Review: Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast at Carowinds – Splashing Good Fun!

Following a successful debut of the new family roller coaster, Snoopy’s Racing Railway, the second of Carowinds‘ two “new-for-2025″ major family attractions, Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast, recently opened inside the expanded “Camp Snoopy” section of the park. Believe it or not, it’s the first water ride on the “dry” side of Carowinds since the closure of Rip Roarin’ Rapids following the 2019 operating season.

An “Interactive Boat Ride” (no, it’s not technically called a Splash Battle) from German designers MACK Rides, Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast “invites guests to embark on a splish-splashing journey through Snoopy’s swimming hole. Equipped with on-board and onshore water cannons, riders and spectators engage in a friendly water skirmish, spraying each other as they navigate down the 415-ft. river channel. With gentle twists, whimsical theming and plenty of splash zones, Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast is promised to be a hit, not only with riders, but also those on land.”

“This season’s Camp Snoopy expansion is another step forward in our mission to make Camp Snoopy a world-renowned children’s area,” said Brian Oerding, Carowinds’ park manager and vice president. “Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast adds another layer of fun and adventure, helping us elevate our family entertainment and ensure all guests have something to be excited about.”

Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast Review

Determined to find out if this quote and marketing copy from a press release was actually accurate, I, a childless 35-year-old (along with my younger brother and a friend of his, also childless and in their thirties), made a point to experience Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast on our most recent trip to the park. Admittedly, I am a water ride skeptic. If I’m visiting a park like Carowinds, or any other regional amusement park, I’ll definitely ride the coasters and dark rides, maybe a flat ride or two, but I tend to draw the line at water rides, mainly because I don’t enjoy walking around a park (or driving home, for that matter) while soaking wet. So, reader of this review, know that I put my biases against water rides aside for you. (Plus, the temperature outside was hovering around 95-degrees “feels like” temperature. What did I have to lose? If nothing else, this would be a refreshing experience and I’d dry off quickly in the heat.)

If you haven’t been to Carowinds in a while, you’re likely going to be unfamiliar with being greeted in the back corner of Camp Snoopy with the station of Snoopy’s Racing Railway rather than the Camp Snoopy theater and Snoopy’s Junction miniature train. It’s okay, change is unexpected, but it happens. Just beyond the new coaster, you’ll see the clear bright blue waters of the 2.5′ deep pool that houses Snoopy’s Swimming Hole and Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast. What you will also see is a number of dynamic water features – think fountains, geysers, and waterfalls, scattered amongst the river rafts and Peanuts gang on the 415′ of track, along with streams of water coming from inside the attraction aimed towards passerby.

Yes, on Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast, even if you’re not riding and you’re simply in the vicinity of the attraction. You Might Probably Will Get Wet. As we walked toward the ride, the water came flying toward us from all directions as riders rotated the trigger mechanisms on their individual water blasters and the sprays of water made their way onto the midway. However, those on land were also able to get their revenge as there are a few water cannons mounted on the perimeter fence around the “swimming hole.” Unlike other water attractions where you could dump a roll of quarters into a machine and spend the afternoon terrorizing guests, the water blasters at Charlie Brown’s River Raft blast are free to use!

Getting in line for Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast, you have to walk by the last few feet of the attraction’s path, near the entrance to Wilderness Run. This includes the rafts that are stacked, getting ready to unload passengers and reload guests. It becomes an exercise in staying dry even before boarding, but prepares you for the fun ahead. (If you’re in the Fast Lane line, you’re a sitting duck for the water cannons of those riders coming into the station. You have been warned!)

Riders climb aboard the 8-passenger rafts, arranged in two rows of four, and settle in with their water blaster. Believe it or not, where you sit on Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast makes a difference. If you are on the “outer” side (the side facing the loading platform when loading) you will be able to interact with (read: target and be the target of) park guests manning the water blasters on land. If you’re on the “inner” side – you won’t face as much water blasting from the land, but you will face more water from your fellow riders in other boats.

I’m not sure if it’s because we were three grown men getting ready to ride an attraction with families and children in mind, but when a family of a few adults and mostly children was getting off the ride as we were loading, they made a beeline to the land-side water blasters, because we were clearly meant to be sitting ducks. My brother and his friend, seated on the “outer” row, were doused by those on land.

The ride experience (and level of “soaked”) will truly vary depending on weather and crowd levels – and how many people are in that area of the park manning the blasters at any time, but in general, you will very leisurely float through the ride path’s zig-zag path, interacting with water features and other boats while firing your water blaster towards land and sea. The pace is probably best described as “meandering,” if we’re being honest, and the ride experience lasts for a few minutes.

As for my personal ride, I can truly say that I haven’t laughed as much on a ride or attraction of any kind in a long time. Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast is FUN, plain and simple. If you’re with your friends and family, it’s hilarious to watch people react to getting sprayed and varying degrees of soaked. Everyone on and around the attraction has the same mission – spray, but don’t get sprayed. We witnessed guests ducking below the fence line or hiding behind gates in the queue in order to not get wet. (It was us. We were those guests.)

What struck me the most was that even if they got off wet, everyone who got off the ride had a huge smile on their face, often laughing at how wet the others in their party got. At its core, Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast is an attraction that can be enjoyed by all ages (and nearly all heights, save for handheld infants, which aren’t allowed – guests must be 48″ tall to ride alone, but any height beyond handheld infant can ride with a supervising companion!) In a time where parks are in an “arms race” of sorts to build the biggest and most cutting edge attractions, it’s clear that sometimes, good, old fashioned fun, with a side of interactivity and a splash of water, can just as effective.

Personally, I think Carowinds has a great family attraction on its hands, and one that even this staunch water ride hater really and truly enjoyed. If weather’s permitting (read: not chilly), I’ll absolutely ride Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast on every trip to Carowinds moving forward. If you know me and my relative distaste for water rides, this should be all of the encouragement you need to ride.

Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast is now open daily at Carowinds. For more information about this and all of Carowinds’ attractions, be sure to visit the park’s website and follow Carowinds on all forms of social media: Facebook | Twitter/X | Instagram.