Carowinds, Charlotte, NC- Sept. 30, 2014 – Steel construction for Fury 325 begins as construction workers carefully place the very first piece of coaster track onto support beams. Scheduled to open in Spring 2015, Fury 325 will be the tallest, fastest giga coaster in the world. The first hill will stand 325 feet tall, as riders zoom along 6,602 feet of track the ride will simulate the flight of an angry hornet and reach a top speed of 95 miles an hour. Fury 325 is part of a multi-year expansion plan for the amusement park on the North/South Carolina border, additional 2015 improvements will include a new front entrance and improved dining and entertainment offerings. Carowinds closes for the 2014 season on Nov. 2. for more information on Fury 325, including ride simulation videos visit www.carowinds.com/fury325

Check out the announcement of the new giga coaster.

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I was pleasantly surprised to see several walk-a-round Peanuts characters at Carowinds on my latest visit. I’ve been visiting Carowinds rather sporadically since my first visit in the early 1990s. It seemed like it’s always had a difficult time finding the proper audience. With the purchase by Cedar Fair Entertainment in 2006, they’ve got a strong company supporting them with a great president, Matt Ouimet.

The new entrance plaza for Carowinds is pretty overwhelming at first glance. See, you walk through the new Fury 325 giga coaster. The track goes over the walkway and then returns and goes under it. It’s a great advertisement for the park and a great way to get you excited about your visit.

One caveat: like a lot of other Cedar Fair parks, there’s a lot of concrete and not a lot of shade. Visits during July and August are going to be extremely uncomfortable if you’re waiting to buy a ticket or just waiting to enter the park.

The Backside of Linus – Peanuts Characters at Carowinds

It was great to see Peanuts characters at Carowinds simply walking around. We saw Linus and Sally at Planet Snoopy in the afternoon and Sally was in the entrance area just inside the turnstyles.

We saw Charlie Brown walking towards the Peanuts Showplace.

Franklin was hanging out as we were on Peanuts Pirates.

The character interactions reminded me a lot of the ones that I’ve seen at Disneyland and not like the ones at Walt Disney World. At Carowinds, it was very laid-back and it didn’t seem like it was an overbearing part of the day; either something to avoid or something that took up a huge chunk of your time. There was the special feel of seeing the Peanuts characters at Carowinds walking around that added quite a but of charm to the day.

Granted, the Peanuts characters at characters don’t seem to be in the public eye as much as they used to be, but there is the animated movie coming soon.

I’ll leave you with the backside of Charlie Brown.

Have you had interactions with Peanuts characters at Carowinds?

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I was really impressed with the size and scope of the Harmony Hall Marketplace during my last visit. I think it’s a great counter-service restaurant with enough seating and choices to make a lot of park-goers pretty happy at Carowinds. Harmony Hall offers different cafeteria-style lines that might cause some confusion at first. My suggestion is to take a few minutes and look at all the lines before making a decision.

We received a press release about the upcoming 2015 Summer Concert Series that’s taking place at the Harmony Hall Marketplace at Carowinds.

Carowinds, Charlotte, N.C. – Get your Friday nights started right at Carowinds this weekend, and all summer long as we kick off our Harmony Hall Summer Concert Series Friday, May 29!  Music lovers can dance the night away with some of the best bands in the Carolinas, from the Chris Sanchez Band to Tony Barnes to Natty Boh Duo and more.  In addition to great tunes, park goers can also enjoy sensational food and beverage specials.

The Harmony Hall Summer Concert Series will be held every Friday at 5 p.m. through August 7.  The concerts will take place on the Harmony Hall outdoor patio stage.

Here’s a look at the concert lineup for May and June

• May 29, 2015 – Chris Sanchez Band – Nominated for “Rock Band of the Year” (2012) and “Best Folk Artist” (2012) by the Charlotte Music Awards society, the Chris Sanchez band plays a fusion of Blues, Folk, Rock and Country.

• June 5, 2015 – Natty Boh Duo – An acoustic duo from Charlotte, NC, Natty Boh Duo plays music ranging from rock to bluegrass that features guitar, vocals, and mandolin.

• June 12, 2015 – Heroes At Last – Bringing two acoustic guitars and three part harmonies to new levels with an eclectic variety of songs, Heroes at Last appeals to everyone.

• June 19, 2015 – Tony Barnes – A nationally touring solo acoustic artist, Tony Barnes is a recognized instrumental song writer and performer who plays both classics and current hits.

