Intimidator (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Intimidator |
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Lift hill and entrance for Intimidator
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| Carowinds | |
| Location | Carowinds |
| Park section | Celebration Plaza |
| Coordinates | 35°06′11″N 80°56′22″W / 35.10306°N 80.93944°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | March 27, 2010 |
| Cost | US$ 23,000,000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Model | Hyper Coaster |
| Track layout | Out and back |
| Lift/launch system | Lift hill |
| Height | 232 ft (71 m) |
| Drop | 211 ft (64 m) |
| Length | 5,316 ft (1,620 m) |
| Speed | 75 mph (121 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3:33 |
| Max vertical angle | 74° |
| Capacity | 1,600 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.3 |
| Height restriction | 54 in (137 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane Plus only available |
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| Intimidator at RCDB | |
Intimidator is a thrilling steel roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park. Carowinds is in Charlotte, North Carolina. This exciting ride is found in the Celebration Plaza area of the park.
Intimidator was the thirteenth roller coaster built at Carowinds. It stands where the Carowinds River Adventure ride used to be, close to the park's entrance. It is one of the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coasters in the Southeast United States. The ride has a huge 232-foot (71 m) tall lift hill. It reaches a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h) and has a track that is 5,316 feet (1,620 m) long. The roller coaster was first announced on August 26, 2009. It opened to the public on March 27, 2010. Its name, "Intimidator," comes from the famous NASCAR race car driver Dale Earnhardt, who was known by that nickname.
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Building the Intimidator Roller Coaster
Work on Intimidator started in the summer of 2009. Crews began clearing the land and building the foundations for the ride. The first pieces of the roller coaster track arrived at Carowinds on August 7, 2009.
About three weeks later, Carowinds officially announced Intimidator on August 26, 2009. As part of the announcement, Carowinds made a deal with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.. This allowed them to use the brand of the NASCAR legend, Dale Earnhardt, for the ride. One of Earnhardt's sons, Kerry Earnhardt, was there for the announcement. He supported the ride on behalf of his family.
The first supports and track pieces for Intimidator were put in place on September 1, 2009. The tall lift hill was started on October 1, 2009, and finished by October 13, 2009. Three large cranes were needed to install the very last piece of the lift hill. Building the rest of the roller coaster track continued through November and December. The final track piece was installed on December 21, 2009.
Work on the station, ride mechanics, and landscaping happened in January and February 2010. On February 4, 2010, Intimidator began its test runs. The new roller coaster officially opened to the public on March 27, 2010. In 2014, seat belts were added to the ride. These were an extra safety feature along with the original lap-bar restraints. The ride was also repainted in 2020.
First Rider Auction
On January 14, 2010, Carowinds held a "First Rider Auction." People from all over the world could bid to be among the first public riders on Intimidator. Ninety-six seats were available for bidding. The top 96 bidders got to be the very first public riders on Intimidator on March 27, 2010. This happened before the ride opened to everyone else. All the money raised from this auction went to the Dale Earnhardt Foundation, a charity organization. The highest bid for a single seat was US$500.
What It's Like to Ride Intimidator
Intimidator offers an exciting ride with eight drops. It also has seven "camelback hills," which are hills designed to give you a feeling of weightlessness. The ride includes a wide u-turn with great views and a "diving spiral." One full ride lasts about 3 minutes and 33 seconds.
Before your train leaves the station, you'll hear a message: "Gentlemen, start your engines!" After leaving the station, the train goes straight up the tall chain lift hill. Once the train reaches the top of the 232-foot (71 m) lift, it plunges back down to the ground. This first drop is at a steep 74-degree angle. You'll reach speeds of up to 75 mph (121 km/h)!
After the first drop, the train goes over the first camelback hill, which is 178 feet (54 m) tall. Then, the train makes a sharp right turn, followed by a left turn. Next, you'll go over the second camelback hill, standing 151 feet (46 m) tall. After this hill, the train enters a 121-foot (37 m) panoramic u-turn, offering wide views.
The train then goes over a third 105-foot (32 m) camelback hill. Right after that, there's another camelback hill that is 90 feet (27 m) tall. Next, the train makes a left turn into the mid-course brake run, which slows the train down. After leaving the brake run, you'll go over the fifth camelback hill, which is 62 feet (19 m) tall. Then, a sharp right turn leads into a special part of the ride called a Diving Spiral. The train goes through two more camelback hills, measuring 52 feet (16 m) and 48 feet (15 m) tall. Finally, the train enters the last brake run before returning to the station.
Intimidator's Features
Trains
Intimidator uses three trains. These trains are open-air and have stadium-style seating. They are made of steel and fiberglass. Each train has eight cars, and each car has four seats. This means 32 riders can be on one train at a time. The trains are designed to look like Dale Earnhardt’s famous 1998 RCR No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo race car.
Track
The steel track of Intimidator is 5,316 feet (1,620 m) long. The lift hill is about 232 feet (71 m) high. The first drop is at a steep angle of about 74 degrees. The roller coaster also has special "trim brakes" and "magnetic brakes." These are used to control the speed of the train during the ride. Sometimes, riders jokingly call the coaster "Intrimidator" because of how these trim brakes slow it down.
Awards and Recognition
Intimidator has received recognition in the Golden Ticket Awards, which are like the "Oscars" for the amusement park industry. These awards are given out by Amusement Today magazine.
In 2010, Intimidator was ranked 4th for "Best New Ride." It has also consistently ranked among the top steel roller coasters in the world. For example, it was ranked 7th in 2012 and 2015 among all steel roller coasters.
