Carowinds extends summer season, stops requiring reservations

Carowinds will no longer require reservations, and the summer season just got longer.

On Wednesday, the amusement park announced: “We’re excited to share that advanced reservations are no longer required to visit Carowinds and Carolina Harbor Waterpark!”

Carowinds, which straddles North and South Carolina, also is adding days to the summer calendar, park spokeswoman Lisa Stryker said Wednesday.

”It feels good to be getting back to normal,” Stryker said on the park blog. “Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Carowinds also will be open 10 more days this year from noon to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, Aug. 23 through Sept. 3, according to the company website. That includes select rides and entertainment in the park and waterpark.

Last week, the park’s Grand Carnivale started daily and will run through Aug. 1. The new international event includes entertainment, games, food tastings and a parade.

One of the new attractions this year in the water park is the Boogie Board Racer water slide, a six-lane mat racing slide, touted as the longest mat racing slide in the Southeast.

The pandemic impact on Carowinds

Carowinds missed its summer season last year because of pandemic restrictions.

The 400-acre park owned by Cedar Fair in Ohio opened under a reservation system in May to control of how many people were in the park, along with other safety protocols, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Carolina Harbor, the 26-acre water park at Carowinds, delayed its opening until June because of a worker shortage hiring lifeguards, the Observer previously reported.

The park also raised seasonal hourly wages from $10 to $13 per hour and offered sign on bonuses.

This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 10:57 AM.