CAROWINDS

'Carowinds' is a 105 acre theme park, located adjacent to I-77 on the stateline between North and South Carolina, in Charlotte and Fort Mill, respectively. The park opened on March 31, 1973 at a cost of $30 million, after a 4 year planning period spearheaded by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall, who was inspired to build the park by a trip to Disneyland in 1956, and a dream of bringing the two aforementioned states closer together.

Contents

History

Rides

Roller Coasters

Thrill Rides

Other Rides

Nickelodeon Central

Water Rides

Boomerang Bay Water Park

Ride and attraction timeline

Notes

External links

History

The Carowinds theme park itself was originally envisioned as a component of a large resort-type area that would have included hotels, a shopping center, a golf course, and a pro-football stadium. However, like many other theme parks across the country, Carowinds' attendance was severely affected by the 1973 oil crisis, and the plans for the resort that would have surrounded the park were abandoned. Hall and the other stockholders of the Carowinds Corporation continued to operate the theme park through 1974, though sagging attendance forced the company to sellout to Taft Broadcasting in early 1975.
The park was purchased by Paramount Communications in 1993 and joined the Paramount Parks family, after ownership bounced from Taft Broadcast Company to Family Leisure Centers (a joint between Taft and Top Value Enterprises), to Kings Entertainment Company, which was the last owner prior to the acquisition by Paramount. The park was renamed Paramount's Carowinds in 1993. Viacom then purchased Paramount in 1994.
The name "Carowinds" was derived from the park's original theme. Since the park was built around the history and culture of the Carolinas, the name is a combination of "Carolina" and "winds", representing the winds that have blown across the two states. As the park changed ownership over the years, most of the Carolina themes and cultural attractions were dropped in favor of more generic television and movie themes.
Carowinds opens in late March each year and closes in early November, after the park's Halloween event, Scarowinds. In 2005, a portion of the park reopened during December for the Winterfest Christmas festival. However, the event was not returned for 2006, citing poor attendance. A similar decision was made regarding Kings Island's Winterfest.
On January 27, 2006, the website of the Dayton Daily News reported that CBS Corporation (which split from Viacom at the end of 2005) would be selling Paramount's Carowinds and other parks in its Paramount Parks division. [1]
On June 30, 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. acquired Paramount Parks, including Carowinds. [2]
Although Cedar Fair continued to use the Paramount's Carowinds name through the remainder of the 2006 season, it began to phase out the Paramount name in press releases and on the website. In January 2007, a brand new logo, featuring the Cedar Fair icon, but lacking the "Paramount" name, was revealed on the park website. The other four Paramount-branded parks that Cedar Fair acquired will also be receiving similar changes. As of February 2007, the "Paramount" name has been dropped from all of the parks.
Though it is the smallest and least well-known of Paramount's former parks, it is still a popular destination for tourists, especially considering that it is the only large theme park in the Carolinas region.

Rides

Roller Coasters

★ Borg Assimilator, formerly Stealth at Great America
A Vekoma Flying Dutchman coaster. It's the only Star Trek themed roller coaster in the world. Located in the Carowinds Plaza section of the park.

★ Carolina Cyclone
Arrow Dynamics coaster featuring 2 loops and 2 corkscrews. Located in the Carolina Boardwalk section of the park. First roller coaster to feature 4 inversions.

★ Carolina Goldrusher
First roller coaster ever at Carowinds, made by Arrow Dynamics. Located in the Carolina Boardwalk section of the park. First roller coaster to cross state lines.

★ Fairly Odd Coaster
Formerly the Scooby Doo Ghoster Coaster and themed to Fairly Odd Parents. Located in Nickelodean Central section of the park.

★ Flying Super Saturator
Setpoint "Splash Party" coaster. Located in the Boomerang Bay section of the park. Closed at the end of Labor Day Weekend 2007.

★ Hurler
A wooden out and back roller coaster formerlly themed to Wayne's World. Located in the Thrill Zone section of the park.

★ Ricochet
A Wild Mouse Coaster. Located in the Carolina Boardwalk section of the park.

