Originally posted: 10/29/2002

Last updated: 2/26/2005

 By Chris Cowan
 themeparks@insightbb.com

Most of the information within this timeline was obtained from the Carowinds home page:  www.carowinds.com

 Carowinds

1956 – E. Pat Hall, an industrial developer from Charlotte, North Carolina, visits Disneyland and decides the Carolinas need something similar.

1969 – In October, 1969, Mr. Hall announces his plan to build a $250 million resort area and amusement park to straddle the border of North and South Carolina near Interstate-77.

1970:

• Planning begins. The project is envisioned as three phases:
  
  o  Phase One is to include the amusement park, a 50-acre parking area and a 40-acre campground with 400 camping spaces.
  o  Phase Two consists of a resort hotel connected to the amusement park via a monorail system, a 900-acre industrial park, and several smaller motels located around the property.
  o  Phase Three, to be developed away from the amusement park on property near Lake Wylie, South Carolina, would include a resort and residential area with a marina, yacht club and a golf course.
   
• Also considered was a 75,000-seat domed football stadium with the 50-yard line on the state line.
   
• Total development would encompass 2,900 acres. Unfortunately, only Phase One would ever be completed.

1971:

• Planning continues for the amusement park.
   
• The blueprints are revised seven times before the layout of the park is finalized.
   
• Construction of Phase One begins, including the monorail, which is to circle the grounds and will eventually include a stop at the Phase Two hotel (which never happens).  The park is scheduled to open on June 1, 1972.

1972 – Weather and construction delays force the park’s opening to be rescheduled for 1973.

1973:

• Carowinds, developed on 73 acres at a cost of $27 million, opens on March 31, 1973.  The name is a combination of “Carolinas” and the “winds” that blew across the two states.  A replica of a southern mansion serves as the park’s entryway.  Just inside the gates is the “Courtyard of the Carolinas” with the state line running directly down the center.
   
• The park consists of seven themed areas:
  
  o  Plantation Square (designed to resemble small Carolina towns of the 19th century), which includes a double-decker carousel, a trolley, the 320-foot Skytower and the Sternwheeler, a riverboat that takes passengers around a man-made lagoon.
  
  o  Queen’s Colony (representing British colonial influence in the Carolinas). Rides in this area were the Powder Keg Flume (log ride) and Oaken Bucket.
  
  o  Country Crossroads (a replica of a typical Carolina farming community with a working farm and real crops).  Guests in this section can ride a tractor, a live mule on the Mule-Go-Round, the Shortline miniature railroad and the Hillbilly Jalopies.
  
  o  Indian Thicket (an Indian village), which includes the Witch Doctor and War Canoes rides.
  
  o  Pirate Island (a coastal town during the days of pirates).  The Flying Dutchman and the Surfer are located here.
  
  o  Frontier Outpost (set in the days of pioneer settlers) is the home of the Goldrusher, a mine train roller coaster.
  
  o  Contemporary Carolinas (depicting the Carolinas of the current day) in which guests can ride on the Speedway (mini cars), the Kaleidoscope and the monorail.
   
• An eighth theme area representing the nuclear and space age is also planned, but never built.
   
• At opening, the park also features a train ride with stops in Plantation Square, Country Crossroads and Frontier Outpost, and the Cable Skyway which takes guests between Queen’s Colony and Frontier Outpost on 4-person cable cars.
   
• Carowinds’ first season attendance is 1.23 million.

1974:

• Picnic pavilions, an expanded bus lot (which will hold 400 buses), the Stagecoach lounge with a 144-seat restaurant and two new food locations are added.
   
• The double-decker carousel is removed.
   
• Attendance fell this year to below 1 million.

1975:

• On January 19th, Family Leisure Centers, a company formed by partners Taft Broadcasting (owners of Kings Island and the soon to open Kings Dominion) and Top Value Enterprises (a subsidiary of Kroger), purchase Carowinds for $16 million. The deal also includes an option for 85 additional acres surrounding the park for $2.4 million, but does not include any of the land which was to be used for Phase Two or Three.
   
