The Ultimate Guide to Carowinds

Carowinds is an Amusement park located in Charlotte NC. It sits right on the North Carolina and South Carolina state line. It’s owned and operated by Cedar Fair and features 14 different roller coasters. Including Fury 325 which has won the award 6 times for Worlds best steel roller coaster. Ive been to Carowinds many times over the years and I wanted to create an Ultimate Guide for this park to help share many of the things ive learned over the years! In this guide ill discuss the coaster collection, getting the most rides early in your day with less waiting in line, tickets and season pass options, parking, the food, hotels and lodging along with so much more. As always make sure to check the official Carowinds app before your visit for the most up to date info as this industry is always changing. Thank you so much for watching and have a wonderful day!
00:00 Intro
00:50 App, Parking, Admission
04:07 The Coaster Collection
06:51 Winning Early
09:59 The Food
12:34 New for 2023
13:18 Hotels and Lodging

[@Sirrah1130]

Just when we’d all given up hope, a legend emerges from the ashes. Glad to have you back 🥳

[@Okaycoasters]

Thank You!!!!

[@gavinsfriend3280]

The king has returned

[@ATLSloan]

Look who’s back!! Don’t leave us for 9 months again like that…we missed the best coaster content out there!!

[@Okaycoasters]

Thank You so much!

[@John.Diaper]

You still have the best editing out of all the coaster channels. I didn't realise how much I missed you till you were gone.

[@marty_nz]

True words!

[@thesparklingeagle]

He is finally back!

[@ChiefBlueScreen]

Welcome back! I love your cinematography and editing!

[@Okaycoasters]

Thanks a ton!

[@airtimemyke8164]

He's back! 🙌🏿

[@jeffsongster7792]

He's back!!!! 😍

[@CaseFamilyVlogs]

We visited for the first time this year! Amazing park!

[@jaredmarshall1992]

The undisputed GOLD STANDARD of coaster KZbin has returned!

[@Iron_Ratinum]

HE’S BAAAAAAACK

[@lake.erie.coasters]

he’s back!!!

[@comfortuuu]

So I am actually going there in a week so this was awesome!

[@CoasterJawn]

Dude THANK YOU, I’m going to Carowinds next week and was literally looking up Carowinds park guides yesterday, perfect timing 🔥

[@Okaycoasters]

That is awesome!!! Hope you have a great trip too!

[@randflam]

The king is back! I can’t tell you how excited I am! Now I might just have to plan a trip to this park!

[@Okaycoasters]

Thank You so much!!!!

[@sterospa]

Glad you are back!! Have missed your content. Thank you!!

[@curryreeves1369]

Loved going here as a kid , I’ve lived in alaksa the last 3 years where don’t have anything close to an amusement part so ready to go back as an adult

[@WilliamCrew]

My son and I went to Carowinds earlier this summer, and ha a lot of fun

[@jimmyneutron6681]

the best coaster KZbinr has returned

[@inlinechris]

Dang perfect timing haha. I’m going to Carowinds for the first time ever tomorrow.

[@brandontrue813]

The biggest tip that I cannot stress enough to people is to NOT wait in the Nighthawk line unless it's your VERY FIRST or VERY LAST ride. That ride runs 1 train, and dispaches take 3+ minutes NOT COUNTING a ride cycle. Fast lane gets about 50% of the capacity. If the line is near the entrance, you are looking at about a 3 hour wait. The ride is not that good, maybe worth at 30 minute wait for the cred. If you're trying to farm all the creds, you HAVE to do this first thing or very last. Otherwise it will eat up your whole day. Happened to me last time I was there. Sat in the line for 3 hours just thinking about the 5 rides I could have done on Fury in that time lol. But I got the cred!

[@Okaycoasters]

I can agree the lines can get very long. Glad you got to ride it tho!

[@stevef4812]

The great one is back nice to hear you again was just at the park in March

[@Spike-sk7ql]

Went for the first time this last April. Had a blast! Hit kings dominion before Carowinds and got to ride the #1, and #2 best giga coasters in the world that trip. Can't wait to get back now.

[@JustOutnAbout]

Good to see you back!

[@caseysmith5890]

Oh my lord.......I saw your logo on my notifications and almost fainted. So glad your back

[@nitefly99]

OK Coasters: the Goku of theme park KZbinrs 💪

[@876portturbo]

Dude no way, he’s back! Best coaster channel on YT!

[@hyppo1688]

Bro dropped this at the perfect time I’m literally going next week 😂😭

[@Okaycoasters]

Have fun!

[@HoldMyBeverage]

Hate to be the barrer of bad news, but figure it's better if you know now. Fury has a support pillar that cracked the whole way through and got closed down for an undetermined period of time.

[@amusementscape]

Perfect timing! Visiting tomorrow. Thanks man

[@jonathans1637]

Yea my favorite coaster content creator is back!

