10 Tips for Taking Tots to Carowinds

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​Carowinds is a local theme park that straddles North and South Carolina. My family has been season pass holders for many summers. My husband joined us on occasion, but usually I took all 4 kids on this adventure alone. I’ve done Carowinds with babies, small children, and now with teens. Here are my Top 10 Tips for Taking Tots to Carowinds:

Use a key ring to keep up with season passes

1. ​When purchasing your season passes, don’t buy more than you need. When you have little kids, the only reason to upgrade to Gold Status is for free parking and Dinosaurs Alive. SCarowinds may be a little too intense for small children and doesn’t even open until it’s close to their bedtime. As long as one person in the vehicle has a Gold Season Pass (the parent), you can park for free. Save the cash and get Silver Passes for the kids. You do have to have a Gold Pass to enter Dinosaurs Alive, but I don’t think that attraction is worth it.
2. Eat BEFORE arriving at the park. The food prices at Carowinds are outrageous, especially if you are feeding multiple kids. Sometimes, the security guards will take pity on a weary parent and overlook a few little snacks hidden in the bottom of your bag, but be reasonable. Don’t pack more than a couple of sandwiches and a few pieces of fruit. Carowinds provides free water throughout the park. If you bring water bottles, they will gladly refill them.
3. Pack Light! It’s hard enough to keep up with the kids. You don’t want to have to keep up with gear too. Carry just the necessities. Wear your swimsuits there with coverups or shorts. Wear shoes that can get wet and are still comfortable to walk in. You don’t need towels or goggles. Strollers are good for hauling your belongings and tired toddlers. I know every kid wants their own bag, but don’t do it. One bag MAX.
4. Punch a hole in your season pass cards and keep them on your key ring. That way you never forget them at home or lose them.

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5.  Get a good parking space. When you arrive at the park, scan the parking area as soon as it’s in view. There’s a divider that prevents you from turning into the first several aisles of the parking lot. Be patient. As soon as there’s an opening, turn your steering wheel all the way to right and whip your minivan around the corner. Drive all the way down to that first aisle and look for an empty spot. That’s if you’re going to ride some of the attractions before hitting the water park. If it’s blazing hot and you want to go straight to the water park drive straight through the parking lot to the back entrance. Park as close to the water park area as possible.

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6.  The best times to go to Carowinds is during off-peak hours. I try to avoid evenings, weekends and holidays.

​7.   I don’t recommend taking valuables to Carowinds, but if you must, you can hide them inside a disposable diaper and stash it in your stroller. Otherwise, you could spend the extra cash and get a locker.

8.  After entering the gates, go straight to guest services and ask for a Kid ID bracelet. The Kid ID bracelet contains your child’s name and your cell phone number. If your child is lost in the park and found by a security guard, the guard will take that bracelet off of your child and call you.

​9. Use a waterproof pouch for your cell phone. That way you can keep it safely in your possession without having to worry about it getting damaged or stolen.

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​10.  There are plenty of benches throughout the park, but if you're bashful about nursing in public or just want to kick your feet up in air conditioning, head to Planet Snoopy. There's a blue house across from the carousel that has a breastfeeding nook and diaper changing facilities. The people who staff that little house are always friendly too!
 
There it is! Those are my tried and true tips for enjoying a summer at Carowinds. I’d love to hear how these tips work for you and if you can add to the list.

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