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Business Profile

Amusement Parks

Carowinds

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Amusement Parks.

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Carowinds's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Find a Location

Carowinds has 3 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

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    • Carowinds

      14523 Carowinds Blvd Charlotte, NC 28273-6756

    • Carowinds

      PO Box 410289 Charlotte, NC 28241-0289

    • Carowinds

      300 Carowinds Blvd Charlotte, NC 28273

    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 87 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 27 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:10/23/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On 10/21/23, a group of 4 of us attempted to attend Scarowinds. We all live about 1 1/2 hours away, so we left mid afternoon to grab a bite to eat along the way and to ensure we were there early enough to beat traffic and get good parking, as we thought. We arrived way before 7pm, which is when the gates opened. We were in a line of traffic for 2ish hours, fed up to the point we ended up parking in a random parking lot and walking 1.5 miles to the entrance. We did not have our tickets scanned until 9:36pm. The park closes at 12am, ride lines closed at 11pm. We decided to just wait an hour in line for 1 singular ride and decide this night was the biggest waste of time and money and left after the 1 ride. I dont think any of us will be visiting Scarowinds again honestly if the traffic is that bad and that unorganized every time. There should definitely be a better system with traffic and getting into the admissions gate in a timely manner with how big and busy the park is.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/14/2024

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds! We give our utmost apologies for the delayed response, but we do want you to know that your voice and your concerns matter to us. Please allow us to make it right with you and give you two options for your order: We can provide a Best Day Ever Package that will include 2 Single Day Admission Tickets, along with 1 Parking Voucher, 2 Single Meal Deal Vouchers, and 2 Fast **** Vouchers that will be valid until June 30th, 2024 (If you would like a better Scarowinds experience this year, we can look to provide a Scarowinds Best Day Ever Package) . The second option would be a refund for the previous experience for $116.70 that we are looking to improve. Please inform us of the decision you would like to make, and we look forward to seeing you in the park soon! 

       

       

      ***********************

      Area Supervisor, Admissions

      Carowinds

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:10/23/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Birthday Ruined!!!!Traveled to Scarowinds to celebrate my sons birthday with 2 of his friends last night. Upon leaving to head to the park from ********* at 7, our GPS said we would arrive at 7:35..2 miles from the park we sat for over an hour until finally we parked our car in a random lot and walked to the gate. We get to the gate to find a massive crowd of at least 700 people trying to get it. The park closes at 12! We didnt get in until 9:30. My son and his friends were totally devastated. They wanted to ride a few rides but each lines wait time was over an hour!!! They got in the intimidator line and it went down due to tech issues, park staff said wait or come back. At this point its 10:00! So they get out the line to at least see one haunted house and that line was 30 minutes plus. Being that we really only had time for one last attraction, they chose the Fury. The wait was 2 hours. Park staff said as long as they are in the line, they can still have the ride. My son and his friends wait the long wait with the temperature dropping. They get in the coaster car and are having issues securing one of the boys lap bar. They cant get it to secure and tell him to get off! He was so embarrassed and upset. We explained the reasoning behind the decision. While he waited the 2 hours or even once got up the dock, someone could have told him! I feel that the ENTIRE disappointment from the night and to end in this way was the most painful. I dont even know what could rectify this. The traffic, only one gate open to enter, being able to only have one ride experience for $300+ truly is not the experience my son wanted for his birthday. He was so excited about this all week and to have this experience with no consideration is heartbreaking not to mention inconsiderate!

      Business Response

      Date: 03/14/2024

      Good morning, ********
      Thank you for taking the time to contact us at Carowinds! We sorry to hear that your visit with ** did not go as planned. We would be happy to provide you with a (5) new admission ticket for another visit in the 2024 season so that you can participate in attractions and experiences that *** not have been available on your previous visit.

      Please respond to this email if you would like to accept this offer and if you have any further questions or concerns.


    • Initial Complaint

      Date:10/17/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      We went to carowinds in ********* **..my friend got hurt..they closed the gate on her ankle at a ride..and it swelled up so bad she couldn't walk..we had to be taken back to our car ..and was told I would get my money back for that day....I've waited months now..still not got my money back...it's not the money as much as it they lied to us..about it..I was told I would get the money back for the tickets and parking..Because we was only able to get on 3 rides before she got her..

      Business Response

      Date: 03/14/2024

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds! We give our utmost apologies for the delayed response, but we do want you to know that your voice and your concerns matter to us. Please allow us to make it right with you and give you two options for your order: We can provide a Best Day Ever Package that will include 2 Single Day Admission Tickets, along with 1 Parking Voucher, 2 Single Meal Deal Vouchers, and 2 Fast **** Vouchers that will be valid until June 30th, 2024. The second option would be a refund for the previous experience that we are looking to improve. Please inform us of the decision you would like to make, and we look forward to seeing you in the park soon! 

