Carowinds

[abttown]

12 hours ago, nicholas said:

80+ mph roller coasters in sub 40 degree weather? Eh...

That will sting on the face, but is still preferable to waiting in line in 95 degree weather.  Standing in the blazing sun as the sweat drips down your back (and other places) can leave you a bit soggy and irritable...yuk!

[allthingsplanes]

Several years ago we went to Carowinds first thing in the morning in the spring.  It was a cool morning - I believe it was in the 40s when we got there.  Many of the rides, including most of the coasters, weren't open yet because they have a minimum temperature to run (metal expanding and contracting).  Once the temperature got to that threshold they then had to do all of their trial runs before opening them.  That would be my concern about operations through the winter - I believe they'll be WAY scaled back.

[KJHburg]

https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/202202/8783/

Sea World drops its bid for Cedar Fair Inc owner of Carowinds. 

[KJHburg]

10,000 Dominos exhibit of Carowinds.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/domino-master-sets-up-exhibit-with-10000-dominos-carowinds-before-knocking-it-down/PMRUYKZO4ZHWFDCB5VVADKJMYI/

 

[KJHburg]

Parent owner of Carowinds selling amusement park site in Silicon Valley.  Can operate up to 11 more years. 

""Cedar Fair LP has sold the land beneath California's Great America for $310 million and intends to close the park within 11 years, the company announced Monday.  The amusement park operator (NYSE: FUN) said the buyer was San Francisco real estate investment company Prologis Inc. (NYSE: PLD). As part of the sale, Cedar Fair signed a lease agreement that will allow it to continue operating Great America for up to 11 years.::

from the San Fran Business Times 

[TheOneRJ]

Carowinds will begin year-round operations on January 1, 2023.

[FLOSC843]

Talk about your bad timing . Just as summer kicks off. Thankfully, I don't believe anyone was hurt or injured. A social media post from the article implied the ride may be out of commission for a while. 

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/carowinds-fury-325-ride-close-local/275-9caaab31-5e8a-421e-a5a6-ecd877304ec5

[Hushpuppy321]

18 hours ago, FLOSC843 said:

Talk about your bad timing . Just as summer kicks off. Thankfully, I don't believe anyone was hurt or injured. A social media post from the article implied the ride may be out of commission for a while. 

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/carowinds-fury-325-ride-close-local/275-9caaab31-5e8a-421e-a5a6-ecd877304ec5

That does suck but glad it’ll be getting repaired soon and no one got hurt/no catastrophe taking place.  Interesting though - CNN Front Page News says that the Fury is the largest Giga Coaster (meaning over 300’ drop) in North America.  I hadn’t realized that.  Very interesting.

[eastsider]

Saw this youtube video about the creation and early years of Carowinds. It's a good watch.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hph_H_BTrg

[SouthEndCLT811]

The clip of Fury 325 is making the rounds.. now on BBC

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuPKlbarSax/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[JRCLT]

1 hour ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

The clip of Fury 325 is making the rounds.. now on BBC

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuPKlbarSax/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

That’s a really bad failure, but considering it hasn’t collapsed that’s some good redundancy they have with a whole support column basically nonexistent.

[videtur quam contuor]

12 hours ago, eastsider said:

Saw this youtube video about the creation and early years of Carowinds. It's a good watch.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hph_H_BTrg

I met Pat Hall, Mr Carowinds, in 1972 at the Southern Christmas Show at the then-Merchandise Mart on Independence. He had a display of the Park to attract attention and he and I shook hands and stood beside Miss South Carolina who was a relentless smile with a tiara. It was honestly exciting as theme parks were better than television, the comparison of the time. As with other such attractions, the experience was better after dark when the everyday elements were hidden from view and the lights made the magic the feature.

[KJHburg]

9 hours ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

The clip of Fury 325 is making the rounds.. now on BBC

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuPKlbarSax/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Oh I have seen it everywhere from the Daily Mail of the UK to all US national media.  

But in the end it will be fixed and reopened however I think that might be after this season is over.  

[TheOneRJ]

On 7/3/2023 at 6:51 PM, KJHburg said:

Oh I have seen it everywhere from the Daily Mail of the UK to all US national media.  

