Carowinds is Open for 2024! Here’s What to Expect This Season:

Can you feel the thrill in the air?

It can only mean one thing – Carowinds is open for 2024!

Carowinds officially opened its gates to the public for the season on March 9 (with a special passholder event on March 8, where yours truly had the chance to get an insider’s scoop on all of the park happenings in 2024), giving travelers yet another great reason to visit Charlotte this year.

As a member of the media, my experiences at Carowinds were generously hosted, but this post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.

In today’s post, I’m sharing all the new things parkgoers can expect from this one-of-a-kind theme park on the North Carolina/South Carolina border, including new pass options, special events, and (my favorite!) food and drink items.

Best of all, there’s no queue for today’s post – so what are you waiting for? Let’s ride:

A sign advertising Carowinds Silver Pass — There are several new season pass offerings for 2024

CAROWINDS PASS OPTIONS FOR 2024

For locals and visitors who plan on visiting Carowinds multiple times in 2024, a season pass can potentially offer significant savings over purchasing daily tickets. This year, the park is offering several tiers of season passes:

2024 Silver Pass

Current Price: $95 + taxes and fees

The base pass this year is Carowinds’ Silver Pass, which includes unlimited visits through Labor Day, free parking, 10% food and merchandise discounts, and more. This pass would be a great option for anyone visiting Charlotte in the summertime.

2024 Gold Pass

Current Price: $120 + taxes and fees

For an extra $25, this year’s Gold Pass grants parkgoers unlimited visits for the full 2024 season, free parking, park discounts, early entry to the park on select dates, and more. Looking for the most bang for your buck? This pass offers the best value for the price.

2024 Prestige Pass

Current Price: $299 + taxes and fees

This new pass goes far beyond the offerings of the other two passes with perks such as preferred parking, VIP area access, free Bring-A-Friend tickets, preferred entry, and more. The perks are certainly as generous as the price – this option would be a huge benefit to the person short on time but not short on budget.

2024 Pass Add-Ons

There are so many pass add-ons available for purchase to enhance your visits to the park this year, from drink plans to game plans to dining plans to the free Pre-K Pass. The ever-popular Fast Lane Pass is back as well, though I’m not sure I can stomach putting the price into print (you can find me waiting in line 😅). But a new $95 add-on will certainly pique coaster enthusiasts’ interest: The All Park Passport, which grants entry to any Cedar Fair park with the purchase of a Gold or Prestige Pass. Road trip, anyone?

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Find current information on Carowinds pass options and pricing on the Carowinds website.

Four images: Alyssa with Snoopy, the entrance to Carolina Harbor, SCarowinds sign, and a large tree at WinterFest — 2024 sees the return of some of Carowinds’ most beloved events

2024 CAROWINDS EVENTS

As much as I love all of the rides and attractions, Carowinds’ events are where the park really shines. This year sees the return of some old favorites – and some exciting new updates:

Spring Break

March 29 - April 7

When school is closed, Carowinds is open! Except… this year the park is going to the dogs, thanks to The Marvelous Mutts. This entertainment show features rescued pups putting on their best performance with Frisbee tricks, agility trials, and more.

And Snoopy has a trick up his sleeve too – the Easter Beagle returns to meet with guests in Camp Snoopy over Easter weekend. Sounds like the perfect chance to take family photos with a legend!

Carolina Harbor Waterpark Opening Day

May 25

Carowinds’ water park returns just in time for Memorial Day weekend, opening the gates to iconic attractions like Boogie Board Racer (the longest mat-racing slide in the Southeast!) and both wave pools. Don’t forget your sunscreen!

Carowinds Summer Music Fest

Select Fridays and Saturdays, July 5 - August 10

New for 2024, Carowinds and Coke Studio™ are joining up to launch the Carowinds Summer Music Fest! This summer you’ll have the chance to attend live shows from popular artists like LeAnn Rimes, Skillet, and Flo Rida – and the best part? The concerts are free with park admission, whether you have a season pass or just a daily ticket. Expect more artists announced as summer approaches.

