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Carowinds Weighing Options For 4 New Rides

Author Melanie Day

Carowinds is known for its coasters. While we love them of course we are always hoping for new Carowinds rides as well! And last year the Carolinas theme park launched the new Aeronautica Landing area featuring fair-type thrill rides.

But the park is always looking to bring new rides and attractions. And this time they are asking the public what they want. Which is always a good strategy! 

The Facebook group Carowinds Fans Only posted screenshots of a survey over the weekend. They say the survey was sent out by the park pitching four different concepts for new rides. 

4 New Carowinds Rides Ideas

Family Thrill Coaster

The first one is described as a “family thrill coaster” that would feature two launches. There would be tunnels and hills ending at a dead end track before sending riders backwards through the track.

This sounds similar in my opinion to Universal Orlando’s Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. It’s one of the best rides I’ve ever been on so I’m sure I’d enjoy this option for Carowinds!

Dive Coaster

By far the most thrilling concept the park pitched to fans. It would be a record breaker (something Cedar Fair is known for) with a 300-foot near-verticle drop. But perhaps even scarier than the drop would be the seemingly never-ending moment of anticipation as riders are left hanging before racing down that drop.

If the park is truly looking to cement itself as a thrill destination this would be the way to go.

Water Coaster

Yes Carowinds has a waterpark. But if there is one thing the park is lacking is water rides in the main theme park. Carowinds has had its fair share of options over the years but those have all been sacrificed to new offerings.

This coaster would fill that void while being a fun option for all ages. Water rides were my favorite as a kid! The ride would feature a steel track and a dry first half of the run. Then ending with a drop into a splash pool to leave riders soaked.

Super Flume

There is also a second water ride being considered. This one is an elevated log flume ride. One originally sat where the former Intimidator now called Thunder Sticker now is. This proposed ride has all the joy of a traditional log flume.

But it would feature a double drop, backwards drop, followed by the “world’s tallest” water plunge. It’s hard to pick a favorite but this one does sound incredible!

Reactions To New Carowinds Rides

The post at the time of this publishing has 180 comments on it. A lot of people seem to share my desire for a water ride. Thrill seakers understandably want the dive coaster. What wasn’t provided was how many of these options could possibly move forward.

From what I can tell it’s unclear if they are made for the same plot of land or what that would be. Would we lose anymore existing rides to accommodate new ones? All those would factor into my decision on what I want to see as far as new Carowinds rides. Can we have all of them? Please?

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.

All 13 Of Carowinds Roller Coasters Ranked

August 16th is National Roller Coaster Day. And here in the Carolinas, yes both Carolinas, we are lucky enough to have some incredible roller coasters. As a kid who loved thrill rides, I used to dream of going to Cedar Point one day to ride some of the world’s best coasters. Little did I know that Cedar Point’s parent company, Cedar Fair, would purchase Carowinds years later and start to bring those world-class roller coasters to my own backyard. Pretty fun right? Since Cedar Fair took over the park we’ve seen lots of changes. These include a water park expansion, fair-type rides, and of course new record-breaking coasters.

And they really have put Carowinds on the map. The last time I was there, there was actually a huge group of roller coaster enthusiasts from around the world that came here specifically to go to Carowinds. It has become a destination theme park. Which is pretty cool and great for the economy in both of the Carolinas. But back to the coasters at Carowinds. Counting kiddie coasters there are 13 roller coasters in the park. Some have been there since I was a kid, and others are relatively new. The newest coaster Carowinds has is Copperhead Strike a launch coaster which numerous inversions that opened in March of 2019.

A few of my rankings you may not agree with, and that’s ok this is just my personal opinion as someone who has grown up in Charlotte and gone to Carowinds a fair number of times. I don’t frequent that often anymore, maybe once a year if friends want to go, but I’ll always love getting on my favorite rides. So keep reading to see all 13 of Carowinds’ roller coasters ranked. Want to see a full ranking on every ride open in 2022 at Carowinds? You can read that here.

