| Previously known as Paramount's Carowinds (1993–2006) | |
 | |
 An aerial view of the park in 2017 | |
 Interactive map of Carowinds | |
| Location | Charlotte, North Carolina,United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°06′10″N80°56′30″W / 35.10278°N 80.94167°W /35.10278; -80.94167 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | March 31, 1973; 52 years ago (1973-03-31) |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| General manager | Brian Oerding |
| Slogan | "Where The Carolinas Come Together" |
| Operating season | March through January |
| Attendance | 2.3 million |
| Area | 407 acres (1.65 km2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 42 |
| Roller coasters | 13[1] |
| Website | www |
Carowinds is a 407-acre (165 ha)amusement park primarily located inCharlotte, North Carolina. The park is owned and operated bySix Flags. Carowinds straddles the state line between North and South Carolina, adjacent toInterstate 77, with a portion of the park located inFort Mill, South Carolina. The park has a sign telling guests where the state line lies.[2]
The park was constructed at a cost of $70 million following a four-year planning period led by Charlotte businessman Earl Patterson Hall. Carowinds first opened to the public on March 31, 1973. The park featuresCarolina Harbor, a 27-acre (11 ha)water park that is included with park admission. Annual events include the Halloween-themed SCarowinds and the Christmas-themed WinterFest.
Carowinds was announced on October 10, 1969, and originally planned on being a largeresort which would include atheme park,hotels, ashopping center, agolf course, and anNFLstadium. The nameCarowinds was conceived from the park's original theme of the history and culture of theCarolinas, and is aportmanteau ofCarolina andwinds, in reference to the winds that blow across the two states. Ground was broken on May 1, 1970, with a planned opening date in April 1972. After numerous construction delays due to weather, the park eventually opened on March 31, 1973, under the ownership of the Carowinds Corporation, a consortium of local investors headed by Hall. The first season brought in over 1.2 million visitors, but attendance at Carowinds was curtailed by the1973 oil crisis, and plans for the proposed resort were put on hold. Sagging attendance and mounting debt forced Carowinds Corporation to merge withTaft Broadcasting in early 1975.
Taft originally ran the park through Family Leisure Centers, a joint venture between Taft and Top Value Enterprises (owned by theKroger supermarket chain). It was later transferred to a wholly owned Taft subsidiary,Kings Entertainment Company. Taft Broadcasting brought new life to the park with its Hanna-Barbera characters and several rides aimed to appeal to younger guests. Carowinds added its second roller coaster, and first wooden coaster, with the addition ofScooby-Doo in 1975. The Wagon Wheel and The Waltzer flat rides were also added to the park. A small carousel was added to the Carolina Crossroads area. In 1976, Carowinds openedThunder Road, aPhiladelphia Toboggan Coasters racing wooden coaster designed by Curtis D. Summers. It was the largest and most expensive ride built in Carowinds' short three years of existence, at a cost of $1.6 million. The trains were relocated from the defunctJetstream roller coaster at Chicago'sRiverview Park. White Lightnin', a Schwarzkopf launched shuttle roller coaster, opened in 1977. The Witchdoctor was relocated to Pirate Island and renamed Black Widow. The Waltzer is removed after a year of operation and Wagon Wheel is moved into its place. Trams are added to the parking lot. In 1979, a $3 million expansion adds the County Fair area, which contains four new rides. Additionally, a 1923 antique carousel built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company is added to The Land of Hanna-Barbera.
TheCarolina Cyclone was added in 1980 as the first roller coaster in the world to feature four inversions. Thunder Road received new Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters trains. The original themed trains were destroyed after causing damage to the tracks. Rip Roarin' Rapids, a water rapids ride, opens in 1982. In 1982, Ocean Island opens as a separately ticketed attraction between Thunder Road and the White Lightnin' roller coasters. The water park was not owned by Carowinds, and included a 700,000-gallon, 25,500 square foot wave pool that featured waves reaching heights of five feet. The complex also featured other standard water park amenities including picnic and sunbathing areas, shower and changing facilities, a snack bar, game room, raft rentals and a gift shop. Oaken Bucket was removed. The Heritage Theater was converted into an arcade. In 1984, Smurf Island opens on a 1.3 acre island surrounded by the Carolina Sternwheeler river boat. The Flying Dutchman is removed and the Paladium is expanded. Blackbeard's Revenge, an Arrow-Huss haunted swing ride, is added in 1985.
