113-508: International Street is a themed area at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan , Ontario . Similar to the Main Street, U.S.A. sections of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts , it acts as an entrance way to the park. The street ends at Wonder Mountain, a visual landmark for navigating through much of the park. A similar format is used at sister parks Kings Island and Kings Dominion , albeit with
226-414: A Tim Hortons replaced Teriyaki Experience. Located at the end of International Street, and considered entirely part of International Festival in the early years, Wonder Mountain appeared in the park's logo from 1981 to 2006, until Cedar Fair took ownership. Particularly in the early years, when sightlines in the park were longer, the mountain served as a navigation tool to establish one's position within
339-568: A smörgåsbord platter, Danish-style sandwiches, cabbage rolls, and pastries. Retail outlets were: the Neilson Candy Factory; was Legetøj, a toy shop; The Doll's House, a doll shop; and Grammofon Pladen, a record store. The 1981 park map listed The Doll's House as Dukke ( Danish for "doll"). Legetøj stayed until at least 1989. As late as 1992, the Neilson Candy Factory was named M&Ms Candy Factory. Later, it
452-561: A "teenager's delight", a publication on the park remarked on the selling of "the most outrageous candles in the world—hot dogs with relish, banana split ..." Pizza was offered for $ 1 or less per slice, but the Toronto Star deemed the machine-stretched dough "perhaps too cookie-like," in spite of ample cheese and spicy sauce. The grape sherbet included both grape juice and real Italian wine. By 1989, La Casa remained, but Camicie and Maschera had been replaced by The Painted Shirt. While
565-432: A 1979 report to the municipal government, Canada's Wonderland wrote that they expected the "Front Gate Complex" to include souvenirs, stroller rentals, kennels, wheelchairs, locker rentals, and a check room. They also stated that souvenir carts would be in the entry area. In the early years, Toronto-Dominion Bank had ATMs on site, as well as a bank branch that offered services like cheque encashment. When Cedar Fair took over
678-506: A 330-acre (130 ha) theme park in the then small village of Maple , part of Vaughan , Ontario, located directly north of Toronto. Several other possible locations in Ontario were considered, including Niagara Falls , Cambridge , and Milton , but Maple was finally selected because of its proximity to the City of Toronto and the 400-series of highways . Others had seriously considered
791-432: A Splash Works expansion for 2017 in the form of Muskoka Plunge, a 59-foot (20 m) tall waterslide complex featuring four "trap-door" speed slides. The slides replaced Body Blast. On 16 August 2017, Canada's Wonderland announced the addition of Flying Canoes for the 2018 season. Flying Canoes is an interactive family ride that allows riders to control their journey of flight in two-person canoes that rotate speedily around
904-400: A Vaughan residential association called SAVE, which thought the increased traffic would reduce property values. People in the region were concerned that the new park would be similar in aesthetics to a carnival or midway. Some of the concessions the company made included a landscaped berm around the park to reduce noise and modifying the appearance of the large parking lot. Taft Broadcasting
1017-541: A circuit. They also announced the addition of Lumberjack for 2018. Made by Italian manufacturer Zamperla , Lumberjack is a thrill ride that takes guests to heights of 75 feet (23 m) on two swinging axe-themed pendulums, propelling them into a looping 360-degree experience. In addition to these two attractions, the park announced an expansion to the Splash Island pool (located in Splash Works), which doubled
1130-427: A computer that controlled the fountain's 93 pneumatic valves and nozzles and its 504 red, white, and turquoise lights. In 1982, the lighting patterns would change roughly every 30 seconds, with a 30-minute rotation. In 2011, the lights were upgraded to offer a range of 16 million colours. Before the park opened, the 300-foot (91 m) by 80-foot (24 m) water basin was referred to as Royal Fountain. When it opened,
1243-525: A drive-in mass COVID-19 vaccination site. On 1 July 2024, Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags , and the combined Six Flags Entertainment Corporation took over Canada's Wonderland. On 8 August 2024, the park announced the construction of a Premier Rides launched coaster for the 2025 season known as AlpenFury . The ride will be 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in length and feature a 50-metre (160 ft) launch out of Wonder Mountain at 115 kilometres per hour (71 mph) along with nine inversions, setting
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#17327908023601356-465: A fight at the front gates of the park, which led to a shooting death. It was thought to have followed a prior dispute involving the two over a drug exchange, according to York Regional Police . The park has since added metal detectors at the front gate, with additional security, but not as a direct result of this event. In 2005, the park introduced Fearfest , a Halloween event featuring various haunted house attractions in different themed areas. Though
1469-661: A gondolier would play a selection of songs and take requests. There were also Spanish dancers, a ventriloquist with his character Garlu, magicians, a clown band, a stilt-walking clown, a unicyclist, a balloon-sculpting clown, and two juggling chimney sweeps. A sword balancer was stationed inside the Mediterranean Building. In 1991, a couple were married on International Street, after winning a contest held by Q107 in conjunction with A Bedrock Wedding (a one-time show in which Fred and Wilma renewed their vows), on The Flintstones ′ 50th anniversary. "Snuggled against
1582-420: A multi-level outdoor patio, and numerous fire pits for guests to relax by. The menu is a Canadian-inspired rustic-grill BBQ, featuring local ingredients and two meat smokers. In addition, the menu is rotational, changing for each major season. The restaurant opened to the public on 17 September 2022, with the indoor bar opening a week prior. On 11 August 2022, Canada's Wonderland announced two new attractions for