• June 26, 2015 – Radiojacks –A cover band that only plays current radio hits, Radiojacks projects a universal appeal to people of all demographics.

The musicians will surely rock the stage, and it’s the perfect social summer hot spot to relax on Friday evenings.

For a complete list of all performing bands, visit https://www.carowinds.com/special-events/harmony-hall-concert-series.

Are you going to visit Carowinds to enjoy these musical acts?

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It looks like Carowinds has some great deals and a great fireworks show over the July 4th holiday weekend!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Celebrate Independence Day where the Carolinas come together.  From concerts to fireworks, Carowinds has it all for the July 4^th holiday.

The premier entertainment destination of the Carolinas kicks off the holiday weekend with a rockin’ Carolina favorite.  Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band Daughtry will perform in the Paladium Amphitheatre Thursday, July 2.

• Daughtry showtime: 7 p.m.
• Concert tickets include admission to Carowinds.
• Special pricing is available for 2015 Season Passholders.
• Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com, any Ticket Master Outlet or at the Carowinds Box Office.

Carowinds is honoring our brave service men and women during Military Days once again.

• Beginning Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5, Carowinds is offering FREE park admission to active, inactive or retired United States Service men and women with a valid military I.D.
• Discounted tickets are also available at participating military installations.

Cap off the July 4^th holiday with Celebrate America Fireworks Show.

• Carowinds will light up the sky Saturday, July 4 during our biggest fireworks show of the season.
• The show starts at 10 p.m., weather permitting.
• The park will also be open until 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 4^th.

The sparkles won’t fizzle out after the July 4^th holiday.  Carowinds will continue to mesmerize guests with a nightly fireworks extravaganza July 5 – Aug. 9 and Sept. 5 and 6 on days the park closes at 10 p.m.(weather permitting).

To plan a visit to the park, find lodging, purchase a season pass, and more, visit www.carowinds.com.

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It’s hard to believe that the iconic Thunder Road at Carowinds is going to see its last rider on July 26, 2015. Thunder Road was one of the handful of coasters built in the 1970s that helped lead the wooden roller coaster revolution and ushered in this most recent age of hyper-, mega- and giga-coasters. I know that I’ll be making an other visit or two to enjoy a final ride on Thunder Road. #ThanksThunderRoad.

#ThanksThunderRoad CELEBRATION UNDERWAY AT CAROWINDS

Classic Coaster Memorabilia, Rides through July 26

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carowinds and coaster fans alike join in to say, ‘ThanksThunderRoad’.  The iconic wooden coaster is set to give its last ride on Sunday, July 26.

Carowinds will offer riders special Thunder Road memorabilia to celebrate this historic coaster.

• From now until July 26, the first 100 riders will receive a FREE commemorative Thunder Road button.
• Starting July 13 through July 26, the first 48 riders (first two trains of the day) will get a FREE celebratory poster of the wooden coaster, in addition to the aforementioned commemorative button.

Additional keepsakes will be available for purchase including Thunder Road model sets, commemorative pins, t-shirts and more.

Thunder Road opened in 1976 and has given nearly 40,000,000 rides to fans.  Guests have until July 26 at 10 p.m. to take part in the Thunder Road celebration.

To read more about Thunder Road’s history, to view park hours or to purchase a season pass, visit https://www.carowinds.com.

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Carowinds Fury 325 Millionth Riders are the Kendell Brothers!

It didn’t take too long for the giga coaster located at Carowinds Park in North (and South) Carolina to offer it’s one millionth ride. In this case, it was three brothers that managed to score this fantastic opportunity and a pretty cool prize pack from Carowinds Fury 325.

Carowinds sent this press release about the milestone event!

And then there were THREE! Meet the Kendell brothers. The world’s tallest and fastest giga coaster, Fury 325, gave its 1,000,000^thride to this trio on Monday around 2:30 p.m. at Carowinds.  The Kendell brothers’ fourth time on the track secured them the milestone ride. The boys were visiting Carowinds with their family to celebrate a birthday and a first time visit to the amusement park! To commemorate the event and to top off the best day ever, they got to share a Fury 325 prize bag full of Fury 325 gear, along with the 1,000,000^th rider sign.  Congratulations to the Kendell brothers!

To plan your best day ever at the premier entertainment destination of the Carolinas, visit carowinds.com.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Carowinds and try out the brand new Fury 325 giga coaster?