In 1986, County Fair is renovated and Frenzoid, a 360-degree looping Viking ship, is added to the area. In 1987, Carowinds purchases Ocean Island. Vintage Jalopies is removed and the Panorama Vision theater is converted to an arcade. The following year, White Lightnin' is removed due to continuous maintenance downtime. The Balloon Race flat ride and WhiteWater Falls, a 45 foot tall water attraction is added. In 1989, Ocean Island is renamed to RipTide Reef and expanded to over 6 acres on the land previously occupied by White Lightnin'. Black Widow is removed the same year.
In 1990, Gauntlet, a prototype thrill ride, was added to the park. The following year, the Paladium becomes a stand-alone concert facility- separate from the theme park with an expanded seating capacity of 13,000 after a $4 million renovation. In 1992, Kings Entertainment Company was acquired byParamount Communications and Paramount Parks was formed, with the corporate headquarters a few miles away from the park in Charlotte. The same year, Carowinds introduces theVortex stand-up roller coaster.
The park's name was changed to Paramount's Carowinds in 1993. Movies and television shows from various Paramount Pictures were introduced into the park, including Days of Thunder. The Paramount Walk of Fame was constructed on the path from the park's main entrance to the park's central hub. In 1994, Wayne's World, a new three acre themed area that re-creates the Hollywood set popularized in the Paramount motion picture of the same name, is added to the northwestern corner of the park with theHurler roller coaster as its centerpiece.
In 1995, Animation Station introduces an interactive experience for kids featuring The Power Station, a three-story climbing structure, and Kids' Studio, an outdoor amphitheater for children's shows. On June 30 of the same year, askycoaster ride called Skycoaster opened in the Wayne's World section.[3]Drop Zone: Stunt Tower was also added in 1996 in the same area. The park hosted 1.8 million visitors, making it one of the largest tourist attractions in the Carolinas. In 1997, to celebrate the park's 25th anniversary, RipTide Reef is expanded into WaterWorks, doubling its size to include 12 acres at a cost of $7.5 million. In 1998, ZOOM ZONE opens in Animation Station. The expansion adds three new attractions: Taxi Jam, Chopper Chase and Road Rally and increases the size of the area by 3.5 acres. The addition ofTop Gun: The Jet Coaster in 1999 became the single-largest investment in the park's history at a cost of $10.5 million.
In 2000, The NickelodeonFlying Super Saturator takes riders along a 1,087-foot suspended track while dodging a gauntlet of gushing geysers and rain curtains and was the first of its kind roller coaster in the world. SCarowinds, the park's annual Halloween event, is introduced for the first time in October. In 2001, the park introduced three new attractions includingScooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion, an interactive ghost-busting experience through the former Harmony Hall, Pipeline Peak, the world's tallest enclosed body slide and increases the size of WaterWorks to 13 acres, and the park's first 3-D attraction, 7th Portal. Plantation Square, the park's entrance area, is remodeled into Paramount Plaza. The Wayne's World theming is removed and the area is converted to Thrill Zone. The following year saw the addition of Carolina Boardwalk, a newly themed area that takes guests on a walk through of the famous beaches of the Carolinas. Included in this area is the parks 11th roller coaster,Ricochet. After the success ofWoodstock's Air Rail at sister parkKings Island, Paramount decided to build a clone at Carowinds in 2003 as part of the Happy Land of Hanna Barbera's transition into Nickelodeon Central. In 2004,Nighthawk (then known as Stealth) was relocated fromCalifornia's Great America and opened as BORG Assimilator in the location previously home to Smurf Island. Nickelodeon Central was expanded in 2005.