SCarowinds

Select Nights, September 13 - October 27

Oh no, it’s back. The most frightening event in the Carolinas returns in mid-September with all the scare zones and mazes you’ve come to expect. But there’s a fun new twist this year: there’s no need to purchase separate SCarowinds admission because your regular park ticket is valid for the whole shebang. You can find me holed up at the bar (I’m here for the booze, not the boos); as always, this event is not recommended for the faint of heart or the very young. Trust me.

Tricks and Treats

Saturdays and Sundays, September 14 - October 27

If you’re more into the treats than the tricks on Halloween (hey, me too), this event is for you. This family-friendly event celebrates the sweet side of the holiday, with a little dose of playfulness, too. Don’t miss the parade!

WinterFest

Select Nights, November 15 - December 31

The Carolinas’ most festive event arrives just as the temperatures start to dip in November. Gather up your loved ones, and prepare to feel the holiday spirit through stunning light displays, hitting the ice skating rink, sipping on warm cocoa, and listening to the sounds of the park’s talented singers. Just like SCarowinds, a separate ticket is no longer required for this magical event. Happy Holidays, indeed!

New Year’s Eve

December 31

Ring in the new year while standing in two states at once! What better way to symbolize the transition from the past to the future than with fireworks and your loved ones? The park will remain open for extended hours for this event (if you can stay up that late!).

The entrance to Thunder Striker — A new name for an old favorite: Thunder Striker

CAROWINDS RIDE UPDATES FOR 2024

Though it may not be quite as exciting as the reveal of an entirely new park section (à la last year), there have been a few switch-ups and improvements made to the park’s popular rides for 2024:

Thunder Striker

A new name for a fan-favorite coaster. After the licensing rights for The Intimidator name expired, this coaster is ready to continue making racing history as Thunder Striker.

Hurler

Hurler is entering its 30th year at Carowinds with an all-new wooden base! The team at Carowinds has been making updates to the coaster’s back curve (time will tell if it will help with the brain-rattling!).

Vortex

A fresh coat of paint makes all the difference, as Vortex can attest. This coaster is returning to its original color scheme with a fiery red track and deep black supports.

A chicken sandwich from Blue Ridge Country Kitchen — This chicken sandwich is just one of many new menu items in the park this season

OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE VISITING CAROWINDS IN 2024

New Dining Options at Carowinds

Carowinds’ culinary team, helmed by the park’s executive chef, John Loukas, has cooked up a slew of brand-new menu items this season. Experienced parkgoers might feel like they’re on a scavenger hunt to find them all scattered throughout the park, from a Nashville hot chicken sandwich at Blue Ridge Country Kitchen to burnt ends at Harmony Hall to shrimp burritos at Burrito Café.

Carowinds’ Chaperone Policy

In Spring 2023, Carowinds instituted a chaperone policy that requires guests ages 15 years or younger to be accompanied by a chaperone who is 21+ in order to be admitted to or remain in the park after 4 p.m. Guests ages 16 and older may be required to present a valid ID to verify their age. Read more about the policy in the Carowinds Code of Conduct.

Updates to Carolina Harbor

Carolina Harbor Waterpark is getting a little cooler this season! The Carowinds team will be testing all-new surface coatings on the waterpark sidewalks to help guests’ feet stay a little cooler on blazing Carolina summer days.

Carowinds’ Live Entertainment

Need to take a break from back-to-back coasters? The park’s live entertainment productions are always high quality, and this season sees the return of Brad Ross: International Star Illusionist and the Marvelous Mutts, plus a wonderful lineup of live music. Locations and times vary throughout the season – head here for the latest info.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON VISITING CAROWINDS IN 2024

With all of the planned updates for 2024, it’s clear the team at Carowinds is focused on making improvements that positively impact the core visitor experience throughout the year. Not to mention, the inclusion of former separately ticketed events like SCarowinds and WinterFest in the standard day pass is a sign that the park is listening to guest feedback and taking it seriously.

As a local, I feel so fortunate to live so close to Carowinds that I can treat a visit to the park like a date night or easy afternoon outing – but even if you are only in Charlotte for a short stay, it’s worth the time to spend a day at Carowinds. After all, how often do you get the chance to cross state lines via a rollercoaster?