Carowinds - Timeline

Timeline

See also: List of closed rides and attractions

2013: Dinosaurs Alive!, a walkthrough Dinosaur Exhibit
2012: WindSeeker, a 301-foot-tall (92 m) thrill ride, Fast Lane
2011: Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular, a million-dollar nighttime walk-through light and sound experience featuring the Peanuts characters.Snoopy's starlight spectacular utilizes light,sound,and motion to create a full sensory experience. Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular runs from May 28 to September 4 in the County Fair and the Planet Snoopy sections of the park. Carowinds will stay open till 10pm every night June 27 to August 7. "Nights of Fire", nightly fireworks show will play July 1 to September 4 at Carowinds Plaza at 10:00 pm. Vortex receives a new red track and grey support paint scheme. Ricochet receives a touch up paint job. Work continues on Thunder Road and Hurler's rehab and work continues on replacing pavement with brick pavers to help reduce heat flow from walkways. Carowinds also expanded the park by 61 acres (250,000 m2).
2010: Intimidator: A 232-foot-tall (71 m), 5,316-foot-long (1,620 m) Bolliger & Mabillard hyper coaster. Nickelodeon Central becomes Planet Snoopy. Carolina Cyclone is repainted blue, yellow and orange.Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion becomes Boo Blasters On Boo Hill, with new special effects; all connections to Scooby Doo have been removed. Carowinds rebuilds more sections of Thunder Road. Carowinds starts replacing pavement with brick pavers to help reduce heat flow from walkways.
2009: Carolina Cobra, a Boomerang roller coaster featuring new trains from Vekoma, opens in the former location of the Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator. Carowinds rebuilds more sections of Thunder Road. Nighthawk was repainted with yellow track and navy blue supports. Hurler receives some re-tracking. Scarowinds returns for its tenth year. Wild Thornberrys log flume removed for a new attraction. Dora the Explorer Azul's Adventure's track is also modified.
2008: A second wave pool named Bondi Beach added along with cabanas in Boomerang Bay. This added 20 acres (81,000 m2) to the park making it 112 acres (0.45 km2). Geauga Lake's Yo Yo swing ride was also added in the County Fair section. Flying Super Saturator only operates on the Boomerang Bay operating calendar. Thunder Road now runs both sides going forwards again. The Flying Super Saturator is removed from the park in August.
2007: Frenzoid was put back in as Southern Star in County Fair section. The price for a single day ticket dropped for the first time ever. Carolina Skytower was repainted to look like an American flag.
2006: Frenzoid was removed. WaterWorks was rethemed and renamed to Boomerang Bay and converting the old Frenzoid lake into a heated lagoon. Thunder Raceway Go-Carts was built in the Thrill Zone. Paramount Parks is sold to the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company for 1.24 billion dollars. This puts Carowinds under the Cedar Fair family of parks.
2005: Nickelodeon Central expands into Animation Station, featuring Phantom Flyers (relocated from Kings Island as Flying Eagles), Flying Dutchman's Revenge, Little Bill's Cruisers, Dora the Explorer Azul's Adventure (Formerly Yogi's Jellystone Tour) and Frenzoid removal begins in September.
2004: BORG Assimilator (later renamed Nighthawk) Flying coaster added.
2003: Nickelodeon Central, featuring Rugrats Runaway Reptar (New Vekoma Jr. SLC), Wild Thornberrys River Adventure (Formerly Powder Keg Flume), and Rocket Power Air Time (Formerly Gauntlet); Carolina Sternwheeler (Original Ride) riverboat removed.
2002: Ricochet and rethemeing of Carolina Crossroads area to Carolina Boardwalk.
2001: SCOOBY-DOO's Haunted Mansion; WaterWorks expansion; Whirling Dervish (swing ride) removed
2000: SCarowinds; Flying Super Saturator (steel coaster)
1999: Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (Later renamed Afterburn) was added in the County Fair section of Carowinds.
1998: Taxi Jam (Later renamed Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie), TV Road Trip, and Chopper Chase (Later renamed Lazy Town Sport-o-Copters).
1997: WaterWorks water park
1996: Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (later renamed Drop Tower: Scream Zone) was added in the Wayne's World (later renamed Thrill Zone) section of Carowinds.
1995: Xtreme Skyflyer was added in the Wayne's World (later renamed Thrill Zone) section of Carowinds.
1994: Wayne's World (later renamed Thrill Zone) section with Hurler and Carowinds Monorail removed.
1993: Action Theater was added in the County Fair section of Carowinds. Paramount Communications buys Carowinds, King's Dominion, King's Island, Great America, and Canada's Wonderland
1992: Vortex was added in the Carolina Showplace section of Carowinds.
1991: Expansion of Paladium; Speedway Cars removed.
1990: Gauntlet (shooting star, later renamed Rocket Power Air Time).
1989: Riptide Reef water park; Expansion of Paladium.
1988: WhiteWater Falls; White Lightnin' coaster removed; Black Widow (thrill ride) removed.
1987: Expansion of Hanna-Barbera Land with three new rides; Old Jalopies antique car ride removed; Oaken Bucket removed.
1986: Frenzoid, a looping Viking ship was added.
1985: Blackbeard's Revenge (mystery house).
1984: Smurf Island (themed area).
1983: Cable Skyway removed.
1982: Rip Roarin' Rapids; Ocean Island (water park).
1980: Carolina Cyclone was added in Frontier Outpost.
1979: County Fair area added. Meteorite (enterprise); PT Bumpem's Auto Stunt & Thrill Show (bumper cars); Whirling Dervish (wave swinger); Wild Bull (Bayern Kurve); Carousel.
1977: White Lightnin' (Schwarzkopf shuttle loop coaster) in Pirate Island (entrance in Country Crossroads); Whirling Well renamed Oaken Bucket and moved to east midway.
1976: Thunder Road; Carowinds and Carolina Railroad removed.
1975: Paladium Amphitheatre; Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera (themed area) featuring Scooby Doo coaster; Surfer (Tagada); Wagon Wheel (Chance Trabant); Waltzer (Schwarzkopf spinning ride).
1974: Country Kitchen is added; Whirling Well (Chance Rotor); picnic areas open. The Double-Decker Carousel is removed from the park at the end of the season and placed in storage.
1973: Carowinds opens on March 31; the Monorail is still under construction and opens later. Original theme areas: Plantantion Square, Contemporary Carolina, Frontier Outpost, Pirate Island, Indian Thicket, Country Crossroads and Queens Colony.