On January 27, 2006, theDayton Daily News reported thatCBS Corporation (successor ofthe original Viacom) was interested in selling the entireParamount Parks division, including Carowinds; CBS stated that amusement parks did not fit the company's new strategy. On May 14, 2006,Cedar Fair announced it was interested in acquiring the five Paramount theme parks from CBS Corporation. The acquisition was completed on June 30, 2006.[4][5]
Although Cedar Fair continued to use the Paramount's Carowinds name through the remainder of the 2006 season, and had a ten-year option to continue using the Paramount pre-fix,[6] it began to phase out the Paramount name in press releases, the park website, and signage within the park. All references to Paramount-owned movies were removed immediately, with the exception of Nickelodeon Central, as Cedar Fair did not own the rights to use Paramount property. Several rides were renamed and rethemed, including BORG Assimilator (now known as Nighthawk), Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (now known as Drop Tower), and Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (now known as Afterburn). WaterWorks was expanded by four additional acres and the name was changed to Boomerang Bay in 2006. The addition of a heated lagoon and a children's water slide were among the changes made to the existing water park.
In January 2007, a new logo was unveiled featuring the trademark Cedar Fair flag on the letterI in the Carowinds name, removing Paramount altogether. The Carolina Skytower was repainted to feature the colors of the American flag. In 2008, a second, larger wave pool was added to Boomerang Bay due to increased popularity. Yo-Yo, a flat ride from Carowinds' former sister parkGeauga Lake, was also added to the park. The Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator is closed and removed. The following year,Carolina Cobra was also relocated from Geauga Lake in the spot formerly home to the Flying Super Saturator and includes new trains. Multiple pathways were repaved and the landscaping around the park was also improved. Nighthawk is repainted from black and green to yellow and blue. It is announced that the Powder Keg Log Flume located near the front of the park would be removed for future development.
In 2010,Intimidator, a 232-foot tall roller coaster, opened in the space formerly occupied by the Powder Keg Log Flume. A portion of the parking lot is re-configured to accommodate the ride's layout. Nickelodeon Central was also replaced byPlanet Snoopy, introducing thePeanuts characters to the park. For 2011, the park saw general cosmetic improvements. Vortex received a new red and white color scheme, new picnic shelters were constructed in the Plaza Pavilion area, Thunder Road and Hurler had portions of their tracks reconstructed, and new seat walls, newly planted shade trees, and additional greenery was planted all around the park. In 2012, WindSeeker, a 301-foot tall swinging flat ride, opened in a filled portion of the main lagoon near Nighthawk. The park also continued to add more shade structures and replaced asphalt pathways with brick pavers throughout the park. On August 26, 2013, Cedar Fair announced a $50 million investment plan to expand Carowinds over three years starting in 2014.[7] The expansion included a $30 million roller coaster, a $2.5 million water slide, a $7 million food complex, and $4 million to improve the park's ticket booths and front areas.[8] The same year, the park introducedDinosaurs Alive!, a 5-acre walkthrough attraction.
In 2015,Fury 325, the fifth-tallest roller coaster in the world, opened as another component of the park's previously announced "top-to-bottom" expansion program.[9] A new front entrance replaced the original North Gate entrance of the park, the parking toll booths were replaced and expanded, and the parking lot was re-configured to accommodate the new entry plaza. Thunder Road is closed and demolished to make way for future development. In 2016, Boomerang Bay was re-themed and expanded intoCarolina Harbor, removing the Australian theme. The expansion included a new six-slide complex, a new wave pool located on land formerly home to Thunder Road, and several new splash areas for kids. The original wave pool is demolished.[10] For the 2017 season, the expansion of the County Fair area saw the addition of four new rides: Electro-Spin (a Mondial top scan), Zephyr (Zierer Wave Swinger), Rock N Roller (Mack Rides Music Express), and Do-Si-Do (HUSS Troika). Carolina Cobra was re-themed and renamed "The Flying Cobras", with a new blue and white color scheme. The park also announced that the Wings restaurant would be expanded. WinterFest, a Christmas event in November and December that previously operated in 2005, was also reintroduced.[11]
In 2018,Planet Snoopy was expanded and converted intoCamp Snoopy with the addition of six new children's attractions.[12] The following year,Copperhead Strike, a double-launched roller coaster manufactured byMack Rides, was opened in the all-new seven-acre Blue Ridge Junction area of the park and became the park's 14th roller coaster. Blue Ridge Junction was constructed in the area formerly occupied by WhiteWater Falls, Sand Dune Lagoon andThunder Road's former station. A 130-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Carowinds' first on-site hotel, opened near the park's toll booths. Blue Ridge Country Kitchen opens in Blue Ridge Junction.
