Has Anyone Been to Carowinds in October?
Carowinds: Looking for advice for an autumn theme park visit.
I'm going to Paramount's Carowinds on my birthday which is in October. Can anybody tell me what are the ups and downs about Paramount Parks in October -- What are the lines like? What rides are running? I also need to know if they lower the prices for admission.
I'm going on Sunday is that a bad idea start posting
If your going during Scarowinds, be prepared for large crowds and lines. It is a very popular attraction for locals.
What coaster gets the longest lines and how are loading times is sunday as bad as saturday?
From steve lee
Posted September 5, 2004 at 4:18 PM
Borg Assimilator is the newbie, so you should expect a pretty decent line for that one. Last time I was there, the second longest line oddly belonged to Vortex - way too much of a wait for a Nutcracker like that. Top Gun also can have obscenely long lines, though the wait can vary dramatically at different times of the day.
Really, that's it for the stuff that generates real wait time. Ricochet can occasionally spike up, but check later and it'll be under ten minutes. The woodies are generally damn near walk ons.
OH - and the Nickelodeon Super Saturator (as well as anything that kids are going to like) can get dramatic lines. If it's a cool day, I wouldn't recommend it unless you literally can walk onto it. People get wetter standing in line.
Im going on a Sunday will they have long lines
From steve lee
Posted September 8, 2004 at 9:18 AM
Well, they're only open on Saturdays and Sundays in October, so yes there will be SOME lines. Will they be better on a Sunday? Absolutely. But take note of what was said above regarding Scarowinds - I've never been (I heard it was pretty weak, so never bothered), but I'm sure that attendance will spike accordingly the later it gets.
I heard Scarowinds is only open on Fridays and Saturdays I plan on riding Top Gun first considering that Inverted Coasters are my favorate inversion coasters
From steve lee
Posted September 11, 2004 at 9:22 PM
Didn't think to look at that. If Top Gun is your primary interest, consider going to the back gate (Carowinds has two entrances - the main one where 90 percent of people enter, and the back gate (I believe it's the west gate) that actually has you entering right in the middle of Top Gun). I just discovered that entrance last month, and we were able to park a lot closer to the gates with a lot less crowds getting in.
Borg Assimilator, incidentally, is the only ride in the park that has a single rider line. However, you have to get halfway through the regular line before you reach the point where the single line shoots out. Early in the day, that single rider line can be very useful, but later in the day it gets congested (at one point, I saw the single rider line back all the way up to the regular line).
I don't know how the parks where you are sound, but in Carowinds there's one sound you're going to hear more than you can imagine - bouncing basketballs. For some reason, folks in this park LOVE paying five bucks to win a crappy miniature basketball. The sounds start aroung 11, and by 3 it's all you're hear as you walk through the park. When I was at King's Dominion, I never heard a basketball dribbled once. I guess folks in Virginia have better things to do with their free time than collect crap basketballs with Spongebob Squarepants on them.
Oh, and Top Gun is a pretty solid coaster. As far as inverted coasters go, it's not the best (Alpengeist and Montu are much better), but it gives you what you need.
From steve lee
Posted September 11, 2004 at 9:33 PM
Oh, one more thing.
There's not a lot there resembling "good" food. It may be in your best interests to look at places to eat that are nearby. We usually hit the food court in the little crap mall that's nearby. Half the price and twice the quality...
Are the water rides open in October I think I already know
the flying Super Saturator won't have it's water running
Will it be busy on Sunday in October
I'm still waiting for awnsers
does anyone know how crowded it is on sundays? Whats open whats not I know Waterworks ain't gonna be open can someone please awnser these Qs
From steve lee
Posted September 18, 2004 at 12:31 PM
Actually, your questions WERE answered. What, you want an exact attendence number for a Sunday? You ain't getting that. The weather is a huge factor (I went this morning and the park was deserted - apparently all the groups cancelled out of fear of Hurricane Ivan's remnants). The answer is: Sundays are less crowded than Saturday. A lot of rides will be close to walkons. Top Gun will not be one of those rides. Borg Assimilator will not be one of those rides (incidentally, I have to retract what I said about the Single Rider line for Borg - they're not using it any longer because it was creating too many problems and people were getting angry).
Carowinds doesn't widely promote closed rides, so right now there is no information on any ride closings (today Ricochet was down - must have been technical problems, as there were operators in the station and Borg went down at 11 and was still down when I left at one - these closing weren't posted, so your best and pretty much only bet is to keep your fingers crossed).
I'm sorry if this sounds a little agitated, but I really have no clue what you want to know. Is there crowds? I don't know what your idea of a crowd is. Compared to WDW, the joint was empty. Compared to Kings Dominion, the place was mildly busy. Compared to California Adventure, the place was jam packed. It's all relative.
From steve lee
Posted September 18, 2004 at 12:41 PM
Oh, and the back gate is the South Gate. If you want to get on Top Gun first, that's the best place to enter. Just go all the way around the curve of the lot (not catching the Exit, obviously) and you'll see it just past the "preferred parking" area. Don't spend extra on preferred parking. The spaces around it are just as good, possibly better.
The Carolina Cyclone will have a very short line on a Sunday.
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