Visited Carowinds recently and overall had a decent time, but there were a few frustrations. When we arrived, there were no clear signs showing where the EV chargers were located, and once we finally found them, the charger didn't work. It may not completely be Carowinds' fault, but it would be nice if they made sure the chargers are serviced and working properly. We also wanted to try some of the food in the park, but the lines were extremely long, so we ended up skipping it. I'm not really a coaster rider, but I still enjoy visiting the park for the atmosphere and entertainment. One of the highlights was Viva La Fiesta -- the dancers were so energetic and fun to watch. We also grabbed some fudge, which was really good. Despite a few inconveniences, we still had a nice visit overall. read more

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Carowinds cuts a cool profile off the instate with Fury 325 and The Coaster Formerly Known as Intimidator making up its skyline. It's not too friendly to pedestrians like me who stay at one of the hotels across Carowinds Boulevard and want to avoid parking fees. Leaving out at night on foot especially was like keep your head on a swivel! Carowinds has a top notch top four when it comes to coasters with Fury 325, Intimi- er - Thunder Striker, Copperhead Strike and Afterburn. Beyond that there's nothing too remarkable besides their mine train coaster Carolina Goldrusher which is more fun than I expected from an older family coaster. Avoid the dreadful Vortex which flipped the script on the drawbacks of a standup coaster by being painful everywhere EXCEPT for the family jewels. Also the herky jerky Ricochet isn't worth it unless there's a short line. It's not one of the better basic wild mouses that I've ridden. What is worth riding is the bucket list worthy Fury 325, my main reason for taking an extra day on my drive back from Florida to visit where the Carolinas come together. I got in 7 rides on this epic exhilarating experience and wouldn't mind 70 more. I was even tempted to buy a 70s style ringer Fury shirt with 3/4 sleeves but they sadly didn't have it in my size. Thunder Striker and Afterburn are great, too, but not outstanding like Fury. There's similar and sometimes better versions of these type of coasters at other parks so it's not worth it to make the trip out this way for them. Copperhead Strike is a lot of fun but never scratches the ludicrous speed itch like say Maverick at Cedar Point does. I only managed 7 rides on ferocious Fury by buying Fast Lane which I don't usually do but it was Saturday and Opening day. The one other time I had Fast Lane was at Kings Island where they used wristbands and it worked great. Well, Six Flags is testing out all online Fast Lane at this park and mine glitched out, not working anymore after my first two rides of the day, a couple laps on Thunder Striker. (That name sounds more like a cheesy James Bond villain than a racing reference.) So I had to waste about twenty minutes at customer service getting it reset. Just about the whole queue there was other people whose Fast Lane also crapped out on them. First day of the year and I hope they get it straightened out but I say bring back wristbands. But I also say bring back the old Cedar Fair without the Six Flagification dragging it down so I know my opinion is moot. Carowinds has some pretty good atmosphere. The painted state lines of North and South Carolina are charming and a good photo op. Carolina Skytower is some good throwback atmosphere. Those observation towers are a dying breed. They don't elicit the same glee from me as cable cars, which Carowinds lacks but points for the Skytower. Windseeker was down when I visited and Carowinds is pretty lacking on other large scale flat rides. No giant swings, no giant frisbee (I always love those) and most strangely no drop tower. No water rides either which seems odd what with hot Carolina summers. I hear they're working on remedying that though, and I didn't much care on a March day where temps topped out in the low 70s. There's plenty of different themed, or more often semi-themed areas. Too many. Crossroads could be absorbed into Aeronautica Landing which kind of has a cool steampunk vibe. County Fair is fun and retro but apart from 50s and 60s vs. 70s music ain't too different from Carolina Boardwalk. Same with Carousel Park which has super old timey music. I'm surprised there aren't more attractions in Blue Ridge Junction just given the part of the country this park is in. Thrill Zone is just basically Fury dominating that part of the park, especially with Hurler closed. I don't know if that's maybe permanent. Is it too rough? Maybe a retrack or the RMC treatment? My chicken lunch was basic and a long wait, more than any ride what with my entitled Fast Lane. Dinner was a snack of frozen yogurt with fruit and other toppings paid for by the wait that was actually really good & healthy feeling. Ride ops were good, especially Fury which seemed to have their A team. Fury did go down for a while in the afternoon or I would have ridden it even more. Besides that and the two rides down all day things were up and running, a good start to 2026. People watching was fun at times but nothing too crazy. I'd say that if you took away Fury than Six Flags Over Georgia would be a better & more well rounded park than here but Carowinds does have Fury and more charm, too. I'd return if I found myself in the area with time to spare, especially if I was with someone who has never ridden Fury 325. Have I mentioned how awesome Fury is in this review or the one I wrote just for that coaster? Seriously, someone could probably build a coaster that went through 3 states and it still wouldn't be as good as Fury. read more