Carowinds did not open for normal operation during the 2020 season as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[13][14] The park hosted a new holiday event, however, called "Taste of the Season" from November 21 – December 20, 2020.[15] The event featured food, live shows, and other holiday activities throughout the park, as well as a select number of amusement rides.[15][16] The park returned to normal operation in May 2021.[17] In 2021, Boogie Board Racer, the longest mat racing slide in the Southeast, opened in Carolina Harbor.[18] Retirement of the Rip Roarin' Rapids ride was also announced, along with the closure of the Dinosaurs Alive! attraction, to prepare for future development.
In July 2022, Carowinds announced the closures of Plants vs. Zombies 3Z Arena, Yo-Yo, and Southern Star attractions.[19] As part of the new Aeronautica Landing area of the park, Air Racers, The Airwalker, Gear Spin, Gyro Force, Hover and Dodge, and Wind Star were announced as their replacements for the 2023 season.[20] Carowinds began year-round operation in 2023, including limited park operation on weekends in January and February and Flights & Bites, a seasonal offering in Harmony Hall.[21] The park also celebrated their 50th anniversary with limited time entertainment offerings, unique food and beverage, and vintage merchandise.[22] In accordance with their 50th anniversary milestone, Carowinds announced its new Aeronautica Landing area would open in April 2023. Aeronautica Landing, the centerpiece of Carowinds' 50th anniversary celebration, pays tribute to the Carolinas' spirit of invention and the history of flight. The new area opened on April 7.[23] Year-round operations were discontinued at the end of the season.
On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals betweenCedar Fair andSix Flags was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. As part of the merger, a new corporate headquarters was established in Charlotte, North Carolina, relocating Cedar Fair operations fromSandusky, Ohio, and legacy Six Flags operations fromArlington, Texas.[24] Charlotte previously served as the headquarters of Paramount Parks, prior to its acquisition by Cedar Fair.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Racers | 2023 | Zamperla | A plane-themed air racer ride with six arms that invert while the ride spins around an axis. |
| Gear Spin | 2023 | Zamperla | A NebulaZ ride that consists of four pendulums attached to the sides of a central rotating tower. The pendulums intertwine as they rotate, creating regular near-misses. At either end of each pendulum are gondolas that seat four riders in two rows back-to-back. The gondolas always remain upright. |
| Gyro Force | 2023 | Chance Rides | Atrabant ride consisting of a giant wheel which tilts at a steep angle that fluctuates in a wavelike manner and spins at various speeds. Opened on June 16, 2023. |
| Hover and Dodge | 1979/2023 | Majestic Rides | A classicbumper cars attraction. Formerly known asAutodrome (1979–1981),PT Bumper's Dodgem (1982–?),Dodg'ems (?-2022). New ride vehicles and LED lighting installed in 2023. |
| Airwalker | 2023 | Zamperla | A Disk'O ride that spins around a central axis while traveling back and forth on a half-pipe track. |
| Wind Star | 2023 | Zamperla | A WindstarZ ride that spins around a central axis, similar to Mountain Gliders (see below). Seats are fitted with glider wings, which riders can position to control the height at which they travel. Opened on June 16, 2023. |
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copperhead Strike | 2019 | Mack Rides | The first double-launch coaster in the Carolinas, with five inversions. It was built in a themed 7-acre area as part of the park's largest investment in its history. |
| Mountain Gliders | 2005 | Bisch-Rocco | AFlying Scooters ride where the suspended passenger tubs would spin around a vertical axis. It previously was located inPlanet Snoopy asWoodstock Gliders, andDanny Phantom's Phantom Flyers when the area was known asNickelodeon Central. It was in storage during 2018 forCamp Snoopy expansion; in late 2018, the park announced the return of these asMountain Gliders. They were originally built in 1940 for theConey Island Amusement Park inCincinnati, OH, before being moved toKings Island (asFlying Scooters andFlying Eagles) where they operated from 1972 to 2004.[25][26] |
