Cedar Fair purchased Carowinds in 2006 from Paramount for $1.2 billion. Cedar Fair has about 4,400 full-time employees and 48,800 seasonal and part-time employees, according to the company's 2022 annual report.

In a sense, yes, but it was more of a merger of equals than a traditional "buyout." In July 2024, Carowinds' parent company, Cedar Fair, officially completed its mega-merger with Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. The combined entity now operates under the name Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, creating the largest amusement park operator in North America with a portfolio of 42 parks across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. While the new company adopted the "Six Flags" name for its corporate identity and stock ticker (FUN), the headquarters for the combined giant was relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, near Carowinds. For visitors in 2026, this change means that Carowinds is now part of a massive network that includes iconic parks like Cedar Point, Knott's Berry Farm, and Six Flags Magic Mountain. While the park retains its "Carowinds" branding, guests are seeing the benefits of the merger through unified season pass programs and a larger pool of intellectual property (like Looney Tunes and Peanuts) that can be utilized for new attractions and entertainment across the newly expanded corporate family.