When you enter the park, you actually walk through the coaster as you head towards the turnstyles. It’s a great photo opportunity and an amazing way to start your day at Carowinds!

Tip: To get to Carowinds Fury 325 first thing in the morning, hightail it over to the Thrill Zone by heading right once you’re in the park. Continue going right (even passing the Scrambler) until you hit the Thrill Zone. Remember: walk, don’t run!

There are still a few Friday nights left in the Harmony Hall Summer Concert Series. Disco Lemonade (July 17), Radiojacks (July 24), Tony Barnes (July 31) and Back Porch Orchestra (August 7) will all be performing at the Harmony Hall.

The post Carowinds Fury 325 Gives 1 Millionth Ride! appeared first on ImagiNERDing.

There’s still a lot of time left to enjoy the 2015 Carowinds Summer Festival! Besides some great coasters, what else could you want in a theme park besides some great music, some great BBQ and some great beer!

Check out my post on the Taste of the Carolinas Festival from this spring.

Are you going to head out to the Carowinds Summer Festival?

CAROWINDS DEBUTS NEW SUMMER FESTIVAL FEATURING LIVE BANDS, TASTY BREWS AND MOUTHWATERING BARBECUE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As the place where the Carolinas come together, Carowinds knows a thing or two about having a good time.  The park is holding an end of summer party, Bands, Brews and BBQs, beginning Saturday, July 31.  This inaugural festival combines three things Carolinians love: the best ale, sounds and barbecue eatin’ around.

Bands, Brews and BBQs will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 31 through August 16.  Food booths will be open beginning at 11 a.m.

“We are excited to continue the enhancements we have made this year to our culinary programs with the introduction of another signature food event.  It truly makes it a ‘best day ever’ park experience for our guests”, says Kris Suita, Carowinds executive chef.  “And after the positive response we received from our Taste of the Carolinas event this past spring, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to end the summer with something that defines the Carolina experience – mouthwatering BBQ.”

Bands, Brews and BBQs is the perfect way to countdown the final days of summer as the midways fill with the sweet smells of smoked BBQ:

• Guests will be able to visit various booths that will serve smoked beef, pork and poultry. Two smokers were custom built just for this event.
• A dedicated booth featuring regional BBQ sauces will offer 24 different flavors.
• Guests 21 years of age of older will be able to purchase an amazing selection of craft beers, featuring approximately 10 brands.

From country to rock, we’ve paired your favorite barbecue and brews with some amazing local bands that will perform each day of the event.

The band lineup includes:

• July 31– Natty Boh Duo (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tony Barnes (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 1– Back Porch Orchestra (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Cho Cho Tumbleweed (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 2– Tony Barnes (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tim Elliot (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 7 – Cho Cho Tumbleweed (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Back Porch Orchestra (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 8 – Early Ray (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Chris Winward (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 9 – Chris Winward (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tim Elliot (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

•   August 14 – Natty Boh Duo (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Unspoken Tradition (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 15 – Unspoken Tradition (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Chris Winward (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

• August 16 – Chris Winward (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and Tony Barnes (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

Bands, Brews & BBQs is included with park admission. Food and beverages for the event are sold separately.  Guests must be 21 years of age or older to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages.  To buy Carowinds tickets and view more information regarding special events at the park, visit www.carowinds.com.

Any of the artists that you’re excited about seeing during the Carowinds Summer Festival?

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Watch me on the Adventures of Peas and Carrots VLOG!

When I visited Carowinds a few weeks ago to ride Thunder Road one last time, I was able to meet up with the Peas and Carrots Vlog. We hung out for a while and they asked about interviewing me. Anyone who knows me understands that I love being the center of attention!

We talked about Carowinds (and yes, I got way too nerdy with the history), the Taste of the Carolinas food festival and we rambled about our favorite coasters. Peas and Carrots were so much fun. We’ve got some other North Carolina meet-ups planned!

https://youtu.be/eVt7dJK2VyI

Make sure you subscribe to the Adventures of Peas and Carrots VLOG YouTube channel!

Follow The Adventures of Peas and Carrots VLOG on Facebook and Twitter!

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I’ll be attending the media day at Carowinds this morning. The event will start at 11:00am and I will be Periscoping from the event!

