Paramount's Carowinds 10-6-01 (Rain Galore)

Friday night was the premier of the 2nd annual Paramount's "Scarowinds" and this weekend was the final weekend that the entire park would be open.  The weather was calling for rain, but if anything, it made me want to go even more.  With bad weather abundant, I arrived in time for Top Gun ERT at 9 to see one of the most beautiful sights in the world:

http://www.starcoasters.com/parkgalleries/carowinds/topgun16.JPG

Yes, I am referring to the fact that there were 9 cars total in the parking lot.  I have never seen the park so empty on a Saturday.  The rain kept EVERYONE at home.  I was able to immediately hop into the front seat of Top Gun, and ride in the front seat 5 times without even getting off.  I then switched to the back and rode 5 more times.  Top Gun was running as wild as usual.  I then walked onto Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion and took a quick ride, scoring 1,350 (the highest ranking on the chart is 800+ :)).  I headed back and rode Top Gun near the front once and headed for the other section of the park since it was 10 AM and the rest of the park was opening. 

Most of the park was decorated and ready for Scarowinds, which resumed again at 7 that night.  I walked on to the Hurler and rode twice before heading to find me some food.  While finishing off a pretzel I picked up a walk on on Drop Zone and took off to ride the Carolina Cyclone.  There were no lines for the Arrow looper either and I had a nice ride in the back seat.  The Goldrusher's line was non-existant and the Super Saturator did not have its water running, so I rode both.  At this point the bottom seemed to fall out of the sky as rain came pouring down.  Not discouraged, I rode Hurler and Cyclone once more and headed for the back side of the park again.

  After dodging into an arcade out of the rain, I rode Thunder Road both fowards and backwards.  It looks like some more wood has been put down in different spots along the fowards side.  Some new wood had been put down in different spots when I went 2 weeks ago also.  Perhaps the retracking of Thunder Road in the offseason was not done so well.  Before leaving, I rode Top Gun 2 more times for 13 rides on the day and 84 rides this year.  On another note, there were no signs of Ricochet track.

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Top Gun: The Jet Coaster Flights in 2001: 83
Coaster Tracks Ridden: 57
www.starcoasters.com

What about Vortex?  In all of the Carowinds trip reports I have read, no one ever mentions riding Vortex.  Yeah it isn't a great ride but it is a ride.  Has it closed, or do you just not like it?

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Paramount Carowinds: Forgotten but not Gone

I usually ride Vortex only a few times each year, mainly on opening day.  I tend to avoid it, as for me it is 0 fun and very painful. 
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Top Gun: The Jet Coaster Flights in 2001: 83
Coaster Tracks Ridden: 57
www.starcoasters.com

I think Vortex is pretty intense and I try to ride it each time I visit. Front row is pretty sweet. Only ride it when walk-on though.
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I've got laser eyes, and I know what you're thinking. It comes to no surprise, the Christmas lights are blinking.

Is the Carolina Cyclone the same thing as Demon at PGA and SFGam or is it a different design?  The more I hear of Paramounts Carowinds the more I want to visit the park, it just sounds like a nice overall park.
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Yet another coaster-craving yuppie

Carolina Cyclone can be most easily compared to Corckscrew at CP. Only there is an extra vertical loop and a 540° spin at the end. And Carowinds is a great park.
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I've got laser eyes, and I know what you're thinking. It comes to no surprise, the Christmas lights are blinking.

Carowinds is a decent park. Not great, but FAR from bad. CCyclone is a nice Arrow looper with a good tunneled helix (but what esle did you expect an Arrow fan to say ;)). And yes, CC is just like Demon @ SFGAm expect for the themening and the helix.

Vortex was the lamest B&M I've ridden. Not bad exactly, but I was expecting the ferocity of Iron Wolf. I got the ferocity of Great Bear (snooze)
jeremy

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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01

actually i think Vortex is a great early B&M coaster, I enjoy waaaaaay better then I ever will Iron Wolf... the ride layout is just perfect for a coaster that only inverts twice, I'd rather ride it then Iron Wolf or any togo stand-up (which I'm sure everyone would) but still it's a great ride....

Top Gun is the best ride there though, lucky enough to catch that many great front seat rides.. supposed to go back in 2 weeks but don't think i'll make it, not sure though!

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You ever posted on CoasterBuzz..... on druuuuugs!

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Coaster Clown said:
"I'd rather ride it then Iron Wolf or any togo stand-up (which I'm sure everyone would)"

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Not everyone! Chang is the only standup I liked more than King Cobra @ PKI. In fact, I think B&M could havetaken some hints from KC (i.e bunny hills)
jeremy

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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01