[@Okaycoasters]

Thanks!!!

[@theaveragejuel]

From okaycoasters, a genuinely o k e i guide to Carowinds. Thanks a lot!

[@cohencoasters]

OMG your back!!!!!!!! I was so happy when I loaded up your channel page today and saw this

[@TP_Recommendations]

Welcome back!!! You’ve been missed!! Hope all is well your way! Great video on my home-park!

[@MaxThrills]

Oh. my. god. this is such a pleasant surprise! Looking forward for more!

[@spencergamer7770]

welcome back

[@Okaycoasters]

Thanks!

[@maincoasters]

YOURE BACK?! and i video with my home park👍🏽

[@808CoasterLife]

Early openings are definitely interesting and good to know. Awesome guide as always!

[@sc_-yy2yz]

man ur channel is underrated as hell

[@nikiarnold5991]

I love your videos. Thank you

[@Rolling_Coasters]

Ok I watched your video anyway and luckily I did most of the stuff right lol. Great job and fantastic editing as always! I’m so glad I got on Fury the day before it shut down.

[@christianortiz793]

When the world needed him the most, he returned!

[@grappleronyt4662]

I love the content def earned a sub 🎉

[@rookdw4749]

Okay!! Back on the attack!!

[@danieledwards4274]

Yay youre back!

[@keyswitches9269]

we need an updated guide for cedar point please! absolutely love your content ❤

[@Thuggysmurf]

Accurate review. Fast Lane is a great value here because the merge points on the top 5 coasters are in the station. Camp Wilderness is lovely, best cabin rental property Cedar Fair offers. They have a free shuttle to the park. Definitely stay here as first choice.

[@AngeloGiles]

I was wondering when you’d be back lol, amazing video!

[@Okaycoasters]

Thanks Angelo!

[@reedridescoasters]

The timing on this is impeccable! Me and my family are planning a trip to Carowinds and BGW so this was perfect. I am going to take your advice about going to the low capacity rides first (Nighthawk and Copperhead). Didn't know Copperhead had just okay capacity going in. Overall, great vid and its good to have you back!

[@samuelahoffman]

Just so you know Fury’s probably gonna be down all year as of yesterday

[@reedridescoasters]

@@samuelahoffman thanks for the update and we r prob gonna change the trip to BGW and Hershey lol.

[@westinpeace1234]

@@reedridescoastersfury is back open but Hershey is a better park anyway

[@Fortnite-sweat.]

I’m going Monday so hyped

[@deluxedoorman]

As everyone has already expressed before me, your content rules!! Thanks for the video

[@oliverlande5423]

forever my favourite theme park youtuber

[@Okaycoasters]

Thank You!!!

[@ejectorthrills4726]

The best coaster content creator on the planet is back!!

[@frankythecoasterenthusiast]

WELCOME BACK

[@Sigildollarsign]

as a local, great video.

[@tabobbiburnett6740]

Let’s gooo. He’s back

[@mkxpro55]

it's hard to believe that he has only 20.6k subs with this level of editing.

[@christiwright3604]

We need a new one lol now that Fury 325 is down 😂 jk❤ Glad to see you back!

[@Scott__C]

Glad you're back! So, you can walk from Springhill right to the park? And do the other hotels provide shuttles? Still the best at giving park info!

[@Okaycoasters]

Thank You! So the hotel has a sidewalk that heads towards the park. However I didn't make the walk to see more about it. Id call the hotel or Carowinds before to be sure. Not sure about the other hotels but Camp Wilderness does offer a complimentary shuttle service to the Carowinds Front Gate

[@Scott__C]

@@Okaycoasters Thanks for the quick response!

[@eriks_coasters]

Very easy walk through the parking lot area from the Springhill to the front gate

[@Scott__C]

@@eriks_coasters Thanks! Appreciate that.

[@Spike-sk7ql]

I would say Blue Ridge is the best food there. The brownie thing dessert they have is amazing. Best part is that it is included as a side.

[@CoasterGuy95]

YOU’RE ALIVE HOLY

[@Fryinpansvols]

Great video! We just bought tickets last night to Carowinds. We jumped on the President’s Day Sale for $30 a ticket. We live in Middle Tennessee and have never been to Carowinds. It’s about an 8 hour track with stops. We’re looking at going on Friday March 15th and staying at the Springhill Suites across the road from the park. I know it’s spring so there could be a possibility of rain or cooler weather. We’re hoping for mild weather and a not busy day in the park. I’m personally closing in on 100 coaster credits (currently sit at 93) and would love to have Fury 325 as #100. I figured we would hit the lower capacity rides early on. We also plan on being outside the gates of the park at least 30 minutes early to rope drop Carowinds. Any other tips or recommendations you have for a 1st time visitor? Do some of the rides have places for cell phones and wallets? Thanks in advance!

