Carowinds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Carowinds

Previously known as Paramount's Carowinds (1993–2006)
An aerial view of the park in 2017
Location	Charlotte, North Carolina Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States
Coordinates	35°06′10″N 80°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
Area	407 acres (1.65 km2)
Attractions
Total	42
Roller coasters	13

Carowinds is a huge amusement park that covers 407-acre (165 ha) of land. It's mostly in Charlotte, North Carolina, but part of it actually crosses into Fort Mill, South Carolina! The park is owned and run by Six Flags. You can even see a sign inside the park that shows you where the state line is.

Carowinds first opened its doors on March 31, 1973. It cost about $70 million to build. The park has a cool water park called Carolina Harbor, which is 27-acre (11 ha) big and is included with your regular ticket. Every year, Carowinds also hosts fun events like SCarowinds for Halloween and WinterFest for Christmas.

The History of Carowinds

Carowinds was first announced in 1969. The idea was to create a huge resort with a theme park, hotels, shops, and even a golf course. The name Carowinds comes from "Carolina" and "winds," because the park celebrates the history and culture of both North and South Carolina.

The park officially opened on March 31, 1973. It welcomed over 1.2 million visitors in its first year! However, some challenges meant the original owners had to team up with Taft Broadcasting in 1975.

New Owners and Exciting Rides (1975–1992)

Taft Broadcasting brought new energy to Carowinds. They added popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters and several rides for younger guests. In 1975, the park got its first wooden roller coaster, called Scooby-Doo (now Woodstock Express).

More big rides came in the late 1970s. Thunder Road, a racing wooden coaster, opened in 1976. It was the biggest and most expensive ride at the time. In 1977, White Lightnin', a fast shuttle roller coaster, was added. The park also opened a new area called County Fair in 1979, which had four new rides.

More Thrills in the 1980s

The Carolina Cyclone arrived in 1980. It was the first roller coaster in the world to have four inversions (where you go upside down!). In 1982, Rip Roarin' Rapids, a water rapids ride, opened. Also, a separate water park called Ocean Island opened next to Carowinds.

In 1984, Smurf Island, a themed area, was added. The park kept growing, and in 1987, Carowinds bought Ocean Island, making it part of the park. By 1989, Ocean Island was renamed RipTide Reef and became even bigger.

The 1990s and Paramount Pictures

In 1992, a company called Paramount Communications bought Carowinds. This led to the park being renamed Paramount's Carowinds in 1993. Many rides and areas started to feature themes from Paramount movies and TV shows.

A new themed area called Wayne's World opened in 1994, with the Hurler roller coaster as its main attraction. In 1996, Drop Zone: Stunt Tower was added, a thrilling ride that drops you from a great height. The water park, RipTide Reef, was expanded in 1997 and renamed WaterWorks. In 1999, Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (now Afterburn) became the park's biggest investment ever.

Cedar Fair and Six Flags Era (2006–Present)

In 2006, Cedar Fair, another big amusement park company, bought Carowinds. This meant that all the Paramount movie themes were slowly removed. Rides like Top Gun: The Jet Coaster were renamed Afterburn. The water park, WaterWorks, was expanded and renamed Boomerang Bay.

New Rides and Changes in the Late 2000s

A new Carowinds logo appeared in 2007. In 2008, a second, larger wave pool was added to Boomerang Bay. The Carolina Cobra roller coaster, which had moved from another park, opened in 2009.

Exciting Additions in the 2010s

In 2010, Intimidator, a massive 232-foot tall roller coaster, opened. Also, Nickelodeon Central was replaced by Planet Snoopy, bringing the beloved Peanuts characters to the park.

Carowinds continued to grow. In 2012, WindSeeker, a 301-foot tall swinging ride, was added. A huge $50 million expansion plan was announced in 2013. This led to the opening of Fury 325 in 2015, which is one of the tallest roller coasters in the world! A brand new front entrance was also built.

In 2016, Boomerang Bay was completely re-themed and expanded into Carolina Harbor, with a new coastal Carolina theme. The County Fair area got four new rides in 2017. In 2018, Planet Snoopy became Camp Snoopy with six new kids' attractions. The park's 14th roller coaster, Copperhead Strike, a double-launched coaster, opened in 2019 in a new area called Blue Ridge Junction. Carowinds also opened its first hotel, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, that year.