1695-535: A new generation. Many changes occurred in the next decade. In 1996, Splash Works expanded, with a new water slide, a wave pool and a new child-friendly water playground (The Black Hole, White Water Bay and The Pump House). In 1998, the park expanded by adding KidZville , which was mainly designed for infants and children. In 1999, Splash Works expanded for the second time, with the addition of raft rides: The Plunge and Super Soaker. Other changes involved Paramount incorporating references to their film properties into
1808-745: A record for inversions on a launched roller coaster in North America. Concurrent with AlpenFury's addition, the International Festival section of the park will be renamed and re-themed to Alpenfest to match the new ride. Canada's Wonderland is situated in Maple , a neighbourhood of Vaughan, Ontario. The park is east of Highway 400 between Rutherford Road (Exit 33) and Major Mackenzie Drive (Exit 35), 13 km (8.1 mi) north of Highway 401 , 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Highway 407 and 64 km (40 mi) south of Barrie . It
1921-623: A replica of the Eiffel Tower at the end in both parks. In each instance, the International Street section was created while the park was owned by Kings Entertainment Company , then transferred to Paramount Parks , then to Cedar Fair , and finally to the current owners, Six Flags . The street features buildings with themes of Alpine , Scandinavian , Latin American , and Mediterranean cultures . A long fountain stretches
2034-448: A slow whirlpool effect in the pond below the waterfall on Victoria Day weekend in 1988. Joyce had been swimming for ten minutes, when he went closer to the falls to retrieve a frisbee . His brother Gregory, aged 20, rushed to help him, but was pulled under several times. Resuscitation efforts by security staff failed. In an inquest, Wonderland's director of engineering denied the existence of an undertow. A nearby life ring had been tied to
2147-485: A speed of 15.5 kilometres per hour (9.6 mph). Once at the top of the 93.3-metre (306 ft) lift, it drops to the ground at an 80-degree angle, reaching a top speed of 148 kilometres per hour (92 mph). Following the first drop, the train goes through a 30-metre (100 ft) tunnel next to the Wonderland Terminal , then curves upwards into a 50-metre-tall (164.0 ft) overbanked banked turn to
2260-411: A teaser website featuring a countdown clock to 18 August 2011, 7:00 am , accessible through the park's Facebook page. The website also featured quotations from online theme park reporters and Cedar Fair 's CEO. Canada's Wonderland announced Leviathan at 7:00 am on 18 August 2011, and the ride was also announced live on Breakfast Television Toronto . Erection of the track began during
2373-535: A theme element, covers the front of the trains. Each train has eight cars with four seats per car, which are styled after Bolliger & Mabillard's traditional hyper coaster cars, as opposed to the staggered seating used on Behemoth . Each train seats 32 riders, who are restrained using lapbars and seatbelts. Leviathan's lapbars feature a clamshell design which are also present on all other Bolliger and Mabillard Hyper Coaster models. The clamshell restraints are padded with comfortable materials and are designed to fit
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#17327908023602486-486: A tight rope from the pond area of Medieval Faire to Wonder Mountain. For the 2010 season, Planet Snoopy opened to the public, which was a retheme of both "The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera" & "Nickelodeon Central" areas of the park to align Canada's Wonderland with the rest of the Cedar Fair chain. The area consisted of a retheme of all of the rides and facilities of both areas into one cohesive section themed to
2599-714: A tipping bucket. Though not announced prior to its opening, SlingShot also for the 2015 season in the dry park. This upcharge attraction catapults riders nearly 300 ft (91.5m)in the air, and reaches speeds approaching 100 km/h (60 mph). Near the close of the 2015 season, Canada's Wonderland announced that two new flat rides would be added in 2016: Skyhawk (a Gerstlauer Sky Roller) and Flying Eagles (a Larson International Flying Scooters). Cedar Fair CEO Matt Ouimett also confirmed in December 2015 that virtual reality (VR) headsets would be added to Thunder Run in 2016. Available to riders for an additional upcharge fee,
2712-401: A tree using three knots and was only equipped with 6 metres (20 feet) of rope, not enough to reach the middle of the pool. One high diver, who had worked at the park for seven years, claims to have told his supervisor of the undertow during the previous season. That diver was concerned about landing someone, as he claimed unauthorized swimmers were a frequent occurrence at that time. The area
2825-456: A week before the park officially opened the ride. The auction raised over C$ 40,000, which was donated to the Hospital for Sick Children . The highest bid in the auction for a single seat was $ 1,000. When bidders got to ride the roller coaster, the tunnel at the bottom of the first drop was not yet installed. It's fast, it's smooth and it's got an incredible thrill. As of 2024 , Leviathan
2938-414: A wide range of body sizes and shapes, ensuring that riders of varying proportions can be accommodated comfortably. The steel track of Leviathan is over a mile long at 1,672 metres (5,486 ft), the height of the lift hill is 93.3 metres (306 ft) and the angle of the first descent is approximately 80 degrees. The colour of the track is cyan and its supports are blue. Leviathan uses a single chain for
3051-523: A year. Splash Works and Planet Snoopy also feature locations of the chain. The 1979 "Maple Theme Park" report stated that the Scandinavian Building would offer: "Candy factory (fudge, novelty candies, jams and jellies, etc.), toy shop (dolls of all nations, Hanna Barbera children's clothing, plush animals, miniatures), hobbies, books, records." In the first year, Lemonad served lemonade and orange drinks, and Vikingåsbord Smörgåsbord offered
3164-401: Is Bolliger & Mabillard's second tallest and fastest roller coaster, and the company's first giga coaster – a class of roller coasters with a height or drop that exceeds 91.5 metres (300 ft). One cycle of the ride lasts about 3 minutes and 28 seconds. After leaving the station , the train turns 180 degrees to the right, then begins to climb the chain lift hill , travelling at
