Carolina Cyclone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carolina Cyclone |
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The ride's consecutive loops and corkscrew
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| Carowinds | |
| Location | Carowinds |
| Park section | Carolina Boardwalk |
| Coordinates | 35°06′15″N 80°56′37″W / 35.10417°N 80.94361°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | March 22, 1980 |
| Cost | $2,000,000 (about 6.7 million today) |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Designer | Ron Toomer |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Drop | 65 ft (20 m) |
| Length | 2,100 ft (640 m) |
| Speed | 41 mph (66 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 1:30 |
| Max vertical angle | 53° |
| Capacity | 1,600 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.5 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane available |
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| Carolina Cyclone at RCDB | |
The Carolina Cyclone is an exciting roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park. You can find it in Charlotte, North Carolina. This steel coaster was built in 1980 by a company called Arrow Dynamics. It was the very first roller coaster in the world to have four inversions! This means it turns you upside down four times during the ride.
Contents
History of the Cyclone
The Carolina Cyclone first opened its doors to riders on March 22, 1980. It quickly became a popular attraction.
Changing Colors
Over the years, the roller coaster has had a few different looks. When it first opened, the track was red-orange with black supports. Later, it changed to bluish-green track with black supports. After that, it became blue track with dark gray supports.
In 2010, the ride got a fresh new paint job. The supports are now light blue. The track in some parts, like the station, is also light blue. But the parts that turn you upside down are bright yellow! The first big drop and some turns are painted orange.
New Trains for a Classic Ride
After the 2019 season, the Carolina Cyclone got an upgrade. It received new ride trains. These trains came from another roller coaster called Vortex at Kings Island park. This helped keep the classic Carolina Cyclone running smoothly for more riders.
Riding the Carolina Cyclone
When you get on the Carolina Cyclone, your adventure begins right away.
The Climb and First Drop
First, your train leaves the station. It makes a sharp left turn. Then, a chain lift starts pulling you up to the top of the hill. After a small drop and another turn, you face the biggest drop on the ride. Get ready for some speed!
Upside Down Fun
Right after the main drop, you go through two vertical loops. These loops turn you completely upside down! Next, there's a small hill with a banked turn. As the train moves over a walkway, it flips you twice more. These are called double corkscrews. These four upside-down parts made the Carolina Cyclone the first coaster ever with four inversions.
The Grand Finale
After the corkscrews, the ride takes you into a helix. This is a turn that goes close to the ground. Finally, the train reaches the brake run. This slows you down before you return safely to the station.
