Carowinds and the musings of a grumpy old man....

Chuckman

Chuckman

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We bought season passes to Carowinds this year. As some of you know I have six kids, ages 7 1/2 to 16. This is the last summer before several of my kids will be working steady summer jobs, so we wants to do something that we'd all enjoy.

So far we've been 5 times; a long weekend in May, and another this past weekend. We have definitely had a good time and enjoyed it. But I have made some observations:

1. The employees' customer service is almost nil. They need to have a Disney boot camp-type training. Most every other amusement park the staff are falling over themselves to be cheerful and helpful. Carowinds? No one smiles, and few actually respond if you talk to them.

2. Designated smoking areas are right by the bathrooms. Really? Can't they move them to other areas, maybe areas that not everyone has to go by? Or make it a smoke-free venue.

3. Patrons need to dress for the body the have, not the body they want. Holy hell, what I have seen cannot be unseen, especially at the water park. A lot of people have a horribly inflated sense of what they think they look like. And if I had a dollar for every man wearing a grunt style t-shirt....

4. The food isn't bad, and it's plentiful. We got the meal plan, and the food is pretty good, and they give you a lot of it. They have a place with burritos (like Moe's), Chinese, Italian, barbeque...

5. Something for everyone. Camp Snoopy is awesome. Plenty of low-key rides for little kids, and nice and shady. Of course, they have the Fury 325 and the Intimidator, two of the best roller coasters in the world.

6. Carolina Harbor. The water park had twice as many people as it should have. Not sure what they can do about that, but lines were long, every chair was taken, and the two 'meh' wave pools were nuts-to-butts crowded. They could expand it and make it into a really nice venue.

I like it OK; I love Busch Gardens, but Carowinds is OK. I am glad we're doing it, but when we are done, we will be done.
 
Having done the season pass thing a few times in the past I can wholeheartedly endorse your assessment. Particularly number 3.... I'm still traumatized.....

If you like Halloween type stuff and Haunted Houses. Scarowinds is a hoot and your season passes should get you in. Worth the trip.
 
I guess I have never loved my children enough. We do not go to amusement parks. No way, no how. I get enough of the public at their volleyball tournaments. You are a better man than I if you can go to those places and stay sane.
 
Last time we went I rode the furry first thing. My lord that thing messed with my ears and in turn stomach. I got off and was sick until I ate lunch.
 
The grunt style thing cracks me up. Makes it seem like everyone is a Infantry veteran wearing crossed rifles. I earned mine, “blood rifles” and everything...now they’re on a T-shirt worn by Joe Schmo for a tough guy look
 
11B CIB said:
The grunt style thing cracks me up. Makes it seem like everyone is a Infantry veteran wearing crossed rifles. I earned mine, “blood rifles” and everything...now they’re on a T-shirt worn by Joe Schmo for a tough guy look
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Those shirts add 10lbs of muscle, didnt you know?
 
My father was a Gm for a large amusement park in upstate Ny when I was growing up. Obviously I got in for free and was there all the time. I got so sick of it that the only time I wanted to be there anymore was when it was closed in late fall, winter and early spring. That's when I could set off explosives, shoot my rifle and fish pretty much where ever I wanted. Security would mostly leave me alone but every once in awhile my dad would show up after a call and tell me to put away the homemade bombs and go fish for awhile.
 
Even Disney isn't what it use to be. Cast members are better than most other parks but not the cheerful/helpful attitude they once oozed.
 
Chuckman said:
4. The food isn't bad, and it's plentiful. We got the meal plan, and the food is pretty good, and they give you a lot of it. They have a place with burritos (like Moe's), Chinese, Italian, barbeque...
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I have some friends who live a mile from there. They buy season passes and the meal plan every year, then eat there for lunch and supper almost every day all summer long. They have three teens and said it is cheaper to do it that way than to buy groceries all summer. Lol. They like the food.
 
cubrock said:
I have some friends who live a mile from there. They buy season passes and the meal plan every year, then eat there for lunch and supper almost every day all summer long. They have three teens and said it is cheaper to do it that way than to buy groceries all summer. Lol. They like the food.
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The meal plan is about $100 per person. Each meal is $8-$12. The more often you eat there the cheaper the per meal value is. Your friends have it going on...that's a great idea.

Would I pay $12 for a burrito and tortilla chips? Not on your life. Would I do it for $4-$6? Definitely, and that's the per meal target we have.
 