We just got back from a trip to Carowinds and overall, we really did have a great time. The park has an awesome mix of family rides and legit thrill rides, and if you're into coasters, it definitely delivers. The speed, height, and intensity of some of these rides are seriously impressive. That said, there were a few things that stood out that could really take the experience from good to amazing with some improvements. First off, the heat. The weather during our visit was actually pretty mild (low 80s with a breeze), but it still felt way hotter than it should have. A big part of that is because a lot of the queues have little to no shade, the ground is mostly black asphalt, and many of the fans and misters just weren't running. I can't imagine what that would feel like in peak summer. Adding some form of shade and turning on the fans/misters would make a huge difference. The app could also use some work. We had someone in our group with a season pass that includes two bring a friend tickets, but you can't redeem those in the app, you have to physically go stand in line at Guest Services, which kind of defeats the purpose of convenience. On top of that, ride wait times in the app were pretty inaccurate, and there were multiple times it showed rides as closed that were actually running. We also had a hard time figuring out where to go to redeem Fast Lane for The Conjuring Experience, it's not very intuitive. Another big inconvenience was the lack of storage on some of the newer coasters. No bins, no cubbies, and we didn't see any clear signage about that ahead of time, nor did anyone mention it at the queue entrance. I get that it probably helps with faster loading, but it left us scrambling, and one person in our group had to sit out just to hold everyone's stuff. Copperhead Strike at least has paid lockers nearby, but it would be nice if there were free options for rides without on-platform storage. Speaking of loading, Vortex was rough. The load times were really long. I completely understand that safety comes first, but it seemed like a lot of the delay came from smaller riders not weighing enough to properly engage the restraints. That caused a lot of slow down and left riders sitting strapped in the sun for way too long, which honestly starts to feel pretty uncomfortable and claustrophobic. Maybe a minimum weight requirement would help streamline that process. A couple smaller things, drinks aren't included in the standard all-day dining plan, which feels like a miss, and the signage for preferred parking is pretty limited, so it's easy to miss or not know where to go. All that said, we really did enjoy our visit. The rides themselves are fantastic, and there's a lot to love here. With a few operational and guest comfort improvements, this park could easily be top-tier. read more

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Outstanding theme park, it has such a nice vibe to the park and seems like they've made some enhancements and refreshes to many of the walkways which makes it comfortable for walking. We went opening day and it didn't feel super busy though the big rides had a long line the staff seemed to keep the lines moving. The food and drink options are decent and it's nice to see they have places to buy alcohol around the park. The only thing that needs upgrading is the parking lot and some sort of signage or illumination at night to make things easier for exiting the park in your car. Something similar to Disney World would be nice since that would be easy and convenient. Overall great place to have fun and enjoy some bomb rollercoasters!!! read more

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Had a great time with the grandkids and kids. The park is clean! I think there needs to be more places for water to be gotten. Soda and icees are great, but water is still a necessity. Especially 95 like it was last Saturday. read more

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Customer service sucks. But other than that, I have very few complaints. I used to work there. So you can walk around the park in less than a half hour. And the food is junk food but if you are visiting for just one day you can handle it. It's tasty though. Come on Sundays where the lines are short. Tiny theme park. Not that many roller coasters. But the kids area is cute. Nice place to visit if you have the money. read more