• The new owners immediately spend $2 million to expand and renovate the park.
   
• "The Happy Land of Hanna Barbera" is added, featuring 6 children’s rides, including the Scooby Doo roller coaster and the relocated Shortline railroad.
   
• Two new rides, the Wagon Wheel and the Waltzer, are added.
   
• New games and a candy shop are added.
   
• The Paladium, a 7000-seat open air concert venue, is added.
   
• Most food and merchandise areas are remodeled.

1976:

• Thunder Road, a racing wooden roller coaster, is added in the area behind Country Crossroads. The name is taken from a movie about moonshiners in the Carolina mountains. The local ATF office donates two moonshine stills which are placed at the entrance and exit of the ride.
   
• The Surfer and the Waltzer are removed at the end of the season.
   
• Attendance increases this year to just below 1 million.

1977:

• White Lightnin’, a steel shuttle loop coaster, is added.
   
• The Witch Doctor is renamed Black Widow and moved to the location vacated by the Surfer.
   
• Attendance for the year rises 16% and finishes over 1 million for the first time since the park’s inaugural season.

1978:

• No new rides are added.
   
• The size of the parking lot is increased.
   
• A second entrance to the park is added.
   
• The Paladium is expanded to 9000 seats.
   
• Thunder Road gets two new trains to replace the originals.

1979:

• County Fair, a new theme section, is added in the area around Thunder Road.
   
• Four new rides are added in County Fair:
  
  o  Meteorite,
  o  Demolition Derby (bumper cars),
  o  Whirling Dervish (swings) and
  o  Wild Bull.
   
• An antique carousel is added to Hanna Barbera Land.

1980:

• The Carolina Cyclone (steel roller coaster) is added.  It is the first coaster with 4 inversions.
   
• In October, Family Leisure Centers is dissolved and Taft Broadcasting becomes the sole owner of the park.

1981 – No new rides are added.

1982:

• Rip Roarin’ Rapids is added on five acres near the Paladium.
   
• A local company arranges to build the Ocean Island wave pool on ten acres of land owned by the park between Thunder Road and White Lightnin’.  Carowinds is hired to operate the pool but a separate admission is charged.
   
• Café Italiano, a 256-seat restaurant is added.

1983:

No new rides are added.

Improvements are made to Rip Roarin’ Rapids.

This is the first year for Winterfest, the park’s Christmas festival.

At the end of the year, Taft’s park general managers and several vice presidents purchase two-thirds of Taft’s interest in the amusement park business and form their own corporation, King’s Entertainment Company (KECO).

• Admission this year is $11.95.

1984 – KECO kicks off its first season of ownership by adding Smurf Island, a 1.3 acre children’s area.

1985 – Blackbeard’s Revenge is added.

1986:

• Frenzoid, a looping ship, is added to the County Fair section.
   
• A 17,000-square-foot lake and 145 shade trees are also added to County Fair.

1987:

• Carowinds 15th season sees the addition of three rides to Hanna Barbera Land:
  
  o  Bamm Bamm’s Boat Float,
  o  Boo Boo’s Balloon Race, and
  o  Elroy’s Skychase.
   
• An infant care facility is added.
   
• The park buys the Ocean Island wave pool.

1988:

• White Water Falls (a shoot-the-chutes ride) and Cinema 180 Theatre are added.
   
• White Lightnin’ is removed at the end of the season.

1989:

• Riptide Reef, the country’s first full water park within a theme park, is added.  Ocean Island wave pool is renamed Big Wave Bay and is now included with a Carowinds admission, along with the new Carolina Pipeline, Racing Rivers and children’s water play area.
   
• The Paladium gets a new 3080-square-foot stage and seating is increased to 9,200.
   
• The park now encompasses 83 acres.

1990:

• The Gauntlet is added.
   
• The Blue Ridge Dining Hall is renovated and renamed Casey’s Grill. 
   
• Admission this year is $18.95.

1991 – The Paladium Amphitheater is renovated again, this time bringing the seating to 13,000.  Individual stadium style seating replaces the bleachers and the front 5000 seats are covered with a steel roof.   An entrance plaza is built, separating the Paladium from the park.