★ Rugrats Runaway Reptar
Vekoma Inverted Coaster themed to Rugrats. Located in the Nickelodeon Central section of the park.

★ Thunder Road
Twin wooden roller coaster that crosses the NC/SC border. Located in the County Fair section of the park.

★
A Bolliger and Mabillard inverted roller coaster themed to the movie Top Gun. Located in the South Gate section of the park.

★ Vortex
A Bolliger and Mabillard stand up roller coaster. Located in the Carolina Showcase section of the park.

★ Hey Arnold's Taxi Chase
A kiddie coaster themed to Hey Arnold. Located in the Nickelodeon Central section of the park.

Thrill Rides

★ Drop Zone Stunt Tower
An Intamin free fall tower. It's 160 feet high and has a 100 ft. drop. It's located in the Thrill Zone section of the park

★ Scream Weaver
A Schwarzkopf Enterprise ride. With a 1 and a half minute ride time. It's located in the Thrill Zone section of the park.

★ Southern Star
An Intamin Looping Starship (ride). Located in the County Fair section of the park.

Other Rides

★ Carolina Skytower
An Intamin 320 foot tall cable tower that gives guests a view of Carowinds and Charlotte. Located in the Carowinds Plaza section of the park.

★ Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion
A dark ride where guests shoot targets and get a score and is themed to Scooby Doo. In the Carolina RFD section of the park.

★ Spongebob Squarepants 4D
A 4D Ride in the Paramount F-X Theatre themed to Spongebob Squarepants. Located in the County Fair section of the park.

Nickelodeon Central

'Backyardigans Swing-A-Long'

★ A miniature swing ride themed to Nick Jr.'s The Backyardigans.
'Boots' Ballon Race'

★ A flying balloon ride featuring Boots from Dora the Explorer.
'Danny Phantom's Phantom Flyers'

★ A flying object ride where the guest pilots the car. Themed to Danny Phantom.
'Dora the Explorer's Azul Adventure'

★ A miniature train ride themed to Dora the Explorer.
'Lazy Town Sporticopters'

★ A monorail with helicopter cars themed to Lazy Town.
'Little Bill's Cruisers'

★ A mini speed boat ride themed to Little Bill.
'Nick Jr. Jets'

★ A small flying jet ride.
'Nick-O-Round'

★ An antique carousel.
'Rocket Power Air Time'

★ A swinging ride that falls at 33 feet per second themed to Rocket Power.
'The Flying Dutchman's Revenge'

★ A rotating pirate ship ride themed to Spongebob Squarepants.
'Tommy's Take Off'

★ A small plane ride.

Water Rides

★ The Wild Thornberry's River Adventure
A log flume ride themed to The Wild Thornberry's. Located in the Nickelodean Central section of the park.

★ Rip Roarin Rapids
A white water rapids ride. Located in the Carowinds Plaza section of the park.

★ WhiteWater Falls
A small splash boat ride. Located in the Carolina RFD section of the park.

Boomerang Bay Water Park

NON WATERSLIDES

★ Crocidile Run
Lazy River

★ Kangaroo Lagoon
Kid Section

★ Great Barrier Reef
250000 sq ft. wave pool
WATERSLIDES

★ Down Under Thunder

★ Awesome Aussie Twister

★ Sydney Sidewinder

★ Pipeline Peak

Ride and attraction timeline

★ 2007: Frenzoid was put back in as Southern Star in County Fair. Three Point Challenge was built near the north entrance. A new ice show premiered entitled Carowinds: Endless Summers on Ice. The price for a single day ticket dropped for the first time ever. Skytower was repainted to look like an American flag. The Flying Super Saturator was closed and removed after Labor Day. Winterfest will not be held in 2007.

★ 2006: The Frenzoid was removed. The WaterWorks Water Park was rethemed to Boomerang Bay waterpark by adding a used slide from Kings Dominion and converting the old Frenzoid lake into a heated lagoon. Thunder Raceway (go-karts) are built in Thrill Zone. Winterfest does not return for a second year.