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beagle Scout Acres | 2018 | Miracle Recreation Equipment Company | A children's play area featuring multiple interactive elements spanning 8,000 square feet (740 m2). It opened in 2018 as one of six new Camp Snoopy attractions.[27] |
| Camp Bus | 2018 | Zamperla | A bus-themed Crazy Bus mini flying carpet ride featuringPeanuts characters. It opened in 2018 as one of six new Camp Snoopy attractions. |
| Charlie Brown's River Raft Blast | 2025 | Mack Rides | A River Battle interactive boat ride. |
| Charlie Brown's Wind-Up | 1973 | Zamperla | A miniatureswing ride formerly known asTop Cat's Swing Time &Backyardigans Swing-Along. |
| Flying Ace Balloon Race | 1987 | Zamperla | A Balloon Race ride. Formerly known asBoo Boo's Balloon Race, Boots' Balloon Race &Peter Potamus' Magic Flying Balloons. |
| Kite-Eating Tree | 2018 | Zamperla | A Jumpin' Star mini drop tower for kids that gently drops riders 20 feet (6.1 m). It opened in 2018 as one of six new Camp Snoopy attractions.[27] |
| Peanuts Pirates | 2005 | Mack Rides | A Seesturmbahn (Sea Storm Ride) with rotating pirate ships themed toPeanuts. It was relocated from sister parkCanada's Wonderland where it was once known asThe Great Whale of China. It was formerly known asFlying Dutchman's Revenge. |
| Peanuts Trailblazers | 2018 | Zamperla | A mini whip ride that opened in 2018 as one of six new Camp Snoopy attractions.[27] |
| Pig-Pen's Mud Buggies | 2018 | Zamperla | A jump around ride that opened in 2018 as one of six new Camp Snoopy attractions.[27] |
| Snoopy vs. Red Baron | 1973 | Chance Rides | A small plane ride themed toSnoopy. It was formerly known asDastardly and Muttley In Their Flying Machines &Tommy's Take-Off. |
| Snoopy's Racing Railway | 2025 | Art Engineering | A family multi-launch coaster. |
| Wilderness Run | 1998 | E&F Miler Industries | A junior-sized roller coaster ride. It was formerly known asTaxi Jam (1998–2004),Hey Arnold Taxi Chase (2005–2009) &Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie (2009–2017). |
| Woodstock Express | 1975 | Philadelphia Toboggan Company | A junior wooden roller coaster. Formerly known asScooby Doo, Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster &Fairly Odd Coaster (2005–2009). |
| Woodstock Whirlybirds | 2018 | Zamperla | A Woodstock-themed mini teacup ride that opened in 2018 as one of six new Camp Snoopy attractions.[27] |
Carolina Boardwalk is an area themed after aBoardwalk. It contains three rides, all of which are roller coasters.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Cyclone | 1980 | Arrow Dynamics | A steel roller coaster featuring two vertical loops and two corkscrews. It was the first roller coaster to feature four inversions. |
| Carolina Goldrusher | 1973 | Arrow Dynamics | A steelmine train roller coaster. It was the first roller coaster at Carowinds and is only one of three original rides still operating. It is also the first roller coaster to cross state lines (North Carolina & South Carolina). |
| Ricochet | 2002 | Mack Rides | Awild mouse roller coaster with intense turns and drops. |
Carousel Park is the area of the park located close to the center, it has three rides.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| SlingShot | 2015 | Funtime | Areverse bungee ride that catapults riders nearly 300 feet (91 m) into the air at speeds up to 62 miles per hour (100 km/h). SlingShot is an additional charge attraction. |
| The Grand Carousel | 1979 | Philadelphia Toboggan Company | An antique carousel. Originally located in Planet Snoopy (now known as Camp Snoopy) as Character Carousel (2010–2017). The Grand Carousel was first built at theMesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden inEvansville, Indiana and relocated to Carowinds in 1979. |
| Vortex | 1992 | Bolliger & Mabillard | The Carolinas' firststand-up roller coaster. |
The main entry area of the park.
