Carrowinds Amusement Park of the Carolinas Reviews

As always a great time but it has gotten expensive. It does pay to be a season pass holder for sure.

My wife and I went to Carowinds yesterday. There are a lot of "Thrill" coasters here. Three of which are right up front and easily accessible upoing entering the gate. This is the draw for this park. The side booths were the typical things you see at everypark, which made anything other than the coasters basically boring. Six Flags is partnered with WB so are all there shops and things are themed as DC comics and other properties. Which made them interesting. Carowinds was generic and bland. The food in the park was not good. Aside from the franchise locations inside the park ( panda express, Chik fil a) Go there for the thrills and then go to downtown charlotte.

Fun for all ages. Carowinds has a live show every night now from 7:30 to 9:30. The show was awesome.

How is a good time some of the employees could have a better attitude but tons of fun

This is our third year buying season passes . We have a large family with 4 children . We usually go about once a week. During the weekday it s not as busy , we have really enjoyed the new seasons they have added with the Christmas and New Years. The water park is nice as well. The wave pool is one of the kids favorite things to ride .

What a fun place for the whole family I went to see the Christmas village. Definetly worth a visit. Parking could be a problem so go early for parking close to the event.

It was my first time there and a ride I wanted to ride was not working, besides that it was a great amusement park, not as entertaining and exciting as Kings Dominion in Virginia but definitely worth the money. I suggest going with family or friends who won't make you're experience not enjoyable.

Awesome time with the family at Carowinds WinterFest.

Wheb charging way to much for food atleast make it ediable! Things really need to change!!

Changed alot in just 5 years beautified it and added new rides lots of fun but ride wait time is crazy

I live right by cedar point (Americas best roller coaster park) and I went here on vacation and BOY OH BOY let me tell you, there is this ride where you sit BACKWARDS and then you lay down on your back and it's the SCARIEST ride I've ever been on. But I love it

This is an amazing park which is half in North Carolina and half in South Carolina. There are some great rides, especially if you love roller coasters. One of my favorites is The Intiminator which has a NASCAR theme.

Had a blast last Friday! Fury was awesome and we walked on to whatever we wanted to ride with almost no waiting. Great experience and really solid acrobatics show this year too.

The lines are super long and the stuff is a bit pricey but it s so worth what you pay to get in. I love all the roller coasters and the fair theme that they have with lots of food and carnival type games. Can t wait to be there this weekend!

2018 was a very good experience at winter fest. 2019 was lackluster to say the least. We went for the New Years Eve event. The rides were not properly staffed. It took twice as long as it should have due to single staffing at everything except the After Burner. Advertised in the Carowinds app shows were canceled. Overall it was a substantial let down compared with previous experiences.

Carowinds is a lot of fun! Not only for one person but the whole family! They have everything you could offer.

The lifeguards in the water park have eagle eyes. I got knocked down in the wave pool & each time I came up for air another wave would hit me & I couldn't get my breath. A lifeguard named, Blake, saw what was happening & jumped in and saved me. I could not get out by myself as a large gentleman was blocking my access to the side. Thank God for Blake.

Some of the rides are rickety such as The Hurler and sometimes it's overcrowded. The Fury's 1st drop is incredible as well as the Intimidator but they are terribly bumpy if you have neck problems.

Scarowinds is not very scary but but fun for teenagers. Anyone younger than 13 may have some nightmares though. Make sure you know your kids. Also, the fog is rough on your lungs if you have asthma or other lung issues.

The food is good and they give free cups of water and encourage people to stay hydrated each day due to the extreme summer heat.

You really need to be in good shape because there is an extreme amount of walking as with any amusement park.

Great park... get a season pass if you are a local and it will be worth your money.

Great family fun. The best coasters in the southeast.

A fun place for the whole family! I love the shows and special events and my kids love the rides. You can tell some of the staff really love their jobs! One of my weight loss goals is to fit in every ride! (I'm clinically in the morbidly obese category.)

Had a great time with my family. I stayed in the water park area the whole time. The park was clean, the staff were pleasant and we all had an enjoyable day. I rented a premium Cabana to get out of the sun - it was well worth it to get a bit of quiet and semi-privacy.

All the rides from wonderful the old ones could be updated

Carowinds is the best amusement park ever! There is something for every age. The water park is awesome sauce. Must go y'all! !!

Spent the whole day at Carolina Harbor. Only suggestion I can make is they need sprinklers throughout the waterpark to keep the walkways cool. The walkways are so hot you can't walk on them barefoot. We had to keep our shoes with us at all times & had to keep putting them back on & taking them off.

This is a place where you can find a lot of fun, you can go with your family and friends and enjoy all the games.

