Carowinds unveils chaperone policy after ‘unruly behavior’ last weekend. What we know.
Carowinds has implemented a new chaperone policy for its annual SCarowinds events after “unruly behavior” created fears of a shooting inside the amusement park over the weekend, officials said.
Under the new policy, guests 17 years old or younger will not be allowed in the park without a chaperone during SCarowinds events, park officials said. Chaperones must be at least 21 years old and provide a valid photo ID with their date of birth at ticket entry.
On Saturday, the park, on the North Carolina-South Carolina state border, closed at 11 p.m. due to “unruly behavior by several groups of minors,” park officials said.
The behavior “led to unconfirmed rumors of a threat to guests,” officials said.
The park’s Halloween attraction, SCarowinds, which opened Friday, was scheduled to end at midnight, according to the park’s website.
Despite the rumors, no shots were fired and no guns were found at the park, Carowinds officials said.
How the policy works
The park now is enforcing the policy to ensure Carowinds remains “a place where generations of families and friends can gather for a day of safe fun,” the park said in a statement Monday night.
“Unruly behavior and altercations, such as those that took place on Saturday ... have no place at our park,” the statement said. “We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior.”
One chaperone can accompany no more than four minors per day. Chaperones must remain inside the park with their party. Guests 17 years old or younger found inside the park without a chaperone will be subject to removal, officials said.
The policy will be in effect every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night during SCarowinds events, which start at 7 p.m., according to the park’s website.
Cedar Fair, based in Sandusky, Ohio, operates 13 amusement parks, including Carowinds, in the U.S. and Canada. The 400-acre Carowinds straddles North and South Carolina in Charlotte and Fort Mill.
This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Carowinds unveils chaperone policy after ‘unruly behavior’ last weekend. What we know.."
