonna be a progressed event was the fact that the illuminated pumpkin that was located at the front gate wasnt there, however that was a kinda creepy hearse parked outside the entrance w/ so all too fresh looking flowers around it. First let me say you ACE people really know how to throw an event :rolleyes: ! But I still had a blast w/ jon and james (if thats not your name then...oops!!) Now I didnt go to Scarowinds last year but I have been the previous 2 years before and I must say I was very impressed. This year, well its kinda like a church coalition is running the darn thing!

Oh yeah let me not forget my parking experience........

I pull up to the parking gate (with no money in my pocket might I add) and held up my season pass and had a stare on my face like, "yeah i want you to tell me 8 bitty dollars!!) but to my dismay she just told me to enjoy myself. So I guess you can say its official that season pass holders dont have to pay for parking (but I know some of you still have to contact your sources to get a confirmation or something)

Over all I give my Scarowinds experiences this year a 5 out of 10 and let me tell you why.....

Atmosphere- the park basically felt like plane ole carowinds just in the dark. Where there was fog it was plentiful and where it was actually props they were done well (the rapids fountian looks pretty darn cool ww/ those effects) Now what they took out.... the bridge in nick central is just as plain as day. I can count the number of scaracters in both my hands (well not really but you get the idea). The music wasnt that scary, actually it reminded me of the score from jurrasic park!

Haunts-Well they are pretty good but what makes its annoying is the people are kinda tryin to hard to scare you when they basically arent even scary **side bar-whoever runs scarowinds may wanna invest in latex make-up because all I saw was regular people with white face paint**. Alcrataz Excape was pretty good for what it was. It was completely disorienting with all the fog and I do mean ALOT of fog and the mirrors. I love the way they do the spinning light thing then all of a sudden someone is in your face! Also another cool effect used is a strobe light (and no one had a seizure carowindsman ). There was another pretty awsome part to it but hey, your just gonna have to go to know what im talking about, and you will know.

Sleepy hollow horror......well for some reason I thought I was gonna see some heads rolling or the actual "legend" pop out but it was nothing tieing to the name. Basically its just a walk thru the woods. Friday the 13th......didnt experience. Draculas haunted castle was, well you just gotta see it. It was something I never expected and the ending is quite climatic. Words cant describe it but man what an experience. psssss....I will tell you this, the whole film screamed 3D glasses!. Alien crypt in 3D...blahhhhh. Moving right along, Nightmare manor. That has to be the star attraction throughout the whole event. Well actually the very informative path that leads the way was the highlight of my event! <span style='color:red'>(footers, red flags, and paths OH MY!!)</span>. This haunt is pretty long and has a variety of rooms and different scenes.

Now on to the rides.....
Hurler was as smooth as ever but still a fun ride. TR was only running one side and it was flying! It puzzles me that alot of people say they dont like vortex but that was the only ride that had a line the whole night. Top Gun, man Im starting to think that thing needs some leg braces. The speed, the forces the degree changes makes this one heck of a ride! Borg was running both trains but that sphere was as georgeous as ever especially with the fog machine placed right on it. But the ride of the evening hands down was GOLDRUSHER!! This was the only haunted "themed" coaster running in the park. Im not gonna give away the details, heck I went you can go too!! But it was very fun. I took quite a bit of pics so if anyone wants to see some then just send me a PM!!!

So there you have it. It was an ok event but not to best. And I read somewhere else that PC has the best in the chain, well if thats true then I wouldnt tell anyone that!!

[Jay]

Jay, James whatever

Had a great time last night, Top Gun, Hurler, and Thunder Road were all running at unreal speeds, and the 'effects' on Goldrusher were a nice touch that we all thought it could use year round. Vortex was the same ole piece of #### making me cry TAER IT DOWN as we hit the breaks.

Nightmare Manor was definitely the class of Scarowinds. Alcatraz Escape was very disorienting, and it was cool going through the old Whirling Dirvish site which I haven't been in ages, plus it had a tunnel (OMFG TUNNEL!!!111) which are always great.

Alien Crypt 3D was 'bleh' at best and something needs to be done with the horrible 'music' they play, although it wasn't as obnoxious as last year. AC3D's only redeeming quality was that it also had a tunnel. Sleepy Hollow Horror was a bit dissapointing as <a href='http://www.pbase.com/jamminj/image/22273565/large' target='_blank'>the head</a> was nowhere to be found. It was also fun trying to peak over the fences to see if any 'construction' was happening, but it was too dark to see anything really. As for Dracula.. well... it's no Superstition lemme put it that way.. :blink:

Overall it was a tad dissapointing, the rides were excellent, and the houses were done well as always, but normally there is more 'life' (or death maybe?) in the midways. If Carowinds could add some fog/strobes/blacklights whatever, close down some of the games (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CLOSE THE GAMES, I'm trying to get scared, I don't need to hear "HEY HEY ONLY NEED A FEW MORE PEOPLE FOR PIG RACING, EVERY RACE GETS A PRIZE), bring back the bubbles (by far the best thing about last year) and add a few more zombies or whatever walking around, this could be a really great event.

[KenB]

It sounds like the atmosphere was about the same as the previous week when I went - it was just missing "something" from previous years. I'm wondering if they're just spread too thin with staffing "Scaracters" and theming in the midways, etc. with having so much of the park open. Like Bruh said, it just felt like Carowinds in the dark. Before, it usually had a special feel to it.

