does anyone know if any of the new coasters are "launch" coasters? like the ones where you start slow/stationary and then just rocket off at 60-70 mph instantly? i went there a few years ago and they didn't have any of these.

8/12/2009 1:45:36 PM

I see you like living on the edge

8/12/2009 1:47:48 PM

They still don't. I am pretty sure the new carolina cobra (or python, or whatever) isn't one, and they definitely haven't had any other new additions since the last time you went.

8/12/2009 1:48:59 PM

is volcano at king's dominion like this? i can't remember. i'm going to KD w/ my sister and some friends monday.

haven't been to carowinds in forever

8/12/2009 1:49:40 PM

Volcano definitely is, fuckin' magnetic rails and shit. We rode that one twice as the park was gearing up to close. Way dark, full moon, biting cold air, a little cloud cover. It was great.

8/12/2009 1:50:43 PM

White Lightning in 2010 will be a launcher, not to be confused with the older coaster from '77-88.

8/12/2009 1:51:16 PM

cool. i went last summer and thought i remembered one like that.

8/12/2009 1:51:30 PM

Go to Cedar Point, Top Thrill launches you to 120 mph in 4 seconds.

8/12/2009 2:08:11 PM

8/12/2009 2:09:10 PM

Quote :

"White Lightning in 2010 will be a launcher, not to be confused with the older coaster from '77-88."

No, it probably won't.

But it might.

8/12/2009 2:10:55 PM

SURE

8/12/2009 2:43:55 PM

Quote :

"i'm going to KD w/ my sister and some friends monday."

heh funny you should say that, im tryin to head up there as well with some friends on monday, although trying to decide if it was worth it to switch to carowinds since one of my friends lives in charlotte.

all barring rain though, that would blow ass if it rained at both KD and emerald pointe (back up option) on monday, cause i really wanted to hit it up before summer ended.

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 2:58 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2009 2:58:19 PM

stalk stalk stalk

8/12/2009 2:59:14 PM

Just went a few weeks ago. Carolina Cobra starts you going up backwards slowly. Then drops you down that fast or so. Afterburn and Nighthawk (I think those are the only other two new additions) are AWESOME, but don't take you off from 0 to 60/70 mph. I DEFINITELY recommend those three though. Afterburn your feet and legs are dangling. Nighthawk, you are laying completely down and your feet and arms are dangling while you're pretty much "flying" suspended over water.

8/12/2009 3:09:10 PM

Was at KD last weekend with friends. We had a lot of fun.

Volcano is a launch coaster. Also, either KD or BG has a indoor launch coaster.

8/12/2009 3:25:26 PM

Quote :

"Go to Cedar Point, Top Thrill launches you to 120 mph in 4 seconds."

Or Kingda Ka at Six Flags in NJ, which launches you to 128mph in 3.5 seconds

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 3:30 PM. Reason : i recommend the front row]

8/12/2009 3:29:51 PM

^^the indoor launch coaster is UFO or Area 51 or something like that at KD

8/12/2009 3:33:03 PM

^ I think you're referring to Outer Limits: Flight of Fear. Shit starts off at 60 mph and is indoor (with loops).

8/12/2009 3:48:03 PM

^^ flight of fear. i love how the screams fade out instantly as the cart fades into the black tunnel

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 3:48 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2009 3:48:27 PM

Kings dominion has three launch coasters:

Flight of Fear (indoor, completely dark)
Volcano (inverted so your feet hang like a ski lift)
Backlot stunt coaster (Formally the Italian Job ride, kind of lame but the launch is pretty cool).

I don't think Carowinds has any. And is "Afterburner" what was "Top Gun?"

8/12/2009 4:36:28 PM

The roller coaster at Carowinds that you recline in terrified me.

8/12/2009 4:45:10 PM

the carolina cobra is interesting... you go forwards once, they keep you stationary at the top of a hill, and then just let you go backwards down it... so it's sort of an instantaneous launch

also, afterburn and nighthawk are indeed fucking awesome.

8/12/2009 4:52:07 PM

GET READY SONS

8/12/2009 5:12:59 PM

Quote :

"The roller coaster at Carowinds that you recline in terrified me."

Really??? It was fucking badass! You sit back reclined, then they slowly lay you all the way back....and there's a cork screw right off gate and you're facing the water hanging the entire time. LOVE IT.

Quote :

"also, afterburn and nighthawk are indeed fucking awesome."

EXACTLY!!!! My only complaint is Afterburn is toooooo short, but I loved them.

8/12/2009 5:50:09 PM

yes that's the one...i've never been scared on a roller coaster, but i saw my life flash before my eyes on that one. i had to sit down on a park bench for like 10 minutes afterwards to recover.