3277-506: Is a 4-D interactive dark ride / roller coaster with animations from Montreal-based Triotech . Park management also announced that SkyRider would close Labour Day, 2014. In October 2014, a man was fatally stabbed at Halloween Haunt. SkyRider was removed at the end of the 2014 season and relocated to Cavallino Matto in Tuscany , Italy, as Freestyle in 2015. For the 2015 season, Splash Works opened two new attractions, which marked
3390-433: Is a cliff-jumping style attraction featuring multiple platforms of varying heights, the highest of which is 25 feet (7.6 m). Both of these attractions opened in 2021. On 22 November 2019, WinterFest debuted at Canada's Wonderland. WinterFest is a holiday event. During WinterFest, five million energy-efficient LED lights were strung on 800 trees, the buildings, the décor, and on Wonder Mountain. On International Street,
3503-423: Is bounded by Highway 400 to the west, Jane Street to the east, Major Mackenzie Drive to the north and an access road approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of Rutherford Road to the south. When the park originally opened, its surroundings were largely rural; however, the suburban sprawl since the mid-2000s has resulted in it being surrounded by housing and shopping plazas on all sides. Canada's Wonderland
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3616-639: Is located 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north of Vaughan Mills and 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) north of Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station of Line 1 Yonge–University of the Toronto subway system. Prior to the opening of the subway station in December 2017, it was served by the 165 Weston Road North bus of the Toronto Transit Commission bus system operating from York Mills station via Wilson station . The park has two public entrances and one entrance for staff, deliveries, and buses. On
3729-521: Is located within the UNESCO -designated Fundy Biosphere Region. The attraction opened in June 2024. On 8 February 2024, Canada's Wonderland announced that Xtreme Skyflyer would permanently shut down for the 2024 season after 26 years of operating. The attraction gave over 1.17 million rides prior to its removal. This closure was cited for future expansion and development by the park. Restrictions placed by
3842-485: Is named Victoria Falls, and was reportedly based on Victoria Falls , the largest waterfall in the world, which straddles the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe . In 2011, the park's "Victoria Falls" was still listed as powering its air conditioning. The mountain itself was slow to be named. Park publicist Mike Filey suggested in July 1980 that it might be named after Canadian-born Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook . Beaverbrook
3955-482: Is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, taking the records previously held by Behemoth on the opposite side of the park. As of July 2020 , Leviathan is ranked as the seventh-tallest roller coaster in the world, the sixth tallest coaster by drop height, and the fourth-tallest traditional lift-style coaster in the world. Leviathan was the 16th roller coaster to be built at Canada's Wonderland. The ride
4068-483: Is typically associated with New Brunswick, where he moved at age 13 and started his first newspaper, and with the United Kingdom, where he became a newspaper baron. The Globe and Mail speculated that it might be named Mount Maple, to soothe relations with the local community, or that there might be a naming contest. The mountain had a circular pathway to the summit. The top offered a panoramic view of each of
4181-494: Is well-built to last a long time." It recounted a "forlorn looking person" stopping a security guard outside a set of Latin themed washrooms, asking "Am I a Damas or Caballeros?" In 2011, the entire street was lit up with 300,000 lights for the nighttime show Starlight Spectacular , featuring animated effects projected on to Wonder Mountain. Overlooking the front gate is the Maple Room, a small, higher-end events facility. In
4294-506: The Arctic , Pacific , Atlantic , and Great Lakes regions of Canada, each poured a vial of water from their home regions into the park's fountain. Hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky also appeared as a special guest, helping to raise the Canadian flag . 12,000 guests were welcomed into the park for the first time. The park cost $ 120 million ($ 381 million in 2023 dollars) to build. During
4407-403: The Arctic , Pacific , Atlantic , and Great Lakes regions of Canada, each pouring a vial of water from their home regions into the park's fountain. Hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky also appeared as a special guest, helping to raise the Canadian flag on the bridge near the waterfall. In opening year there was a variety of entertainment in International Street. An accordion player dressed as
4520-485: The COVID-19 pandemic . Canada's Wonderland normally operates from late April or early May to Labour Day , and then on select dates until early January. Special events are held throughout the season, including Halloween Haunt , WinterFest , and various festivals such as Celebration Canada, a month-long Canada Day festival. With eighteen roller coasters, Canada's Wonderland has the third most of any theme park around
4633-511: The Government of Ontario to combat the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the park remaining closed for the 2020 season. This also led to the cancellations of that season's Halloween Haunt and Winterfest events. Canada's Wonderland posted a series of four horror vignettes 30 October 2020 titled Nighttime Walk to celebrate Haunt featuring the empty park. The park attempted to reopen in May 2021, but it
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4746-558: The Medieval Faire section of the park, the Hyper Coaster model from Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard is the first roller coaster manufactured by the company to exceed a height of 91.5 metres (300 ft), putting it in a class of roller coasters commonly referred to as giga . At 1,672 metres (5,486 ft) long, 93.3 metres (306 ft) tall, and with a top speed of 148 kilometres per hour (92 mph), Leviathan
4859-491: The Peanuts comics (both Ghoster Coaster & Swan Lake remained unchanged following the change), along with the addition of three new rides for children and families from Zamperla ; Lucy's Tugboat, Peanuts 500, and Snoopy's Revolution. In 2011, Canada's Wonderland opened WindSeeker , a 301-foot-tall (92 m) tower-swing ride, making it the tallest ride in the park until Leviathan opened in 2012. The park also announced