Follow me on Twitter to get updates: https://twitter.com/imaginerding

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Carolina Harbor at Carowinds

CAROWINDS ANNOUNCES THE LARGEST WATERPARK IN THE CAROLINAS

Carolina Harbor Coming Ashore In 2016  

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (August 27, 2015) – Carowinds is unveiling plans to bring a fresh and exciting Carolina coastal experience to guests with a historic waterpark expansion in 2016.  The transformation is part of the park’s commitment to celebrate Carowinds’ heritage as the place where the Carolinas come together, creating an “aquatic playground” with thrilling new attractions, new amenities and a new coastal name – Carolina Harbor.

Carolina Harbor Waterpark will be included with park admission and will offer guests relaxing moments of tranquility and refreshing thrills by the “shores”, plus delivers a best day ever guest experience.  The addition is the latest phase in a $50 million plus multi-year expansion at Carowinds, an effort kicked off by building the world’s tallest and fastest giga coaster, Fury 325, as well as new park food offerings which are regionally relevant.

“We listened to our guests and have made a promise to bring them more family-friendly attractions,” said Mike Fehnel, Carowinds vice president and general manager.  “And we’re happy to be delivering on our promise with the addition of Carolina Harbor – a guaranteed ultimate waterpark experience.  Carowinds is growing by leaps and bounds and continues to put the park on the map as the premier entertainment destination of the Carolinas.”

Carolina Harbor at Carowinds will feature a combination of thrills, relaxation and family fun, including twice the number of water slides than the current Boomerang Bay.

Carolina Harbor will feature many of the park’s current popular waterpark attractions, while introducing a variety of new ones:

• Blackbeard’s Revenge is a thrilling new six story tall water slide complex that features three exhilarating attractions and a total of six thrilling slides:

• Pirate’s Plank will send guests plummeting down a nearly vertical free fall where the floor drops out from underneath.

• Cannonball Dropwill twist and turn riders through an enclosed chute with four intense 360-degree turns.

• Captain’s Curse shoots guests downa series of intense drops and turns.

A new two-acre family area will include many new activities to enjoy together:

• Seaside Splashworks, a multi-level children’s water spray ground, will feature over 80 countless play elements including a giant 423-gallon tipping bucket.

• Kiddy Hawk Coveand Myrtle Turtle Beach are two areas specifically geared with the little squirts in mind. These toddler areas will include jets of water spraying up from the ground surrounded by a charming garden atmosphere.

• Surf Club Harbor will be our newest wave pool, creating up to six foot waves in 12 different wave patterns, mimicking the high surf of the Atlantic Ocean.

Carolina Harbor at Carowinds will also feature many new amenities:

• New Entrance – A separately gated entrance convenient for guests who wish to enter the waterpark only.

• New Restaurants – Harbor House a new restaurant featuring two 2,400-square foot outdoor seating patios. The restaurant will serve various Carolina favorites including BBQ and seafood. Schooners will be a full-service bar.

• Sand Volleyball Courts – New professional style sand volleyball courts will allow both casual and competitive play.

• Additional Plush Cabanas and Seating – Over 40 new cabanas will be added at both wave pools and the new family area. An additional 1,100 lounging chairs will also be available for guests to enjoy some fun in the sun.

• Upgraded Facilities – Current family changing areas will be upgraded. New restroom facilities and a bath house will be built.

Carowinds has recently been named one of the nation’s top amusement parks by the Travel Channel and Fodor’s Travel, and TripAdvisor’s family travel site has named it one of the country’s 10 Best Amusement Parks for Families.

The park will be sharing additional plans for the 2016 season later in the fall.  To see Carolina Harbor illustrations, construction photos and more, visit carowinds.com/carolinaharbor.

What do you think about Carolina Harbor at Carowinds?

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Fury 325 Wins Best New Ride

Fury 325 is one of the best roller coasters that I’ve ever ridden!

Carowinds won its first ever Golden Ticket award for the groundbreaking giga-coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). I’ve ridden my share of B&M coasters this summer and B&M coasters are all in my top ten. Fury325 has a speed that’s unparalleled and makes it truly stand out from all other coasters, even other B&M designed coasters.

CAROWINDS BRINGS HOME FIRST-EVER GOLDEN TICKET AWARD IN NYC

#Fury325 Winner of “Best New Ride for 2015”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the first time in park history, Amusement Today readers awarded Carowinds with the prestigious Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride in the world for Fury 325 as part of its 2015 Golden Ticket Awards ceremony held in New York City on Saturday.

