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A LIGHT DAY

If you'd been here on a day like this,
you'd have cleared every headliner without breaking a sweat.

Sep 18, 2026 held steady at a 3/10, a forgiving day if you arrived with a plan. Crowds dipped to a 1 out of ten for 2 straight hours between 7 PM and 9 PM.

PLANNING A TRIP?
Pick your dates on the crowd calendar and we'll show you how this day compares to your window.
3
/10
Light
AVG WAIT7m
PEAK30m
RIDES OPEN20/19
WEATHER95° Clear
Carowinds crowd report infographic for Sep 18, 2026
Tap to enlarge

The day, hour by hour.

7 PM to 11 PM · crowd level 1–10
1
7 PM
1
8 PM
2
9 PM
5
10 PM
5
11 PM
7 PM to 10 AM
Hit Copperhead Strike first

Even on a light day, Copperhead Strike builds fast by mid-morning. Get there before the gates open.

11 AM to 1 PM
Lunch is the low water mark

Waits ease during the noon hour. Hit a second-tier ride now.

7 PM to 9 PM
Walk-on window opens

Carolina Goldrusher + Ricochet fall to walk-on in the mid-afternoon. Re-rideable.

8 PM to 11 PM
Final-hour re-rides

Most families leave well before close. Re-ride your favorite while everyone else heads out.

Every ride, by average wait.

30 rides · avg wait shown
Copperhead Strike
24m avg
peak 30m · 77% uptime
Carolina Goldrusher
15m avg
peak 15m · 82% uptime
Ricochet
15m avg
peak 15m · 66% uptime
Fury 325
10m avg
peak 20m · 86% uptime
Hurler
10m avg
peak 10m · 81% uptime
The Flying Cobras
10m avg
peak 10m · 71% uptime
Thunder Striker
6m avg
peak 15m · 82% uptime
Carolina Cyclone
6m avg
peak 10m · 82% uptime
Afterburn
5m avg
peak 5m · 66% uptime
Air Racers
5m avg
peak 5m · 98% uptime
Do-Si-Do
5m avg
peak 5m · 92% uptime
Gear Spin
5m avg
peak 5m · 76% uptime
Hover & Dodge
5m avg
peak 5m · 98% uptime
Mountain Gliders
5m avg
peak 5m · 98% uptime
Rock 'N' Roller
5m avg
peak 5m · 98% uptime
WindSeeker
5m avg
peak 5m · 62% uptime
Zephyr
5m avg
peak 5m · 98% uptime
Vortex
2m avg
peak 3m · 85% uptime
Wind Star
1m avg
peak 1m · 85% uptime
Boo Blasters on Boo Hill
0m avg
peak 0m · 98% uptime
Charlie Brown's River Raft Blast
Closed all day
Electro-Spin
Closed all day
Flying Ace Balloon Race
Closed all day
Kiddy Hawk
Closed all day
Ripcord
0m avg
peak 0m · -- uptime
Slingshot
0m avg
peak 0m · -- uptime
Snoopy's Racing Railway
Closed all day
The Grand Carousel
Closed all day
Wilderness Run
Closed all day
Woodstock Express
Closed all day
8 rides were closed all day
Charlie Brown's River Raft Blast Electro-Spin Flying Ace Balloon Race Kiddy Hawk Snoopy's Racing Railway The Grand Carousel Wilderness Run Woodstock Express

Weather that day: ☀️ Clear, high 95°F, low 73°F, rain for 5h.

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Carowinds crowd report infographic for Sep 18, 2026
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https://rideready.app/parks/carowinds/crowd-calendar/2026-09-18/
FOR YOUR TRIP

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WHAT YOU'D HAVE GOTTEN ON THIS DAY
10:42a Drop alert: Copperhead Strike 29m to 17m
7 PM Walk-on window: Carolina Goldrusher + Ricochet
4:08p Smart pick: Copperhead Strike is short right now, go
6:30p Dinner spike flagged, sit it out
4 drop alerts · 3 picks · 1 skip suggestion