[@mitchellries256]

This was very informative. But what about part two of your Cedar Point Guide? When is that coming out?

[@EnoughRhetoric]

Always worth the wait but man oh man, do I ever wish this was your full-time job so we could get videos more often!

[@keyswitches9269]

also what gear do you use for filming? the fury shots look AMAZING

[@NMLNetwork]

Let’s Go!

[@theoriginalThud]

Too bad about Fury though. At least the crack in the support was detected in time before anyone got hurt. Hopefully, it will be back next year. It’s still tied for my favorite coaster.

[@Paolo8772]

I finally visited Carowinds in mid April and got 97 rides on Fury in 3 days and four hours. It's the best coaster I've ridden after Steel Vengeance (pending re rides on SV considering I only had 10 when I rode it in May 2018.) Afterburn is one of the best B&M inverts I've ridden but the back left seat is the best, since the back is the best car, yet all right seats deliver head banging. The only B&M inverts I prefer to Afterburn that I've ridden are Raptor and Banchee, but I've never ridden Montu; Alpengeist; Katun or Pyranees. I rode Nighthawk once in the back and the double looping inversion was the best part of the ride. But the corkscrew was torture, so I won't ride it again unless I ride in car 4, (and that's a big "unless"). BTW Carolina Goldrusher, Nighthawk and Fury are three coasters at Carowinds that cross state lines and back again during each ride. I visited Carowinds for my 1st time in mid April so I only rode the 8 coasters that were open, riding the worse of the 4 only once each. However: Intimidator, Copperhead Strike and Afterburn were those other three coasters worthy of more than only one ride after Fury 325. Also: the "year round" skip the line pass only works at one park which is good if you live close enough to the park that you can get there easily, but I live in British Columbia so a Platinum pass is good enough for poor suckers like me I guess. Thanks for posting!

[@captaineo5821]

How many days would you recommend for someone who lives across the country and wants all of the credits with as many rerides as possible?

[@brentsocie5754]

Upgrade your gold to all park passes. best deal out there

[@XscreamThrills]

Guess I need to check out the Blue Ridge Country Kitchen next time!

[@Okaycoasters]

Oh it's so good! Just make sure to get that Mac and cheese!

[@Sesameseedbandit]

It’s him!

[@TheSonicsean]

I didn't go to Carowinds in 2023, unfortunately (Fury is worth the trip by itself), but I would try and beeline to Nighthawk if it's running, my last few trips it hasn't been (I haven't ridden it since 2019), but when it is running it gets a line, both because of the popularity and the poor dispatches. Carolina Cobras and Ricochet are also rides that have a low capacity, so will get lines, so factor that in. Fury and Intimidator are the best and most popular rides at the park, but the capacity and operations on them are fantastic, so unless the park is slammed, you won't wait too long for them. Since I didn't go in 2023 I haven't been to Aeronautica and every time I've been After Burn was basically a walk on because it was in a weird spot in the park.

[@TheSonicsean]

Also, I hope they still have the Copperhead Strike beer. I personally love a good theme park themed beer.

[@Pyarthepro]

W video

[@danieledwards4274]

Sorry the vid hit while fury325 is down. I hope its back asap! ❤

[@JP-vk9iq]

Hey, what happened. It’s been a while. I won’t give up my subscription, but if you have stuff going on, leave a note for the peeps. Wherever, and whatever you are doing, I wish ya the best.

[@cltcoasters]

Have you gotten to eat at Leonardo’s yet?

[@huntzzio]

“Honey! Okaycoasters posted! Wake up!”

[@nb4241]

Kings back?!

[@Rolling_Coasters]

Bruh I’m at Carowinds rn after planning for months u could have posted this before lol

[@HoldMyBeverage]

What are the odds of you posting this right before Fury 325 developing a crack and being shutdown?

[@TommonSensePro]

6:30 And is currently closed.

[@ethanbenfield2285]

Im cheap so I always get my hand stepped and head over to the wendys thats about a half mile from the park for lunch.

[@dereku_09]

rip if going later this year…went earlier and fury was great and it stinks most ppl can’t ride it this year

[@MotorSport_Nick]

Weird this vid comes out right when a support breaks off the ride and they don’t even notice. Will not be riding fury 325 ever.

[@295g295]

9:34 - Why 1959? ?

[@NASCARFAN93100]

Fun Fact: Carowinds is 38 minutes away from Charlotte Motor Speedway and 23 minutes away from the NASCAR Hall of Fame

[@charliefreeman9158]

'Promo sm'

[@CronosCobra]

So let me get this straight, he doesn't post in nine months, then something happens to Fury? Not a coincidence

[@prasantht7660]

Wrong prices

[@beddingfieldcoasters5778]

Fury 325 crack moment

[@tyler1783]

is it better to rope drop ricochet, cobras and copperhead in that order, or hit copperhead first