I have lived in Charlotte since before Carolina Place opened and it was a welcome addition to the area. It started to dip a little in quality for a bit, but seems to be picking up some steam again.
It can be a terror to get in and out of during the holidays, as all shopping centers are, but even on most busy weekends you can survive a trip for shopping with minimal damage to your body or car. Your typical southern mall anchors are located here - Belk, Dillard's JCPenney, Sears, Macy's. My usual store trips are Lane Bryant, Yankee Candle and Bath & Body Works. Maybe the Hallmark store, probably Auntie Ann's. Belk was recently renovated and the Lane Bryant is a full store plus it took over the store next to it, so the lingerie/sleep section is huge. The attached REI is nice and the Barnes & Noble is huge.
My teenage years of stalking the mall are WAY behind me, so I get what I need and get out rather than window shopping for hours so I can't speak as to the crowds. If I am there around feeding time, the food court has some great choices including Chick Fil A and Sbarro. Or if a more sit down and relax outside of the shopping center experience is what you need, there is a Harper's attached that provides some excellent food.