2014 Carowinds Bring a Friend Dates

Carowinds Bring a Friend Dates

If you are looking for the 2015 Bring a Friend dates and prices, please click here.

Those who have purchased gold or platinum season passes might want to take advantage of a very popular perk – bring-a-friend dates. On select dates during the regular operating season, Carowinds offers discounted prices ($24.99 each) for up to six friends entering with each gold or platinum season pass holder.

Traditionally, Carowinds has offered several dates throughout the year. To date, I've only seen three official bring-a-friend dates for 2014, but I will update this post if/when additional dates are made public.

(Updated on 4/29/14) 2014 Bring-a-Friend Dates for Carowinds ($24.99 each):

• April 4-6
• May 16, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
• June 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
• July 4, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
• August 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
• September 1

Special Season Passholder Appreciate Days feature dates on which gold/platinum season passholders may bring up to six guests to Carowinds for $19.99 each. These 2014 dates include:

• May 11
• June 16

Those with a Gold or Platinum pass for Carowinds may bring one friend on any operating day to enjoy Carowinds for $39.99. This is the same as the online price to pick a date through May 31 but a savings over the online price for any open date price for 2014 of $46.99.

Those who plan to visit Carowinds more than once during the season may find that a season pass is a better deal than purchasing tickets for each date. Here are a few of the other benefits enjoyed by gold and platinum season pass holders:

• discounts on food and other items at select locations in the park
• free SCarowinds admission
• free unlimited dinosaur exhibit admission
• free parking (this is particularly helpful as the parking fee is rather high - note that season pass holders with free parking will now be parking in the general admission parking area starting in 2014)
• early (30 minutes) ride times on some rides
• early (15 minutes) access to Boomerang Bay (this is where you'll find the two new rides for 2014)

If you are traveling with children, compare prices on the season passes – you might find it more economical to purchase a silver season pass for the child(ren), depending on which perks you'd like for the kids to enjoy.

Readers may also wish to read more of my articles:

• Carowinds 2014 Opening Date and What's New
• Carowinds Aggressive Steel Coaster Reviews
• SCarowinds – Are You Looking for Ghosts, Skeletons, and Frightful Fun?
• Favorite Family Rides at Carowinds
• How Tall Do You Have to be to Ride the Intimidator?

Visit my site maps for Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids to see all of my articles. Thanks for reading!

Tweetsie Railroad Amusement Park 2014 Opening Date and Season

Tweetsie Railroad Amusement Park in Blowing Rock NC © Katrena

Tweetsie Railroad, an amusement park in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, offers visitors the opportunity to ride a coal-powered steam locomotive, watch western-themed shows, and ride several rides while enjoying the beautiful view in the NC mountains near Boone.

This year, Tweetsie is scheduled to open on April 11, 2014 for their regular operating season. Below are the dates and times that Tweetsie is scheduled to be open in 2014 per their official web site accessed on 2/17/2014:

Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.	Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.	Open 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for Ghost Train
April 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27   May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31   June 1 through 30 (all June dates)   July 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31   August 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31   September 1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28   October 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31   November 1, 2	July 4, 5, 12, 19, 26	September 26, 27   October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31   November 1

Additional articles:

• Tweetsie Railroad – Ride the Rails and Enjoy a Wild West Show in NC
• Carowinds 2014 Opening Date and What's New
• Hidden Mickeys at Walt Disney World

Visit Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids for more family-friendly travel ideas.

Survival Skills for Traveling With Kids – Free Rest Area Activities

Florida Welcome Center

© Katrena

Nobody ever said traveling with kids would be easy. I love going places with my kids, but sometimes patience wears thin as everyone gets tired of riding. We were not designed to remain strapped in one place for hours.

Even if you arm yourself with a wealth of fun activities, rarely will you ever get from point A to point B without a few bumps on the ride. I have found that stopping at rest areas along the way can greatly increase the likelihood that we will arrive to our destination with all body parts intact.

Those who are traveling along major highways may notice blue signs for rest areas. Most people look at these as a quick stop to visit the restroom and maybe grab a snack. However many rest areas offer more options for those who are traveling.

Free Picnic Shelters at Rest Stops - Photo by jdurham

Pack a Picnic

This one takes a little prior planning, but can well be worth the effort. Rather than turning the car into a rolling restaurant, take the time to sit down and enjoy a meal together. Make eye contact. Converse. Enjoy.

