Carowinds Reopens for 2026 With New Rides, a Spring Haunted Attraction, and a Mystery Announcement
carowinds will open its 2026 season on Saturday, March 14 (ET), introducing new rides and attractions, a revamped retail space near the front entrance, expanded landscaping, and a haunted experience added to its spring break schedule—while teasing a major announcement expected later this summer.
What’s new at Carowinds for opening weekend
The park, located along the North Carolina–South Carolina border in the Charlotte area, said more than 60 rides and attractions will be available when the season begins. Among the additions, Camp Snoopy is set to feature two new rides aimed at younger guests.
Carowinds is also changing what spring break looks like at the park. Communications Manager Chris Foshee said that, for the first time, the spring break schedule will include a haunted experience: The Conjuring Beyond Fear. Foshee framed the addition as an early chance for guests to try a haunted attraction before Halloween.
How pricing and “local alternative” messaging fits the moment
The opening arrives as inflation pushes many families to reconsider travel budgets. Foshee said the park is positioned as a local alternative, emphasizing value and affordability for visitors in the Carolinas.
Foshee said a season pass is on sale for $89 and includes free parking plus access to all events and Carolina Harbor Water Park. A single-day gate ticket is priced at $80, not including parking.
Behind the scenes: retail consolidation, landscaping, and safety checks
Near the front entrance, construction was wrapping up on a new retail space offering park merchandise and sweets. Construction and Facilities Manager James Sidler said the project consolidates areas that were previously separated.
“We’re opening it up, making it a lot more inviting for our guests, ” Sidler said. He said what had been three separate spaces is being combined into two.
Beyond retail changes, the park is expanding its landscaping this season, with more than 100 trees being planted across the park along with numerous plants—most grown in the park’s greenhouse. Foshee described the work as a beautification push designed to complement the ride experience with “beautiful sights of the Carolinas. ”
Operationally, Foshee said crews spent months conducting ride inspections and safety checks ahead of the March 14 (ET) opening.
The unanswered question: what is the “major announcement” later this summer?
Alongside the new rides, refreshed retail, and spring haunted offering, Foshee also hinted at a larger announcement expected later this summer. The park has not provided details on what that announcement will involve, leaving a central question hanging over the start of the season: what, exactly, is being prepared beyond the visible additions arriving for opening weekend at carowinds?