So much fun. Good rides wait time was not bad on the day we went

Peace,
This was the first time i went to Carowinds, I taken my children 9yo, 4yo and 2yr, 21 mos twins and 9mos. we enter the grounds and found out we had to pay for parking which was 20 reg, 30 VIP, I am handicap so i was asking what is the difference, the clerk stated that VIP parking has special acces to the gate, I then asked what about handicap? its first come first serve, so thinking about my mobility we opt for VIP. it was a rip off, there was no special nothing all parking was the same, that is a shame to rob ppl like this, i am on a budget with a large family, coming to support in state instead of going to Georgia., the park was nice looking but confusing. 15.00 for refillible drinks at 15min intervals. I dont understand why they charge adults that will not ride anything..

Very short lines today. Very hot. The longest line was on whitewater tube ride about 25 min. We had to wate about 10 min on the Nighthawk for maintenance. All other rides we walked on with no wate time with normal pass. Great day with grandson and his girlfriend.

Every employee I encountered was good at there job! Great customer service. Rides were great. Water park was awesome. Can't wait to go back.

Get the season pass....buy your parking pass online....get the souvenir cup....dress comfortable and get ready for some fun in the sun

Perfect. Couldn't ask for more, can't wait to check out the rest of Cedar Fair

They refunded ticket exactly as I requested due to COVID-19. I cannot wait until they are open and I get the chance to buy another one and ride all of the coasters.

Had an amazing time with the wife. #marrylife #kidfreeday.

Fun time at winter fest until the rain got us. We will be back.

My family and I enjoyed visiting here. Different scenery for us and enjoyed the rides.

Amazing rides and very helpful staff. Everything is a bit overpriced, but it's an amusement park what did you expect.

My family has a season pass. For military there is a discount. But even without it, its affordable, with monthly payments as low as $6.75 a month, in worth every penny. Carowinds is the one places we enjoy all year around. And you have to experience WINTERFEST!! It s a winter wonderland of lights in fairyland. Make sure you go check out there website for discounts and upcoming events. You won t regret it

The Carowinds Winterfest was amazing. I had not been to Carowinds in over a decade ( shame on me, I live 10 miles away). It has changed. This is a well developed thrill seekers paradise. Loads of amazing roller coasters, shows and places for food. While certainly not Disney or Universal Studios, this place is great for a day of fun. Season passes are a great purchase. We went (twice) to the WinterFest. Beautiful! Great , festive decorations ( you could go just to enjoy the scenery at night! ) Fun shows all around. A few rides were open. We will make this a family tradition. May even work up the courage for Scarowinds next Halloween.

Scarowinds was the most fun I've ever had! Already planning another trip! We have visited a few times this year to enjoy rides and water park too. Each visit I've been impressed with the cleanliness of the park, the hard working staff, and the top quality food. My Season Pass was worth every cent, and I was able to pay one price for all my food, drinks, photos, and parking. We took advantage of the bring a friend tickets as well and took a group of 12 to the park for a day very reasonably.

Very good place to spend your weekend, specially in summers. They have got good rides, separate roller casters for all age groups. For kids there is a dedicated zone (snoopy zone) where you have lot of options.
Nice food court with free Live concerts and reasonable food options.
Best way to save is to buy annual passes (at least one) so you get free parking and discounts on other tickets.

Tough decision on a business stand point but better safe than sorry, right? Stay safe out there
I was running errands in the area so I decided to make a quick drive there so you don't have to ;) (you're welcome)

Place is a great place to go. I am a pass holder and I enjoy going... However I am a wheel chair disabled woman. And the park is not very handicap accessible. It's hard to get into lines for food, doors are hard to open when I decide to go by myself. It's hard to open doors when you're trying to steer your wheel chair... I love the water park. My friends and family love the water slides. I am not able to do those, but I love the wave pool and lazy river... However the lazy river is not opened alot due to understaffing. And when you do get to go in, it's Soo unorganized....
Parking is a mess. So so so many almost accidents, they have most of them coned off, and make you go way out of your way to find a spot, and ppl rush across the parking lot to find the closet spot and they don't watch out... There are like 6 or 7 lanes you can use to enter the park, make sure you stay in the far left hand lane because all lanes murge to the left and you will find yourself cutting over and ppl blowing their horns.. the lines are not that bright so pay attention to your lane.. also there are lots of pot holes... They insist on building new rides and such for the park. But I think they should organize the parking, fix the parking lot. And make it more handicap accessible! Rather then additional rides! I have the food pass. So I don't have to worry about prices. However if you don't have it... Expect to pay at least 15-20$ for a small plate, food is like 13$ plus tax and drinks are like 5$ or so... Plus tax.... The staff seems nice. Never had a problem. Some staff in harmony Hall can seem very rude, as in they are not wanting to be there. They don't smile nothing... But I figure they are all teens, what teen wants to work lol... So I do pay them no mind...