       

       

       

      ***********************

      Area Supervisor, Admissions

      Carowinds

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:09/25/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Hello! I am contacting Carowinds today in behalf of my most recent purchase of three, 50$ regular scarowinds passes along with one 30$ parking pass. This transaction ended up being around 200$ for an event that I never was even able to attend due to reasons followed below:I was diagnosed at a young age with both schizoaffective disorder and a ton of other mood disorders. On this day in particular (Sep 22" I planned with my family on going to this amusement park. However later on that day I began to feel extremely low almost to the point where I physically began to feel anxious and nauseous. I called up my primary doctor who then questioned me on how I have been doing and thats when I told her everything from how i stopped taking my meds to the trip I had planned today. Ultimately I was NOT able to make my trip with my family and ended up staying home (later going to the hospital.) Please let me know what it is that I can do to get a refund on my purchase, I do not want to be punished for something I had little to no control over. Please let me know as soon as possible the status of my refund. Thank you, have a blessed day!

      Business Response

      Date: 03/15/2024

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds! We give our utmost apologies for the delayed response, but we do want you to know that your voice and your concerns matter to us. We truly hope everything with your health has improved. After reviewing your order # ******** that shows 3 Scarowinds Admission Tickets and 1 Single Day Parking. Our records show that the Single Day Parking Ticket and 1 Scarowinds Admission Ticket were scanned and used at the park. We understand that factors may occur to prohibit you from having a great day at Carowinds and we would like to send you the offer of 3 Complimentary Single Day Admission Tickets along with 1 Single Day Parking Ticket, and 3 Complimentary Single Meal Deals to enjoy this summer. The tickets will be valid until August 1st, 2024.  Our second offer would be to refund all unused tickets on your order for the total of $106.10. Please respond and let us know which offer you would like to take advantage of. We truly hope to see you back in the park soon for an amazing experience. 

       

      **************

      Area Supervisor, Admissions

      Carowinds

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:09/18/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Carowinds sent my son (a season passholder) an email on 8/18/23 letting him know he has a single-use Fast Lane pass for use.We visited Carowinds on 8/19/23. We tried several places, including guest services, to redeem this Fast Lane pass. No one was helpful and we were unable to use it (including the worker at ***** Services who told us that sometimes people receive these emails and they aren't really for them. Ridiculous.)I emailed Carowinds' customer support on 8/21/23 explaining the situation and asking for a replacement Fast Lane pass. Carowinds' customer support responded on 8/26/23 telling us the offer expires on 9/4/23 and that we should have gone to the Fast Lane plus kiosk next to ***** Services (which we did). I responded and asked for a satisfactory response to our issue and have received no further communication.(complete email communication thread is attached)

      Business Response

      Date: 03/11/2024

      Good Afternoon, *****

      We do understand that this is not the outcome you were hoping for, and we do apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused. As an accommodation for your experience, we would like to offer your son (5) single-use fast lane during his next visit. 

      Please let us know if you would like to accept this offer.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:09/06/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Christmas of last year I decided to buy four season passes we maybe went three times this whole year I've tried to cancel on numerous of times and they are not allowing me to do so they continue to charge my bank account $40 a month until today which is now completely paid off we was not able to use the passes in fear of Danger from the rides I have continued to try to talk to customer service and they told me they would get back to me I tried to go up there and there was no manager that could discuss this situation with me we didn't even attempt to enjoy it this summer because the polls were so crowded that you couldn't even get in I'm very upset with this situation as I paid $500 for absolutely nothing and I refused to allow my children to go on rides that possibly could break especially roller coasters I expressed this with the manager over the phone he persisted to say he understood but nothing was ever done I'm very upset with this situation because that was a lot of money out of pocket for something we did not get to enjoy

      Business Response

      Date: 03/15/2024

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds! We give our utmost apologies for the delayed response, but we do want you to know that your voice and your concerns matter to us. After reviewing your order # ********, placed on October 3rd, 2022, for your purchase of 4 Season Passes and 1 All Season Tumbler, each pass has shown to be used 4 times across two of our Seasons (Great Pumpkin Fest/Scarowinds and Winterfest). With your purchase agreement, a contract was signed to oblige and fulfill all payments on the passes to enjoy each visit. We would not be able to refund your passes due to them being used and value was met from those visits. The order totaled $573.50, below is a breakdown of online ticket price per each visit that was used for the passes' showing value was met.  


      Great Pumpkin Fest 
      October 9th, 2022  
      4 Tickets x $45.00 = $180 

      Scarowinds 
      October 9th, 2022 
      4 Tickets x $52.00= $208 

      Great Pumpkin Fest 
      October 16th, 2022 
      4 Tickets x $45.00= $180 

      Winterfest 
      December 17th, 2022 
      4 Tickets x $35= $140 

      Total: $708 

       

      We can understand how the value felt cut short and would like to offer for your family to obtain new 2024 Season Passes for our Rollover Price of $39.99 per pass! Please let us know if you would like to take advantage of this fantastic offer to enjoy the park all year long for an unbeatable price.

