Carowinds Begins to Tease for 2017 (And Our Speculation!)

Last week, Carowinds‘ YouTube channel posted a cryptic video with the title “2017…”

Inside this video, there are various screenshots from around the internet discussing the Los Angeles Times report from February that Carowinds, along with other Cedar Fair parks, would be adding vintage flat rides in 2017. (If you look closely, you can see the Coaster101 post on the subject at 0:14 of the video.) The headlines are followed by the phrase “There is always more to the story.”

If you haven’t figured it out yet, the tease has begun for Carowinds’ 2017 park plans.

In a post on Carowinds’ Airtime Blog, the park asks readers “Do you know? Do you really? Are you sure? I mean do you REALLY know what we have up our sleeves? Sure, we’ve all heard the rumors, and we’ve all seen the “leaked” news articles, but are you sure they are accurate? Have we called an audible?” before inviting readers to take part in their 2017 teaser campaign, #VoteFourMore.

The backstory for this campaign involves The Mayor of Carowinds, Earnest Lee Higginbotham.

Fun fact: I’ve met the Mayor. I still wish his last name was “Owinds” or “Owens.” Sound it out. It totally makes sense. I promise.

Anyway, Mayor Higginbotham is up for re-election this year, and in his quest for four more years, he and his friends have developed some campaign promises and big plans for next year that he hopes will extend his time in office.

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Luckily for us, as theme park fans, Carowinds has set up a campaign hotline so that the supporters of Mayor Higginbotham can learn his platforms. Callers have the opportunities to hear from the following people involved with the mayor’s campaign.

  • The Mayor’s Office (Press 1)
  • Granny, Mayor Higginbotham’s Director of “Fun Raising” (Press 2)
  • Patti Cake in the Young Voters Office (Press 3)
  • Deputy Willard D. Danger (Press 4)

Carowinds encourages you to listen carefully, because each campaign member will reveal subtle clues before the park announces their 2017 project on August 18.

Additional hints can be discovered inside the park via messaging by downloading the new Carowinds Mobile app. Fans can also join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #VoteFourMore.

But while we’re here, let’s analyze these teases and try to put something together. (Anything below is pure speculation and attempts reading between the lines.)

The “2017…” Video

This 30 second video features headlines from six media outlets; The Los Angeles Times, Greensboro, NC’s WFMY, Carowinds Connection, Coaster101, CoasterChitChat, and the Charlotte Observer.

The music accompanying the images is “Panic” by Joel McNeely, off the soundtrack for “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” which was released in 1951.

The main thing I noticed about this video is that the screenshot of Brady MacDonald’s L.A. Times Article has been altered.

Original:

Tease1

Video Screenshot:

Tease2

I added the arrow and green box, but instead of an article highlighting Harry Potter at Universal Studios on the L.A. Times website, Carowinds has included the message “YOU MAY BE WRONG?” None of the other headlines have been altered.

In his article, which was the inspiration for many of the teased other posts (ours included), MacDonald mentions that Carowinds is expected to get five attractions; the Scottish Troika, Breakdance, Music Express, Top Scan and Wave Swinger.

The second tease was the Mayor’s Campaign Hotline.

The Mayor’s Campaign Hotline

Below are the messages from Mayor Higginbotham’s Campaign Hotline as of Week One.

Main Line (Country Accent): Welcome to the Higginbotham hotline, your home for all the news and updates as it pertains to Mayor Earnest Lee Higginbotham’s re-election campaign and 2017 announcements. Remember to show your support and join the conversation online using hashtag #VoteFourMore as in “four,” F-O-U-R. As in vote for four more years for Mayor Higginbotham. And be sure to check back each week for updates and ends before August 18. Now Press “1” for the Mayor’s Office. Press “2” for Granny, Director of Fun Raising. Press “3” for Patti Cake from the Young Voters Office. Press “4” for Deputy Willard D. Danger.

The Mayor’s Office (Option 1): Well hello there. My name is Earnest Lee Higginbotham, and I have the mighty fine privilege of being the Mayor here at Carowinds. As you may know, it is election year on the Carolinas’ state line, and I’ve been hittin’ the campaign trail harder than ever to secure my position as the leader of this great park. Now I’ve done a lot during my first four year term in office. I brought the Intimidator, Fury 325, the tallest and fastest giga coaster in the world I’ll have you know, our new “splash-tastic” Carolina Harbor water park, and I just passed the Fluffy funnel cake act of 2016. Now, you think that would be enough to earn me a check on the ballot, but in this political environment I just don’t know. We’ll need something BIG to spark the imagination of both young and old. To pull this election off, I’ll need to enlist the help of all my friends at Carowinds, and you can check in with them, as well as me each week right here on the Higginbotham Hotline. In the mean time, cast your vote and show your support on social media using #VoteFourMore. Four, as in the number four. Vote for Higginbotham before August 18. Together, we can continue to build greatness where the Carolinas come together.