I was looking forward to my trip to Carowinds but it was a total nightmare. First we had to wait in line in the car to get through the gate to park. Then I had to stand in line for over 30 minutes to buy a ticket.Then we had to wait in line again for over 45 minutes to have our articles checked. Then we went to the souvenir shop to buy a fast lane ticket & they were out so we had to wait again to get bracelet. Not only that the price for the fast lane was $87.00 but online on Friday the price was $77.00 but on their website, the price was $65.00. Why? They don't even tell you that you have to get a locker to put your articles in until you try to ride Fury 325 & Copperhead strikes & they will allow you on the ride with loose articles. For all the other rides, they have bins for your articles. Their motto regarding buying a fast pass: wait less & ride more: is not true either. We waited in line for over 45 minutes to ride Copperhead Strikes & then we had to wait 1 hour to ride Night Hawk. The people who were responsible to let us get on the ride, let more people that did not have a fast pass ride before the people who paid big money for a fast pass ride. Overwhelming. Carowinds is more interested in the money they charge people instead of the people that came to the park to have fun & paid alot of money just to be there

Great rides new "copperhead" rollercoaster very thrilling and fun!

This is a wonderful amusement park. It has a great collection of rides and attractions. It is somewhat family-oriented and there is plenty to do besides rides. The staff are really friendly and it is overall a great experience.

We went on a Thursday. The park was not crowded. The longest line we waited in was approximately 15 minutes. We were able to ride several roller coasters multiple times. The kids enjoyed themselves as well. There is a variety of rides for kids of all ages.

The only complaint was the 50.00 check at Chic Fil A for a chicken sandwich, 2 order of nuggets, 2 fries and 2 drinks...thats outrageously priced!!!! I understand your paying more because your at a park, but 50.00 at a chic fil a is beyond ridiculous.

Lockers are too expensive. Staff at water park is not friendly as theme park. They close the water park too early. Other than that, the wave pool is awesome and the vortex is an awesome ride.

What more can I say about this place, it is amazing, this is our second year getting season passes. If you are getting a season pass definitely get the season pass dining plan, it is well worth the extra

Great place for the family. Fun with or without kids

Fun rides, staff can be unattentive and communicate poorly. Food is overpriced and even the signage does not match what is actually available. Pizza picture shows supreme type pizza but only pepperoni and cheese are options on menu.

Always great till later evening when the hoodrats start fighting.

Great time had alot of fun. Definitely invest in the fast pass

The rides are great, park was neat and well maintained but the usual grip applies as it does to all amusement parks. Drinks and food are excessively priced. It should not cost a small fortune to have a great day at the amusement park.

Went on a Monday in August, and had such a great time! Very short line times and the crowds weren't terrible. It was very hot, but anywhere in the park with a soda fountain will give you a small cup of water if you ask for one. I recommend getting parking and the all day meal pass ahead of time online - both save you a lot of money and some time in the park. I also recommend wearing a small pouch or fanny pack, as anything larger cannot be taken on some rides and you'll have to rent a locker - very expensive.

Bought season passes but since I couldn't shell out the extra bucks for the fast passes, all we did was stand in line while the fast pass users rode over and over. Won't ever go back. It was a waste of my vacation money.

Astounding coaster lineup, mediocre merch, theming, and shows. Coaster fans love this placd

Awsome Place!! Fury 325 is best Coaster in America!!
Get the Meal Deal, can't beat it.
Great for Families.
Wait times in App are completely wrong, spoke to a Co. Rep..we'll see what happens...

One of the best theme parks ever! Great for all ages. There's plenty of great coasters, thrill rides, and family rides. The cuisine is a bit expensive, so I reccomend eating before going.
Thanks for reading!

I have had the joy of going to Carowinds for almost 20 years of my life! Although it has changed a lot over the years I still enjoy every visit!

Visited for the first time during Winter Fest. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Park was clean although occasionally you would get a smell of sewage especially in the Ice Rink area. Great time.

Just to let everyone know if you are a large person like myself it's pointless to go. I am 5'8 and 260lbs and I could ride most rides but it took a large black man to squeeze my belly into the harnesses. And that is very uncomfortable and painful. Either don't go or lose weight before hand. It actually got me motivated to lose some so I can go back and have more fun.

A perfect place for the whole family as there are rides for all age group. The only thing is you need at least two days to cover all the rides or plan in advance and get on the ones which match your thrill level. People living nearby should get seasonal pass as that can be used throughout the season plus free parking. If you plan to take many rides, it's a good idea to have fast lane pass. I was able to ride Fury 365, and it was one of the best rides of my life. There is a water park also within the same park. But it closes at around 5:00 while the remainder of the park is open till 10:00 p.m.

