Southern Trip: Carowinds (6/13/2004)

What's funny is that if you ever visit the PKIUnlimited web site or PKICentral web site, almost everyone swears that PKI is becoming more family oriented due to the additions of TR:TR and Delirium. I don't think too many of the older folks like granparents or really young ones will ride either one of them. These folks also believe that the Paramount Parks are becoming like an IOA type of park...yeah right. The only real family additions that have been made were Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle and Boomerang Bay. And, I wouldn't consider Drop Zone a family ride either, not by a long shot. If anything, coasters accomplish this better. My grandfather rode the Beast the year it opened with my parents. Now, getting him on DZ, Delirium, or TR...not likely. *** Edited 6/30/2004 2:46:35 PM UTC by Dragster Freak***

Kings Dominion is probably less damaged than Carowinds is......the worst things that have happened there are the removal of the train, the monorail, flat rides and the lake. Keco took out the lake and they began the trend of removal of the flat rides without replacement. But the theming of each area seems to be a little more intact save Congo with the bobsled and the flight of fear....still this park is no more a family park than the other Paramount parks.

If any park wants to label itself a family park, they need more Disney-type dark ride gentle attractions with no height restriction that anyone can ride regardless of tolerance of motion. A well-done dark ride will be just as popular as thrill rides as proven by the classic Disney rides. Even the Scooby Doo rides (which are not that great as they are basically all plywood cutouts) attract large ridership. Also a strong lineup of entertainment type shows such as Dollywood helps in the family aspect.

Most theme parks are trying to target one market with high thrills. *** Edited 6/30/2004 5:52:55 PM UTC by super7*** *** Edited 6/30/2004 5:53:43 PM UTC by super7***

Prior to 98, Paramount added several things that kids could ride to their parks such as the Action F/X Theatres with Days of Thunder and James Bond, Wayne's World sections with The Hurler, Power Station and Low Voltage at Carowinds in 95, Nick Splat City at PKI in 95,... As far as I know, 1997 was the only year Paramount ever did anything to Carowinds' waterpark in the 90s. I don't know where you're getting this Paramount waterpark craze idea from. They thought they needed to update their waterparks at some point. People go there too, you know. Two of their parks were listed in the top three Kid Area's in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards. At least they have it right now.

What else do they need to do for the *entire family* that Six Flags, Cedar Fair, and *competiting* seasonal parks are doing? I think shows is a major thing they need to work on even though they're trying some new entertainment things like the Nick Parade.

It sounds like Carowinds has some personal issues that PKI, PKD, and PCW don't have. What I see as the biggest problem for all three of those parks though is the lack of a *major*, high capacity steel coaster. They all have some great steelies (FOF, Volcano, Vortex-PCW, Top Gun-PKI), but nothing that screams come back every Saturday or skip work on Monday to come ride me. ;)

Cut-outs stay within the park's budget. Tons of dancing 3D figures, sadly, won't cut it...

+Danny

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super7 said:
Carowinds has a total of 5 family rides, the Short Line Railroad, Scooby Doo Mansion, skytower, the car ride and the helicopter ride. I guess the carrousel can count too........Everythng else is a high thrill ride or a kiddie ride.....

I'm sorry, I thought that RipRoaring Rapids, Wild Thornberrys River Adventure, Carolina Goldrusher, Rugrats Runaway Reptar, Nick's Flying Super Saturator, Kalidescope, Rocket Power (Guantlet) were all family rides. I sure as heck wouldn't call them thrill rides and if your calling the carrousel and the chopper chase family rides, then I wouldn't call any of the one's I named kiddie rides either.

I think Carowinds has a nice selection of kiddie, family and thrill rides. The only thing that they really lack is an abundance of Thrilling Flats!

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Prior to 98, Paramount added several things that kids could ride to their parks such as the Action F/X Theatres with Days of Thunder and James Bond, Wayne's World sections with The Hurler,

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Wayne's World, James Bond, and Days of Thunder are kids oriented?

High/Low Voltage Station replaced Echo Island, and the Playground there. Recently evan that was closed, along with the Jr. Skytower and the mini-Rip Roarin Rapids. Nick Central is nothing but one new ride, concrete, and a whole bunch of vomit shade colors. (They also re-themed two rides that were already there, if you can call 4 fiber glass figures theming)

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I'm sorry, I thought that RipRoaring Rapids, Wild Thornberrys River Adventure, Carolina Goldrusher, Rugrats Runaway Reptar, Nick's Flying Super Saturator, Kalidescope, Rocket Power (Guantlet) were all family rides.[/qoute]

That's what the website wants you to think. :) *** Edited 7/1/2004 8:12:48 AM UTC by Dukeis#1***

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I'm sorry, I thought that RipRoaring Rapids, Wild Thornberrys River Adventure, Carolina Goldrusher, Rugrats Runaway Reptar, Nick's Flying Super Saturator, Kalidescope, Rocket Power (Guantlet) were all family rides.[/qoute]

Like i said, family rides that ANYONE can ride REGARDLESS of motion tolerance.......NONE of those rides your listed fall in that category and most people who do like like anything fast will be sitting on the bench waiting for the rest of the family to ride those rides.......

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