Involve the kids in packing the food, drink, and supplies. Local farmers often offer roadside stands where you can purchase fresh fruits, veggies, and other edible delights. This can be a great opportunity to support local businesses as well as investing in quality time together.

If you really want to get serious about it, some rest areas may offer grills. Others may find that an electric grill powered through the car works well. Ensure that you pack an oven mitt and utensils for transferring hot foods from one place to the next if you decide to go with hot foods.

Fitness Opportunities at Rest Areas - Photo by veggiegretz

Get Active!

Some rest areas now offer walking trails and fitness opportunities. Many trails that I have seen at rest areas are also handicap accessible. Taking a walk together can be a nice time to unwind while stretching everyone's legs. Some trails also include information about the local flora or wildlife. I'd love to see all rest areas offering playgrounds for children and adults in the future!

Take a few moments to pack small items in the trunk, such as bubbles, various types of balls, a Frisbee, sidewalk chalk, and a jump rope. If you don't have any of those items, many kids will immediately join in if you tell them that you'll race them to a spot and begin running or if you tap someone on the shoulder and say "Tag...you're it!" If you have older kids who look mortified, you can always mention that you could practice dancing the Wobble or doing yoga poses if they would prefer.

Sometimes the weather or environment may offer unplanned opportunities. I've been known to get in a few snowball fights and even a few pinecone fights with my kids. There's nothing quite like pelting the ones you love as you laugh and play. Sitting down and enjoying a beautiful rainbow or watching a blue heron fly over can be one of those unplanned moments that the kids might remember for years.

Veterans Memorials at Rest Areas Along the Interstate

© Katrena

Learn Something New

Many rest areas, particularly those that are on a state line, include a welcome center. A few visitor centers offer free samples of a drink or food that is popular in that state. I have discovered several fun activity ideas simply by visiting a welcome center in a rest area. Don't hesitate to speak with the people working in the welcome center – let them know your route and they will often be able to offer tips for family-friendly activities.

Free brochures are often available in welcome centers. Watch the kids to see what types of brochures attract their curiosity. Even if you do not have time to visit the area on this trip, you might make plans for future trips. If you do not have prior reservations, you might find some coupons for hotels in the area. Those who work at the welcome center might be aware of discounts for amusement parks and other popular destinations as well.

Some rest areas now feature veterans memorials. If you are traveling with a veteran, it would be wise to check first to see if seeing the memorial is okay with him or her. Many veterans do long to see memorials, and a smaller scale memorial at a rest area might be less intimidating to see than the larger ones. This could be a great time for the rest of the family to learn more about family members or friends who served in the military.

Enjoy Wildlife at Rest Stops

© Katrena

Family-Friendly Activities at Rest Areas

It is easy to forget the importance of the journey in our rush to arrive. Taking a few minutes to rest, relax, unwind, and spend some time together is time well invested. We often want our kids to be relaxed, refreshed, and adorable; however, we often find it easy for ourselves to become rushed, irritated, and ready to take a vacation from the vacation. Our children learn much by what they see in us. Stop and enjoy the time while you can.

Related Articles:

• How to Make a Long Road Trip with Kids Less Stressful
• Super Simple Travel Games for Traveling with Kids: How Soon Can You Name the Tune?
• Traveling with Kids – How to Enjoy the Journey

Find more of my articles at Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids.

Important Note to My Readers

THANKS TO MY READERS!

I want to thank you for reading the Love 2 Travel With Kids blog! I seek to provide timely, practical, and helpful information for many different people and write this blog because I enjoy writing and want to share my resources with others.

It has come to my attention that some other web sites are copying all of my blogs onto other web sites. This practice helps people who plagiarize and hurts independent bloggers like me. I do not charge people to access information on my blogs - they are free of charge for anyone to browse on the Internet. Advertisers enable me to provide this free service.

I would love for any reader to continue to visit my blogs regularly. Feel free to share the URLs for any of my articles on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or other social media sites.

Here are the direct URLs for all of my sites:

Fit Tips 4 Life focuses on fitness at:
http://fittips4life.blogspot.com/

Wildflower Bouquets offers scavenger hunts, printables, & family-friendly articles at:
http://wildflowerbouquets.blogspot.com/

Travel NC With Kids gives tips for traveling in NC with children at:
http://travelncwithkids.blogspot.com/

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http://love2travelwithkids.blogspot.com/

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http://studentsurvive2thrive.blogspot.com/

Thank you again for taking the time to read my articles and I hope that each of you finds my free online resources to be helpful and inspiring. Feel free to email me at katrenaallison@gmail.com any time if you have questions, ideas, or just wish to send me a message.

