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Carowinds
Charlotte, North Carolina

In 1969, Charlotte businessman E. Pat Hall announced his intention to build a 73-acre park straddling the North and South Carolina border.  Hall envisioned Carowinds as a walk through the history and culture of both Carolinas.  After an expenditure of $27 million, the park opened in March, 1973.  The state line passed right through the middle of the main courtyard and was marked by plaques engraved with the names of the 146 counties that make up the Carolinas. (Unfortunately, Paramount replaced these with bricks listing movie titles.)

The park was renamed Paramount's Carowinds after it was purchased by Paramount in 1993.  The park's name reverted back to Carowinds when all five Paramount parks were purchased by Cedar Fair, Limited in 2007.

Carowinds opened Fury 325 in 2015, a 325-foot-tall Hyper-Coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard.  The ride has been on the top of several lists of the best roller coasters, so I am looking forward to returning to ride and photograph it.  In 2019, Carowinds added Copperhead Strike, a Mack Rides launch coaster with five inversions.  Additionally, three coasters have left the park: White Lightnin', a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop, ran here from 1977 to 1988.  It is now known as Golden Loop at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Flying Super Saturator was removed in 2008 and Thunder Road was torn down in 2015.  (Pictures and details of these two are listed below.)


Carolina Cyclone
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Carolina Goldrusher
Click to enlarge Carolina Goldrusher Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge mine train ride

Flying Super Saturator
Click to enlarge Nickelodeon Click to enlarge Flying Super Saturator Click to enlarge water coaster Click to enlarge defunct ride Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge

Hurler
Click to enlarge Hurler Click to enlarge wooden coaster Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge

Ricochet
Click to enlarge Ricochet Click to enlarge Wild Mouse picture Click to enlarge Carowinds information Click to enlarge Ricochet

Woodstock Express
(formerly Scooby Doo, Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster, and Fairly Odd Coaster)
Click to enlarge Woodstock  Click to enlarge Scooby Doo picture Click to enlarge Peanuts picture Click to enlarge Woodstock Express coaster picture Click to enlarge

Wilderness Run
(formerly Hey Arnold's Taxi Chase, Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie, and Taxi Jam)
Click to enlarge Taxi Jam  Click to enlarge Hey Arnold's Taxi Jam  Click to enlarge Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie  Click to enlarge picture by Joel A. Rogers  Click to enlarge Miler Coaster picture 

Thunder Road
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Afterburn (formerly Top Gun - The Jet Coaster)
Click to enlarge Afterburn coaster Click to enlarge Top Gun coaster Click to enlarge roller coaster and F-14 Click to enlarge Tomcat Click to enlarge inverted roller coaster Click to enlarge B&M picture Click to enlarge B&M picture Click to enlarge Bolinger and Mabillard Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge

Vortex
Click to enlarge Vortex  Click to enlarge stand-up roller coaster  Click to enlarge Bolliger and Mabillard  Click to enlarge  Click to enlarge  Click to enlarge

Intimidator
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Nighthawk (formerly BORG Assimilator)
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Kiddy Hawk (formerly Rugrats Runaway Reptar and Flying Ace Aerial Chase)
Click to enlarge Rugrats picture Click to enlarge Snoopy roller coaster Click to enlarge Rugrats Runaway Reptar Click to enlarge Flying Ace Aerial Chase Click to enlarge Peanuts Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge

Flying Cobras (formerly Carolina Cobra)
Click to enlarge Carolina Cobra Click to enlarge Vekoma Boomerang Click to enlarge new roller coaster Click to enlarge Click to enlarge


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