Carowinds is a good time. Please note you will read there are water stations - but I only saw a few during my two trips this month. I saw one at the restroom in snoopy land - these were clean. I saw one at the end of the copper rollercoaster after you exit. If you are scared of Fury, give it a try. It does have 320 foot drop and goes 95 mph. I went loose and let myself float in my seat and just went with it - what a rush and ride. I thought the Carolina Cyclone was the roughest ride - shaking your neck. After Burner is intense - ride the front row if you dare. I suggest buying a day or season cup - we got our money's worth and was easy to use. Shade is a premium, few hidden spots throughout. Buy season pass for $89 before April 4th and comes with free parking. Otherwise you will pay $39 to park. I would give them a 5 if they added like 20 water stations to fill your water bottle - it's got here and water is needed. read more

Carowinds - Fury ruled - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Cute park. $84 per person plus $35 parking. If you get online tickets, they are $45 per person. Plus $35 parking as of 11.23.25. This little park has a lot to offer especially to young families. Lots of small kiddie rides. Also some great roller coasters for the bigger kids. And adults. A little dissapointed with the food offerings: most places were closed so it was a challenge to find some food. Otherwise this is a great place to spend a few hours having fun. Very clean. Workers very nice. read more

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We're from California so we got to the Six Flags in Valencia and Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park CA. We got the prestige passes so thought while visiting NC we could check out here and Kings Domain in Virginia. Cool Park had some coasters we hadn't been on and it wasn't crowded barely any lines on a Sun during Spring break. read more

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Winterfest at Carowinds 12/20/25 First time visiting for the Christmas Event. It was a nice day, that started off really cold, with a temperature of 28 degrees for a family Christmas Trip to Carowinds. Carowinds' Winter Fest holiday season started November 28, 2025 and goes through January 3, 2026. The hours are 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Saturdays. We ate a light lunch a Culver's , we arrived too early to get in the park. The cost with tax was $27.63 (if you buy 4 or more tickets online), and the parking fee is $35(regular) and $45(VIP). Regular is allowed anywhere in the parking lot, except VIP parking. Be sure to remember where you parked, it is marked with letters from the alphabet. It wasn't really crowded at 12:00, the crowd really picked up later in the day, especially after sunset. The weather was nice a high of 55 degrees, with wind gusts so be sure to check the weather and dress accordingly. There were a lot of rides open, but not all of them( there is a list of open rides on the WinterFest website) my 4 year old grand nephew and my 9 year old great nephew had a FUN time. It was fun just watching them, children really make it feel like Christmas. The people working the park were friendly, the park was all decked out for the holiday, and there was something for everyone to enjoy. The wait time for the rides was not long, everyone was in " chill mode". We left at 6:00 pm and the park is transformed into a winter wonderland, with all the twinkling lights. The temperature also started dropping when the sun went down. I really enjoyed my day at WinterFest, and is worthy of at least one visit, that just might become a "family tradition", and as usual it's ALWAYS NICE TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY!! Merry Christmas from my family to yours!! read more

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It has been 2 years since I last visited here. I still give this park a 4 stars. They are making a bunch of changes to the park. They open up the parking lot 45 minutes before opening, but after you park, they open up the park to the public and if you have a season pass you can ride some of the rides 30 minutes before opening, but you will need to check the website to see which ones. T Unfortunately, we did had to go to guest services twice to get our drink plan fix. Our drink plan was only for the regular one and not the pro plus. When we got that fix, the plan only worked at Carowinds so when we got to Kings Dominion, the plan did not work. We went to guest services again and they refunded the drink plan onto the card and we bought the plan again. I wish their system was more efficient, but they have to go through a bunch of management to get approvals and to make sure our story was correct. They have gotton rid of Nighthawk one of the worst rides. But they still have their collection of other really bad rides like Vortex, Carolina Coaster, Ricochet, Hurler and Kiddie Hawk. I did not get a chance to ride the Flying Cobras because it is a boomerang and I know how the ride rides like with the new restraints. They do not have the Drop Tower anymore either. I did get a chance to visit Camp Snoopy and doing a bunch of construction, but the other new ride the Charlie Brown River Raft was still being built and will not be ready until September which is a bummer as I really wanted to ride the ride. However, I was able to ride Snoopy Rail Raceway which was fun, but be aware the line moves slowly. One thing we did not take advantage of is the VIP lounges as you get a free snack and unlimited free soft drinks. Food wise nothing much has changed, but I like going to the Big Dining building as they have the Peanuts show on the weekends that I like. For the peanuts characters they are located in 2 places of camp snoopy. The pizza place tends to be messy inside and sticky. I did enjoy the blue ridge bbq. Ride operations were fantastic as the lines moved fast except for Copperhead Strike as for some reason they are running 3 trains, but the line moves place, but there is a lot of people from Fastlane that goes and they take 6 people at a time. For Fury 325 and Thunder Strike (used to be Dale Earnhardt) the lines move really quickly. Afterburn the line moves quickly as well. I still like going to this park. read more

