Carowinds – Practical Tips for Enjoying NC/SC Amusement Park with the Kids

How to Enjoy Carowinds With Kids © Katrena

Carowinds, a Cedar Fair amusement park located off I-77 at the North Carolina and South Carolina border, is an amazing and fun destination for families with kids. Carowinds has been entertaining folks since 1973.

Aerial View of Nighthawk (Borg) Roller Coaster at Carowinds © Tim

I remember visiting Carowinds in its early days when we could get discount tickets for $9.00 from my dad's employer. I recall standing in a huge line after the Carolina Cyclone roller coaster was first built and riding it nine times in one day. I have seen the park grow as I became an adult and now my own children also enjoy the thrills at this amusement park.

Lucy's Crabby Cabbie - Roller Coaster for Small Kids at Carowinds © Katrena

Tips Before Visiting Carowinds with Kids

I have found that I can save quite a bit of money and headaches by packing carefully when going to Carowinds. Here are a few items that I found most helpful:

• Tickets (you can skip a line and save money purchasing ahead of time – some employers offer discounts and the Carowinds web site offers special deals and discounts as well)
• Umbrella stroller (I tend to park mine in the stroller stroller parking area under the Carousel while the family is in Planet Snoopy)
• Diaper bag with plenty of diapers/wipes and a change of clothes
• Swimming suits and towels if planning to visit Boomerang Bay
• Sunscreen
• Cell phone (it is helpful for each adult to have a cell phone if planning to separate so that different aged kids can enjoy different rides)
• Comfortable shoes and clothes
• Rain ponchos (some rides and the water attractions will close if lightening is in the area – we took our chances even though storms were forecast and enjoyed a great eight hours at the park)
• Snacks and meals (you have the option to get everyone's hand stamped to re-enter the park if you wish to pack a cooler and save money on food by eating outside the park – ensure that you keep your ticket stubs in case the hand stamp rubs off!)
• Camera (lots of photo opportunities await - the characters will simply wave if the little ones are too scared to get close)

Lots of Fun Rides for Smaller Kids in Planet Snoopy at Carowinds © Katrena

Carowinds now offers many more rides that the smaller kids can ride, and most of them are located in Planet Snoopy. The Carowinds web site gives lots of details, including height restrictions on each ride, so it can be very helpful to do a bit of homework so that the kids will know what rides will be available as choices before entering the park. Planning the visit can add to the fun as the family can explore the web site together and decide which rides and areas will be priorities and verify park hours before setting a date.

Enjoy Shorter Lines at Carowinds on Tuesdays or When Rain is in Forecast © Katrena

I particularly like to visit Carowinds on a Tuesday. The lines for the rides tend to be much shorter. We last visited the park on a Tuesday, and there were many times when the ride operators would allow folks to ride more than once without getting off if no one was waiting for the seat. They will even run the rides with very few people on them during slow times as you can see from the photo above.

Flying Ace Aerial Chase at Carowinds © Katrena

Crocodile Run Lazy River Water Ride at Carowinds © Katrena

Tips While Visiting Carowinds with Kids

If you have kids of various ages, it is quite helpful to have more than one adult or a teenager along if you have children of mixed ages. Some of the smallest rides have maximum height restrictions while bigger rides often have a minimum height requirement or may require an older rider to accompany a child within a certain height range. The whole family might be able to enjoy a few attractions together, such as:

• Carolina Skytower (you can get some great aerial pictures!)
• Character Carousel (each horse has a name printed on the side – the horses on the inside do not go up and down)
• Snoopy's Junction (I remember seeing an albino squirrel while riding the train a few years back)
• Woodstock's Whirlybirds (I believe the limit is three on each helicopter)
• Flying Ace Balloon Race (this ride may make some people a bit nauseous)
• Kangaroo Lagoon & Wallaby Wharf (these water slides will appeal to the daredevils in the family)
• Jackaroo Landing (the water slide may scare some of the smaller kids in the water playground, but an adult can ride the Platypus Plunge water slide with a child – my 4-year-old particularly liked that small water slide)
• Crocodile Run (there are a few areas where water will spray you on the lazy river water area)

See Intimidator Roller Coaster While Riding Joe Cool Car at Carowinds © Katrena

After entering the front gate, kids can be measured and provided with an armband that is color coded and has their maximum height range listed – this can save time at the rides because the kids won't need to be measured before each ride, particularly if they are borderline on height. It can be helpful to pick up a brochure in this area that contains a map, show times, and height restrictions.

Pipeline Peak Water Slides at Carowinds © Katrena

My daring 8-year-old daughter wanted to try even the biggest of all the rides but was not quite tall enough. I mentioned that she could look forward to trying those thrills on a future trip. Height is measured with bare feet in the water area. My 8-year-old was delighted to be able to ride even the biggest water slides in the Boomerang Bay. You can easily spend a day at Carowinds and not even make it all the way around the park (which was the case with us) – yep, it is that big, so choose your plan carefully, especially if you are visiting on a crowded day.

Character Carousel at Carwinds © Katrena

Since my kids are small, we tend to turn left after entering the gate and head for Planet Snoopy. Carowinds has an air conditioned building behind the carousel for diaper changing, and the restrooms inside are available for kids aged 10 and younger. These did not have automatic flush, which can be helpful for some kids. Private areas for breast feeding are also located at this location.

Eat Lunch by Waterfalls at Carowinds © Katrena

My favorite location for eating at Carowinds is a cute and rather peaceful area beside a waterfall. If you head toward the bridge near the Snoopy Vs. Red Baron airplanes and make a right just as you are exiting Planet Snoopy, you can find this nice seating area. A mother duck and her two ducklings kept everyone entertained as we ate our lunch.

Great Splash Pad and Wading Pool at Carowinds © Katrena

If the kids are getting hot and cranky, it can be quite helpful to watch a show in an air conditioned building (these are generally in the afternoon and may be on the far side of the park, so plan ahead). Another great way to cool off is to play in the water at Boomerang Bay (opens about an hour after the regular park and closes before the rest of the park). The lifeguards are very attentive in the water park. I remember when visitors had to pay an extra fee to enter the water park – this area is now free with admission and offers a wide range of water-themed rides, play areas, and opportunities for swimming.

Carolina Skytower at Carowinds © Katrena

Family Fun at Carowinds

Visiting Carowinds can provide great fun for the whole family. My kids had a blast at this amusement park and would love to go back over and over again! Many of the staff members went out of their way to make everyone's visit to Carowinds special and upbeat, including a staff member named Haydon (picture below), who entertained visitors during a long thunderstorm. I hope you find my tips to be helpful.

Visit the official Carowinds web site for directions, hours, and loads of information about the park.  Readers may also wish to read Favorite Family Rides at Carowinds – Top 5 Picks. Check out my Carowinds 2013 Dates and What's New article too. Find more of Katrena's articles at the Love 2 Travel With Kids site map. Find lots more articles at the Travel NC With Kids site to find more kid-friendly travel ideas and tips in North Carolina.

How to Enjoy Carowinds With Kids © Katrena