Favorite Theme Park in NC

[NcSc74]

I voted ghost town in the sky. One reason the pirate ship swings you over the side of the mountain...............

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

Rumor has had it for a number of years now that land has been purchased along I-40 & NC 210 in Johnston County (basically Raleigh) for a Six Flags theme park.  It's a rumor that's been flying for a while, so I don't know how much truth is in it.

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I'd love to see something come to that side of the state. Seems it would be a good location given the beach traffic as well as the triangle area as a whole. (especially if built somewhat near 95)

[Raintree21]

What about Heritage USA?

Don't forget about the swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain. 'nuff said.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

But isnt Heritage USA in South Carolina?

[Raintree21]

But isnt Heritage USA in South Carolina?

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True. Forgot about that. It's in Fort Mill, SC. That's basically an extension of Charlotte so I didn't think about it. The Charlotte Knights are there and you can see the hotel building of Heritage from much of Charlotte.

[Dukeis#1]

I am afraid I have to agree with you Dukeis#1.

[monsoon]

But isnt Heritage USA in South Carolina?

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Well there is the also minor detail that it has been out of business since 1989 which is the biggest reason I did not list it.

[monsoon]

I'm glad someone agrees with me. 

I often wonder what it would have been like had the original plans for Carowinds and the surrounding area been executed.  We'd have one of the most unique parks in the country...

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Indeed. What we see now is a fairly generic park with a few nice roller coasters, and the surrounding area that was to be developed is a decaying interstate stop.

[cha]

I hate how Nickelodeon (sp?) is basically takin over Carowinds

[urbanesq]

It wasn't on the list, and it's not exactly a theme park, but the NC Zoo is still my favorite place to go with my kids on a summer day. My son is really into animals, and we've been to zoos all over the country (and a couple abroad, too) and the NC Zoo really ranks as one of the nicest in terms of layout, attractions, and events.

And the polar bears are hard to beat. (It's less expensive than Carowinds, too! )

Related question: what do people think about the plans for Dollywood East (or whatever it'll be called) on I-95?

[cityboi]

I like Wet n' Wild Emerald Pointe. Its great to cool off in the summer. Its the largest waterpark in the Carolina's and the 12th largest in the United States. Its also one of the most visited in the country. Alot of great attractions there including a suspended roller coaster. Believe it or not, I haven't been to Carowinds since 1982 when I was 4 years old. Greensboro actually came close to having a themepark like Carowinds. In the late 60s Busch was very close to striking a land deal to build a brewery and a themepark in Greensboro where the Grandover Resort is today. The land deal went sour and the Busch company chose Williamsburg, Virginia instead. Its too bad because the site for Busch Gardens is only about a mile south of Wet'n Wild Emerald Pointe so the themepark and waterpark would have been almost right together. Its very clear Busch wanted a themepark in the vicinity of historic colonial sites Because both the Greensboro area and Williamsburg, VA have colonial historic sites. Greensboro has a historic natioanl miltary park that was a battlefield for the revolutionary war and then there is Old Salem in Winston-Salem. Old Salem is like a smaller version of historic Williamsburg, Virginia. I think Emerald Pointe may have been a part of the original plan for Busch Gardens. When the themepark failed I think the idea of the waterpark stayed on the table. I say that because the original name for Emerad Pointe was "Aqua Gardens" which is similar to the name "Busch Gardens" But the name Aqua Gardens was changed to Water Country USA before the park even opened. Obviously the origional name was suppose to coincide with Busch Gardens. Eventually it changed to Emerald Pointe and now its Wet'n Wild Emerald Pointe. Its one of 3 Wet 'n Wild waterparks in the country. The other two being in Las Vegas and Orlando. Wet'n Wild is like the Six Flags of waterparks. One interesting fact about Emerald Pointe is that it has the largest wavepool on the North American continent.