1992:

• The Vortex (stand-up steel roller coaster) is added.
   
• Paramount purchases Kings Entertainment Company on July 31st.

 Paramount's Carowinds

1993:

• The park is renamed Paramount’s Carowinds.
   
• Days of Thunder (motion simulator) is added in the County Fair area.
   
• Midway Music Hall is renovated and renamed Paramount Theatre.

1994 – Wayne’s World, a new theme area is added.  It features The Hurler (wooden roller coaster), the Rock Shop (Rock N Roll merchandise) and Stan Mikita’s (a restaurant), along with several new games.  The eight acre addition expands the park to 91 acres.

1995:

• Hanna Barbera Land is renovated and renamed Animation Station.  New attractions added in Animation Station are:
  
  o  The Power Station (a three story climbing and play area),
  o  Low Voltage Center (a smaller version of the Power Station for younger children),
  o  The Cartoon Walk of Fame and
  o  Kid’s Studio (an 865-seat amphitheater).
   
• In April, one train on Thunder Run is turned backwards.
   
• In July, the 172-foot Xtreme Skyflyer (upcharge attraction) opens in the Wayne’s World area.

1996 – The 174-foot Drop Zone Stunt Tower is added in the Wayne’s World section.

1997:

• For Carowinds' 25th season, the water park doubles in size to 12 acres, is renamed Water Works, and has five new attractions added:
  
  o  Two children’s areas (Splash Factory, a 3 story water play area, and Squirt Works, for infants and younger kids),
  o  2 new water slides (Tidal Wave and Wipeout), and
  o  Carolinas' Ramblin’ River (lazy river).
   
• The Carolina Pipeline water slide is enclosed and renamed The Abyss.
   
• The park is now 97 acres.

1998:

• Animation Station is expanded with Zoom Zone, a 3.5 acre area which includes three new rides:
  
  o  Taxi Jam (miniature steel roller coaster),
  o  Road Rally (electric cars) and
  o  Chopper Chase (helicopter cars on a monorail).
   
• This addition brings the park to 100 acres.
   
• Days of Thunder is renamed Paramount Action F/X Theatre and James Bond: License to Thrill is the new motion simulator film.

1999:

Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (B&M steel inverted roller coaster) is added in the Carolina RFD section, at a cost of $10 million.

Attendance this year is 1.9 million.

 

2000:

• The Nickelodeon Flying Super Saturator is added.
   
• This year is the inaugural season for Scarowinds, the park’s Halloween event.

2001:

• Scooby Doo’s Haunted Mansion (interactive dark ride) is added.
   
• Water Works is expanded with Pipeline Peak, a complex of four enclosed water slides.
   
• The Paramount Plaza area is renovated.
   
• The Blue Ridge Junction area is renovated and renamed Carolina Boardwalk.
   
• The size of the park increases to 105 acres.
   
• Attendance this year is 1.8 million.

2002:

• Ricochet (Mack steel wild mouse), the park’s 11th roller coaster, is added.
   
• 7th Portal and Meteor Attack replace James Bond in the Paramount Action F/X Theatre.

2003:

• Nickelodeon Central, a new children's area, is added, featuring:
  
  o  Rugrats Runaway Reptar (a junior inverted roller coaster),
  o  The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure (log flume),
  o  A freefall ride, and
  o  A cartoon character meeting area.
   
• The Paramount Action F/X Theatre will also switch to a SpongeBob SquarePants motion-simulator movie.

2004:

• Borg Assimilator (Vekoma Flying Dutchman steel roller coaster) is added.  This coaster was relocated from Paramount's Great America, where it operated from 2000 until 2003 as Stealth.

2005:

• Five new attractions are added to Nickelodeon Central:

        o  Phantom Flyers (Flying Scooters) [relocated from Kings Island]
        o  Flying Dutchman's Revenge (mini pirate ships)
        o  Little Bill's Cruisers (mini speed boats)
        o  Dora the Explorer's Azul Adventure (train ride)
        o  Nick Live (interactive family game show)

• Parking is $8.00.