When we learned that Carowinds would shift to a 12-month operating calendar beginning in 2023, we were immediately eager to visit the park during the January “off-season.” (Though we all know there’s really no “true” off-season at a regional amusement park when it comes to maintenance and other goings-on.) As seasoned Carowinds veterans, it’s always intriguing to see how the park creates and manages a “new” event experience, especially one that’s largely uncharted territory. Enter Carowinds Winter Weekends, which I believe the park is referring to interally as “Winter Blast.”
With Carowinds open each weekend (Saturday and Sunday) through March 5 from 11:00am-5:00pm, we were curious to see how the park would operate in January and February for the first time ever, and took an early 2023 visit to the “place where the Carolinas come together” to experience it for ourselves.
First, a piece of advice. If you’re going into these (former) off-season weekends with grandiose plans of crossing off every ride and coaster credit that Carowinds has to offer, don’t. This is not the case. The park still has to perform required 0ff-season maintenance on its rides and attractions, so multiple experiences will not be available during your visit. Fortunately, Carowinds has created a weekly “Fun Guide” that allows visitors to plan for ride and restaurant closures and so they will know what is open and closed. This Fun Guide is available online, as well as by scanning a QR code inside the park gates.
That said, during our visit during the first weekend in January, we were pleasantly surprised by the number of attractions that were available. Four of Carowinds “Big 5” roller coasters — Fury 325, Copperhead Strike, Afterburn and Nighthawk were all open for guests to enjoy. (Intimidator will remain closed until the “official” spring season begins.) A majority of Camp Snoopy, including Wilderness Run was open for younger guests to enjoy, along with Carolina Skytower and the four flat rides inside “County Fair” – Do-Si-Do, Rock N Roller, Electro Spin, and Zephyr. Though not listed on the Fun Guide, Mountain Gliders and Boo Blasters on Boo Hill were also open, while Flying Cobras was supposed to be open however was closed. Attractions and experiences are subject to weather, availability, and can change at any time.
As you might expect for January, a time of year when Carowinds traditionally isn’t open and therefore not on the forefront of people’s minds, along with a slightly chilly and overcast day, crowds during our visit were relatively non-existent. There are both good and not-so-good things to consider when thinking of crowds at an event like this.
First, it means that lines might be (and were) shorter in length than they would be during the busier and warmer summer months. I can attest to this — of the rides I rode, I started my wait at the bottom of the stairs leading into Copperhead Strike’s station, and walked right on, literally, to Boo Blasters, and effectively walked on to Fury 325 (though I got walked off shortly after — but progress is being made to fit in it once again!) If you’ve always wanted to ride Nighthawk or Ricochet, but the line is a deterrent, these winter weekends might be the opportune time for you to ride – as I saw multiple trains with empty seats departing the station and ascending the lift hills.
One thing to remember though, especially with Carowinds’ roller coasters. You might be subject to the dreaded “one train operations” that coaster enthusiasts have come to loathe. This isn’t an uncommon phenomenon, especially in a traditionally “off-season” time of year. Trains have to go for annual maintenance, and it’s not as easy as “taking it off” during the week and then putting the trains back on for the weekend. This might cause those seemingly short waits to become a little longer than anticipated. That bottom of the stairs wait for Copperhead Strike turned out to be about 15 minutes. I’ve waited longer during the season with three trains cycling. It’s really a minor inconvenience, and just a reminder to temper expectations, rather than to expect “no lines = walk-ons and marathoning Copperhead Strike for hours.”
Outside of the rides and attractions, Carowinds also is featuring a number of special activities that are only available during the winter months, including up-charge attractions like ice skating on Snow Flake Lake along with private igloos and cabanas, coupled with the “Craft Depot” that features craft activities for younger guests, located in Crossroads in the area that is typically known as “Beer & Pretzels.” Inside Harmony Hall, live music takes place each weekend as part of Carowinds’ Bands in Residence program from 12:00pm-4:00pm. The Peanuts gang also makes appearances for photos from time to time!
While I didn’t have any goals for my visit other than to walk around and enjoy a brisk Carolinas January day, it wouldn’t be the off-season without a little bit of off-season construction for Carowinds’ new-for-2023 themed area, Aeronautica Landing. While giant blue construction walls can be found near the exit of Boo Blasters on Boo Hill and the former Chick-Fil-A as well as just past the Copperhead Strike lockers, a “bird’s eye view” of sorts can be found hidden in “plane” sight near the exit for Afterburn.
As of our visit, two of Carowinds’ five new attractions for Aeronautica Landing have been installed, and the former Fry Shack has been given a facelift and a new name, now known as Frequent Fryers. It’s going to be exciting to watch this land continue to grow throughout January, February and March!
In total, I walked just over five miles during the quick visit to Carowinds, rode two rides, took a bunch of photos, and overall, just enjoyed visiting Carowinds at a new-to-me time of year. As someone who has been to the park enough to not need to ride every coaster during each visit to Carowinds, the winter visit was a welcome change of pace, and something that I hope continues!
Carowinds Winter Weekends mean the park is scheduled to be open Saturdays and Sundays through March 5. Operating dates and times are subject to change without notice. We recommend checking Carowinds’ website and following the park on social media for the latest information!
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