County Fair is an area located near the back of the park, it is themed after anagricultural show.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do-Si-Do | 2017 | HUSS | ATroika ride which sends guests flying through the air and gliding up, down and around as three giant arms rotate riders in different directions – all while speed and elevation increase. It opened as part of the new County Fair area in 2017. |
| Electro Spin | 2017 | Mondial | ATop Scan ride which sends riders through a freely rotating orbit through the air on its floorless gondolas. It opened as part of the new County Fair area in 2017. |
| Rock 'N' Roller | 2017 | Mack Rides | AMusik Express ride that playsrock and roll as guests spin around and around. It opened as part of the new County Fair area in 2017. |
| The Flying Cobras | 2009 | Vekoma | ABoomerang roller coaster. The train is pulled up the lift hill backward and then released down the hill forward into acobra roll and vertical loop before repeating the journey in reverse. It was relocated fromGeauga Lake where it was known as Mind Eraser (1996–2003) & Head Spin (2003–2007). Formerly known as Carolina Cobra (2009–2016). |
| Zephyr | 2017 | Zierer | AWave Swinger ride that suspends guests as the ride rotates in a circular, wavelike motion. It opened as part of the new County Fair area in 2017. |
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afterburn | 1999 | Bolliger & Mabillard | Aninverted roller coaster featuring six inversions. Formerly known asTop Gun: The Jet Coaster (1999–2007). |
| Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | 2010 | Sally Corporation | An interactivedark ride where guests shoot at targets to collect points. The building was originally the Harmony Hall theater, which housed a variety of shows. It was previously known asScooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion (2001–2009). Received a repainted exterior and was refurbished by Sally (including repaired laser guns and a modern target system utilizing Weigl technology) for the 2023 season. |
| WindSeeker | 2012 | Mondial | A 301-foot (92 m)tower swinger ride that spins to music and a light show. It was the tallest ride ever built at Carowinds until the opening of Fury 325 in 2015. It is turned into a Christmas tree of lights during the holidays. |
Thrill Zone is an area located near the front of the park. It features two roller coasters and a scrambler ride.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaleidoscope | 1973 | Eli Bridge | Ascrambler ride. Formerly known asScrambler. Formerly located in Carousel Park across from The Grand Carousel (1973–2024). In 2025, it moved to Scream Weaver's old plot.[28] |
| Fury 325 | 2015 | Bolliger & Mabillard | A 325-foot (99 m)giga coaster that is the tallest in the world to use a traditional chainlift. It reaches a maximum speed of up to 95 mph (153 km/h), making it tied for the sixth fastest in the world alongsideSteel Dragon 2000. In July 2023 the coaster was closed after patrons discovered a crack in a support pillar, and another crack was discovered during repairs. The repaired coaster re-opened later in the season.[29][30] |
| Hurler | 1994 | International Coasters, Inc | A wooden tripleout and back roller coaster. Originally themed to Wayne's World when the park was owned by Paramount. In 2014, Great Coasters International refurbished Hurler's 180-degree turn, located immediately after the ride's first descent.[31] In late 2023 the coaster was closed so Carowinds' in-house maintenance team could rebuild Hurler's back curve to enhance the ride experience. The ride opened back up in 2024.[31] |
Thunder Road is an area of the park near Camp Snoopy, named after the now-defunct roller coaster Thunder Road.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Skytower | 1973 | Intamin | A 262-foot (80 m) tallGyro tower that gives guests a view of Carowinds and Charlotte. It was originally sponsored by and branded as theEastern Airlines Skytower. Known as the North Pole during Winterfest. |
| Kiddy Hawk | 2003 | Vekoma | A 49-foot-tall (15 m), 1,122-foot-long (342 m)suspended family coaster. It opened as Rugrats Runaway Reptar (2003–2009) with yellow track and green supports, then operated as Flying Ace Aerial Chase (2010–2017) with yellow track and orange supports. For its 15th anniversary in 2018, the coaster was renamed, painted blue track with beige supports, and themed to theWright Brothers'first flight trials atKitty Hawk, North Carolina. |
| RipCord | 1995 | Skycoaster, Inc. | Askycoaster ride. Formerly known as Skycoaster and Xtreme SkyFlyer. This is an upcharge attraction, where guests pay an additional fee to ride. It was originally located on the site where Fury 325 is now, but was later relocated to an area near the Kiddy Hawk roller coaster. |
| Thunder Striker | 2010 | Bolliger & Mabillard | A steelhypercoaster. The 232-foot-tall (71 m) roller coaster travels up to 75 mph (121 km/h). Formerly known as Intimidator (2010–2023). |
Included in the price of admission to Carowinds is access to the 27-acre Carolina Harbor water park. Based on a Coastal Carolinian theme, it features 15 rides and attractions. It originally opened as Ocean Island in 1982, the water park has also been known as Riptide Reef (1989–1997) WaterWorks (1997–2006), and Boomerang Bay (2007–2015). On August 27, 2015, Carowinds announced an expansion for the area that added five additional attractions and resulted in the name changing to Carolina Harbor.[32][33]
Carowinds re-introduced WinterFest for the 2017 season. This seasonal holiday event features seasonal holiday decorations, tree lighting, Christmas carolers, homemade crafts, a themed parade, and select rides. The park previously had Winterfest in 1983 when owned by Taft Attractions and again in 2005 when owned by Paramount.