But in the end it will be fixed and reopened however I think that might be after this season is over.  

I don’t think it will take that long. Now that the park doesn’t have an off-season and operates year round, and this ride in particular is open through the entirety of the year including during the Halloween and Christmas events, I believe it will be re-opened before SCarowinds begins.

[lit]

On 7/3/2023 at 12:25 PM, videtur quam contuor said:

I met Pat Hall, Mr Carowinds, in 1972 at the Southern Christmas Show at the then-Merchandise Mart on Independence. He had a display of the Park to attract attention and he and I shook hands and stood beside Miss South Carolina who was a relentless smile with a tiara. It was honestly exciting as theme parks were better than television, the comparison of the time. As with other such attractions, the experience was better after dark when the everyday elements were hidden from view and the lights made the magic the feature.

Up until recently, there was a really detailed scale model of the original entrance sitting beside the stage in Harmony Hall. I haven't seen it this season, but I wondered if that was a part of his original promotional material

[kermit]

From the CBJ: https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/07/06/carowings-fury-325.html

Quote

Plans are to remove and replace the existing support column, which is expected to be delivered and installed next week. 

Once that is complete, Carowinds will work with the North Carolina Department of Labor’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau to prepare Fury 325 for reopening. No timetable was available at this time.

(that is some speedy custom metal work)

Edited July 6, 2023 by kermit

[LKN704]

4 hours ago, kermit said:

From the CBJ: https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/07/06/carowings-fury-325.html

(that is some speedy custom metal work)

Not really familiar with the amusement industry, but I would imagine that the ride is under some type of warranty given its age. 

It may be a custom ride but Cedar Fair has the same exact type of coaster from the same manufacturer at its other parks in the U.S. and Canada. I would imagine each coaster is a "stock" product that is just customized to each individual park, so it should be fairly easy to call up the vendor and have a support column shipped. 

[kermit]

3 hours ago, LKN704 said:

…so it should be fairly easy to call up the vendor and have a support column shipped. 

Agree, but this particular vendor is in Western Switzerland. I suppose they have prepositioned parts near their largest market, or they have a metal shop on retainer. Could they fly something this big in?

Edited July 7, 2023 by kermit

[JRCLT]

14 hours ago, kermit said:

Agree, but this particular vendor is in Western Switzerland. I suppose they have prepositioned parts near their largest market, or they have a metal shop on retainer. Could they fly something this big in?

No, something that big would need to be shipped.

[TheOneRJ]

23 hours ago, LKN704 said:

Not really familiar with the amusement industry, but I would imagine that the ride is under some type of warranty given its age. 

It may be a custom ride but Cedar Fair has the same exact type of coaster from the same manufacturer at its other parks in the U.S. and Canada. I would imagine each coaster is a "stock" product that is just customized to each individual park, so it should be fairly easy to call up the vendor and have a support column shipped. 

 

23 hours ago, kermit said:

Agree, but this particular vendor is in Western Switzerland. I suppose they have prepositioned parts near their largest market, or they have a metal shop on retainer. Could they fly something this big in?

 

8 hours ago, JRCLT said:

No, something that big would need to be shipped.

B&M’s North American coasters, both track and supports, are built in an Ohio warehouse and then shipped to their respective parks.

[KJHburg]

WBTV says testing has begun on the Fury 325 roller coaster.

[KJHburg]

Okay this does not sound good another crack maybe at the Fury 325??

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/channel-9-investigating-possible-second-crack-carowinds-fury-325/VXT6UDERRFEQHGEDB37EHH22DI/

[lit]

They found that dog Lucy that everybody had been searching for. She's going to be reunited with her family!

News story

[KJHburg]

Fury 325 is back open so reports WCNC and WSOCTV tonight.

press release:

https://www.carowinds.com/blog/media-center/official-statement-fury-325

Edited August 10, 2023 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

Fury 325 despite its problems earlier this summer is voted Best Steel Roller Coaster in the world!

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/carowinds-receives-two-awards-fury-charlotte/275-9331bca3-a87e-41df-b3e8-2d435ef2ff1a