[Top Gun68]

So we have a lot of rides at Carowinds, but I feel like there are some rides that get a lot of hate. My goal with this thread is to give some tips for riding some of Carowinds most hated rides. Hopefully you will try to ride these rides again using these tips and maybe you will actually like them this time.

Vortex
This one is probably the most hated ride in the park. I worked this ride for a season and I remember hearing a lot of complaints. Most people complain that the ride is painful on the crotch region. I used to hate this ride too until a tried this trick and now I don't mind it.

When the gates open and you are boarding the train the seats move up and down to adjust to your height. After a period of time the ride operator will lock the seats on the train. The seats can be adjusted after they are locked but it is best to try and get situated before they lock. The best way to avoid pain is when the seats are unlocked bend your knees just slightly. When you hear the train lock stand up straight and you will have plenty of room!

Nighthawk
I really enjoy Nighthawk. There are not many flying coasters around anymore. I also like how it interacts with the path. A lot of people complain this ride is rough, but I don't think its that bad. The best advice I can give for this ride is to lift your head forward during the corkscrews. This will keep your head from sliding around during the corkscrews.

Southern Star
This is one of my favorite rides in the park, but a lot of people complain about this one. Most people say the restraints are not comfortable. Most of these people complain that the pressure that is put on your stomach when they lower the lap bars is uncomfortable. The best way to avoid this discomfort is to push out your stomach when the bars are lowering. Once the restraints lock rest your stomach, and you should now have plenty of room.


Anyone else have tips for riding some of the hated rides at Carowinds?

[RollerBee]

I love Southern Star, the trick is to put your hands in your lap before they lower the lapbars. Just a little pressure against it and it won't crush you, plus this gives you some wiggle room. It is fun just hanging by the should harness.

[chknwing]

a hydrocodone before getting on the Hurler and its smooth as butter.

[theintimidator]

Southern Star is awesome! I love it. When the lap bars lock, they are a little tight, but they let up on the pressure after a couple of seconds.

[gabed]

Gonna hop on the Southern Star train by saying I too love it! One of my favorite flats in the park. Not that there are really that many to choose from (right now )

[tarheel1231]

Cyclone is my 4th favorite coaster at the park, but many people aren't to fond of the ride. All you really need to do is hold your head outside of the restraints. It's a little easier to do in the turn and corkscrews. Also, the back is my go-to row for the first drop.

I've heard from users on this site that Cyclone can't have vest restraints because of the clearance envelope, and it can't use Vekoma trains because of lateral turns or something along those lines. Would it be possible to replace the current padding on the restraints with softer padding like Intamin did to I305, Maverick, Stormrunner and Fahrenheit?

[RollerBee]

Clearance Envelopes can be changed, Cyclone was cloned in Europe by Vekoma originally using Arrow trains. The trains were replaced by Vekoma.
Meet Magic Mountain at Garaland
http://rcdb.com/962.htm
I heard that Cobra trains were tested on Cyclone. Carowinds has two trains, Cyclone used to run one train a lot, little need to buy another in my opinion. However I believe that Cyclone's days are again numbered.

[Rhyano]

Nighthawk was terrible when i went to the park last year, same thing with Cyclone, the park has a lot of sleeper hits for me, great park still, also Vortex wasn't that bad as everyone says

[mark40511]

I love Southern Star too - never had a problem with it.

As for my least favorite big coasters it would have to be Vortex and Hurler. My dislike for Vortex has never been a pain issue. I don't know what I always did when I got on it, but I think I did bend my knees so I had room. I never had an issue. The ONLY good thing to me about Vortex is the lift/drop/loop, then it's like YAWN city for me. Back when Vortex first came out, I remember thinking it was fun and cool and scary (LOL)

Hurler - I don't dislike Hurler as much as Vortex. I will always ride Hurler if I'm at Carowinds. But, to me, this has always been mediocre at best. Kentucky Kingdom and Kings Island are both close to me. Kentucky Kingdom has Thunder Run, which was built in 1990 (Older than Hurler, but very much the same) and it's SO MUCH BETTER than hurler. I can't understand why Kentucky Kingdom can make their "hurler" work, but Carowinds or Kings Dominion can't make theirs nearly as fun.

I don't have much a problem with Nighthawk, other than loading times. I don't find it overly rough or too painful. It's location is great and the coaster is so pretty I love the color scheme.

I don't have a problem with carolina cyclone either. I always ride it. I honestly can't remember but my first "big" coaster was either Carolina Cyclone or Mindbender at SFoG. I remember standing watching the carolina cyclone on its first drop wondering if I could survive that drop.. I'm thinking carolina Cyclone or white lighnin' was my first big coaster...so I will always love it.

After storm chaser, being a relatively short coaster, I'm convinced Hurler would be an awesome coaster if it was RMC'd.

[Hydratorofury4life]

Cyclone is good in the back but if your don't know which side to sit, sit on the right. I grayed out when I was sitting on the right, also get ready for the cringinst thing you will hear, I hated afterburn. I thought it was hype and absolutely forceless. It was just as bad as a vekoma slc.

[CCookieMonster]

Cyclone is good in the back but if your don't know which side to sit, sit on the right. I grayed out when I was sitting on the right, also get ready for the cringinst thing you will hear, I hated afterburn. I thought it was hype and absolutely forceless. It was just as bad as a vekoma slc.

GASP!!! But, thanks for teling us that was going to be a bad thing to hear. I know everyone has their own opinion, but that was a little shocking to hear. Anyway, I find Nighthawk and Carolina Cyclone enjoyable.

I think Hurler is a pretty good ride, but it just needs to be a little smoother and they could add some lights on the first drop to make it more... cool I guess you could say. Hurler looks a little plain and dead for a wooden coaster.

Nighthawk is a fun ride to me. I did feel a little bit of shakiness and roughness but it never gave me a headache. Believe it or not, the loop on Nighthawk scares me every time.(LOL)

Carolina Cyclone was my first ever rollercoaster that I rode that had an inversion.(Although, TR was my first "big boy" coaster...sigh) Back to what I was saying, Cyclone is pretty enjoyable but the trains need more space and if it was just smoother it would be better.

Vortex. This is honestly the only coaster in the park I have a little problem with. It's just too rough during the corkscrew before and after I'm pretty good but the corkscrew just makes it a kind of bad ride. That's my take. Next person.

[pproteinc]

Southern Star: Absolutely love this flat. My only issue is I wish the cycle was longer like during its Frenzoid days doing loops in both directions. I don't have a problem with the lap bar it's the OTSR that kills my chest bone maybe cuz I'm a stick figure so I've learned to place my thumbs in between the restraint and my chest to alleviate that.

Hurler: I just ride the front seat on dry days and after a good rain fall all other seats are great at that point as Hurler seems much smoother after it rains.

Afterburn: I just lean forward into the inversions.

Nighthawk: The only real problem is loading and unloading. To me its rough but not crazy rough like everybody says. Maybe you're just getting old lol. All I do keep my hands behind my head thru the loop as and I found that the corkscrews are easier for me when my hands are stretched out in front of me like superman lol.

Vortex: I do bend my knees before the seat is locked giving plenty of crotch room. Learned that years again after doing my first ride on it. It's just the layout as so blah it doesn't warrant me to ride but maybe once a season.

[Wolf]

I dislocated my jaw on the Nighthawk. It's been a few years, and it still occasionally locks up. I refuse to go on that ride again, because I can't even sleep on my left side anymore.