Granny, Director of “Fun Raising.” (Option 2): Hello? Hello? Are you there? Oh, there you are. Sorry, I had to turn my hearing aid down after talking to that mayor of ours here at Carowinds. He’s running for re-election and called ME, asking for help with “Fun Raising.” I’m not sure what that means, but I do know how to be fun. So don’t worry, Granny’s got this one under control. Normally, I don’t care anything about “politickin’ ” but he was very convincing and made some pretty bold promises. Well I guess I can get behind him and lend him a hand. I just need to figure out what I can do to raise some fuuunnn! Got any ideas? Oh, Alright, I gotta get out of here. The election is August 18, and there is a lot of work to do until then. But just be a dear and show your support of our lovely mayor by using hashtag #VoteFourMore. I’m not really sure what that means, but anywho, I gotta go tend to my flowers!”

Patti Cake, Young Voters Office (Option 3): Hey ya’ll! I’m Patti, Patti Cake. And I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but my uncle, Earnest Lee Higginbotham, is running for re-election for mayor of Carowinds. I’m stuck helping his campaign. Ugh. He wanted my help winning over the young vote.  He even called people my age millennials. Yech. I love my uncle, but he just doesn’t get it. People my age don’t want campaign slogans, and we don’t want to hear long, boring speeches. We want a movement. We want excitement. We want to Rock and Roll! That’s the key to the young vote. Now, I’m trying to talk my uncle into bringing some Rock and Roll acts to the state line, but he’s been on the fence. Heh. Just like he is with a lot of issues. Maybe you can help convince him by using hashtag #VoteFourMore on social media. And if he sees his support is growing, maybe he’ll come around. Well, I gotta get off here, my favorite song just came on the radio. Woo-hoo!

Deputy Willard D. Danger (Option 4): Howdy! This is Deputy Willard D. Danger. I’m the deputy of this fine, fun park, and I’ve been helping Mayor Earnest Lee Higginbotham’s re-election campaign, acting as his bodyguard. Most of the time I just get him coffee and make sure no one steals his lunch, but it is a serious job and one I take with pride and honor in hopes that one day he’ll be re-elected for four more years, and name me the Sheriff of this fine park. I’ve had three dreams my whole life. One was about a clown in a bumper car. Well, I guess that one was technically a nightmare. Okay, so I’ve had two dreams my whole life, and one of them was to become Sheriff. My other dream, well, I’m kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve always wanted to be a professional dancer, a square dancer that is. My friends have always called me a square, and I like to dance. So being a square dancer seems like the perfect fit, right? The mayor said my wildest dreams will come true if he’s elected. So we need your help. Cast your vote and share your support on social media using hashtag #VoteFourMore. Vote before the August 18th election. I’ll talk to you next week! Bye!

Based on the above information, I have come up with the following theories, based on the bolded information above. (Disclosure: I’m probably reading too far into things and am nowhere near close — we’ll see where future weeks lead me!)

  • Based on the #VoteFourMore hashtag, I believe that four new attractions are coming to Carowinds in 2016, not five as mentioned in the L.A. Times Article.
  • The concept of refurbished flat rides being classified as “tweeners,” rides that appeal to both younger and older guests,  was brought up in several of the mentioned media articles, and is echoed by the “something BIG to spark the imagination of both young and old” comments from Mayor Higginbotham’s office.
  • “Lot of Work” means there’s obviously construction to be done.
  • I think Carowinds has tipped their hat to three of the proposed flat rides, or at the very least has put out three very solid “red herrings.” (Again, probably reading way too much into things.)
    • I think Patti Cake’s mention of a movement, excitement, and multiple mentions of “Rock and Roll” signifies the Music Express.
    • To me, Deputy Danger’s multiple mentions of “dance” is a sign that a Huss Breakdance is coming.
    • Mayor Higginbotham has three other people working on his campaign. “A group of three people working together, especially in an administrative or managerial capacity” is a definition of a Troika.
  • I’m going to make the bold prediction that the fourth ride will be an attraction that wasn’t named in MacDonald’s original article, and I’m basing this prediction off the soundtrack of the original teaser video. “The Day the Earth Stood Still” is a 1951 sci-fi film that begins with a U.F.O. landing in Washington D.C. Though there are not many still in operation, I’m going out on a limb and guessing that Carowinds will be adding a Huss UFO as well.

 

Personally, I’m looking forward to figuring out what Carowinds has up their sleeves for 2017. It’s been a crazy few years at the park with Fury 325, Plants vs. Zombies 3Z Arena, and Carolina Harbor, and I hope that the park continues its strong momentum.

You can follow along with the Carowinds 2017 tease by visiting the park’s website, and following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Don’t forget the hashtag #VoteFourMore

What do you think Carowinds is adding in 2017? Let us know in the comments below?

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