Katrena Allison

Carowinds 2014 Opening Date and What's New

View of Some of the SC Rides from Carolina Skytower at Carowinds

Carowinds, an amusement park that straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina border in sight of I-77, offers a variety of fun activities, from riding roller coasters to enjoying waves in their water park called Boomerang Bay. The theme park typically adds something new each year. The most popular addition in recent years, in my opinion, came in 2010 as the Intimidator roller coaster lifted guests to a height of 232 feet, leaving them to race down the track at 75 mph with nothing but a lapbelt holding them in for a memorable ride.

I think a lot of folks particularly visit the park for the nice variety of roller coasters at Carowinds, including some in which guests stand, lie down, sit, or hang. So, what will 2014 bring?

When is Carowinds Opening in 2014?

The scheduled opening date for Carowinds in 2014 is March 29. Many season pass holders anxiously await that opening date when they can enjoy park perks for yet another season. Those who plan to visit the park several times a year would do well to consider season passes, particularly the ones with free parking. Deepest discounts on season passes are generally offered soon after the end of the previous season.

Those with season passes may wish to see my article on Bring a Friend Dates for 2014.

If you are looking for dates and times for the 2014 Carowinds season, visit my site map where I have created an easy-to-read chart with dates and times for each month this season, starting with March and ending with November.

What's New at Carowinds for 2014?

To find the latest additions to Carowinds in 2014, you'll need to head to the back of the park. Boomerang Bay hosts a variety of wave pools, water play areas, and water slides. Carowinds will offer two new water slides, Surfer's Swell (263 feet, featuring a high angled wall) and Dorsal Fin Drop (351 feet, featuring a large curved tunnel), this season.

Don't get too excited about the new water slides when the park first opens because Boomerang Bay historically opens later in the season some time around Memorial Day when the weather is warmer. Unlike the 2013 addition of the dinosaurs in which guests had to pay an extra fee to see the new addition, I do not see indications that Carowinds is charging extra to enjoy the water park. Enjoying the two new water slides without paying an extra fee will make many guests happy. According to an email received from Carowinds on June 22, 2014, the two new waterslides are now open!

Entertainment at Carowinds will feature songs and sounds from the Motown era. Those with season passes and free parking will discover that they will be parking in the general parking areas. The Richochet will look a bit different with new teal and lime green paint. The Richochet is a good one to hit early in the day or when the crowds are smaller because it takes a while to load with only four passengers per car.

The Skyflyer (extra charge to ride this one) is moving to an area between the Nighthawk and the Flying Ace Aerial Chase. It was previously located near the Hurler. The Hurler wooden roller coaster is having the first curve re-built for 2014. Carowinds will also be installing several TV screens throughout the park this year.

Carowinds will celebrate 15 years of their roller coaster the Afterburn on March 29, 2014. This roller coaster was previously named Top Gun and is located near the south entrance. The first 1500 riders on the Afterburn will receive a commemorative pin.

For those who were hoping for a new roller coaster in 2014...it does not look like that is going to happen this year. Maybe in 2015?

Related Articles:

• How Tall Do You Have to Be to Ride the Intimidator?
• Boomerang Bay at Carowinds – Fun for Kids of All Ages
• Extreme Play at Carolina Mall in Concord NC Offers Active Indoor Fun

Find more of my articles at Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids.

Hidden Mickeys at Walt Disney World

Hidden Mickey Trashcan Drums © Katrena

Families embarking on a Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation may soon discover that the excitement wanes rather quickly while everyone stands in line. Although the wait times can vary greatly depending on the time of year, day of week, and time of day, children may begin to whine at the thought of standing and waiting for another ride, meal, or even the use of the restroom. Yes, you spent nearly a fortune to give the kids the opportunity to visit this iconic vacation destination, but they might not stand in utter awe as you snake in and out of one line to the next.

Hidden Mickey Formed from Towels and Washcloths - Photo by Kakisky

One way to help pass the time is to search for Hidden Mickeys. What are Hidden Mickeys? According to Steven M. Barrett, author of Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, an official Hidden Mickey is "a partial or complete image of Mickey Mouse that has been hidden by Disney's Imagineers and artists in the designs of Disney attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other areas." These hidden images probably began in the late 1970s or early 1980s when designers may have created subtle images depicting the famous mouse in Epcot when management had originally wanted to restrict characters such as Mickey and Minnie to the Magic Kingdom.