We came here in March and surprise that the park was only open on weekends. Lines were not that long but our biggest issue was the lack of storage containers for certain rides. We had to hide our souvenir cup in the bushes or omit the ride. Moreover some of the workers were looking at us weird when we were trying to refill our souvenir cup. Even though the amusement park has great rides and great value, there are improvements to be made to improve guest experience. read more

None of the water fountains in line worked. Vortex was interesting but overall did not enjoy it. Fury and Thunderstriker were good but were the only rides we wanted to ride twice. Enjoyed the day but in my opinion not worth a trip. My home theme park is Kings Island and I think it's much better. I loved how they had Rita's. read more

The overall experience is 5/5. Some rides are unsettling, but you're at a theme park. read more

Carowinds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Ever since new management took over--and honestly, even since COVID--Carowinds has really gone downhill. It's disappointing to see how much the park has changed. Now they're charging extra for haunted houses that barely have any scare actors, which completely takes the fun out of it. On top of that, the food prices are ridiculous--three chicken tenders for twenty dollars? For those prices, you'd expect at least great attractions, strong performances, and immersive scare zones, but unfortunately, none of that delivers anymore. The whole place just feels unorganized and low-energy compared to how it used to be. It's sad because Carowinds used to be such a fun experience, but at this point, it's just not worth the money. I won't be going back anytime soon. read more

Carowinds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Only one good roller coaster and you aren't allowed to have even a wallet in your pocket when you ride. They charge an additional $4 for a locker. The entire vibe was a weird small town old school carnival. read more

Parking was $35.00 4 large drinks $27.00, tickets for the conjuring $45.00 All this after paying almost $300.00 for the actual tickets for 4 people. The most puzzling part is the $0.01 charges for actually redeeming the tickets when you get there. Expensive is an understatement! The park was well decorated and the scare workers were working so hard in the mazes. There were about 1/2 of the scare workers then in past years. As a parent paying its "ok" My kids loved it , but they were not paying for the tickets, so they loved it!! read more

Carowinds - The fee for the wristband ?? - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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We went the WinterFest-- loved Christmas decorations and lights, they had a lot of the rides running, couple of food places and bars. We had fun Extras: Parking is around $30 if you do not have annual pass Mixed drinks at around $15.00- beers-$13.00- I do not think it was a good value read more

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The Carnival Cruise of Amusement Parks! Be aware that long waits for rides will be longer than expected. As you stand in line- for anything to include rides and food- a certain group of people will say that they are going up to be with their "friends". In an age of cell phones, they couldn't call their friends and say, "hey, come to the back so we can go together!" Well, there are no friends ahead in the line. They think we are stupid. I spoke with Frank- in charge of security and he said that there's nothing that they could do. The rule is if they are caught, they have to go back to back. That's a lie though. I turned a group of line skippers in and nothing happened to them. No deterrent for this behavior- maybe if the rule was changed to- caught skipping in line could result to expulsion from the park? Have undercover people watching? I just want to let everyone know that when the sign says that the wait is one hour that you can easily add another 30 minutes to that because those people are going to get in front of you. Don't say anything to them either because they start yelling and harassing you screaming "racism". I asked Frank- as a combat Infantry veteran- don't think for a second that I couldn't just walk right past everyone and get on the ride- however, as a veteran, I do what is right. My only punishment though would be told to go to the back- but if I just got on the ride, nothing else would happen to me. I really think that if the park paid our group back the couple of thousand dollars that we paid to be there, the park would understand how they are lacking in the value of line jumping. Once we stop going and the only people that are there are line jumpers, they will actually do something about it. Come on Frank! Get it together! How many one star reviews do you need? read more