Additionally, Carowinds was the only park in the world to have two of its rides (Fury 325 at #4 and Intimidator™ at #7) ranked in the top 10 Best Steel Roller Coasters of 2015. Fury 325 had the highest debut of any coaster in nine years on this annual ranking.

“It’s both a privilege and honor to receive this well respected award for Best New Ride,” said Mike Fehnel, vice president and general manager of Carowinds.  “It’s the first time in Carowinds history we’ve been recognized with a Golden Ticket Award by Amusement Today. Fury 325 is a signature coaster that will forever define the skyline at Carowinds, and our team is very proud of what we have achieved together this season.”

Fury 325 has given more than 1.5 million rides since its debut in March. It stands 325-feet tall – 20-feet higher than the Statue of Liberty – and drops riders down an 81-degree plunge at speeds up to 95 mph. The ride has been spotlighted by Condé Nast Traveler, it’s been on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and it spurred Businessweek to feature a multimedia view of “How to Design a Roller Coaster That’ll Make You Beg for Mercy.”

Nearly 400 people attended the Golden Ticket Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening at Gargiulo’s Restaurant and Banquet Center at Luna Park in Coney Island. These awards annually honor the “Best of the Best” in the amusement industry and are calculated from an international poll of park enthusiasts, conducted by Amusement Today, a respected industry trade publication. A list of all the Golden Ticket Award winners can be found at www.amusementtoday.com.

Have you had the chance to experience Fury 325? What do you think about Fury 325 winning best new ride?

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We were teased with an image at the Carolina Harbor media day back in August. It was obvious that Carowinds was going to add some sort of Plants VS. Zombies attraction. Carowinds just sent out several images and a press release.

New Park Addition Will Feature An Exclusive Experience from Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare Franchise

Charlotte, N.C. (October 8, 2015) – Carowinds, the premier entertainment destination of the Carolinas, and PopCap Games, creator of some of the world’s most beloved video game franchises, and an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio are leading the charge as innovators in the amusement park industry by announcing a new digital experience. Carowinds will open the world’s first intra-active 3-D game experience, Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena, in spring 2016 – adding to the park’s family line-up of thrills for all ages.

An intra-active experience means the game allows players to interact with the opposing team’s screen. Guests will step inside the state-of-the-art Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena complex decked with 3-D technology, massive screens, surround sound and motion-based seats, to enjoy outrageous and imaginative encounters with their competition. Teams will compete in the Plants vs. Zombies Plants vs. Zombies™ universe during an almost five minute backyard battle, where they’ll shoot screens with blasters and track their scores as they go.

“Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena is another example of how Carowinds is committed to bringing unique and innovative experiences that the entire family can enjoy together,” said Mike Fehnel, Carowinds, vice president and general manager. “This wildly popular brand has such a universal appeal and aligns perfectly with our promise to deliver the best day experience ever.”

The new attraction, exclusive to Carowinds, will be based off the Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare franchise – a hilarious and over-the-top shooter videogame series that drops you into a crazy, all-out battle between plants and zombies in their fight for suburbia. The newest release from the franchise, Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare 2, will also launch spring 2016 and for the first time, zombies have taken over and plants are on the attack. Players will be able to join the battle with new characters including Super Brainz, a zombie super hero who thinks he’s an 80’s action movie star, and Citron, a bounty-hunting orange from the future.

“We’re always striving to create new and unique ways for people to experience the Plants vs. Zombies™ universe,” said Jeremy Vanhoozer, Senior Creative Director, Plants vs. Zombies franchise. “Our franchise is all about creating fun moments and doing things differently. This first-ever interactive Garden Warfare attraction from Carowinds will be unlike anything people have seen before and we can’t wait for them to experience it next spring.”

Additional information on Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena includes:

• 68 motion-based seats equipped with hand-held laser devices
• Nearly 3,600 square foot arena
• Two 14’6” x 26’ screen with independent 5.1 surround sound
• The attraction will run approximately ten times per hour to accommodate between 600-700 people
• Players will be able to purchase photos in the Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena retail store
• Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena will be located inside the newly transformed Action Theater located in the County Fair section of the park

Guests will be able to play all season long by purchasing a 2016 season pass or renewing their current season pass for the lowest price of the year. For more information, visit carowinds.com.