Hidden Mickey in Morocco Pavilion in Epcot - Photo by UpstateNYer

Most Hidden Mickeys are classic forms, showing three intersecting circles, representing Mickey Mouse's two round ears and the larger circular head. A few other images may include a profile version of the iconic mouse's face and may include the head or rest of his body. Mickey's clothing, such as gloves or shoes, handprints, or name or initials might also appear in unexpected places.

Hidden Mickey on Wallpaper in Pop Century Resort © Katrena

Of course, some controversy may occur when trying to determine whether or not something is a true Hidden Mickey. Those who are particularly serious about it the issue might argue that a true Hidden Mickey must be deliberate with proper proportions and design. Many Mickey images are far from hidden and might simply be deemed as decorative Mickeys by some, but they still can be loads of fun for the kids to hunt and find.

Hidden Mickey Benches at Disneyland - Photo by Terri Hodges

One can easily turn a Hidden Mickey search into something educational, encouraging the kids to look for circles and then see if they can find three circles that intersect. My kids get a kick out of seeing three circles come together in unexpected places at home or in places we visit and will exclaim that they have discovered yet another Hidden Mickey. Perhaps these are not the official ones, but to my knowledge, there is no official count. It is okay...there are no Hidden Mickey police poised to grab the kids and cuff them if they discover one that is not official!



Hidden Mickey Cactus Held by Goofy © Katrena

As areas within Disney are renovated, many unique architectural details may become no more while others may be added at any time. Some might only be visible from the sky or via Google images from above, while others may only be visible to Cast Members in restricted areas. I simply encouraged my kids to look up, down, and all around while standing in line for rides. They took it from there!

Hidden Mickeys at Walt Disney World © Katrena

Those who have visited Disney World several times who are up for a challenge may want to check out some of the Hidden Mickey scavenger hunts offered in Steven M. Barrett's book mentioned above. His field guide offers specific hints for finding many of these Hidden Mickeys, including many that are rather elusive, unusual, and not easily noticed.

Hidden Mickey in Aquarium at Epcot © Katrena

Related articles:

• Walt Disney World Trading Pins – Fun Way to Preserve Memories (some trading pins have a Hidden Mickey shape also)
• Money-Saving Tips for a Walt Disney World Vacation in Florida
• How to Beat the Summer Heat at Disney World in Florida

Hidden Mickeys on Lightposts at Disney World © Katrena

Visit Katrena's travel-related blogs, including Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids, for more travel ideas. Katrena's Wildflower Bouquets blog offers free scavenger hunts, printables, and articles about enjoying simple pleasures with the family.

Some Assembly Required LEGO® Brick Display at NC Arboretum in Asheville NC

LEGO® Sculptures in NC Arboretum in Asheville NC - Photo by Priwo

Looking for an unusual family outing in the Christmas season 2013? Perhaps the kids and adults will enjoy seeing LEGO® sculptures at Asheville's NC Arboretum. These fourteen unusual and colorful displays with 27 sculptures will be on display October 19, 2013 to January 5, 2014. "Some Assembly Required" was created by Sean Kenney, a children's book author who admits to being a "professional kid."

If you are thinking this display would be small and simple, you might want to think again. The display contains about half a million pieces. A ruby-throated hummingbird feeding from a giant flower was created with 31,565 LEGO® pieces and hovers eight feet high. A life-sized bison, the largest sculpture, contains 45,143 LEGO® pieces while the Giant Victoria Waterplatters reach five feet across locking more than 10,500 pieces each.

Admission to the exhibit is free. An $8 standard parking fee is charged for personal vehicles. Those who would like to get a glimpse of professional LEGO® builders at work might enjoy watching this YouTube video. Readers may also wish to see pictures of some of the LEGO® displays at the NC Arboretum.

Additional Articles:

• 2013 Dates for National Gingerbread Competition Display at Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville
• 2013 Tanglewood Festival of Lights Show Dates Rates and Times
• Land of Oz in Beech Mountain NC – There Really is a Yellow Brick Road!

Want to see more of Katrena's articles? Visit Love 2 Travel With Kids and Travel NC With Kids.