We love coming to Carowinds! You can do everything online. Purchase your tickets, pay for parking and secure your food! They have so much to offer here. Rides, a water park, a kiddie area and so many shops and foods to try. The lines can be long but the wait times are listed. Admission gives you access to the rides but you have to pay a separate fee for games, activities and the slingshot. The park is open until 9pm so you have the whole day to enjoy it! Food can be expensive but that's to be expected at an amusement park. read more

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During the holidays this place was nice to visit, seeing the park all decorated was fun. we went on a few rides, had some , drinks, picked on some popcorn, funnel cake & candies not bad. A lot of the rides were not opened, we went on a few which were cute, the coaster between the 2 states has to be a cool concept. Visiting the park was a nice way to spend a few hours. read more

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Carowinds is great for something to do. Is it the greatest park ever? No. Could it be better? Yes. But is it good for what it is? Sure. There's a lot of potential here, and I hope they eventually reach it. Especially since it's pretty convenient to where I live. They seem to be experiencing some growing pains, like the rest of Charlotte right now. It feels like a shell of the park it was when I was a kid, but the three newer coasters they have are impressive and worth a trip in themselves. And it looks like they're working to add more new (hopefully good) rides. Don't go into this place expecting what the theme parks in Florida offer; they are not the same. There is no real theme, anywhere. And the customer service and food options leave a lot to be desired. But if you keep those expectations in check and hopefully visit on a day with good weather, you should have a good time. And since there are only a few good rides, you can get those in and walk around or head out after just a few hours. Not great for those paying for daily tickets (and $30 parking), but if you live close enough to go more than once, the annual pass can easily pay for itself. For those with kids or that enjoy the smaller/ other rides that spin and flip around, there are plenty of other things to do on that front. Your mileage may vary. For me, I find Fury, Intimidator (still refuse to call it the new name), and Copperhead to be the best rides. The other coasters are definitely showing their age and will leave you feeling like you've been in a wreck. I was shocked at how rough Top Gun (Afterburner?) is now. And don't even think about riding that teal one over near where the drop tower was... instant headache. There's a reason it never has a long wait. Learned that lesson the hard way. Also learned there's a first aid station heading towards Copperhead that can give you some Tylenol for said headache. As I mentioned before, there seem to be growing pains after the ownership changes over the years (I believe there was a merger around 2023, if I recall correctly). Things seem to change from one week to the next and can even vary from ride to ride or team member to team member. There isn't a lot of consistency that I have found, and I'm hoping that is another thing that will improve. I imagine an operation this size with the amount of people it takes to run and the amount of people it serves takes a lot of effort to manage. Hopefully, they will work on communication across the board and will find ways to take care of their employees that will in turn benefit the company and patrons. They definitely still bring the crowds and money to realize the potential this park has, so I hope it keeps being put back into it. Especially since the crowds plus lack of bigger rides means the ones they have can get slammed on a busy day. I guess time will tell what it will be, but as of the 2025 season, it's just good for what it is and where it is. read more

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The place is well organized. The staff are hit or miss whether they are nice or rude but overall good experience. Definitely book online. Tickets at door are significantly more expensive. Parking for the day is 30$. The waits are long but expected for a theme park, if you're around the area and ok with spending a little cash then come on through! read more

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FANTASTIC RIDES.. incredibly INEFFICIENT with loading passengers one car at a time. Loading a car while sending the next car would help to create a more thrilling environment by promoting shorter lines. Fury and Thunderstrike were hands down the most THRILLING rollercoasters i've ever been on and had the shortest wait times. read more

Carowinds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Used to be good before Six Flags bought them, now my boyfriend and I cannot access our season passes that are supposed to be good until December 2026. Never had this issues since they were bought out. You can't talk to anyone over the phone and I absolutely refuse to drive the hour and a half to talk to guest services there if I'm just going to be turned away. Guess Six flags has ruined Carowinds just like they ruined Great Adventure, good job. read more

If you are a thrill seeker, I highly recommend Carowinds. I absolutely love roller coasters and it was so much fun riding the rides while I was there. It was a hot day and we stayed hydrated on the unlimited beverage deal offered at the park. The Cyclone, Copperhead Strike, Fury, Hurler, Nighthawk, Slingshot, Thunder Striker, and Vortex were some of the favorites. There wasn't a wait for most of the rides. Our kids loved it as well and we were able to stay for most of the day. There are plenty of drink and food options throughout the park once you decide to take a break. The place is cashless, so get the card out for purchases. You will not be disappointed on a fun, fast, and thrilling experience at Carowinds. read more