4972-644: The 1920s. Productions included Singing to the World and Rock Around the Clock (1981), Deep in the Heart of the Country (1986), Dancin' in the City (1992), It's Magic (1993), Metro Pop (1998), School of Rock (2005-2006), Twistin' to the 60s (2007), Dance To The Music (2008), Signed, Sealed, Delivered (2009), Rockband, LIVE! (2010), and Start Me Up (2012). Since the 2015 season, variety acts have replaced
5085-438: The 1980s and early 1990s. The park's former connection to Hanna-Barbera Productions lessened after Paramount Pictures raised its stake from 20 percent to full ownership of the park in 1993 and renamed it Paramount Canada's Wonderland. After Viacom bought Paramount in 1994, a successful attempt was made to bring families back to the park by attracting children with original Nickelodeon cartoon characters that were familiar to
5198-523: The 1980s, Canada's Wonderland and the Loblaws supermarket chain mounted a cross-marketing campaign. Loblaws issued "Wonder dollars" based on customers' purchases, which were redeemable at Canada's Wonderland at par with the Canadian dollar on weekdays. The obverse of the coin featured Wonder Mountain, while the reverse featured the Loblaws logo. Kings Entertainment Company operated the park during
5311-482: The 2023 season. The first, Tundra Twister, is a first-of-its-kind flat ride from Mondial that is located in Frontier Canada next to Yukon Striker's zero-g winder inversion, creating many near-misses with the coaster. The ride features rotating gondola arms that freely rotate, while the ride's base spins 360 degrees at heights of 154 feet (47 m) and speeds of 75 kilometres per hour (47 mph). The second
5424-884: The European countries at the Mediterranean Sea , the 1979 planning report for the park suggested it would be home to a shirt and sweater store with the option for screen printed customization, a shop of hats featuring Hanna Barbera characters, a magic and novelty shop, and a store of Mediterranean decorative gifts and jewellery. The building opened in 1981. Ristorante offered pizza, spaghetti Milanese, and antipasto salad. Gelati offered grape sherbet (likely actually gelato ) and tortoni. Souvenirs and novelties were sold at La Casa Del Regalo (Spanish and Italian for "The Gift House"); T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats were on sale at Camicie (Italian for "shirts"); and magic tricks could be bought at Maschera (Italian for "mask"). Calling it
5537-625: The Great-West Life Assurance Company , it was the first major theme park in Canada and remains the country's largest. Cedar Fair (merged with Six Flags since 1 July 2024) purchased the park from Paramount Parks in 2006, and they have owned and operated the park since then. In 2019, it was the most-visited seasonal amusement park in North America with an estimated 3.9 million guests. The park still retains this record, with an estimated 3.8 million guests in 2022 amid
5650-738: The Greater Toronto Area as a spot to build a theme park, among them the Conklin family (whose Conklin Shows ran various midways around North America, including Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition midway in Exhibition Place ). Walt Disney also considered the idea before choosing Florida for the Walt Disney World Resort , rejecting Toronto mainly because of the city's seasonal climate , which would make
5763-575: The Latin Building, La Cantina and La Tasca. Retail outlets were: Imperial Tobacco 's John Player and Sons Tabaquero selling tobacco, cigarettes, and cigars; Pelicula, a film shop; Something in Sombreros selling hats and bags; Ceramica selling pottery and clothing; and Very Verde selling plants and wind chimes. Collectively, a 1982 park brochure described a selection of "Mexican leather belts, malachite statues, sombreros, woven baskets". By 1989,
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#17327908023605876-585: The Leviathan as a new attraction would help to spread out visitors. It was also described as part of a "roller coaster renaissance" where theme parks distinguished itself by introducing bigger and faster rides to attract guests. In addition to Leviathan, Canada's Wonderland also opened the Dinosaurs Alive! walk-through dinosaur exhibit, which was located in Planet Snoopy . On 27 May 2012, for
5989-788: The Photo Shop advertised "Products by Kodak", and the western end of the unit, towards the entrance to Medieval Faire, was simply called Alphorn. In 2005 or earlier, Locker Room replaced both the Photo Shop and Geschenke with a single unit. In or before 2007, Alphorn Funnel Cakes was joined by a small window-service Dairy Queen ; both operate as of 2013. An Orange Julius was added in 2015. The 1979 "Maple Theme Park" report listed plans for: "Tobacco shop (cigarettes, cigars, accessories), camera corner, hand-crafted wearing apparel (jewellery and decorative gifts, Latin American and South America), pottery, plants and baskets (Mexico), giant paper flowers, Spanish dolls." The park opened with two restaurants in
6102-512: The addition of the Starlight Spectacular show, which started on 25 June 2011 and ended on Labour Day, 3 September 2011. It was a nightly 'light and sound show' designed to celebrate the park's 30th anniversary; it was shown at 10 pm EST every night on International Street. Canada's Wonderland stated that the total cost for the show was approximately $ 1 million, with 16 million different colours and 300,000 LED lights. While
6215-583: The addition of two new attractions for the 2020 season. The first, Beagle Brigade Airfield, is a new children's ride located in Planet Snoopy. The attraction is mostly identical to the version at sister park Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri , which share the same name, but Wonderland's version is partially covered. In addition, the park announced Mountain Bay Cliffs for Splash Works, which
6328-462: The area encompassing what is now Splash Works , White Water Canyon , the Action Theatre and the southern part of Kidzville. Taft also proposed including a steam passenger train. While Frontier Canada was not brought up as an idea until 2019 by a different owner, several original themes remain in the area. Unlike its sister parks, Kings Island and Kings Dominion , it was decided early that