  • 13. Kitty Hawk

    Kitty Hawk is a kid’s coaster- this one is a flying coaster that brings the thrill a little bit. It’s short enough that if your kids hate it it’s over almost as soon as it starts. It’s pretty rough though, so be warned.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKSCPwO7t_M

  • 12. Woodstock Express

    If you grew up going to Carowinds in the 90s and early 2000’s you know this as either Scooby Doo or Fairy Odd Coaster. And as a child, it was a FAVORITE. I rode this countless times.  This wooden coaster is a great intro coaster for kids or those not keen on the larger rides. It’s a fun, short coaster with lots of tame hills.

  • 11. Carolina Goldrusher

    The Carolina Goldrusher is classic Carowinds. While it’s a family coaster this ride is always so much fun, especially the ending of going through the tunnel. Definitely, a must-do if I have the time! And it was an opening day attraction and once the premiere thrill ride in the park. We’ve come a long way for sure!

  • 10. Richochet

    This classic wild mouse-style coaster brings the thrills but is still fun for the whole family! While the design isn’t unique and the drops are tamed, the back and forth at the beginning will leave you laughing and smiling.

  • 9. Hurler

    I love this ride and it’s one of my personal favorites but even I’ll admit it’s a rough ride. This classic wooden coaster brings that rickety thrill with tons of hills. It usually doesn’t have too long of a line so worth a ride. And for the price of admission you can get a chiropractic adjustment as well.

  • 8. Flying Cobras

    This boomerang-style coaster takes you forward and backward through the same track through multiple inversions. So basically it’s like two rides in one.

  • 7. Nighthawk

    Many people will probably disagree with my ranking of this one as it still remains pretty popular with long wait times but try as I might I personally just don’t care for this one. It stems from when I first rode it as a kid and the restraints just didn’t fit as snug as I wanted. I hated the feeling of falling when you’d flip over. That being said this is a flying coaster that takes you on your stomach for much of the ride. It’s a very thrilling and unique ride compared to others in the park. It’s just not a personal favorite for me, instead one I tend to skip.

  • 6. Carolina Cyclone

    One of the oldest coasters in the park this one is still fun. It’s a very classic course but always a good time. This also gets bonus points at the first upside-down roller coaster I ever rode.

  • 5. Vortex

    This stand-up coaster has been around for years but still brings the thrills! It’s full of loops, twists, and turns. Plus you’re standing throughout the ride which offers a unique ride experience!

  • 4. Copperhead Strike

    The newest coaster at Carowinds features two launches and 5 inversions. Full disclosure the only reason I didn’t rank it higher is that this is the first time a roller coaster has actually made me sick. The number of loops translates to a lot of “spinning” feeling and after riding it twice in a row I felt it. If that is something that doesn’t bother you you’ll most likely love this one!

  • 3. Afterburn

    My OG Charlotteans will probably share my sentiment that this ride will always be Top Gun. This was THE RIDE back in the day and honestly, while it doesn’t look near as tall or big as it once did it still delivers the fun. Fun fact it still is the third tallest coaster in the park. You’ll go through 6 inversions and even underground for a second all while your legs dangle from the vehicle. While this ride has been open for over 20 years now it’s still a must-do for me and many others.

  • 2. Intimidator

    To me, this is a perfect roller coaster. You’ll drop 232 feet at a 74-degree angle before 6 more drops all while reaching top speeds of 80 mph. And it along with the number one ride on this list is ranked as one of the top 10 steel coasters in the country. And even before recent events, I think I’d rather ride this one than the number one coaster on our list. Though most people would not agree which is why I ranked them the way I did.

  • 1. Fury 325

    It should come as no surprise that Fury 325 takes the top spot. At 325 feet tall it’s one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters anywhere. Ride in the front row and your eyes are sure to be watering from the sheer speed. If you’re visiting Carowinds for thrills there is nothing more thrilling than Fury. It’s a must-ride every time.

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Author Melanie Day
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