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Carowinds Ride Tombstones

I ran across a few ride tombstones during a SCarowinds event at Carowinds. They were near the Enterprise ride and paid tribute to some of the long-gone rides and attractions. I love it when parks can add details like the Carowinds Ride Tombstones!

Surfer: 1973-1976—The Surfer was a Tagada-style ride that was in the Pirate Island section of the park.

Frenzoid: 1986-2005—Frenzoid was a looping pirate ship designed by Intamin. It was in the Country Fair section.

Speedway: 1973-1990—Originally in the Contemporary Carolinas section of the park, and the queue was under the monorail station. It was renamed Carolina Turnpike in 1980. The Vortex currently resides where the Speedway was.

Smurf Island: 1984-1994—Guests would actually board a boat and travel across the river to Smurf Island, very much like Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom. That area is where Night Hawk is.

Do you have any memories of the attractions featured on the Carowinds Ride Tombstones?

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Carowinds Tombstones

I’ve always loved the hidden details at the Disney parks and I love seeing them in other parks, like Carowinds and Dollywood. I love the little nods to staff and park history.

On a few recent visits to Carowinds, I had the chance to photograph a few of the tombstones in the different areas. I thought it was pretty obvious that they were referring to former and present Carowinds employees.

Do you know any of the employees?

Let’s take a look at some of the Carowinds Tombstones!

BROUILLARD
Gone but still
here in spirit
All beware!

REAVIS
Here lies
Carolyn Reavis
Poor think thought
She was human

NIEFIELD
GOG.

BLACK
I Can Finally Sleep

HIOTT
She Has Finally
Gone Quiet

Koga
His life went up in smoke

LAMBRUSCHI
404 Error
Corpse Not Found
Please Contact the
System Undertaker

BAILEY
W.Y.B.M.A.D.I.I.T.Y.

LUHRS
This Really Bites!

GRAN
He Finally Left
His Marc

PENNETTI
Here Lies Pennetti
Thanks to the Worms
She Resembles
Spaghetti

D. MUFFETT
Will Not Be Dealing
With Griswolds
In His Afterlife

KREUTZER
Youth Made Her
Rich But Sent Her
To the Ditch

BRUCE
RIP

WEBER
Gary Was
Accidentally Burned
By the Explosion of
a Lamp Filled with
R.E. Danforth’s
Non-Explosive
Burning Fluid

@ChrisFoshee
Here I Sent My Last Tweet
Now I’m Just Worm Meat

My favorite tombstone is very simple and dedicated to a very special person in Carowinds’ history!

HALL
March 28, 1921
November 9, 1978

This tombstone is dedicated to E. Pat Hall, the Charlotte-area businessman that decided to build a Disneyland-style park bordering the states of North Carolina and South Carolina.

And we’re glad he did!

Make sure to check out the Carowinds Tombstones all over the park, especially during SCarowinds.

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SCarowinds

If you’ve had the chance to listen to any episode of Communicore Weekly (the Greatest Online Show™), then you  know that I’m not a big fan of anything particularly scary. The Haunted Mansion has always been my favorite attraction, and it’s pretty much been the limit to what I will do, scare-wise. I’ll be the first to say that the Mansion isn’t scary, but I’ve never ventured much further.

Well, after three years of Jeff cajoling me into trying a haunt, I figured that SCarowinds was a great place to start, since it’s my local park.

So, how does a horror virgin (is newb better?) handle his very first trip to a haunt?

I had two opportunities to visit SCarowinds over the past week. The first time was during a social media preview with a handful of other bloggers. It was during the early evening hours, meaning it was still light, so I wasn’t too afraid of the visit.

The first stop was the monster makeup area, in the Boomerang Bay water park (which makes total sense, since it’s too cold in North Carolina for a water park this time of year). We got to see the staging area for the monsters, which was fascinating. Each evening the very talented makeup artists have to get over 450 monsters ready for the mazes and the scare zones. They set up assembly lines and when I spoke to David Cisco, one of the artists, he said that they would get it down to about eight minutes per monster.

We were invited to take part in a make-up demo and I was chosen by my fellow bloggers. Marley James did an amazing job of making me look kind of scary. Right?

The rest of the evening was spent visiting two of the mazes. My very first mazes!

SCarowinds: Silver Scream Studios

So, Silver Scream Studios was going to be my first maze. It was an employee dry-run, so we were warned that it might not be as perfect as a regular SCarowinds evening. Still, I was pretty nervous.