6441-412: The base of the mountain," the covered amphitheatre seats 3500, and in early years could hold an additional 3000 on the hills in behind. The show for the opening year, "Singing to the World", was a half-hour musical revue covering country, rock and roll, television themes, big band music, and a "Canadian medley"; most performers were high school students. The 1982 show, Jubilee , reached back to music from
6554-500: The building still housed La Tasca, La Cantina, and Tabaquero, but the other shops were replaced by a sports shop. La Tasca was replaced in the 2000s by Starbucks coffee shop, and the Streetwear store replaced La Cantina in 2005. An outdoor Mr. Sub counter franchise operated from 2004 to 2012, this location and two others became Subway in 2013. In 2015, a Mill Street Brewery outlet was added next to it. Based on architecture of
6667-495: The building. The Alphorn Delikatessen offered a breakfast platter, Knackwurst , Bavarian sandwiches, and salads; Eis featured fresh fruit and ice cream covered in chocolate. Glasswaren sold glassware, Geschenke (German for "gifts") sold arts and crafts, Kuckucks Uhren sold cuckoo clocks , and the building was one six locations in the park for the Chas. Abel Photo Shop, which sold film and camera accessories and rented cameras. In 1989,
6780-672: The centre of the Vortex helix, which has a top speed of 130 km/h. Upon opening, the ride became the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in the world and features four inversions, more than any other dive coaster, including the first vertical loop on a Dive Coaster. They also announced the opening of Frontier Canada, a gold-rush -themed attraction area that includes Yukon Striker, Mighty Canadian Minebuster, Lumberjack, Soaring Timbers, Flying Canoes, Vortex, Timberwolf Falls and White Water Canyon. Canada's Wonderland also announced Winterfest , an immersive holiday-themed event. In addition,
6893-405: The centrepiece of the park would not be a replica of Paris's famous Eiffel Tower . Instead, the park's designers chose to build a massive mountain, known as Wonder Mountain, situated at the top of International Street. Wonder Mountain featured a huge waterfall and interior pathways that led visitors to a look-out point. The interior pathways have been closed since and have remained closed. In 2018,
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#17327908023607006-494: The east of Toronto in the Regional Municipality of Durham , which includes Pickering and Oshawa , while keeping the lands to the north of Toronto agricultural, as a Greenbelt . The Wonderland promoters were able to convince the province to amend the planning policy for the region, and the park secured infrastructure improvements, including a highway overpass and sewage systems, that were expanded and built out to
7119-460: The existing sections. Strollers were not permitted. The walkway was permanently closed in 1984 so that Vortex could be built. A group of mountaineers dressed in Alpine costumes used to climb the mountain in early years, and eight divers between the ages 17 and 24 would dive off the waterfall. In the second season, all eight were Canadians who had competed in major diving competitions. Their schedule
7232-453: The experience is co-developed with Mack Rides , a German amusement ride company. The VR headgear is a type of head-mounted display that animates the entire field of vision to produce a 360-degree 3D experience. On 26 August 2016, Canada's Wonderland announced that a new flat ride would be added in the 2017 season: Soaring Timbers (a Mondial Inferno). The ride is stated to be the first of its kind in North America. The park also announced
7345-443: The first expansion to the waterpark since 2002. Both attractions were relocated from Ontario Place , however they never opened in their original locations and were sent to Splash Works. Typhoon is a set of two partially enclosed tube slides with funnels, and was formerly known as Topsy Turvy . Splash Station is an interactive children's play structure similar to the adjacent Pump House, featuring two slides, numerous water features, and
7458-543: The first sights seen on entering the park is a large flowerbed representing the Canadian flag . The bed is empty during the park's first weeks of being open and is replaced with a faux graveyard during the autumn for Halloween Haunt . Approximately 11,000 begonias are planted in the bed, which is 80 feet (24 m) by 50 feet (15 m) in size. Behind it is a large fountain area, with a variety of water patterns all day and lighting effects at night. A pathway structure, modeled to look like an arch bridge , contained (as of 1982)
7571-698: The first time in the park's history, Canada's Wonderland in partnership with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association hosted the Run For Vaughan, a one-kilometre, 5-kilometre, and 10-kilometre run to raise money for the planned Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital (then known as Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital) that would be built on land once owned by Canada's Wonderland north of Major Mackenzie Drive. On 30 August 2013, Canada's Wonderland announced that Wonder Mountain's Guardian would open inside Wonder Mountain in May 2014. The attraction
7684-497: The full length of the street, leading to a man-made mountain that features a dive show. An amphitheatre features regular shows with local casts and occasional guest performers. In early promotions, International Street was billed as "a feast of cultures, rich and satisfying", featuring foods not often found in theme parks, like shrimp, paella, and smoked sausage. Over the years, retail outlets have moved to more generic kinds of merchandise and well-known Canadian fast food formats. One of
7797-537: The guest parking lot and in front of the park's main entrance. After leaving the hammerhead turn, the train enters a second high-speed curve at approximately 96.5 kilometres per hour (60.0 mph). The train then traverses a smaller, 37.8-metre-tall (124 ft) camelback, leading to a third high-speed turn which bends to the left and leads into the brake run and into the station. Leviathan operates with three open-air steel and fibreglass trains coloured red, orange and yellow, respectively. The face of Leviathan,
