Carowind ?'s

Okay, we are coming in July for a 2-day visit to Carowinds. We%26#39;re staying 2 days because I hate to rush. Anyway, after reading a few posts on hotels in high crime locations; I%26#39;m starting to get a little nervous. Let me list the hotels that I was considering:

Embassy Suites/South Tryon

Homewood Suites/Airport-Yorktown

Hampton Inn%26amp;Suites/Arrowood

Hilton Garden Inn/Ayrsley (no free breakfast though)

Hampton Inn%26amp;Suites/Pineville

Hilton Garden Inn/Pineville (again no breakfast)

Please advise of hotels from this list that are close to Carowinds and in a ';safe'; location.

Also, I never knew that Carowinds had a waterpark. It looks really nice. I was hoping that someone could provide a little more details about the waterpark. Would it be wise to rent a cabana?

I see that there is a Chick-fil-It at the park. Does it have ';normal'; or theme park engorged prices?

Thanks and please feel free to share any other information that could be useful.

Carowind ?'s

I would definitely avoid the South Tryon Embassy and Homewood Airpot/Yorktown hotels based on safety and not having options nearby for meals. Others should be OK.

Sorry, can%26#39;t answer the Carowinds questions.

Have fun!

Carowind ?'s

I think Homewood on Yorkmount is OK if you want a suite - but I agree- don%26#39;t stay at Embassy. There%26#39;s a Hyatt Place at Yorkmount and Tyvola that%26#39;s nice too.I would not stay on Arrowood - there are lots of car break ins and some gang activity in the area. Pineville Hotels are convenient to amenities, restaurants, shopping, etc.. Best wishes.

Try best western on carowinds blvd. The crime is much lower and you can walk accross the street to the park and save the fortune they charge for parking. I do not reccomend any of the restuarants right there. If you go 2 exits down you have much better places to eat exit 85. jumping java excellent breakfast (close sundays) Hot wok locals joint good food reasonable price no atmosphere, 2.99 half inch sandwhiches all day at the Harris teeter furthor down in with the food lion is an excelent pizza place with all you can eat buffet under 7 dollars, Sweet peppers in baxter about 6 bucks per person for good food beware the chocolate cake is highly addictive. Other restuarants in baxter at much higher prices. Beef obradys, sixpince pub and italian place (pricy) and seafood place(also pricy). just for your information the health inspection ratings in SC are on the front door. The last time I was around the carowinds front gate none of them had above a b. I am a Fort Mill Resident.

Thanks for your advice.However, I listed specific hotels for a reason. These hotels allow for a significant discount for me. Therefore, I am unable to consider any other hotels. So please advise based on the hotels listed.

The best food around Carowinds is in the PLaza Fiesta Mall! Ethic restaurants ( Colombian, Ecuadorian, Mexican, Greek, etc...) The food is exceptional and the value is amazing. Try Los Paisas!

Of the list you gave me the only two that are in a safe area are the ones in pineville. I would not stay at any of the others because that area is really bad. Hwy 51 from pineville dead ends onto carowinds blvd about a mile south of carowinds. It has been my experience that Hamptons have a pretty good free breakfast. Around the mall are some really good resstuarants including Jasons deli various fast food Mcalisters deli and a very good italian joint called Bucca de Beppo. Definately avoid the tryon arrowood area that unfortionately four of your hotels listed are in. Some are nice hotels but the area they are in has good really bad since they were built

Ok, so I guess its Pineville. Now does anyone have any info about Carowinds itself. I know the food is high but I was wondering if the Chick-fil-it was reasonably priced.

I guess my views on hotels are a little different than others here so I%26#39;ll just go ahead and pass on that question.

So that leaves me with Carowinds. I%26#39;ll also respect your decision to do Carowinds over a 2 day period (but should you have the need for any other ideas on what to do while you are in the area do not hesitate to ask) :)

We have had season passes for several years now and yes they do have a waterpark (which is included in the price of admission to the amusement park). I personally think the cabanas are overpriced but to each their own. If you are able to get in early (season pass holders do) then you can find plenty of chair/lounges around with umbrellas for shade (last year I never saw that many people using the cabanas?). On the other hand if you have small children, and you are coming in July, and can%26#39;t get in early it may be worth it to you?

As far as the food goes, it is exspensive. If we ever eat there we also end up at Chick-fil-a (course you won%26#39;t have all the choices that you do at an outside Chick-fil-A location, and I think its a ';little'; bit more price-wise but at least you know what you are getting). I might also mention there is a Panda Express located within the park too (but I have not eaten there). If you want to go on the cheap the best advice I can give you is to pay for the parking fee, and pack a picnic (lunch, or dinner) and dine outside (tailgate style). Many people do this but just make sure you get your hand stamped so you can re-enter the amusement park.

Also another very important tidbit that you%26#39;ll never see advertised (especially good to know in the hot summer months) - go up to any drink/food booths within Carowinds and ask them for a cup/class of water (it%26#39;s free!)

Most people tend to hit the rides and then when they can no longer stand the heat they head over to the waterpark - just something to think about if you are going to be doing the park over 2 days.

Lockers are also spendy at Carowinds so I always bring a backpack with me.

Have fun!!

I do not know the price of the chickfila but I know that the same meal at Panda express that would cost less than 5 out of the park is 9.50 in the park and a drink is 3. When i have gone I have just packed a cooler and went out of the park and attacked it. Get a hand stamp to get back into the park. Unfortionately after they rake you over the coals for admission they feel the need to rake you over the coals again on food. Even though I live less than 5 miles from the park with the new prices my family will probably not be going this year.

High crime is a bit of a relative term. You can find crime just about everywhere if you look hard enough.

I%26#39;ve stayed in the Embassy at South Tryon a number of times and had no problems whatsoever. It%26#39;s an older hotel, but I find it nicer (friendlier, better service, etc) than the nearly-new one near Concord Mills on the other side of Charlotte.

To each their own, however. It%26#39;s not in the nicest of areas (appearance-wise), so if that bothers you, you%26#39;ll want to be aware of that in advance.

There is also an Omaha Steak House in the lobby that does a nice job for a meal, if you%26#39;re looking for that sort of thing. Cross I77 and you%26#39;ll find a handful of other restaurants to eat at if you don%26#39;t like steak.

As to the park - 2 days is probably a bit much. You can certainly do it, but there isn%26#39;t much there if you%26#39;re spending both of them just at Carowinds. You can probably do Carowinds in a few hours.

If you are spending 2 days at Carowinds, you%26#39;re probably best off getting a season pass. It sounds odd, but you%26#39;ll save money in just two visits - you can get free parking that way, in fact, and if you come back in October, you can even get into Scarowinds for free. But 2 days is probably too much. You may want to spend a day there and a day doing (something else).

As to Chick-Fil-A, it%26#39;s overpriced. Everything is. One way around it (to some degree) is to take a bag in with you with towels for the waterpark and such and take some snacks in with you in the bag. You can%26#39;t pack a huge meal, but you can have a few things. Or you could pack a picnic in the car, and eat in the parking lot.

The cabanas are also overpriced. Go early, snag chairs (use the aforementioned towels), under an umbrella if possible. The cabanas aren%26#39;t worth it.