The basic backstory is that a movie producer was getting cajoled by his peers and critics. So, he decided to make his films using real people, namely us!

Right away, I was pulled into the theming of the maze. I felt the narrow corridors and realized that there was no way I could focus on everything. There would be times that I would be startled by someone jumping out at me. And times that I would smile and laugh (often with relief) that someone else got scared.

Anyway, the set decorations were very impressive. We moved through a series of sets, or rooms, that were tributes to some famous horror films of the past. There was an Egyptian room, a mad scientist’s lab and a spider cave. The lighting and effects were top notch and it was incredibly visceral walking through the maze, as opposed to riding a Doom Buggie.

I did get scared a couple of times and it was fun to see other people get scared.

SCarowinds: Slaughterhouse

Chris Foshee, the social media director, explained that Slaughterhouse was one of the signature attractions at SCarowinds; so much that they worked on it the entire year.

Slaughterhouse was an amazing maze!

I wasn’t prepared for the talent of the monsters in this maze. I felt a gamut of emotions, that included fear and guilt! Yes, guilt. There’s not much I can say except that the casting seemed completely brilliant. The monsters never broke character and used their unique physical abilities to improve their roles. There were small vignettes that really made you feel like you were part of the story. I’m glad they limit the number of people each time.

Seriously, it’s a fantastic and frightening experience.

SCarowinds

I took a friend with me to the second night of SCarowinds so that we would experience more of the mazes and scare zones. And some of the roller coasters at night!

The overall atmosphere of the park was pretty frightening after dark, especially with the fog machines and the monsters that were walking around. I’m glad they went after the women more often than the men.

SCarowinds: Zombie High School

This was the first maze we did that evening (after a ride on Fury 325, first). We waited about 20 minutes and that seemed to be about the standard time for most queues. Zombie High School was, well, exactly like it sounds. It was a zombie-infested maze that took place in a high school. I really liked the atmosphere of the maze, but it wasn’t as scary as Slaughterhouse or 7th Ward. Mainly due to the fact that it was like a conga line. Sadly, it was a non-stop parade of park-goers, so the zombies didn’t have adequate time to reset and it was hard to take it all in.

I found the little details all over the park pretty darn cool.

SCarowinds: Cornstalkers

CornStalkers takes place on Carowinds’ mini-golf course. They’ve created a fairly long open-air maze with lots of transition points and spots for monsters to hide. This was the first maze that I did in which it was hard to tell the props from the monsters, which was fairly frightening. They did send us through in smaller groups, which was great, and it was quite disconcerting to walk next to someone carrying an axe!

I actually felt some (well, actually a lot) relief when I walked through the exit.

SCarowinds: Mass Acres Scare Zone

Mass Acres. Massacres. Get it?

This was the first scare zone that we walked through and it was one of my absolute favorite parts of the SCarowinds experience. It felt like you just happened upon a spooky cemetery with hearses, graves and plenty of ghouls gadding about!

It really had that perfectly spooky experience that I would have liked to have seen throughout the park.

See? How cool is that?

To me, Mass Acres just had that feeling that I was expecting and really made me a little nervous to be walking through. The ghouls really seemed like disembodied spirits that were ignoring you, sort of. Then they would interact. Some scared people and some tried to engage them in conversations.

SCarowinds: 7th Ward

7th Ward turned out to be my favorite maze of the evening. It was one of the longer queues, but the backdrop of the spooky hospital really added to the effect of the wait. Plus, the exit for the maze was in front of the end of the line. So you could see people’s reactions as they left the maze.

With 7th Ward, they kept the groups down to about six or so. I was lucky enough to be the first in the group, which I highly recommend now. Obviously, the 7th Ward is based on a mental institution that’s seen better days. The monsters were really great and the atmosphere felt really solid. I really felt like I was walking through a recently abandoned mental hospital.

Even the creepy old wheelchair out front was, well, creepy!

The 7th Ward maze had a lot of the classic features that I was expecting, like strobe lights and mirrors that really disoriented you. The monsters were also top-notch. A few just laid on a hospital bed and beckoned for you to join them. Of course, there were over zealous nurses that wanted you to take your medicine.

7th Ward was mind-bending and frightening!

SCarowinds: Slaughterhouse Redux

We were able to do Slaughterhouse as the last maze we could fit in that evening and it was a great way to end the evening. It’s located in the back of the park, behind the Carolina Cyclone, and it’s great to see the backside of this classic Arrow looper.

