Frequently Asked Questions
Have some questions about all the fun you can have at Carowinds? Well, you've come to the right place. Here's a list of some of the most common questions we hear from our guests. Take a look and see if you find what you're looking for.
No. Cameras, GoPros, cell phones, or other any recording devices (photography or video) are prohibited on all rides and attractions to ensure the safety of our guests and associates. Violation of this policy is subject to park dismissal.
For the comfort of all guests, smoking of any kind, including vapor and e-cigarettes, is only permitted in the designated smoking area outside of the North Gate. Please refer to the Carowinds mobile app for the specific location. Smoking is not permitted inside Carowinds. Thank you for your cooperation.
The safety of our guests and associates is our number one priority, and we have implemented several enhanced security procedures at the front gate. As part of the process:
- Guests arriving at the park will go through metal detection every public operating day.
- All bags, purses, backpacks, waist packs, etc. are subject to inspection prior to entering.
- Sharp objects (including pocket knives and metal chains), firearms, or other items that could be considered a weapon are strictly prohibited and should be left at home or secured in your vehicle.
- Please see our separate FAQ on outside food and beverages.
We use a variety of methods to secure the park, including uniformed and plain clothes officers and video surveillance monitoring.
Carowinds does not tolerate guests who fight and/or harass other guests while on our property. People who engage this behavior are subject to being ejected and potentially banned from the park and may be subject to arrest by local police.
Stroller and wheelchair rentals are located next to Guest Services at the North Gate Entrance. Please note, a valid form of identification must be presented to rent a manual or electric wheelchair. Acceptable forms of identification include:
- Driver’s License
- State I.D.
- Military I.D.
- Season Pass
Single Stroller
- $17.00 - no deposit
Double Stroller
- $22.00 - no deposit
Manual Wheelchair
- $20.00 - no deposit
Electric Wheelchair
- $65.00 - no deposit
*Prices are subject to change without notice. Equipment rented on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Please visit our Rides & Experiences page for additional information. Each ride profile includes the ride's respective ride/thrill rating.
Please visit the SCarowinds Visitation Information page for specific guidelines in place during SCarowinds events.
SCarowinds is a separately-gated event and requires a SCarowinds ticket for entrance. Carowinds will close prior to opening for SCarowinds.
We encourage you to visit the Group Sales page to learn more about our programs. Feel free to submit a group sales information request or call us at (704) 588-2600.
You can bring your ID and order number on the day of your visit to the Will Call window and a Carowinds associate will reprint your ticket(s) for you. You can also store your season pass on the Carowinds mobile app.
Carolina Harbor Waterpark is included with the price of admission to Carowinds. You get two parks for the price of one! Please visit the operating calendar for hours.
Please visit the Weather Guidelines page to learn more about attraction availability due to inclement weather.
Please secure all loose articles such as glasses, cell phones, pagers, loose change, cameras, keys, clothing, sunglasses, hats, wallets, etc., before boarding a ride. If you’ve lost something, please visit Guest Services, located near the North Gate, before you leave the park, or report your loss on our website.
Please note that if you’ve lost an item on one of our rides, we may not be able to retrieve it immediately. All items found in our ride areas are returned to our lost and found office at the end of the day. Items may be discarded after two (2) weeks. Carowinds is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or broken items.
Selfie sticks are permitted in the park, but their use is strictly prohibited on any ride due to potential safety risks. Violation of this policy may lead to dismissal from the park.
All drones (Unmanned Aerial Systems) are prohibited at (in) all Cedar Fair parks, including Carowinds. Any unauthorized drone(s) observed over Carowinds will be reported to the FAA and local law enforcement, regardless of its point of origin or operation. Drones may pose a potential safety risk and may violate Federal Aviation Administration guidelines.
For safety reasons, on-ride photography of any kind is strictly prohibited on any ride other than the Carolina Skytower. Use of camera phones or any type of photography or video recording device is prohibited in any restroom or Carolina Harbor Waterpark changing areas.