KenB

[coasterbruh]

I think its hard to get people to do the job. I mean people may fear being hit and stuff like that. Well after I go to HHN i will see if its just carowinds or its the industry!

[Jonathan]

I pretty much agree with what was said above. I had a blast with Jay and Bruh, but I can't deny that the midways seemed a little bare compared to previous years. I remember the year of the first ACE Day we lost part of our group in the fog and never saw them again the rest of the night. It just seemed like the midways were very bare, but I still think it's a good event; just not as good as past years.

[coasterdude89]

One of my friends went to Scarowinds friday night and said that all of the rides, including Top Gun, were walk on. He said that they hardly ever had to wait to ride a ride. He didn't ride the Borg becuase he said the line was long, but, do you think that it'll be like this friday. I'm hoping to go since I don't have any thing at school, except a play compotiton, but, i don't think that I have to go to that untill saturday.

[MarkD]

Well I canged mu mind about going 3 times this year. Once was enough for me and I moght add a bit dissapointed as many of you.

It was almost 11pm before we saw our first ghoul walking around, no thick fog as in years past, Sponge Bob was not bleeding, no skeleton on the needle, no pictures being projected on the walls.

The only thing that was fun were the actuall attractions. But, once you exited the attractions that good scary feeling was gone.

I enjoyed the Dracula movie untill it was over and we all just looked at each other. Talk about your dead end movie.

The Jason show was, in my thought pretty cool, even with the cheesy Camp Counselers. The problem we had was with the theater being a full house we had all the idiots treating the show as if were Rocky Horror Picture Show. You could hardly hear what was said and of course those poor employees did not know what to do. About 1/4 of the patrons left before the show was 1/2 way done. There was a steady stream of people leaving the entire time. I had to keep my mouth shut as I am but one person but during the section where the guy is trying to box Jason the guy directly behind me started syaing to every one the all Horror movies ever made were racist. It was then I just turned around and told him he had no idea what he was talking about and needed to shut up. A few tense moments but who cares. He came to the park to get scared and I was willing to oblige.

Speaking of the idiots that were there, the entire night we only saw 4 security guards. There were kids hidding in the bushes trying to jump out at you, and not just in one area but the entire park at one time or another, the bathrooms were retiled with soggy paper towels as the bowls overflowed almost all night.

All in all we had a good time together but I think they are spreading the haunts out too thin. If all they are going to have is 5 or 6 attractions for Scarowinds then they need to get them closer together so they can keep that Halloween feeling. Maybe take over the entire picnic area or some other area on the outskirts of the park.

Also, as a final note, did you all have to enter through the South gate? I know Clay Achesmyheart was there but the North gate was closed and all patons had to enter the South Gate for Scarowinds. They only had 4 terminals open untill 7:30 then they finally open up the rest. We were standing in line 1/2 way through the Platinum parking area. That was just nuts. I know I asked for it going on Clays night but it was the only time my Daughter could go so you deal with it.

[TheDanca]

Forseer,

I encourage you to call Guest Services sometime this week. I hate that you had to experience what you reported. There was no excuse for the lack of security and kids in the bushes. As for the Jason movie, I'm sorry you had to sit behind someone who was so disruptive. If it were to happen again, please contact an usher, and I hope they would resolve the problem.

[coasterbruh]

Ya know what, a friend of mines experienced PKD's halloween event and they told me that carowinds was better....now that says a WHOLE lot....

[carowindsfreak13]

I plan to stay that day and scarowwinds night do I have to evacacuate the park at closing or do ya at the beginng pay day and night.
OrWhat do they do?

[RollerBee]

I am hoping to go to Carowinds and SCarowinds Saturday. Note, the word hoping. :rolleyes:

[MarkD]

I plan to stay that day and scarowwinds night do I have to evacacuate the park at closing or do ya at the beginng pay day and night.
OrWhat do they do?

I don't know as we left and went home to change clothes.

All I can say is if you don't have to leave don't. On the way back traffic was backed up almost to 485. Thankfuly people did not know what to do as they were all lined up in the far right lane single file. So we just zoomed past them in the left lane(the second lane into Carowinds), then we stayed in the far left lane to enter parking as the signs say Platinum pass holders left 2 lanes. Now the line to actually get in was terrible but I think it was because Clay Aikenmyheart was there and Scarowinds guests had to enter the South Gate only.

[MarkD]

Forseer,

I encourage you to call Guest Services sometime this week. I hate that you had to experience what you reported. There was no excuse for the lack of security and kids in the bushes. As for the Jason movie, I'm sorry you had to sit behind someone who was so disruptive. If it were to happen again, please contact an usher, and I hope they would resolve the problem.

Been there done that.

As for the Ushers they were too scared as you could see them shrink down to get out of veiw.

[coasterbruh]

I think its hard to get people to do the job. I mean people may fear being hit and stuff like that. Well after I go to HHN i will see if its just carowinds or its the industry!

Well guys the verdict is in and, well needless to say its not the industry!! THose people REALLY like their jobs as a "scaractures" and they gave 110% of everything they had to make sure you got the sh t scared outta.......


Coasterbruh--------------> thinks universal's creative design team should pay scarowinds a constructive visit!