'Hopefully...it’ll get better’: Carowinds will look different once reopened

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Normally this time of year, Carowinds would be packed with people enjoying the rides and water slides. But this year, things are different due to COVID-19.

When South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced that amusement parks could reopen for Memorial Day Weekend, it really didn’t change anything at Carowinds. That’s because opening a park like Carowinds is a huge undertaking.

Carowinds has not set an opening date and instead decided to focus on opening when it’s safe.

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Carowinds vice president, Jerry Helms, spoke with our news partner, WRHI Radio, in Rock Hill about plans on reopening.

“Late March right before we opened we all got sent home, and we’ve been in meetings working on plans for sanitation, ride safety, and queueing and social distancing," Helms said.

Usually, Carowinds opens the last week of March, operating on weekends before opening completely near the end of May. Screams from rollercoasters can typically be heard all the way out on Carowinds Boulevard during this time of year.

Helms said the park is still working on a plan and would not announce an opening day but said the park will look different, at least for a while.

“We know there have been restrictions or changes on restaurants and restaurant openings and distancing," Helms said.

Those changes would also apply to amusement parks. Other major parks have announced requiring masks, limiting guests inside and temperature checks.

Carowinds has not said if it will do the same but did acknowledge operational changes would be coming. Helms was optimistic though.

“Hopefully as the season goes on it’ll get better," Helms said.

Carowinds is hiring now and doing online training for many of its employees.

Since Carowinds also straddles the state line, the park is working with health officials and government officials from North and South Carolina to come up with a reopening plan.

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