7910-428: The incident. Spokespeople pointed out that Joyce shouldn't have been throwing frisbees in the area and suggested that the witness shouldn't have continued to work for the park in the previous season if they had an unaddressed concern. Opening of the park were held on 23 May 1981, with Ontario Premier William G. Davis and Taft Broadcasting President Dudley Taft presiding. The ceremonies included four children, representing
8023-483: The lake had been frozen into a skating rink called Snow Flake Lake. There were eight themed areas. On 16 June 2022, Canada's Wonderland announced Lazy Bear Lodge (marketed as Lazy Bear Lodge: Wood Fire Grille ), which became the park's largest dining facility to date. The restaurant is located on the hillside beside Vortex's first drop, overlooking Yukon Striker and the rest of Frontier Canada, and features seating for over 500 guests, an indoor and outdoor bar, two floors,
8136-517: The last weekend in October. Halloween Haunt runs in the late evenings on October weekends. On 4 May 2008, Canada's Wonderland opened a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster called Behemoth , which held the record for the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada at the time of its opening, standing at 230 feet (70 m) and reaching speeds of 124 kilometres per hour (77 mph). On 19 July 2009, stunt performer Nik Wallenda walked on
8249-471: The lift hill. Leviathan's station has an elevator near the exit, wooden guard rails with slanted railings and two queues, one of which is the Fast Lane queue for pass holders. In front of the station, there is a rock fountain with a sculpture of a Leviathan on top. To the right of the sculpture, there is an arcade building that was renovated during the construction of the roller coaster. Unlike most of
8362-507: The mountain on Victoria Day , Canada Day , and Labour Day . The first show is called "Victoria Falls High Divers" and usually features about four trained divers who stand right on the edge of Victoria Falls. Before the show starts, a pre-recorded voice tells guests the history of diving and explains what the divers will do. Once the voice ends, all the divers walk to the edge of the waterfall and wait. One by one they perform their dives, performing quick acrobatic moves as they fall, after which
8475-597: The musical revues. Originally the facility had sponsored names: it opened as Labatt's International Showplace, and in 1989 became Labatt's Blue International Showplace. Before the park was opened, the attraction was referred to as International Theatre. As well as shows produced by the park, the facility has hosted various outside events, including Toronto Maple Leafs autograph signings, the National Aerobic Championships, YTV Festival of Friends (a benefit concert videotape for Kids Help Phone ),
8588-446: The north side of the park, there is a small bus terminal, which serves a seasonal bus route operated by York Region Transit . A new, larger bus terminal is currently under construction that is intended for year-round use. Leviathan (Canada%27s Wonderland) Leviathan ( / l ɪ ˈ v aɪ . ə θ ən / liv- EYE -ə-thən ) is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan , Ontario, Canada. Located in
8701-703: The operating season too short to be profitable. Construction of the park was opposed on multiple fronts. Many cultural institutions in Toronto ;– such as Ontario Place , the Royal Ontario Museum , and the operators of the Canadian National Exhibition ;– felt that the Toronto market was not large enough to support more competition. Other groups that fought the building of Wonderland included
8814-459: The original Viacom ), including Canada's Wonderland. CBS stated that amusement parks did not fit the company's new strategy. The acquisition was completed on 30 June 2006. After the sale, Cedar Fair began to drop the name "Paramount" from all of the former Paramount properties it acquired, as a result, the park reverted to its original name of Canada's Wonderland in January 2007. The 2007 season
8927-475: The pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 editions of Toronto's original Santa Claus Parade – normally held on the streets in Downtown Toronto in previous years – was pre-recorded from Canada's Wonderland with no spectators on site and was broadcast on Eastern Standard Time's prime time on 5 December 2020 and 4 December 2021, respectively. From 29 March 2021 until summer 2021, Canada's Wonderland served as
9040-622: The park announced Moosehorn Falls, a new waterslide for Splash Works for the 2024 season. The slide features six-person rafts travelling down a course of small drops and turns before plummeting down a large drop into a 42-foot (13 m) wall, leading into the final splash pool. The name "Moosehorn Falls" is inspired by waterfalls on the Moosehorn Trail in the Fundy National Park in New Brunswick . The trail and park
9153-420: The park announced plans to open a Hyatt House and Hyatt Place–branded hotel eventually. On 13 June 1979, Ontario Premier Bill Davis depressed the plunger on an electronic detonating device at St. Lawrence Hall in downtown Toronto, triggering an explosion on the site. Construction began immediately and continued on to early 1981. Canadian companies were partners on the preliminary design and engineering of
9266-473: The park announced that Dinosaurs Alive! would be closing on 28 October 2018. The attraction's former gift shop is still used seasonally for WinterFest. On 4 February 2019, the park announced that Orbiter would not be opening for the 2019 season. Since the announcement, the attraction has been removed from the park and the area surrounding it was replaced with a pathway connecting Action Zone and Frontier Canada. On 14 August 2019, Canada's Wonderland announced
9379-506: The park featured the "world's largest expanse of interlocking paving stones". One source stated that this expanse cost $ 4 million, another that it consisted of 4 million stones. The stones make walking cooler , are more attractive than asphalt, and make underground sewers and other services more accessible. For the opening, 1100 fully-grown trees were planted, having been purchased from a provincially run nursery in Pickering, Ontario . During
9492-459: The park introduced Spooktacular, a child-oriented Halloween event. The event included children's rides, costume contests and a treasure hunt. Spooktacular was open on weekends during the daytime, while Fearfest remained open at night. Fearfest was renamed Halloween Haunt and Spooktacular was renamed Camp Spooky. On 14 May 2006, Cedar Fair announced it was interested in acquiring the five Paramount theme parks from CBS Corporation (successor of
