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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Carowinds Planet Snoopy Rides – How to Get the Most Out of the Day

Tips for Visiting Carowinds with a Family © Katrena
Looking for tips for shorter wait times at Carowinds? These travel tips may help you to enjoy more ride time and less waiting.

The amusement park is generally less crowded on weekdays. Holidays, weekends, and special events tend to draw higher numbers. Arriving at Carowinds as the gate opens leaves one with an opportunity to ride significantly more rides. Choosing rides early that tend to have notoriously long wait times will give you the opportunity to skip those as the crowds increase while you enjoy the rides with faster moving lines later in the day.

View of Intimidator and Planet Snoopy from Carolina Skytower © Katrena
If you've never been to Carowinds, it helps to visit the official web site and study the map before visiting the park. The amusement park looks sort of like a big circle that lies on the North Carolina and South Carolina border with the front gate at one end and the water park at the opposite end. Those who are unfamiliar with the park can easily get turned around and end up wandering for quite a while to find a desired ride. While looking at the web site, determine which rides look most appealing to the kids and try to ride those early in the day.

How to Avoid Long Lines at Carowinds © Katrena
Get the children's height measured just inside the front gate on the left. Maps are also located in that area. If lots of people are waiting for height bands, grab a map and get the kids' height measured in the Baby Care Center behind the carousel in Planet Snoopy. If you are traveling with older and younger kids, you might consider having one adult hit the larger rides with the older children while another adult heads to Planet Snoopy with the smaller children.

Tips for Visiting Carowinds with the Kids © Katrena
If you have small kids, you will probably spend most of your day in Planet Snoopy, which is located on the SC side on the left after entering the front gate. The Intimidator Roller Coaster runs beside Planet Snoopy. If a child in your party is shorter than 46 inches, ride choices outside of Planet Snoopy and the water park are limited to:
  • Carolina Skytower (nice view and easy place to meet others in the group)
  • The Scrambler (be careful if anyone in the group tends to get sick on spinning rides)
  • Boo Blasters (smaller kids and some older ones may be scared on this one)
Rides for Small Kids at Carowinds © Katrena
Any ride involving small kids will take extra time due to seat belt checks. Some rides that allow only small kids may need to be stopped if a child is doing something unsafe or is starting to panic. Some kids might enjoy the shows, the food, or cooling off in the water park when Boomerang Bay is open.

Fun Rides for the Whole Family at Carowinds © Katrena
Rides to hit early in Planet Snoopy are:
  • Flying Ace Aerial Chase (this is to the right as you enter Planet Snoopy - fun coaster for the taller kids)
  • Woodstock Gliders (fun ride that even the adults may like - requires some skill to swing high on this one)
  • Woodstock's Whirlybirds (slow load time as each helicopter is small and the ride gets hot later in the day)
  • Snoopy's Yacht Club (this ride tends to get hot later in the day due to no shade)
  • Flying Ace Balloon Race (beware of this ride if you tend to develop motion sickness but this is another one that tends to have a higher thrill factor and is pretty popular)

Roller Coaster for Children at Carowinds © Katrena
The two roller coasters inside Planet Snoopy (Lucy's Crabby Cabbie and Woodstock Express, formerly known as the Fairly Oddcoaster or the Scooby Doo roller coaster) tend to load fairly quickly. Adults ride with the smaller kids, so the ride is less likely to be stopped once it is cleared to start. Smaller children that like roller coasters will probably enjoy these, and it is a good idea to ride these early if there is even a hint of rain or possible thunderstorms later in the day.

Fun Things to do in North Carolina © H.W.

Rides in Planet Snoopy that tend to have moderate wait times are:
  • Gr8 Sk8 (for taller kids, nice view - probably not one to hit right after eating lunch)
  • Peanuts Pirates (fun if you have several in your group and are riding in adjacent ships)
  • Charlie Brown's Windup (tiny swings that spin...if all of the kids are sitting in the seats)
  • Snoopy's Space Race (bring ear plugs if all the kids find the buzzer)
  • Snoopy vs. Red Baron (show younger ones what to do in order to get the plane to rise when loading)
Carousel at Carowinds © Katrena
Rides in Planet Snoopy that tend to have shorter wait times are:
  • Character Carousel (avoid inner horses if your child wishes to go up and down - loads large numbers at a time and the whole family can ride)
  • Snoopy's Junction (fun music - good choice if everyone has a full stomach, not much to see on the ride but loads fairly large numbers and the whole family can ride together)
Peanuts Characters at Carowinds © Katrena
Find additional Carowinds articles:
  • Carowinds – Practical Tips for Enjoying NC/SC Amusement Park with Kids
  • Favorite Family Rides at Carowinds – Top 5 Picks
  • How Tall Do You Have to be to Ride the Intimidator?
  • Roller Coasters for Kids at Planet Snoopy

  • Visit the Love 2 Travel With Kids site map for additional tips and ideas for fun things to do with children.

    Monday, September 2, 2013

    2013 SCarowinds Dates at Carowinds


    Nighthawk Roller Coaster at Carowinds after Dark © Katrena
    As the days grow cooler and the nights stretch longer in the Southeast, many people are looking for some frightful fun after dark with mazes, rides, scare zones, and shows at Carowinds. The amusement park on the North Carolina and South Carolina border offers spooky fun for those who like to be scared by more than roller coasters...but then again, many of the coasters at Carowinds give folks quite a ride as they sit, stand, or even lie down while heading down the track.

    Intimidator Roller Coaster at Carowinds after Dark © Katrena
    Carowinds provides a nice variety of roller coasters, and riding them after dark can offer a whole new fear factor to the experience. If you thought riding the Intimidator was rough when you could see each of those huge stomach-catching hills, try riding this 3 minute 33 second thriller after dark...if you dare.

    Windseeker Ride at Carowinds Amusement Park © Katrena
    
    Here are the dates for SCarowinds Halloween Haunt for 2013:
    • September 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
    • October 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27
    People who do not hold gold or platinum season passes must purchase a separate SCarowinds ticket. Those who have Gold or Platinum Passes may bring up to 6 friends/pass for $24.99 each on any of the September SCarowinds dates. Gold or Platinum Pass holders may bring up to 6 friends/pass for $29.99 each on October Friday or Sunday SCarowinds dates. Carowinds does not offer SCarowinds Bring-a-Friend Saturday dates in October.

    Hours for the haunted attractions include:

    Fridays
    7 p.m. - Midnight
    Saturdays
    7 p.m. - Midnight (open until 1 a.m. on 10/19 and 10/26)
    Sundays
    7 p.m. - Midnight

    

    Carowinds Operating Days in September and October 2013 © Katrena
    Carowinds also offers fun for the whole family during daytime hours in September and October, 2013. Small children and some older children and adults may be frightened by the nighttime SCarowinds events, and I would not recommend this activity for them. However, they might enjoy the rides and fun during the day when the temperatures are cooler. Daytime lines for rides in September and October may be shorter than lines during summer weekends. Boomerang Bay, the water park inside of Carowinds, closes for the season after Labor Day, 2013.

    Here are the daytime hours for Carowinds in September and October for 2013:

    September 2, 7
    10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
    September 8, 15, 22, 29
    12 noon - 8 p.m.
    September 14, 21, 28
    10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
    October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
    10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

    Drop Tower at Carowinds © Katrena
    These dates and times are based on the official Carowinds web site as of September 2, 2013. Feel free to check the official Carowinds web site for additional information and details.

    I'd be thrilled if you'd like to read my other Carowinds articles with more of my pictures as well!
    Find additional travel ideas at Katrena's Travel NC With Kids and Love 2 Travel With Kids.