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They absolutely rob you when you buy food. I bought a pretzel and a bag of popcorn which was 8 dollars each (outrageous in itself) then got charged 43$ and the rides aren't great. read more

I absolutely love this park! They have some amazing world class roller coasters including Fury 325, Thunder Striker, and Copperhead Strike. In addition they have some other fun coasters to including Hurler, ricochet, snoopy's racing railway, and flying cobras. Food for an amusement park is pretty good. The staff are mostly friendly and the park look and runs great. The waterpark (even though it has very strict procedures) is really fun and has some great water slides. I have been here twice and both times I have a BLAST! Highly recommend and if you haven't been, come to Carowinds now, it will not disappoint. read more

Carowinds - Fury 325's sign at night - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

WINTERFEST / NON-PASSHOLDER REVIEW: We saw a ton of TikToks about this event, and I love Christmas lights, so we decided to get tickets, go out in the cold, and drive there. We arrived just as it opened at 5 p.m., and parking was easy. It was a Sunday night, so it was not very crowded either. I think Friday and Saturday are probably the most packed. The Pros: Lots of beautiful lights, fun and cute entertainment, reminds me of my drama and theater days, seeing all the young kids performing their hearts out. The snow machines added a nice touch. It gets you into the holiday mood for sure. Enough rides are open to keep you entertained, or you can walk around and get hot chocolate and eat sweet treats or even have a turkey dinner. And enjoy the atmosphere. It was worth the price -shop for some cool little ornaments to add to the tree. Snoopy sighting is a plus. The Cons: They could have added more firepits and seating. There were a few areas for this, but more was needed for the number of people. They needed to-go containers for the food. They had so many special treats for the day, and there was no way to try them all. I wanted to take some to share with friends, but needed to have takeaway boxes. Just a thought. read more

It appears this parks staff and management do not care about preventive maintenance for their rides, nor do they care about your safety! For a massive rollercoaster rides beam to break, and it take the FIRE DEPARTMENT to come in order to shut down the ride is outrageous. DO BETTER read more

Carowinds is an awesome place for most people never go on the intimidator. It left me shaking. I had to hold my breath and shut my eyes the whole way it last like two minutes by the way. I am not a very big fan of upside down rides, but one left me sick to my stomach I had to go home but the popcorn there is amazing if you want endless thrills but if you don't like upside down rides don't go here, but there is plenty of options but why do all the rides have to spin? read more

Carowinds - Ride - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We went for Wintterfest on Saturday night. It was a smooth process buying tickets online and entering the park. The Christmas lights were beautiful! We went on only a few rides because the lines were super long. The lines were long because there was only one person running each ride. That was disappointing and frustrating. This was a long day for my family and only having time for a few rides was a bummer. The attendants were super friendly and did the best they could to keep everyone safe and happy. read more

Attended Winterfest and we loved it! This time, check in was much more smoother! You were allowed to bring in small bags/purses this time into the venue. Upon entering, everything is automatically lit up with so many lights! So much to do from ice skating, kids arts and crafts, shows, parades, rides and fireplaces to warm up at. Of course they offer hot cocoa, smores, adult spirits and plenty of holiday food and desserts. It was cold but if you bundle up, it shouldn't deter you from enjoying your night! I just wish they would stay open a lot longer passed 10pm but either way we still enjoyed our time! read more