In September 2000 the park introduced SCarowinds. It is an annual Halloween attraction and is presented on select nights in September and October, as well as the first weekend in November. The experience includes numerous haunted attractions and incorporates most of the existing park rides into a nightmarish experience.
The Paladium is an outdooramphitheater located at Carowinds. It opened in 1975 and was the Charlotte area's premier outdoor concert venue until the opening of Blockbuster Pavilion, nowPNC Music Pavilion, in 1991. It lost most of its major acts to the Uptown Amphitheatre at the NC Music Factory (now the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre atAvidxChange Music Factory) when it opened in 2009, and now hosts mostly Christian bands. Admission to the Paladium is separate from admission to Carowinds.
Styx performed there in 1975, NC'sCharlie Daniels Band played there in '76,Jimmy Buffett performed there in '76, andB.B. King played there in '76.Johnny Cash played there in '78,The Beach Boys played in '78, andThe Allman Brothers Band played there in '79. In 1980, the Paladium hostedTom Petty and the Heartbreakers.Eddie Money played there in '84,INXS played there in '84,John Denver played there in '86,Robert Palmer in '88,Richard Marx in 1989, and TheGlenn Frey Band with Joe Walsh played there in '93.Tears for Fears played there in 1990, andC + C Music Factory performed there in '91. In '91, Chapel Hill nativeJames Taylor played there.Bon Jovi played to a sold-out crowd at the Paladium in 1993 during a stop on their I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Tour.Screaming Trees played there withSoul Asylum in '93. It had Virginia'sDave Matthews Band in '93, UK'sDepeche Mode withStabbing Westward in '94, Athens GA'sB-52's in '94,Billy Ray Cyrus in '95,Blues Traveler in '96,Coolio in '96, UK'sDuran Duran in 2000,Weird Al Yankovic in '00,Smash Mouth in '00,Sugar Ray in '00, and 311 in '04. Atlanta Christian rapperLecrae performed there in 2014 (for Rock the Park), andSkillet played in 2015.
Fast Lane is a limited-accessline queue system offered for an additional charge at legacy Cedar Fair amusement parks. Visitors can purchase a wristband that allows them to bypass standard lines in favor of shorter ones at many of the parks' most popular attractions.[34]
The annual Carowinds Festival of Music allows music students to perform in public, receiving comments and ratings from nationally recognized adjudicators. Bands, choirs, show choirs, and orchestras can all play for ratings. Plaques and ribbons are awarded for performances that receive ratings of superior and excellent.[35]
| Attraction | Year opened | Year closed | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Wild Thornberrys' River Adventure | 1973 | 2009 | Arrow Dynamics | Initially opening as the Powder Keg Log Flume, it was alog flume with double-barrel log vehicles and included a spillway drop. The size was around 1,636 feet (498.65 m) long and was located near the park entrance in Celebration Plaza. For the 2003 phase of the Nickelodeon Central area, the Powder Keg was rethemed toThe Wild Thornberrys, an animated series. After its demolition, the hypercoaster, Thunder Striker, was built in the flume's place for the 2010 season. |
| Thunder Road | 1976 | 2015 | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters | Adual-trackedwooden roller coaster originally located in the current Aeronautica Landing section (former County Fair). Shares a similar track layout toThe Racer atKings Island andRacer 75 atKings Dominion. It was demolished in favor of a water park expansion and rebranding of Boomerang Bay intoCarolina Harbor for the 2016 season. Some of the coaster's track pieces and trains were donated by Cedar Fair to both The Racer and Racer 75 after Thunder Road's closure. Replaced by Copperhead Strike in 2019. |
| White Lightnin' | 1977 | 1988 | Anton Schwarzkopf | A weight drop-launchedshuttle roller coaster that was located in Country Crossroads (current County Fair). Notable for being the only Schwarzkopf roller coaster ever installed in Carowinds, as well as being one of four shuttle loopers with a weight drop launch. It has been relocated toGold Reef City inSouth Africa around 1988, currently operating as Golden Loop. |
