Originally posted: 2/6/2005

Last updated: 6/13/2005

Paramount Canada's Wonderland

  By Chris Cowan
  themeparks@insightbb.com 

All ride logo graphics are courtesy of PCWjunkies.com.  Thanks, Kevin!
 

  Canada's Wonderland 

1979:

Construction begins in June on the park in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.  The 300+ acre site was selected for its proximity to the city of Toronto.
 

1981:

Park opens on May 23rd with four themed areas:

International Festival, which includes:

o  Blauer Enzian (Mack powered steel mine train coaster)
o  Bayern Curve (Schwarzkopf)
o  Klockwerks (Huss Swing Around)
o  Krachenwagon (bumper cars)

Medieval Faire, which includes:

o  Dragon Fyre (Arrow looping steel roller coaster)
o  Night Mares (Huss U.F.O.)
o  Quixote’s Kettles (teacups-type spinning ride)
o  The Rage (Huss Pirate Boat)
o  Wild Beast (PTC wooden coaster, designed by Curtis Summers).  Modeled after the Wildcat (Coney Island) design. Original spelling of this ride’s name was Wilde Beaste.

Grande World Exposition of 1890, which includes:

o  Sol Loco (Huss Enterprise)
o  Zumba Flume (log ride)
o  Shiva's Fury (Eyerly Monster)
o  Great Whale of China (Mack Raging Sea)
o  Swing of the Century (Zierer Wave Swinger)  Original name of this ride was Swing of Siam.
o  Mighty Canadian Minebuster (PTC wooden coaster, designed by Curtis Summers). Modeled after the Shooting Star coaster from Coney Island (Ohio).
o  Antique Carousel (PTC)  This carousel was originally located at Happyland Hastings Park (British Columbia) from 1928 until 1934.  It then went to Palace Playland (Maine) until 1945.  Its next home was the Palisades Amusement Park (New Jersey) until it was placed in storage in 1971.

Hanna-Barbera Land, which includes:

o  Ghoster Coaster (PTC wooden family coaster)
o  Hot Rock Raceway
o  Boulder Bumpers (kids bumper cars)
o  Jetson’s Rocketport (mini rocket ships)
o  Aerofield (airplanes)
o  Hanna Barberry Go Round (Chance carousel)
o  Happy Landing (swan themed boat ride)
o  Wonder Tours (Bradley and Kaye electric-powered antique cars)
o  Scooby Choo (kids train ride)
o  Balloon Race (kids hot air balloons)
 

1982:

Kings Courtyard, a group picnic area, is added.

1983:

Kingswood Music Theater is added.

1984:

White Water Canyon (Intamin white water rafting ride) is added.

1985:

SkyRider (Togo stand-up roller coaster) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890.

1986:

Blauer Enzian’s track is lengthened and ran through Wonder Mountain and the coaster is renamed Thunder Run.

1987:

The Bat (Vekoma Boomerang steel roller coaster) is added in Medieval Faire.  The third train from Dragon Fire is used for the Bat.

1988:

Racing Rivers water slides are added.

1989:

Timberwolf Falls (log flume) is added in the White Water Canyon area.

1990:

Jet Scream (Intamin Looping Starship) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890.

1991:

Vortex (Arrow suspended steel roller coaster) is added in International Festival.

1992:

SplashWorks water park is added and includes:

o  Pipeline (double slide)

o  Lazy River (1/4 mile long)

o  Body Blast (three body slides)

o  Splash Island (kiddie area)

o  Whirl Winds (2 speed tube slides)

o  Wipeout (70-ft high speed slides)

1993:

Kid’s Kingdom (new theme area with jungle-gym-type attractions) is added.

  Paramount Canada's Wonderland 

1994:

Paramount Parks purchases Canada’s Wonderland from Kings Entertainment Company (KECO).

Paramount’s Action F/X Theater (IWERKS Motion Simulator ride) is added and features Days of Thunder, based on the racing movie.