       

       

      **************

      Area Supervisor, Admissions

      Carowinds

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/29/2023

      Type:Order Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I was denied access to facilities with no explanation after being disrespected by staff and told I cannot ride the intimidating even after given written notice by supervisor I also have video of the incident.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/15/2024

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds! We give our utmost apologies for the delayed response, but we do want you to know that your voice and your concerns matter to us. After careful consideration collaborating with security with the incident number provided, Carowinds will not be able to provide a refund due to Code of Conduct violations. As stated in terms and conditions, Season Passes may be revoked without refund in the event of misuse or failure to abide by applicable terms and conditions. We encourage you to reach out to our Parks security team ************** to determine if your ban can be lifted, and if so, we would like to offer a Rollover price for your 2024 Season Pass for $39.99, to enjoy a fun-filled summer. We hope to hear from you soon! 

       

       

      **************

      Area Supervisor, Admissions

      Carowinds

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/28/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.

       
      I am rejecting this response because:

      I purchased the tickets at 4:30. After I spoke to guest services, where they told me to purchase the tickets online for a discounted price. 
      They didn't inform me that due to the weather that the rides were going to close not 45 minutes later. 

      We visited from ********, and we drove 6 hours to celebrate my brother in law's birthday. None of us were able to get on any of the rides because they kept saying there was a delay then that the rides were closed. After waiting in different lines.

      We are not able to go back nor do we want to back, because it feels like we were scammed and no one in guest services helped us. 


      oming back

      Business Response

      Date: 08/29/2023

      Greetings *****, 

      Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at Carowinds!

      We are thrilled that you and your family chose to come experience our park for the first time! At Carowinds, it is our first priority to ensure that everyone can enjoy our attractions safely. We do apologize that during your visit we were experiencing inclement weather in the area that prohibited our rides from operating. When preparing for a perfect visit at Carowinds, guests are welcome to contact our Guest Experience Team at (**************) before purchasing tickets for any updates or information on the park or policies in regarding inclement weather. We apologize that your visit did not meet your expectations and would love to extend Complimentary Single Day Admission tickets to our Great Pumkin Fest or SCarowinds events. If you do not believe you will be back in time to attend that event, we can offer Complimentary Single Day Admission tickets to our Winterfest event at the end of the year. Please feel free to reach out and inform us on which event you would like to enjoy on your next visit!

       

      We hope to have you back at the park soon!

       

      **************

      Area Supervisor- Admissions and Guest Experience Team

      Business Response

      Date: 03/15/2024

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds! We give our utmost apologies for the delayed response, but we do want you to know that your voice and your concerns matter to us. We have reopened and reviewed your request to ensure your desired outcome has been met. We have processed the refund for your order on 03/15/2024 for $338.86. Please allow ***** business days to see the refund reflected on your account. We hope to see you back in the park soon when you do decide to come back to **************! 

       

       

      ***********************

      Area Supervisor, Admissions and Guest Experience

      Carowinds

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/28/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I purchased all day dining passes and entrance tickets on August 1, 2023 with the expectation based on the information on the company website that I would be able to use them all day. The park hours changed from 10a - 10p to 5p to 10p on the day of my arrival to the park. There is no detail on the all day dining passes or the all day tickets that indicate the park hours would be changing. I sent a request for refund for the dining passes before getting to the park but did not receive a response until just before the park closing. I had a suspicion the tactic would be used so I did make purchases with the dining passes however when trying to use them at other places they were not excepted. This makes the claim about them being all day dining passes fradualet because you can't use them at some places inside the park and they park was not open all day, only in the evening.

      Business Response

      Date: 08/29/2023

      Greetings *****, 

      We greatly appreciate you reaching out to Carowinds regarding your experience!

      We apologize that your experience did not meet your expectations. Carowinds' operating dates and hours are published months in advance to provide a proper planned experience. When selecting your visit day, if unsure of information available online, you can always call our Guest Experience Team *************) to confirm you have the most up to date information to prepare for your visit. Our Guest Experience Team has been working diligently and we apologize if we did not get to your refund request prior to your visit. After reviewing your order, we can provide the following options to accommodate your experience. Firstly, we would love to extend you complimentary Single Day Admissions Tickets to our upcoming Great Pumpkin Fest or SCarowinds events in addition to All Day Dining Plans to provide an ideal experience. Secondly, if you are unable to join us at the park on another day, we are able to process the refund for your original All Day Dining Plans. Please reach out to us with which offer you would prefer to move forward. 

       

      We hope to see you back at our park in the future!

      **************

      Area Supervisor- Admissions and Guest Experience Team

       

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/25/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Resolved
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
       
      Better Business Bureau:

      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

      Thank you. 
      that they were not aware that the park was only opening at five on specific days. As a busy military family we have to plan things in advance and this trip was definitely planned in advance. To drive to Carowinds and not even be able to go into the park is disappointing. I am Requesting a refund of all tickets purchased at this time.

      Business Response

      Date: 08/28/2023

      Good Afternoon,

      Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Carowinds.

      I apologize for the confusion surrounding your attempted visit to the park as our hours for the 5p-10p operation has not been altered in any way prior to the start of the summer. We will happily address that with our call center team as the info they provided you regarding the change was not correct. 

      At this time, I have reviewed your request for a refund on the unused orders listed in your images and have processed a refund for all four orders today. You will be receiving a confirmation email by the end of the day regarding the refund.

      We do hope you come back to visit us very soon and look forward to helping create FUN for the family.

      Thanks,

      Guest Experience

    Carowinds is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.

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