| Scream Weaver | 1979 | 2024 | Anton Schwarzkopf | AnEnterprise ride. It was originally located in the original County Fair area (now known as Aeronautica Landing), where it was known asMeteorite. The ride was renamed after the songDream Weaver, a song featured in the filmWayne's World in 1994. Replaced by a relocated Scrambler in 2025. |
| Whirling Dervish | 1979 | 2000 | Zierer | AWave Swinger, circular, wavelike-motioned swing ride that operated in the current Aeronautica Landing section (former County Fair). Was relocated toCalifornia's Great America and renamed "Celebration Swings" in 2001. |
| The Wild Bull | 1979 | 1998 | Anton Schwarzkopf | ABayern Kurve, circular, roller-coaster-like amusement ride themed to abullfight. Originally located in the former County Fair section of the park (currently Aeronautica Landing), the ride closed in 1998 to make way forAfterburn in 1999. |
| The Honey Bear Bunch Family Reunion | 1980 | 1981 | Creative Engineering, Inc. | Electronically controlled, animatedanimatronic stage show featuring a cast of singing and joke-telling bears, similar to theCountry Bear Jamboree. Sponsored byGeneral Mills, this was a custom-modified version of the commonly found "Hard Luck Bears" animatronic show, which itself is a predecessor of the popularRock-afire Explosion animatronic band. Formerly located within the Harmony Hall theater (the building now occupied by Boo Blasters on Boo Hill), the animated figures were later repurposed for a live stage production of Phantom of the Opry in 1982. The current whereabouts and fate of the show are unknown.[36] |
| Rip Roarin' Rapids | 1982 | 2018 | Intamin | Ariver rapids ride that simulatedwhitewater rafting, 6-seater circular rafts traversed through a long river channel containing turbulent turns and sporadic opportunities for passengers to get soaked. Formerly located within Celebration Plaza, the ride was quietly closed after the 2018 season and demolished in 2025. |
| WhiteWater Falls | 1988 | 2017 | Hopkins Rides | Replacing the Hillbilly Jalopies in Country Crossroads (currently Blue Ridge Junction), this flume-styledShoot the Chute ride had a simple, rounded layout and a height of around 50 feet. The Copperhead Strike double-launch coaster has been built upon and currently resides in the space formerly occupied by WhiteWater Falls. |
| Snoopy's GR8 SK8 | 1990 | 2012 | Chance Rides | A prototype Falling Star flat-ride model that opened as Gauntlet in 1990. It was later rethemed toRocket Power Airtime in 2005 as part of the Nickelodeon Central expansion. The ride was finally rethemed to Snoopy's GR8 SK8 in 2010 when the area was transformed intoPlanet Snoopy. The location space has been occupied by the Harmony Hall food court since its 2013 inception. |
| Drop Tower | 1996 | 2024 | Intamin | Adrop tower ride with a height of 160 feet (49 m) and a drop of 100 ft (30 m). It was originally named Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (1996–2007). |
| Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator | 2000 | 2008 | Setpoint USA | Formerly located adjacent to Carolina Harbor and County Fair, this suspended family roller coaster-water ride hybrid was themed after theNickelodeon television channel and its "Nicktoons" brand of animated programs. Riders were able to dump 4-gallon payloads of water on park guests who walked underneath the coaster's track. The ride also featured water curtains, geysers and numerous water cannons that could be aimed by park guests at passing riders on the coaster. The Flying Cobras has occupied the former ride's location since 2009. |
| Nighthawk | 2004 | 2024 | Vekoma | A flying Dutchman roller coaster. The coaster operated as Stealth atCalifornia's Great America before being installed at Carowinds. When moved to Carowinds, it was known as Borg Assimilator (2004–2007) and was themed after the Borg from the television showStar Trek: The Next Generation. The theming was removed when Cedar Fair acquired the park, and the ride was renamed Nighthawk. |
.JPG)
.JPG)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
