Affordable Thrills
© Diane Goldberg under the original topic name
I drove I-77 about fifteen miles south of Charlotte to check out the roller coaster crowd at Carowinds, a 100-acre water and theme park that straddles the border between North and South Carolina. In addition to an impressive water park and roller coasters that could make Evil Knevil scream, I found bargains that made me scream louder than the crowd on the DROP ZONE TM
I got excited because a season pass at any Paramount Theme Park gives you unlimited admissions to all of the Paramount theme parks.
From Ontario, Canada, to Santa Clara, California, or from Carowinds in Charlotte to Kings Dominion in Virginia, the possibilities for planning a multi-theme park vacation abound. Living close to Carowinds makes the $59.99 season pass an incredible deal - the Water Park alone may be well worth it to you.
The first thing I did at Carowinds was drive in the wrong direction. (I do that most places.) My brief excursion in the wrong direction gave me first-hand knowledge of how helpful the staff can be. The park prides itself on guest services, providing a range of assistance for parents with small children, middle-aged dads in search of a beer break, and pet owners.
Carowinds is an oasis of safety. All Carowinds employees are trained to assist wandering children reunite with their families. The amusement equipment undergoes frequent operational, electrical, and mechanical checks. Park policy dictates that a ride that is not inPERFECT order is not allowed to operate. Parents will be relieved to know that the kids' area of the Water Park is structured to minimize munchkins slipping by mom - there are bathroom facilities right there and only one way out.
Special features of the park include the Zoom Zone TM, an area tailored to kids under ten and a heavy concentration of thrill rides and roaster coasters for the adrenaline junkies. The range of musical revues and shows available daily runs the gamut from country, fifties rock and roll, a Wild West show and a karaoke option.
1999 will welcome Top Gun, a manhood-testing coaster that cost over ten million dollars to create. With its vertigo inducing loops and speed, it will inspire shrieks from the stoic. I turned slightly queasy looking at it. Top Gun is for thrill seekers - this baby is an inverted steel coaster with floorless cars suspended below the track. At 62 miles per hour, Top Gun takes folks through six inversions including a space drop, a zero "g" roll, and a spirale. I'm not man enough for it.
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