Still, even though I knew what was going to happen, the monsters made all of the difference. It was enough of a different experience that I really didn’t know what to expect. It’s a great maze.

SCarowinds: Roller Coasters at Night

I couldn’t end the SCarowinds review without talking about riding coasters at night. Granted, roller coasters aren’t the reason you visit SCarowinds, but if the queues aren’t too long, it can be a great extra.

See? The coasters really add to the atmosphere.

We were able to ride the award-winning Fury 325, the Intimidator and Afterburn. I’ve ridden these coasters countless times and they were even better at night. So, if you find yourself needing a break from the scares, hop on a coaster!

SCarowinds: Final Thoughts

I had a really great time at SCarowinds.

As I mentioned at the top, I’ve listened to Jeff rhapsodize about haunts for almost four years. I never had an interest because I just don’t like watching scary movies or being frightened.  

The mazes and scare zones were very well-decorated and vacillated between creepy to frightening to scary. It was everything that I thought a haunt should be and more!

I wish I’d had more time to do all of the mazes (I think we missed two of them) and spend more time just walking around the park and soaking up the atmosphere.

I’ll definitely be back next year and I might go again this season if I can find someone that will go with me.

Any takers?

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Carowinds Attraction Tombstones

I looked at a few of the tombstones that honor extinct attractions, here. Let’s take a look at a few more!

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: Monorail 1973-1994

So, you didn’t know that Carowinds had a monorail? Check out the photo below from the Harmony House restaurant.

The Carowinds Monorail was a two mile attraction that opened on June 2, 1973. It was intended to connect to a hotel, called the Carolina Center, that was never built. The single station was located above the Speedway in the Contemporary Carolinas area. It was a single-beam train that went about 18 miles and hour. It was sold to a resort in Acapulco, Mexico, but never assembled.

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: Old Jalopies-1973-1987

The Old Jalopies were called the Hillbilly Jalopies and were presented by Exxon. They were in the Carolina Crossroads section of the park, where Whitewater Rapids is now.

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: Plantation House

The Plantation House, which had been the North Entrance since the park’s opening, stood as the symbol for Carowinds. Sadly, when security gates were added, it lost a lot of it’s visual appeal. Although I miss the charm of the Plantation House, the new entryway offers so many more services and a larger area for entrance and exit. Plus, it offers more of a view into the park; although, going through the Plantation House did give you a bit of a dramatic reveal, much like going under the train tracks at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom.

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: Whirling Dervish 1979-2001

The Whirling Dervish was a swing-style ride that was moved to Great America in Santa Clara, CA. in 2001. The spot, in the County Fair section, is now occupied by a another swing ride, called Yo Yo.

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: White Lightnin’ 1977-1988

White Lightnin’ was a shuttle loop coaster built in 1977. Riders were catapulted along a straight track and then through a vertical loop. After the loop, they went up a 130 foot hill. Then they would go through backwards. It was in the Country Crossroads section of the park.  It was sold to Gold Reef City in South Africa.

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: Wild Bull 1979-1998

The Wild Bull was in the Country Fair section of the park and sat where After Burn is, currently. It’s known as a Bayen Kurve, and it pretty much a semi-circular bobsled attraction found at many fairs.

Carowinds Attraction Tombstones: Thunder Road 1976-2015

I was very surprised to see a tombstone for Thunder Road, and to see that it was near where the iconic roller coaster once stood. On either side of the tombstone are two plaques that discuss the history of the coaster.

Notice anything interesting about the tombstone?

Yep, it’s made from parts of the roller coaster!

The top has a reproduction of the sign that stood over the entrance.

The face of the tombstone is actually the back of the seat! The epitaph reads:

Thunder Road
Although we had our ups and downs
We traveled great lengths together
Now silver and blue
Are No longer around
But our memories will last forever

At the base of the tombstone are part from the track.

I’m really glad to see Carowinds honor its past, even in such a temporary fashion. There are some great historical photos in the Harmony Hall and I urge you to check them out on your next visit.

Do you have an extinct Carowinds ride that you really miss?

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Plants vs. Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena at Carowinds I’ve been wondering what the Plants VS Zombies Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena was going to

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Plants vs Zombies at Carowinds! Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 3Z Arena is the latest attraction to open at Carowinds. It’s also the world’s

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