Recent Years (2020s)

Carowinds did not open for its regular season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it hosted a special holiday event called "Taste of the Season." The park returned to normal operations in May 2021. That year, Boogie Board Racer, a long mat racing slide, opened in Carolina Harbor.

In 2023, Carowinds celebrated its 50th anniversary! A new area called Aeronautica Landing opened in April 2023, celebrating the Carolinas' history of flight. This area brought several new rides. In July 2024, Cedar Fair and Six Flags merged, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, with its new headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the end of the 2024 season, Nighthawk, Drop Tower, and Scream Weaver were retired.

Fun Areas and Attractions

Carowinds has many different themed areas, each with its own unique rides and attractions.

Aeronautica Landing

This new area celebrates the history of flight and invention in the Carolinas.

Blue Ridge Junction

This area is themed like the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

Camp Snoopy

This area is perfect for younger kids, themed with characters from the Peanuts comic strip.

Carolina Boardwalk

Sign for Carolina Boardwalk

This area is designed to feel like a classic Boardwalk by the ocean. It has three roller coasters.

Carousel Park

Located near the center of the park, this area has three rides.

Celebration Plaza

This is the main entrance area of the park where you begin your adventure.

County Fair

This area is themed like a fun agricultural show or county fair.

Crossroads

This area connects different parts of the park and has some exciting rides.

Thrill Zone

Fury 325 opened in 2015

As the name suggests, this area is packed with thrilling rides!

Thunder Road

Thunder Striker opened in 2010

A View of Kiddy Hawk from Carolina Skytower

This area is named after a famous retired roller coaster and has some of the park's biggest rides.

Carolina Harbor

This awesome 27-acre (11 ha) water park is included with your Carowinds ticket! It has a fun coastal Carolina theme and features 15 different rides and attractions. It has been known by different names over the years, including Ocean Island and Boomerang Bay, before becoming Carolina Harbor in 2016 after a big expansion.

Fun Festivals

Carowinds hosts special events throughout the year that are fun for everyone.

WinterFest

WinterFest is a magical holiday event that Carowinds brought back in 2017. During November and December, the park is decorated with beautiful lights, has Christmas carolers, unique crafts, a themed parade, and some of the rides are open. It's a great way to celebrate the holiday season!

SCarowinds

SCarowinds is a spooky Halloween event that started in 2000. It happens on select nights in September and October. The park transforms into a "nightmarish" experience with haunted attractions and many of the regular rides operating in the dark. Since 2024, you no longer need a separate ticket for SCarowinds.

The Paladium Concert Venue

The Paladium is an outdoor concert stage located at Carowinds. It opened in 1975 and has hosted many famous bands and musicians over the years. Today, it mostly features Christian bands. You need a separate ticket to attend concerts at the Paladium.

Fast Lane Pass

Fast Lane is an extra pass you can buy at Carowinds. It lets you skip the regular lines and get into shorter, faster lines for many of the most popular rides. This can save you a lot of time!

Carowinds Festival of Music

This annual event is a chance for music students to show off their talents. Bands, choirs, and orchestras can perform for judges and receive awards. It's a great way for young musicians to get public performance experience.

Retired Rides and Attractions

Over the years, many rides have come and gone at Carowinds to make way for new and exciting attractions. Some of the rides that are no longer at the park include:

• The Wild Thornberrys' River Adventure (a log flume, replaced by Thunder Striker)
• Thunder Road (a dual-tracked wooden roller coaster, replaced by water park expansion)
• White Lightnin' (a shuttle roller coaster)
• Scream Weaver (an Enterprise ride)
• Rip Roarin' Rapids (a river rapids ride)
• WhiteWater Falls (a flume ride, replaced by Copperhead Strike)
• Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator (a suspended water coaster, replaced by The Flying Cobras)

Images for kids

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  Carowinds ‘Plantation Square’ area as it appeared in 1973.

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  Southern Star, originally added in 1986

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  Hurler, added in 1994

See also

In Spanish: Carowinds para niños