Carowinds is proud to offer a variety of choices for guests who have gluten allergies. View a complete list of locations and menu items on our website.
No outside food or beverage is allowed inside Carowinds.* Bags are subject to search before entering. Grilling in the parking lot is also prohibited. More than 30 restaurants and snack stands provide a broad dining experience for guests within the park. See our dining options for more information.
*Exceptions can be made for guests with special dietary needs, learn more here.
No pets are allowed in the park except for service animals.
Guests with infants or young children can take advantage of the Baby Care Center in Camp Snoopy. Parents will find comfortable rocking chairs, a microwave, and a diaper-changing station to use at their convenience.
A guide is available at Guest Services, located near the North Gate, for guests with disabilities. The guide is designed to help those with disabilities make the most of their visit and provide information on ride safety, group and individual discounts, and parking options. This information can also be found online on the Accessibility page.
For help remembering where you parked your car, download the Carowinds mobile app. Using the "Car Finder" feature can give you directions back to your car at the end of your visit. You should also take note of the row number you are located in or take a picture of it. If you have trouble locating your car, security can provide assistance and can be reached by visiting Guest Services.
Guests should limit the number of items taken into the park. Guests are encouraged to leave loose articles with a non-rider or place them in a locker. Outside food and beverages are not allowed inside the park.
Lockers are available to rent inside the park. Rentals vary in size, and prices differ among locker locations. Lockers are available at the following locations:
- North Gate entrance
- South Gate entrance
- Carolina Harbor Waterpark (at Surf Club Harbor and Tidal Wave Bay)
- Thrill Zone next to Fury 325
- Blue Ridge Junction next to Copperhead Strike
First Aid stations are located in Carolina Boardwalk-area, across from the Carolina Goldrusher, and next to Harbor House in the Carolina Harbor Waterpark.
Guests who leave the park and plan to return the same day must get their hand stamped before they leave the park at the exit gate. Re-entry is not permitted during SCarowinds events.
Children who are two-years-old and younger receive free admission into Carowinds, and a ticket is not required for admission into the park.
A meeting place and time should be arranged in case your party becomes separated. We are unable to page for separated party members throughout the park. In the event you are separated, please contact Guest Services, located near the North Gate, or report to the Baby Care Center, located in Camp Snoopy.
Shirt and shoes must be worn at all times. Swimwear must be sufficiently covered. Profanity, obscene gestures and statements, pictures of illegal substances, insignia of paramilitary groups, all gang-related items on clothing, costumes, or disguises that conceal identity are prohibited and admission to the park may be refused.
In an effort to load more efficiently and maximize the capacity of the station, we are unable to accommodate special seating requests on Fury 325 or Thunder Striker. Our goal is to fill every seat on every train to minimize the wait for everyone.
Line jumping, cutting in front of others, saving a place in line, or leaving a line and trying to re-enter may lead to ejection from the park. Please report line jumping to any Carowinds associate or park security.
Carowinds associates are responsible vendors, follow strict I.D. guidelines, and reserve the right to refuse alcohol service as deemed necessary. Guests must be 21-years-old to purchase, possess or consume alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages must be consumed within designated areas. Alcohol sales end one hour prior to scheduled park closing, or at park management's discretion. Guests must present valid I.D. at all times.
Guests will only be served one alcoholic beverage per transaction, per I.D. Valid I.D. includes current driver's license, military I.D. with photo, state I.D. with photo, and passports.