Could have been a lot better, My family and I drove all the here for my daughter's birthday and purchared our tickets online where it stated that the park was open from 10am to 10pm. We all ourselves going on a Sunday so it wouldn't be as crowded and me and my spouse are both disabled. They end up closing at 8pm instead of 10pm. The sad part is that we were waiting to get on a ride when they closed it down and most of all the other rides shut down as well an hour early due to so called weather. It didn't even rain and they reopened the rides but we missed out by seeing a show that lasted up until 15 minutes when it was time for the park to close.

One of the best theme parks in the United States , with several world-class roller coasters. And a really great waterpark that you don't have to pay extra to use...

We love carowinds! We can go for a few hours and be happy or go all day and be happy..

Good points and bad points. The park is more spacious than you would expect, and with the amount of rides..there is enough room for everyone even when it gets crowded. The staff is adequate, mostly younger people, and most have a bit of an apathy towards their day, but as that goes, they do good work. Things of course, can be a bit pricey, especially food. But that is almost to be assumed when in a park.
You will not be able to see and do it all in one day, accept it. The wifi is below par, and the park app freezes on wait times (all day saying Copperhead strike was a 10 min wait when it was 75 minutes), so be prepared to adapt.

Went today and 4 of the things we wanted to do were closed...and none were posted outside the entrance! Full disclosure on ride closures should be posted at entry! ...also how can you not play Guaraldi in Camp Snoopy. Big F on that!

Always a great time when we come here. We time it in a way where we don't try and come when its terribly busy so we're not stuck waiting in crazy lines. Season pass, food pass, and drink pass are a must. They pretty much pay for themselves after a few visits.

Carowinds is one of the best amusement parks to go to amazing rides and food you also have to be around 5 foot to ride the fury

Its a nice park overall. Not too busy or crowded and the wait lines aren't terrible. The staff however is pretty awful here. Some people are very nice but compared to other amusment parks, even Six Flags, its pretty terrible. Perhaps it's not exactly the lower tier workers themselves per say as it might be managment. It looks like a lot of the workers are having an awful time and hate the job. The food is stupidly overpriced (+$30 for a cheese pizza) like it's a Disney Park, but it doesn't have the charm to make it a Disney park. They now have the lockers like they do in many major parks where you pay a few bucks at every ride to put stuff in a locker. If you don't they won't let you ride, you can't even set your stuff to the side of the rides, it's very silly and it only there to create more revenue. The price you pay at the end of the day will be way more than just the tickets / parking price. Would suggest spending your money at a six flags or disney park instead.

It's cool and good for vacations
#cool4life

Makes ya feel like a kid again.. Just started going back this year. It's been since 1998. Love the new rides

Fun park with some great roller coasters! Food is a tad pricey and just okay, but you really don't go for the food. Our favorite event is the Christian Music Day - spend the day riding and the night rocking!

Visited July 26-29th, 2019. Very clean park, all rides were open, food and drinks are pricely (like in most amusement parks) and you can pick up ice water for free anywhere . Side shows very nice. Something to do for everyone. Water park extremely nice, really enjoyed wave pools. Many lifeguards in duty. We stayed with our RV at Wildreness Resort, which was awesome and offered tram rides to the park. I had very positive experience.

Word of advice. If you go on a summer Saturday, invest in a Fast Pass if your main focus is Fury325 and you want to ride NightHawk at least once without waiting for ever and a day. Keep an eye on your rented stroller if you have kids! Mine was taken while we were doing something and of course they kept the deposit (no surprise there) but they didn't even offer me a stroller to replace the one that was taken. I had the receipt! Why would I lie and try to get a second double stroller? I spoke to the manager of the rentals and he let me borrow another one but made it a point to write on my ticket "no refund". Maybe you should assign stroller numbers to people. That way at the end of the day, if there was one that was taken but is returned, you get your money! I can't keep an eye on our strollers while on rides. Maybe I should have brought a second adult to be the "stroller watcher"? Other than that, I'm a season pass holder and will keep coming back. Thankfully my kids are old enough to not need a stroller this year!

A+ service throughout the entire park. Money well spent! Thank you for an enjoyable day!

Lots of fun, deducted 1 star because water park closes rides down often which can be frustrating.

The water park is a blast and the kids love Snoopy land. Over the years though the park has become more and more crowded making it hard to enjoy it when you are constantly waiting in line for everything. The bathroom, food, rides, drinks all have long lines and you are constantly bumping into people. If you can get there on a less crowded day it's great! We have season passes this year and it will probably be our last year getting them.