9605-544: The park unveiled Action Zone, a new themed area replacing the Exposition of 1890, which at the time contained already existing rides and added the Psyclone ride. Splash Works also received its third and most current upgrade, with the addition of a child water playground area called Splash Island and the removal of Pipeline. On 11 May 2003, with the park packed with people for Mother's Day , two guests were involved in
9718-802: The park was owned by Paramount Parks, the retail space became the Paramount Studio Store. It was remodeled as if it were a Star Trek film studio set, and The Painted Shop (the unit closest to the Grand Exposition entry) served as a "backstage area", where "Paramount branded clothing and other movie related paraphernalia" were sold. Passing through an archway, customers would enter the Star Trek -themed area, which at first sold only Star Trek merchandise. Both sections were designed by Eye Design International Limited of St Albans , England, with specially constructed fixtures. Gradually,
9831-418: The park's first season, it was noticed that crowds tended to go to the right side of International Street, towards Medieval Faire. Apart from the front gate structure, all buildings on International Street are based, with varying degrees of accuracy, on international building styles. Theming was extended to all details of the buildings. The Toronto Star suggested that "there are no cheap facades. Everything
9944-415: The park, the store Thrills are Paramount changed its name to Thrills are Wonderland. The structure also includes Front Gate Photo. While admissions and a dog kennel have always existed outside the front gate, one ride now exits the park. Leviathan , a roller coaster which opened in 2012, encroaches into the visitor parking lot and entrance area. In 2003, metal detectors were added to the gates and security
10057-405: The park. Wonder Mountain is a steel structure, its meshing covered in autumn 1980 with three layers of gunnite , a special type of cement that was later roughened to make it look like rock. Pumps within the mountain push the water over the waterfall. This water helped cool the park's air conditioning units , stored in a 30 by 12-metre (100 by 40-foot) room inside the mountain. The waterfall itself
10170-459: The park. This included the addition of film props around the property, a film-merchandise store, and the renaming of several attractions after Paramount film properties. In 2001, a new themed area called Zoom Zone was added within the KidZville section. Three new attractions were built in that area: Silver Streak (a family roller coaster), Blast Off (a "frog hopper"), and Jumpin' Jet. In 2002,
10283-421: The project. Construction of the mountain alone involved a dozen local companies under Cincinnati engineer Curtis D. Summers. Two years later on 23 May 1981, Davis and Taft Broadcasting President Dudley S. Taft Sr. officially opened Canada's Wonderland to the public. The spectacular opening ceremony included 10,000 helium balloons, 13 parachutists , 350 white doves , and a pipe band . Four children, representing
10396-400: The right. This is followed by another drop that enters a speed hill , which makes a high-speed turn slightly to the left at approximately 122 kilometres per hour (76 mph). The exit of the first high speed turn leads directly into a 56-metre-tall (184 ft) camelback , followed by a 44.8-metre-tall (147 ft), 115-degree hammerhead turn . Both of these elements are located above
10509-521: The roller coaster. Walter Bolliger admitted that he "owed" the park, as an inverted roller coaster could not be built several years earlier because of an exclusivity clause with Cedar Point . Speculation about a new roller coaster at Canada's Wonderland began in early 2011, when construction work started around the Dragon Fyre ride and the Go Karts. On 3 July 2011, Canada's Wonderland launched
10622-631: The season finales of The Next Star , and concerts by The Nylons , East 17 , Chantal Kreviazuk , Ashley MacIsaac , and Colin James . Canada%27s Wonderland Canada's Wonderland , formerly known as Paramount Canada's Wonderland , is a 330-acre (130 ha) amusement park located in Vaughan , Ontario , a municipality within the Greater Toronto Area . Opened in 1981 by the Taft Broadcasting Company and
10735-533: The section for smaller children was closed off, the park continued running many of the thrill rides during the event, such as the Thunder Run , in which patrons ride a mining type train through a mountain. During the Halloween season, it is re-themed as the "Haunted" Thunder Run, with a darker tunnel and more strobe lights, fog machines, and black-light lit scenes featuring the "skeletons" of miners. In 2006,
10848-428: The show ends. Introduced in 2011, "Starlight Spectacular" was created to celebrate the 30th season of Canada's Wonderland and is shown every night at 10 pm through the main season. The show consists of many 3D effects and "dancing lights" moving all around Wonder Mountain. The show returned for 2013 with "Starlight Spectacular: Illumination of Water". Diver Rodney Joyce from Scarborough , Ontario , aged 18, drowned in
10961-496: The show took place at the front of the park (International Street), the highlight was on Wonder Mountain, with many 3D images and colours. In 2012, Leviathan , a Bolliger & Mabillard Hypercoaster (also classified as a giga coaster ), opened, surpassing the Canadian records set by Behemoth in 2008, becoming the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada. Norm Pirtovshek, general manager of Canada's Wonderland, said that
11074-412: The site. This infrastructure paved the way for increased development throughout the region. Concerns were also raised about the cultural implications of allowing an American theme park to open in Canada. Many felt that it would be a " Trojan Horse " for American culture . To counter the criticism, Taft planned to open Frontier Canada, a part of the park devoted to Canada's history . Early park maps show
11187-423: The size of the pool and included new interactive water features and children's slides, along with shaded seating areas for families to relax. The area was renamed to Lakeside Lagoon following these upgrades. On 15 August 2018, Canada's Wonderland announced Yukon Striker , a B&M Dive Coaster which opened to the public on 3 May 2019. The ride features a 245-foot-tall (75 m) drop into an underwater tunnel in