There was also a second close chance for Greensboro getting a themepark. Six Flags would have built a regional themepark in western Guilford County near the county line as a part of the plan for a major league ballpark back in the late 1990s. When the ballpark plan failed, so did the plan for the Six Flag themepark. The major league stadium and Six Flags thempark were suppose to be sort of like one big complex similar in other areas around the country where they built a Six Flags/major league ballpark combo.

But I still think Greensboro could have a major regional themepark today. The transporataion network is great for a regional themepark. I-40, I-85 and futures I-73/74 and I-785 all intersect in Greensboro. Its not too close to Carowinds because Greensboro is about 90 miles from the Carowinds themepark. Busch Gardens and Paramount King's Dominion in Vrginia are even closer. A themepark in Greensboro would attract people from Raleigh Durham just like the waterpark does. The park would also attract people from Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia and would also attract people from Charlotte. Yes Charlotte has its own themepark but its human nature to gravitate to something thats new and many Charlotteans would travel up to Greensboro out of curiosity. If Charlotte had some competition, that would mean more and better rides for both parks. If Greensboro had a themepark I could see it now. Every other year both parks would be introducing the state's biggest and fastest roller coaster.

I think Six Flags could come knocking on Greensboro's door again. Financial it makes sense for Six Flags to build in Greensboro becasue the thempark company wants to own waterparks near their themeparks under the Six Flag name. Just like Six Flags in Atlanta has a waterpark some distance from the themepark in Atlanta called Six Flags White Water. In Greensboro They wouldnt have to build a waterpark from scratch. All they would have to do is aquire Wet'nWild Emerald Pointe which is already one of the country's most visited waterparks and then build their themepark within a 10 mile radius of the waterpark. Coincidnetly Emearld Pointe has a number of water attractions that are identical to attractions in other Six Flags waterparks so it would be uniform with its other waterparks. If it were built in Guilford County, the best place for it would be in eastern Guilford County on the outskirts of Greensboro between Burlington and Greensboro. There is just more available land in eastern Guilford County. Six Flags would need at least 300 acres of land which would consist of land for the themepark itself, parking and hotels.

[Dukeis#1]

^Six Flags hasn't built a new theme park from the ground up since 1971. The chain got so large due to Six Flags simply buying existing parks and slapping the "Six Flags" brand on them.

So, factoring that in, as well as the current financial state of Six Flags INC., I wouldn't count on them building any more theme parks in the near future...

[archiham04]

My favorite Theme Park is Birkdale Village! I just love the "town" theme. It is almost just like being in a real town!

[Batou]

I hate to bump this, but I like emerald pointe, and am going there tommorow!

[CSP]

I've seen the Emerald Pointe commercial and it looks like a good place to visit..

[Jerseyman4]

Emerald Pointe has my vote

[Batou]

I've seen the Emerald Pointe commercial and it looks like a good place to visit..

Yeah if u want a pure waterpark, vs a halfwaterpark aka carowinds, with a bigger wave pool, and more and more vareity of water rides where anyone can find something they like, then you would like it

[cityboi]

Carowinds ia nice but im not into roller coasters so Emerald Pointe gets my vote.

[charlotteboi]

IN MY OPINION CAROWINDS IS THE only THEME PARK IN NC.

[swampfox43]

I wonder what ever happened to the Turtle Island: Native America USA theme park proposed for northeastern NC?

[reverbandwhiskey]

Didn't see it mentioned, but Ghost Town In The Sky is reopening in 2007.

I loved this park when I was a little kid.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Yeah, eastern NC has no theme park at all. Kind of strange.

Roanoke Rapids of course is getting one.

I am not sure about the one in the northeastern part of the state. I assume its a no go. Have not heard anything.

Back in the late 80's they tried to open a disney world outside New Bern...lol. Plans fell through though.

[Pillsbury]

Um, I only go to Carowinds, so I guess I have to vote that........

[MR-2]

Raleigh does have the state fair...

We need a waterpark though. Rollercoaster parks can be expensive, but a simple waterpark can be just as fun.