Back in August 2015, we first learned of the new Starbucks at Carowinds coming for the 2016 season. During our recent visit, we were able to see the building nearing completion, but the store was still days away from opening. Fortunately, George from ImagiNERDing.com was visiting the park for Taste of the Carolinas, and he graciously agreed to take us on a tour of the new Starbucks at Carowinds.

Just in time for the start of the Carowinds Taste of the Carolinas event, the new Starbucks location opened in Carowinds Plaza, right across from Cinnabon and the Plaza stage. It was also a wonderful respite on a chilly and windy Saturday morning!

The 3,000 square foot building is trimmed out in crisp white with a standing seam metal roof. The entire building presents a very modern aesthetic. It fits in very well with the design of the new entrance corridor. The two-story modern cupola can be seen from different lands nearby and will be a great meeting spot.

The extremely spacious interior is decked out in muted grays—glazed bricks behind the service counter and wooden planks along the walls. The handsome floor is made of large, brown tiles.

The Starbucks at Carowinds offers the standard fare that people expect and love from their local Starbucks. There are mugs and cups in all sizes, just not any branded to Carowinds. They also offer water, juices and milk in addition to muffins, coffee cakes, loaves and more!

There are two seating areas: one in the service area and a large space to the rear of the building. The service area where the drinks are made is very comfortable and inviting. There are comfy chairs located next to electrical outlets. These spots will be in high demand in the late afternoon when cell phones and parents need recharging!

I wonder if the hexagonal shapes of the coffee tables reference the world’s tallest and fastest steel coaster?

There are also cafe tables and chairs in the service area and the seating area. There’s plenty of seating for small groups to gather for planning their day, discussing their favorite rides or just taking a break. I made sure to pay attention to the electrical outlets and I’m glad to say that there are plenty located throughout the seating area.

Overall, the Starbucks at Carowinds is a wonderful addition to the park. It’s going to be the go-to spot to get that caffeine fix in the morning and the last chance to re-invigorate yourself before the ride home.

It’s a beautiful building that makes the much needed connection between the new entrance and the rest of the park. I hope other buildings in the park (new and older) can take a page from the modern architecture of the Starbucks building; although it’s lacking specific theming, it has strong and clean lines that shows that Carowinds is serious about the business of having fun.

George has been visiting theme parks since he was a toddler. He’s been writing about theme parks since 2007 at ImagiNERDing.com. When he’s not visiting a theme park, you can find him reading about theme parks. His personal library boasts over 1000 titles dedicated to Disney and theme parks.

Did we mention that he likes theme parks?

* If you liked this post, join other readers who have signed up to for our free Newsletter…because then you will never miss another update!