Zumba Flume is removed at the end of the season.

1995:

Top Gun (Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890 in the former location of Zumba Flume.

1996:

SplashWorks is expanded and includes:

o  White Water Bay (36,000 sq. ft. wave pool)

o  The Black Hole (2 inter-twined 4-storey enclosed slides)

o  The Pump House (interactive water playground)

Xtreme Skyflyer (170-ft upcharge Skycoaster) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890.

Quixote’s Kettles is renovated and renamed Spinovator.

1997:

Drop Zone (230-ft Intamin Giant Drop tower ride) is added in Medieval Faire.

Speed City Raceway (upcharge go karts) is added in Medieval Faire.

1998:

Kidzville, a new theme area, is added.

Taxi Jam (Miler kiddie steel coaster) is added in Kidzville.

Chopper Chase is added in Kidzville.

A-Mazing-Adventure (walk through maze) is added in Kidzville.

Flavourator (Zamperla tea-cups type ride) is added in Kidzville.

Swing Time is added in Kidzville.

The Edge (upcharge climbing wall) is added in Medieval Faire.

The spelling of Dragon Fyre is changed to Dragon Fire.

Happy Landing is renamed Swan Lake.

Wonder Tours is renamed Jokey’s Jalopies.

Scooby Choo is renamed Kidzville Station.

Balloon Race is renamed Frequent Flyers.

Kid's Kingdom is renamed Candy Factory.

1999:

SplashWorks is expanded and includes:

o  The Plunge (4-person raft slide)

o  Super Soaker (tube slide)

The Fly (Mack Wild Mouse steel roller coaster) is added in International Festival.

Shiva's Fury is renamed The Fury.

Hot Rock Raceway is removed at the end of the season.

2000:

Cliffhanger (Mondial Splashover) is added in Medieval Faire.

Scooby Doo’s Haunted Mansion (Sally interactive dark ride) is added in Hanna-Barbera Land.

Bayern Curve is removed at the end of the season.

2001:

Zoom Zone, a new theme area within Kidzville, is added.

Silver Streak (Vekoma inverted steel family roller coaster) is added in Zoom Zone.

Blast Off (S&S Froghopper) is added in Zoom Zone.

Jumpin’ Jet (Zamperla Crazy Plane) is added in Zoom Zone.

Klockwerks is moved to Bayern Curve’s former location.

Shockwave (Mondial Topscan) is added in Klockwerks former location in International Festival.

2002:

The Action Zone, a new themed area within the Grande World Exposition of 1890 section, is added.

Psyclone (Mondial Revolution) is added in the Action Zone.

Splash Island, the kids area within SplashWorks is expanded and includes:

o  Spray Ground (interactive water play area)

o  Splash Island Waterways (two slides)

Cyber Sez (upcharge 3D virtual reality) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890.

The Mayan-temple theming is removed from Sol Loco and it is renamed The Orbiter.

Pipeline (double water slide) is removed.

2003:

Sledge Hammer (Huss Jump 2) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890.

Nickelodeon Central, a new themed area, is added.

Wild Thornberry’s Treetop Lookout is added in Nickelodeon Central.

Dora’s Dune Buggies is added in Nickelodeon Central.

Jimmy Neutron’s Brainwasher is added in Nickelodeon Central.

Boulder Bumpers is renamed Rugrats Toonpike in Nickelodeon Central.

SpongeBob SquarePants 3D is added as the new film in the Paramount Action F/X Theater.

Barracuda Blaster (Proslide) and Riptide Racer (8-lane racing slide) are added as part of an eleven-slide expansion to SplashWorks.

Launch Pad (upcharge Euro Bungee) is added in the White Water Canyon area.

Admission this year is $49.21

2004:

Tomb Raider: The Ride (Zamperla Volare flying coaster) is added in Grande World Exposition of 1890.

2005:

Italian Job: Stunt Track (Premier steel roller coaster) is added.