[coasterbruh]

i'm not sure what time it starts this year but I think it started around 2 or so last year.

[yawetag]

On Saturdays, they open at 2pm.

[super7]

Are there performers in the parade or just floats? Carnivale has both and the performers are choreographed the entire time the parade is moving. Each country had its own choreography.

[tarheel1231]

Are there performers in the parade or just floats? Carnivale has both and the performers are choreographed the entire time the parade is moving. Each country had its own choreography.

Both. There are performers standing in the floats, and performers dancing in front/around them. I think they allow some guests to sign up to be in the parade floats but idk.

[Capler]

The park was stupidly packed on Saturday night, which seems amazing to me for a Christmas event that is being held after Christmas. Could not get into the Snoopy Spectacular because the theater filled. This bodes well for the park because it shows there is a demand in the Charlotte region. Hopefully CF will continue to make investments here. I was with a friend from Florida, who had not been to the park in years and he commented that Carowinds now feels a bit like Disney, which I consider to be a great complement.

It was also good seeing the internet famous OhioValley coaster guys there as well. The park put them on a float which was a very good move. They have lots of followers which amounts to good publicity for the park .

[coasterbruh]

To those of you who went to winterfest on new year's eve last year, how busy was it compared to a regular night of winterfest?

[TheBoss01]

To those of you who went to winterfest on new year's eve last year, how busy was it compared to a regular night of winterfest?

I have to say that I believe it was much emptier during 2018 Winterfest than 2019 Winterfest. Last night it was insanely packed at the park. Copperhead had a 2 hour line. Arm to arm room at Harmony Hall, so security enforced a "one way in" and "one way out" there. While I was just calmly eating my Panda Express on the patio it was just entertaining to watch someone from security chase after people who went through the "exit" door

Edit: Referring to New Year's Eve event

[coasterbruh]

Thanks! Kinda don't feel bad for missing it.

[Lilant0219]

To those of you who went to winterfest on new year's eve last year, how busy was it compared to a regular night of winterfest?

I have to say that I believe it was much emptier during 2018 Winterfest than 2019 Winterfest. Last night it was insanely packed at the park. Copperhead had a 2 hour line. Arm to arm room at Harmony Hall, so security enforced a "one way in" and "one way out" there. While I was just calmly eating my Panda Express on the patio it was just entertaining to watch someone from security chase after people who went through the "exit" door

Edit: Referring to New Year's Eve event

I didn't go to the New Year's Eve event last year. However, I did go to Winterfest before Christmas and I went on NYE this year. It was MUCH more crowded for the Eve Event! I had a great time. Just as I have the last two years at Winterfest. There were three things that did put a damper on the night though. One thing was the noise makers they handed out when it got close to midnight. Hundreds of people constantly making noise with those things can drive you crazy. That is just a minor complaint though. I understand that people do that on NYE. 2nd thing was the traffic! I have never been in traffic that bad at Carowinds! We left before the park closed and the traffic was still the worst I have ever seen it. I don't know if there is anything else Carowinds can do about that though.
This is the biggest thing and the only one I really hope they can do something about! First let me say this. I did really like how they had the skytower count down to midnight. Then the fireworks going off after that. After that though is where my complaint comes in at. They had people singing etc. on the stage in front of skytower. I get why they have the stage there. However, trying to get to the exit when there is zero walking room was infuriating! Normally that area can be crowded with the amount of people leaving. That wasn't the case though. It was almost impossible to get to the exit with a stroller when you have no room because people are just shoulder to shoulder dancing everywhere. I don't know if they were drunk or what but they were not paying any attention to us. The only reason we did get to the exit was because my wife finally had to yell at people to get out of the way. So I hope at least for the NYE event next year Carowinds can make some kind of path right there or something. So people not interested in dancing after midnight can get to the exit without having to yell at people. Other than that we had a good time on both of our visits this year. Also I think the parade is a great addition to Winterfest.

[Capler]

Those are the headaches that come with increased attendance. The crowds and parking bother me too, (mainly lack of parking lot shuttle), but I'm also happy to see this because it assures me that Fair will continue to invest in the park. Speaking of parking lot shuttle, it took forever to walk from my car to the front gate. This really should be addressed on crowded days. Thank goodness they did open the Southgate to exit the park. I hate saying it, but over crowded events are not stroller/wheel chair friendly. It's no fun when trying to get around, and I'm not sure what can be done about it. This is why a stroller can't go to the state fair with me. It's just too much trouble.

[uscbandfan]

The day after Christmas was insanely packed as well. One thing I did notice was that they had a path roped off beside Starbucks and another through the store on the other side to accommodate people leaving that weren't interested in staying for the parade. It was staffed well too insuring that people weren't standing in the way.
Maybe they can (or did) something like that on New Year's Eve to accommodate people wanting to leave.

[Lilant0219]

The day after Christmas was insanely packed as well. One thing I did notice was that they had a path roped off beside Starbucks and another through the store on the other side to accommodate people leaving that weren't interested in staying for the parade. It was staffed well too insuring that people weren't standing in the way.
Maybe they can (or did) something like that on New Year's Eve to accommodate people wanting to leave.

I know what you are talking about with the path they had for the parade and people could walk around. I don't know if they had the path there or not on NYE, because the people were from the stage to the buildings with no gaps. It was right after the fireworks and they were singing and playing music on stage and the people were bunched in there. If they had paths the people did not keep the path open. I didn't see any staff around directing traffic. Maybe they did eventually come. I don't know if they could move that dance party so it doesn't block the exit or if they should just direct the traffic better right there. I still think it was a great event and I think the crowd control was better the other night of winterfest I went to. Everybody was right there because of the countdown and the fireworks and then they immediately started the music for people to start dancing. So basically the whole park was right in that little area. Maybe they should take one of the buildings out to give it more room right there. Just a thought.

[Christopher Mallis]

The midway that takes you left when you’re coming in from the north Gate is much smaller than the right side. The gift shop and auntie Anne’s are squeezed pretty close together. I think they need to push the gift shop back and auntie Anne’s can get a new set up with an organized queue line and everything off to the side that doesn’t interfere with midway traffic. With the South Carolina side of the park being the more popular way guests tend to use when they first come into the park, I think this is needed.

[uscbandfan]

Agreed. Since the style and positioning of the buildings is so different from the newer stuff, I would assume they would demolish and reconstruct in a similar style of the Starbucks building.

Right now, you have to walk through the store to get around if there is an event in the plaza. Then, that too creates a bottle-neck with patrons trying to walk while others are trying to shop.

I look back at my suggestion to create a path between the bridge and Starbucks to the RRR area and that could easily serve as a walk around if the Plaza is full. Simply add a path to connect the plaza to the new path on the other side of Starbucks. They can do the same between Intimidator (or whatever it might be called) and the new buildings and have the path come out between the bridge and the new building. If they're worried about losing business from the store-fronts, simply create a second, smaller store-front with a door to face the new path. They could keep it roped off and use it for deliveries and such and only open it to patrons on days/nights where there is a plaza event.