Stay away from Carowinds!
Associated parks:
Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
I attended on Sunday, June 11. The advertised close time was 10 PM. It thunderstormed from 2 to 3 PM, then rained until 4 PM then stopped. At 4:25 PM they announced that the park would close at 4:30.
it rained lightly from 430 till six, but it was a light rain that rides would normally operate in.
As the weather predicted It stopped raining at 6 PM in the sun is now out at 7
I would highly recommend staying away from a park that closes for a couple hours of rain. Especially on watch should be a busy weekend day.
it should also be noted. This is the third time they have closed within a month on a weekend for “weather “
The parking lot was rather empty for a weekend day. The closure was definitely attendance related. It appears attendance will continue to be low as the park games a horrible reputation for closing for no valid reason.
I wonder how employees feel about having their hours cut three times within a month?
That seems harsh. I understand your frustration, but I’m not staying away from Carowinds in spite of your bad day. I mean, do we have your permission to attend on days when nice weather is predicted? If the park is developing a horrible reputation, for whatever reason, should they also have you to thank?
I’m of the opinion that our business here is to approach our critiques in a more level-headed and constructive manner.
super7*:
I wonder how employees feel about having their hours cut three times within a month?
If they are working the kind of hours many overworked amusement park workers do, many were probably thrilled they got an unexpected half day (on a Saturday no less) to not have to stand in the rain for a few diehards to keep riding the rides.
RCMAC:
seems harsh. I understand your frustration, but I’m not staying away from Carowinds in spite of your bad day. I mean, do we have your permission to attend on days when nice weather is predicted? If the park is developing a horrible reputation, for whatever reason, should they also have you to thank?
I’m of the opinion that our business here is to approach our critiques in a more level-headed and constructive manner.
Nobody needs my permission to do anything. This is just a warning to anyone that travels a distance to get there.
they will close for two hours of bad weather in the middle of what should be a busy weekend operating day. They blame it on the weather, but it’s absolutely because of attendance. I just don’t want anyone else to make a wasted trip. I will not be going back personally.
this is not the first time this is happened to me at this park, but this will be the last. In 2019 on a clear November Saturday in the 50° temperature rains they close the park five hours early. Again because of low attendance, but they blamed it on the temperature. 50°?!
I would recommend if there is any rain in the forecast do not go. Today’s forecast was accurate and it was not a forecast that one would assume a park would close
attendance was low today for a weekend summer day. I believe people have already figured out to stay away from the park if there’s any rain in the forecast. It doesn’t sound like a good business plan to only be able to attract people if the weather forecast is perfect
Thanks for posting. I've still yet to visit Carowinds, although I have driven by on the highway a couple of times. It's useful to have some insight into how different regional parks respond to weather and/or low crowds.
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BrettV:
If they are working the kind of hours many overworked amusement park workers do, many were probably thrilled they got an unexpected half day (on a Saturday no less) to not have to stand in the rain for a few diehards to keep riding the rides.
Are there hourly employees at these parks working over 40 hours and getting overtime?
If the park qualifies as "Seasonal" then no, they do not. (Or, at least, the law does not require it.)
It’s not just length of operating year; you can also qualify via an imbalance of revenue. That’s plausible. From the link above:
“…during the preceding calendar year, its average receipts for any six months of such year were not more than 33-1/3 per centum of its average receipts for the other six months of such year.”
If they book 2/3ds of their revenue from May through October, they qualify.
How odd. If I tended to complain loud and often about parks closing due to weather, I think I’d ensure anytime I visited a park there was zero threat of rain in the forecast.
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