We are strict and thorough in the steps we take and the processes we use to keep our properties safe and promote a healthy environment. To protect our guests and associates, and prevent the spread of illness, we employ rigorous sanitation standards and robust cleaning procedures, including:
- Extensive training for associates on maintaining a safe and hygienic workplace and environment for our guests
- Appropriate personal protective clothing and gear for associates who are assigned for cleaning duties
- Specified intervals for frequent cleaning and disinfection of targeted areas throughout the day
- Procedures for cleaning and disinfection of areas throughout the day and where illness has been suspected or reported
- Quick response to spills, trash, and other situations
- Daily sanitation procedures, for everything from bathroom faucets and sinks to kitchen and dining surfaces, benches and trash cans
- Daily cleaning and “wash down” of outdoors locations, including walkways and queue lines
- Guest and associate first aid locations to assist with minor health issues
We maintain close relationships with local, state, national, and international public health authorities, and take their guidance when additional preventive measures are needed.
Date–specific tickets are valid only on the specific dates shown.
All tickets are non–refundable and non–transferable.
Tickets, Annual Passes and vouchers are non–refundable and non–transferable. Please be sure you have selected the correct tickets and the correct number of tickets before completing your purchase.
Carowinds Pass Perks Monthly Rewards Program is the next evolution of our popular loyalty program. A fresh selection of Pass Perks will appear each month on the Pass Perks page. You’ll see a brief description of the Perk and the number of times you need to visit the park to earn it. At the end of the month, your cumulative visit total earns you one or more Perks. Your visits reset on the first day of the month.
You earn Pass Perks according to the number of park visits you have accumulated by the end of each month. You get one visit per day. For example, if you visited FOUR times in one month, you receive the Perk that corresponds with FOUR visits. If you visited more than four times, you receive the Perk that corresponds with FOUR visits. We also plan on awarding surprise Perks throughout the season.
No. As soon as you purchase your Season Pass, you join Pass Perks. However, to stay up to date with your rewards, be sure to download the mobile app and add any Season Passes in your household. Otherwise, you may miss out on what you've earned.
Silver, Regular, Gold and Prestige Passholders. Pre-K are excluded from earning Pass Perks.
Look in the Pass Perks section of our all-new mobile app or your Pass Portal dashboard. We may email you about a Perk you’ve earned (depending on the type of Perk), but the mobile app and dashboard are the best ways to locate your Perks.
Rewards you redeem inside the park—like sweets, treats and tickets—are automatically loaded to your Season Pass. Check your mobile app or Season Pass Portal to view all the details about your offer. You’ll see how long the offer is active and the exact locations where you can redeem it. Redeem your rewards by scanning your Season Pass where applicable.
Your earned Perks will have varied validity from the day they load to your Season Pass. Be sure to check the Perk description for an exact redemption date.
Monthly rewards you redeem inside the park will be loaded to your Season Pass at midnight on the last day of the month, to redeem for a set time the next month. In some cases, there can be a 24-48 hour delay.
Prestige Season Passholders can earn and redeem up to two Monthly Perks per month, which includes one exclusive Enhanced Pass Perk and one general Monthly Perk. Other Season Passholders can earn and redeem one Monthly Perk per month.
Yes, with some exclusions depending on the offer. We will communicate this in the offer description. The disclaimer reads as “not combinable with other discounts or promotions.” Most Pass Perks do combine with other discounts for extra savings!
- Discounted or free food, including snack items like as popcorn, Dippin' Dots and cotton candy. Entrée food items include hot dogs, pizza, tacos and much more.
- Discounts on exclusive merchandise such as beach towels, swimsuits and Squishmallows
- Discounts on paid rides and games (NEW!)
- Discounted or free Bring-A-Friend admission tickets, single-use Fast Lane (where applicable), and seasonal Perks tied to events
- VIP Experiences: Exclusive packages that aren’t available to purchase but are custom-built by our experts in entertainment and offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enter to win by simply visiting the park; winners are randomly drawn.
No. At this time, you can only earn and redeem perks at your home park. Scanning at a separately gated waterpark (if applicable) and the dry park on the same day will only count as one total visit.
At this time, you cannot exchange, gift, or transfer any Pass Perks Reward to another Passholder or non-Passholder. Your Perk is exclusive to you.