11300-747: The themed merchandise faded into more general content, and in 2005, maps referred to it solely as the Studio Store. In 2009, under the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, the store became The Gift Emporium. As of 2015, it was simply the Emporium. In 1989, the unit closest to the mountain housed Ristorante. It became International Street Pizza Pizza in 1998, and as of 2013 is known as Ristorante Pizza Pizza. The location sells more individual pizza slices than any other Pizza Pizza location in Ontario, despite only being open 130 days
11413-452: The track was completed on 7 February 2012. The first test run was completed on 15 March 2012, and on 18 April 2012, Canada's Wonderland announced on its Facebook account that a 30.5-metre (100 ft) tunnel would be placed at the bottom of the ride's first drop. On 19 January 2012, Canada's Wonderland launched an auction in which bidders around the world competed to be one of the first ninety-six public riders on Leviathan on 27 April 2012,
11526-415: The week of 11 September 2011; the brake-run and station portions of track were completed by the end of September. On 18 October 2011, the coaster's longest and heaviest lift hill track piece, standing at 36.6 metres (120 ft) long, was installed. By mid–November the lift hill and drop were finished and the overbank turn was nearing completion. Construction continued through December and January, and
11639-576: The world, behind Energylandia in Poland with nineteen and Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California with twenty. Twenty acres (8.1 ha) of the park houses a water park named Splash Works . Since the closure of Crystal Beach Park in Fort Erie in 1989, Canada's Wonderland remains the only amusement park in Ontario with wooden roller coasters in operation. When Canada's Wonderland
11752-414: Was Snoopy's Racing Railway , a family launch coaster manufactured by ART Engineering and the park's 18th roller coaster overall. Snoopy's Racing Railway is located in Planet Snoopy and takes up a portion of the land that was previously occupied by Dinosaurs Alive!. The coaster opened to the public on 18 May 2023, and Tundra Twister opened to the public a few weeks later on 3 June 2023. On 10 August 2023,
11865-491: Was a transition year throughout the park and included renaming the movie-themed rides since Cedar Fair did not hold the rights to Paramount film properties. By the start of the 2008 season, all Paramount logos and similar references had been removed. In August 2007, Cedar Fair announced that Fearfest would become Halloween Haunt to remain consistent with most other Cedar Fair parks, and that Spooktacular would become Camp Spooky. The park extended its regular operating season until
11978-539: Was announced in August 2011, its track was completed in February 2012, and the first test run was completed on 15 March 2012. The coaster opened to season pass holders on 27 April 2012, and to the general public on 6 May 2012. In the early planning stages of Leviathan, had Bolliger & Mabillard declined to make a roller coaster over 91.5 metres (300 ft), the park would have gotten another manufacturer to design
12091-417: Was concerned about opposition and flew a group of opponents and regional councillors to Mason, Ohio (just north of Cincinnati ) to show them the positive impact of one of its theme parks on the local community. Canada's Wonderland was also responsible for changing the master development plan for the province of Ontario. The provincial government wanted to increase residential and commercial development to
12204-641: Was doubled after a person was killed in a shooting during a crowded Mother's Day . It happened after two visitors were involved in a fight, apparently over a drug exchange before their visit to the park. According to a report titled "Maple Theme Park", provided to the municipal government by Canada's Wonderland Ltd. in 1979, the Alpine Building was intended to provide: "Camera and film shop (rentals and service), glass blower, glass cutter, china shop, European arts and crafts, Christmas decorations." The park opened with two restaurants and four retail outlets in
12317-499: Was listed as barricaded in an early report, but later reports contradicted that. The witness claimed that there were 30 to 40 bathers at one time. The park's director of safety and security said he was never informed of the undertow, and only saw bathers in the pool on one occasion. Not only was there no statement about pool dangers on record, but the supervisor for the previous three years denied that anyone in their department had expressed concern. Security and extra signs were posted after
12430-502: Was planned, the Greater Toronto Area lacked a seasonal amusement park. The city of Toronto had previously hosted three amusement parks that had roller coasters. Sunnyside Amusement Park closed in the 1950s to make room for the Gardiner Expressway . The Scarboro Beach and Hanlan's Point amusement parks both closed in the 1920s. In 1972, the Taft Broadcasting Company , headed by Kelly Robinson, first proposed building
12543-428: Was postponed to July of the same year. An online reservation system was required for guests to book the date and time of their visit during the shortened 2021 season. As a result, 2020 and 2021 season passes were extended to partially include the 2022 season and refunds were not officially offered. Both Beagle Brigade Airfield and Mountain Bay Cliffs had their opening years pushed back to the 2021 season. Also due to
12656-640: Was renamed the Sweet Shoppe, and stayed this way from 2013. In 2021, the Sugar and Spice Pastry Shop was added to the Scandinavian Building. Currently, the name "Candy Factory" is used for a playground in Kidzville (the name was changed in 2016 to Maple Park Treehouse). Outside counters of the unit as of 2013 are Gelato and Gourmet Popcorn. Since at least 2005, the restaurant unit near the mountain has been occupied by Teriyaki Experience and Manchu Wok . In 2015,
12769-422: Was six shows a day on every other day. The dive is 18 m (58 feet), and the pool is 4 m (13 feet) deep in the centre and only 2 m (7 feet) deep at the edges. At the end of the dive, they were descending at 64 km/h (40 mph). As of 2013, Canada's Wonderland operates two regular shows on Wonder Mountain, "Victoria Falls High Divers" and " Starlight Spectacular ". This is in addition to fireworks from
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