SPST said:
I don't like big crowds period, whether it's a concert, sports event or anything else with large concentrations of humans.
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I definitely do not like crowds, anywhere. This is something I do for my kids, and I have to give myself a pep talk before we go in the gate.
 
11B CIB said:
The grunt style thing cracks me up. Makes it seem like everyone is a Infantry veteran wearing crossed rifles. I earned mine, “blood rifles” and everything...now they’re on a T-shirt worn by Joe Schmo for a tough guy look
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Shouldn’t your beef be with the 400 veterans who work for Grunt Style and openly market such clothing for every Joe Schmo to wear tonlook tough?
Chuckman said:
The meal plan is about $100 per person. Each meal is $8-$12. The more often you eat there the cheaper the per meal value is. Your friends have it going on...that's a great idea.

Would I pay $12 for a burrito and tortilla chips? Not on your life. Would I do it for $4-$6? Definitely, and that's the per meal target we have.
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Yep. I think he told me that they were at $2 per meal, or just under that, per person by the end of the summer.
 
11B CIB said:
The grunt style thing cracks me up. Makes it seem like everyone is a Infantry veteran wearing crossed rifles. I earned mine, “blood rifles” and everything...now they’re on a T-shirt worn by Joe Schmo for a tough guy look
Click to expand...
What if you drink black rifle coffee though?



;)
 
When I was a kid we had season passes and would only go on Tuesday's and Thursdays. The park was never crowded at all and the attendants would let us stay on rides if there was no one in our line. I once rode the Wayne's world ride for an hour straight, just so 20 years later I could say I did it.....and here I have.
 
cubrock said:
Shouldn’t your beef be with the 400 veterans who work for Grunt Style and openly market such clothing for every Joe Schmo to wear tonlook tough?
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I’m not much for blaming retailers for how consumers/individuals use their products...

;)

Climberman said:
What if you drink black rifle coffee though?
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Black (rifle coffee) Power!!
 
Amps 13 said:
My father was a Gm for a large amusement park in upstate Ny when I was growing up. Obviously I got in for free and was there all the time. I got so sick of it that the only time I wanted to be there anymore was when it was closed in late fall, winter and early spring. That's when I could set off explosives, shoot my rifle and fish pretty much where ever I wanted. Security would mostly leave me alone but every once in awhile my dad would show up after a call and tell me to put away the homemade bombs and go fish for awhile.
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Which one? Grew up in NY. Left in '74. There were quite a few places that I remember such as StoryTown, Frontier Town and more.
 
slow is slow said:
When I was a kid we had season passes and would only go on Tuesday's and Thursdays. The park was never crowded at all and the attendants would let us stay on rides if there was no one in our line. I once rode the Wayne's world ride for an hour straight, just so 20 years later I could say I did it.....and here I have.
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Man, I miss Waynes World
I loved Stan Mikitas and the little red, plastic hockey stick they'd put in each donut
And they had that rock tee shop!
 
Went to Carowinds in the 1900s. In the 70s to see Waylon Jennings. Show was great. The place reminded me of a red ant hill you had kicked the top off of. Ain't been back.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Went to Carowinds in the 1900s. In the 70s to see Waylon Jennings. Show was great. The place reminded me of a red ant hill you had kicked the top off of. Ain't been back.
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Carowinds used to have some good concerts back then.
 
Geezer said:
Carowinds used to have some good concerts back then.
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My first concert ever was at Carowinds.

MC Hammer, TLC, Boyz II Men. :p
 
BigWaylon said:
My first concert ever was at Carowinds.

MC Hammer, TLC, Boyz II Men. :p
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I went to see Bocephus there in 1993. Can't remember now who opened for him, but I think Shenandoah was one of the opening acts, along with an up and comer I'd never heard of before.

What an interesting crowd to watch. One guy was sitting on some sort of tower waving the biggest Confederate flag I have ever seen. He was whipping that sucker back and forth non-stop before the first act even hit the stage. It took his whole body to do that - incredible stamina. His friends would pass him up a beer now and then. By the time Hank hit the stage, the poor guy was drunk off his rocker, leaning on the flag pole to keep from falling off the platform.

Folks a row in front of us (and upwind) were smoking weed like there was no tomorrow and my little sister got a contact high and fell asleep. She slept through most of Hank's show, which was LOUD, not to mention all the loud, rowdy rednecks filling the Palladium. She was hungry on the way home that night. We got cheeseburgers at McDonald's.
 
Amps 13 said:
Darien lake
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Yea, that opened a few years after I left NY. Nice area of the state though. But it is still NY with crazy taxes

Edit: and stupid gun laws!
 
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