8/12/2009 5:55:06 PM

^ Haha...yeah I was dizzy as fuck and felt a lil' disoriented (but I figured it was because we just ate and hadn't eaten all day in the hot sun). I LOVED IT though.

8/12/2009 5:57:32 PM

Afterburn is Top Gun.

It is the best coaster at Carowinds, and the lines for it are usually the shortest.

Everytime I've been to Carowinds the Nighthawk coaster gets stuck, so I haven't ridden that one yet.

ATTN MALES: DO NOT RIDE VORTEX!!!

8/12/2009 6:11:54 PM

Agreed! Vortex had me fucked up. All I could think was, "Damn, how do guys ride this???" And most of the rides (at least at Carowinds) have NARROW seats. If you're fat/overweight, you can't even ride the muthafuckas. I couldn't imagine.

When I was there recently, the only one we had to wait for was Carolina Cobra b/c they were testing all morning. We happened to go on a good weekend I guess.




[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 6:34 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2009 6:23:00 PM

^^haha, i thought afterburn looked oddly familiar. it's funny seeing all the paramount branding cut out of everything.

and OMG VORTEX WAS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE...

^i fit into every single seat i tried without any trouble whatsoever, and i rode every single rollercoaster there.

8/12/2009 6:33:13 PM

Yeah, I did too. But if you have hips and a booty like me, it's a lil' snug on the older ones. I fit just fine though.

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 6:59 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2009 6:35:12 PM

i remember one time i went to carowinds and this 400 pound man wanted to ride top gun... they didn't let anyone else on his row. somehow he squeezed in

8/12/2009 6:57:33 PM

that seems like a serious safety hazard, lol

8/12/2009 7:31:28 PM

make sure you stop by the Tilted Kilt

^not you obviously lol

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 7:37 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2009 7:37:26 PM

Quote :

"White Lightning in 2010 will be a launcher, not to be confused with the older coaster from '77-88."

It's over here too I can't escape!

8/12/2009 7:42:11 PM

^^lolwut

8/12/2009 7:42:41 PM

the Tilted Kilt is a fairly new bar on Carowinds Blvd whose theme is a bunch of hot waitresses in short little kilts and their titties all hanging out of their shirts

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 7:48 PM. Reason : theme]

8/12/2009 7:47:51 PM

^Didn't know that, that is awesome information!

8/12/2009 7:54:03 PM

It's like hooters only like 200 times better. Very new, where the Daemons used to be at Carowinds and 49

8/12/2009 8:26:39 PM

Last time I went to Carowinds it was a total shit hole. Is it still that way?

8/12/2009 9:31:31 PM

If by definition you think an amusement park is a shit hole, then sure it is.

Otherwise, no, it's a fairly decent park.

8/12/2009 9:34:28 PM

Last time I went was in the late 90s and it was a shit hole. Trash everywhere, no shade, unclean seating areas, just generally gross. I don't remember the rides being particularly great either. I guess by that point I was spoiled by Busch Gardens' landscaping

8/12/2009 9:39:21 PM

Busch Gardens is the most beautiful amusement park in the country, so that would do it. I would say that Carowinds is significantly better now than it probably was when you went, but I dunno you still might not like it. None of the rides are that spectacular, except for Afterburn/Top Gun, which is one of the best steel coasters in the country IMO.

Oh, and of course the PHANTOM FLYERS.



[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 9:43 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2009 9:42:32 PM

KD has a ride like that where you steer the thing w/ the big blade in front of you

8/12/2009 9:47:39 PM

Yes, theirs is a lot of fun too, but the one at Carowinds is RIDICULOUS.

8/12/2009 9:48:24 PM

nighthawk is not a new ride, they just renamed the Borg ride

i think the Hulk at Universal is a lancher

8/12/2009 10:15:20 PM

The Flyers at Hersheypark suck. I don't know the reason though. They are definitely higher off the ground.

8/13/2009 8:02:48 PM

8/14/2009 5:35:09 PM

I used to go to Carowinds once or twice a week as a kid.

8/14/2009 5:59:48 PM

vulcan91: are those pics of the track from carowinds or KD?

i was up at kings dominion a couple of weeks ago, and they had red track laid out in the parking lot near dominator. Also, towards the back of the park they had concrete supports up and a bunch of land cleared. Anyone know what kind of coaster is going up there?

8/14/2009 6:18:08 PM

The pics above are from Carowinds. Both parks are getting new coasters with similar color schemes and themes. Different rides, though.

The Kings Dominion ride is PROBABLY going to be similar to Millennium Force at Cedar Point, but likely taller. They are announcing it August 20th.

The Carowinds ride will likely be similar to Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens, but a lot bigger. They are announcing it August 26th.

8/14/2009 6:20:48 PM