★ 2005: Nickelodeon Central expansion, featuring Phantom Flyers, Flying Dutchman's Revenge, Little Bill's Cruisers, Yogi's Jellystone Garden (Original Ride) is rethemed to Dora the Explorer's Azul Adventure; Frenzoid removal begins in September; Winterfest:Home for the Holidays returns to Carowinds. Stan Miketa's in Thrill Zone changed to Happy Days Dinner.

★ 2004: Star Trek Borg Assimilator (coaster).

★ 2003: Nickelodeon Central, featuring Rugrats Runaway Reptar, Powder Keg Flume (Original Ride) rethemed to Wild Thornberrys River Adventure; Gauntlet (Original Ride) rethemed to Rocket Power Air Time; Carolina Sternwheeler (Original Ride) riverboat removed.

★ 2002: Richochet (coaster) and rethemeing of area to Carolina Boardwalk; Cyber Says.

★ 2001: Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion; 7th Portal and Meteor Attack updates for Action F/X Theatre; Waterworks expansion; Whirling Dervish (swing ride) removed.

★ 2000: Scarowinds (Halloween event); Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator.

★ 1999: Top Gun The Jet Coaster (coaster).

★ 1998: Expansion of Animation Station with Zoom Zone featuring Taxi Jam, Road Rally, and Chopper Chase; James Bond 007 A License to Thrill in Paramount Action F/X Theater (replacement for Days of Thunder).

★ 1997: WaterWorks (expansion/rename of water park).

★ 1996: Drop Zone Stunt Tower.

★ 1995: Animation Station (expansion/rename of Hanna-Barbera Land); Skyflyer.

★ 1994: Wayne's World section (now Thrill Zone) with The Hurler (coaster); Monorail removed.

★ 1993: Days of Thunder Motion Simulator Theatre.

★ 1992: The Vortex (coaster).

★ 1991: Expansion of Paladium; Speedway Cars removed

★ 1990: Gauntlet.

★ 1989: Riptide Reef (water park rename/expansion); Expansion of Paladium.

★ 1988: WhiteWater Falls; White Lightnin' removed; Black Widow (thrill ride) removed.

★ 1987: Expansion of Hanna-Barbera Land with three new rides; Old Jalopies antique car ride removed;Oaken Bucket(thrill ride) removed.

★ 1986: Frenzoid.

★ 1985: Blackbeard's Revenge (mystery house).

★ 1984: Smurf Island (themed area).

★ 1983: Winterfest (Christmas event) opens but doesn't return; Cable Skyway removed.

★ 1982: Rip Roarin' Rapids; Ocean Island (water park).

★ 1981: No changes.

★ 1980: Carolina Cyclone (coaster).

★ 1979: Meteorite; Demolition Derby; Whirling Dervish; Wild Bull; Carousel.

★ 1977: White Lightnin' (coaster).

★ 1976: Thunder Road (coaster); Carowinds and Carolina Railroad removed.

★ 1975: Paladium Amphitheatre; Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera (themed area) featuring Scooby-Doo roller coaster; Surfer; Wagon Wheel; Waltzer.

★ 1974: Stagecoach(now Country Kitchen) is added, picnic areas open. The Double-Decker Carousel is removed from the park at the end of the season and placed in storage.

★ 1973: Carowinds opens on March 31 1973; the Monorail is still under construction and opens later.

Notes

★ A 340 foot tower at Carowinds was cited as a possible causitive factor in the 1974 fatal crash of a jet airplane at the nearby Douglas Municipal Airport, which is now Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. ''(See: Eastern Air Lines Flight 212)''

★ Carowinds is home to a family of white squirrels that were brought in and released when the park opened to bring good luck

External links

★ Carowinds Official Site

★ Carowinds Zone (Unofficial guide to Carowinds, and fan site)

★ Carowinds Connection (Unofficial Carowinds fan forum)

★ Carowinds: The Early Years (1973-1977) - Includes Pictures From 1972

★ Video of the Rides of Carowinds Park