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Honestly it keeps getting less and less worth it to visit. They skimp on everything they can in order to maximize profit. We went to Winterfest tonight and I have a broken foot so I rented a wheelchair. For $65 I got one that was soaked, no one would help get the water off the seat and apparently the canopy had a ton sitting in it so when I stopped I got drenched in 35 degree weather with ice cold water. We then make it the cookie decorating, the first year of winter fest it was phenomenal, last year it was disappointing, and this year it was a down right disgrace. 4 over cooked cookies, 3 half filled icings and 5 choices of colors in sprinkles but you can only get 2 colors and only half full cups to split between four people. If we needed more icing or sprinkles we had to buy a whole extra box of cookies. $30 for inedible cookies that there wasn't enough stuff to decorate them all. Perfect. Partner that with the 35 minute wait trying to get into park, the 35 minute wait to get in, and the over hour wait per ride if the ride was open because half of them weren't running. 20 minute line for drinks or hot chocolate and employees that act like you're pulling teeth by asking for information or help. We spend thousands every year at Carowinds and we have already bout our passes for next year, but I think it'll be our last because it gets more outrageous and they nickel and dime more and more. Very disappointed in the experience tonight read more

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After having 2024 Year Passes & Buying 2025 Year Passes...I can say that I will not buy 2026 Year Passes. The place has changed too much for the worse. No Summer Concerts & terrible hours of operation. Parking lot is still full of potholes & faded painted lines...YET, they expect people to pay $35/$45 to park?! At least with the Pass, parking is free. Went to Winterfest tonight (12/21/2025) it opened late & closed early. It's Winterfest. People are expecting to see Christmas lights & decorations...Why would you close at 8pm? Also learned that most of the lights will not come on UNLESS YOU PURCHASE a $30 "magical wand" to activate scenes...??? Most of the park was CLOSED even during the hours of operation, low staff & long wait lines. Just another example of GREED, but these people will soon realize it's costing them money because we won't be back. read more

What a great day! We are staying in Myrtle Beach and decided to make the 3 hour drive to Charlotte and do Carowinds and have Zero regrets! A couple of insider tips: 1. If you have the means stay at the Springhill Suites and take advantage of the free parking and walk the short distance to the park. Plus you have a place to nap and free breakfast! 2. If you're not going to stay there, we bought three day tickets and one Funday pass. This includes one admission, parking, and one deal plan. We used it throughout the day to snack and it sustained us all day. 3. The Fury 325 is the world's largest steel structure roller coaster in the world and is amazing! Also recommend Afterburn and Copperhead as our other two favorites! Such a great day off season on a Sunday never waiting more than 20 mins for any ride and no wait at all after 4:00pm! Yes is was worth it all the way from Myrtle Beach! read more

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Rides for people of all ages and skill levels. Great children's area! water park is refreshing.

I visited Carowinds on May 28, 2025, expecting a full day (10 AM-7 PM) as advertised. After driving over 3 hours to celebrate my daughter's birthday, we entered the park at 1 PM--only to be told by 2 PM that it would close at 4 PM due to "inclement weather." However, the weather was sunny and clear all day, with no rain in the forecast (I have timestamped photos to prove it). It's well known Carowinds often shuts down early due to low attendance and blames it on weather to avoid refunds--which is exactly what happened. No accommodations or refunds were offered, despite delivering a fraction of what was promised. This was incredibly disappointing and dishonest. I would not recommend Carowinds based on this experience. read more

Carowinds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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NEVER AGAIN!!! We took our church youth group there. The leader called to ask prices for those who didn't have a season pass. We were quoted the online prize but was never informed it was a different price at the gate until we had to pay out of pocket almost $400 for the day for 3 of the kids. We also had 2 of our youth who were humiliated in front of everyone bc the teenager who was working the buckles announced to everyone one of the kids was too tall and have to get off and the other was too "wide" to fit. It was pitiful. And the only response to asking for the refund of the price difference and an apology for the humiliation was it's for policy and safety. read more

Carowinds - Their response. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I haven't been to Carowinds in 20 years and it is still the same aside from maybe new rides and attractions. I think it is extremely expensive for them to have specific rides cost extra to ride them. Once I pay to get in, everything should be accessible (just my opinion). We took our 5 kids and although it was hot, it did rain here and there so there were some cool moments that made it bearable. The rides were really fun minus the long lines but with the staff, they moved fairly quickly. I would say I wish their maps were a little better to help figure out where exactly you are and how to get to certain places. We were trying to find a specific restaurant and we got so lost, we just ended up at whatever restaurant we were near. We got lucky because the food was actually really good but if the map was better, it would have been helpful. We are looking into getting a season pass that would be helpful. If you love these type of activities or finding things for kids to do, I recommend this place and looking into season passes read more

Carowinds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina