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La Ronde Discussion Thread


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^^Looks like you pretty much "got" the park already, so with that out of the way, to strictly answer your questions...

Toboggan Nordique first, the capacity is atrocious, then Boomerang, then Super Manège, then go to the back of the park and ride Le Dragon (also has a poor capacity), and ride Goliath last, it's one of the few rides that's operated properly in the park.

 

Skip Le Monstre, trust me it's not worth the wait especially since they introduced the PTC trains a few years ago.

 

Depending on how much time you have, you *maybe* could get a ride on Vampire if you're lucky, usually its operations aren't too bad and out of the few Batman clones I've ridden it's my favorite, I find it a little more forceful than the others for some reason.

 

They won't let you go on the Mini-Mine train coaster unless you're with a kid, so skip it.

 

For the last ride you're asking about, I'm unsure if you're talking about the monorail or the train ride in the kid's section, so : if you're talking about the monorail they will let you in even if you're a single rider, if you're talking about the kiddy ride they won't unless you're with a kid.

 

Hope this helps, if you have any other questions don't hesitate and good luck on your visit

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I don't remember the Flash Pass costing too much if you really needed it. Having said that, I'd start with the Toboggan, Boomerang, and Dragon since those are the three worst capacities.

 

One other note is entering the park. During my visit, the main entrance had a 2 hour security line (I kid you not). I learned after the fact there also is a second entrance in the back. However if you arrive right at opening, I hope you don't have this nightmare of a line like me.

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^^Looks like you pretty much "got" the park already, so with that out of the way, to strictly answer your questions...

Toboggan Nordique first, the capacity is atrocious, then Boomerang, then Super Manège, then go to the back of the park and ride Le Dragon (also has a poor capacity), and ride Goliath last, it's one of the few rides that's operated properly in the park.

 

If I get there 30 minutes prior to opening and line up, how gnarly is the line into the park gonna be? I expect to be cut often going up to the metal detector, but like whatever, I'm not gonna fist fight some kid. TBH I'm considering buying a pack of menthols and smoking in the park just to fit in.

 

Skip Le Monstre, trust me it's not worth the wait especially since they introduced the PTC trains a few years ago.

 

I'm a big time wood coaster guy but I did get on it last time I was there. I know it won't race. I'm still interested no matter how bad it is, but I'm guessing one train operation on one track, right?

 

Depending on how much time you have, you *maybe* could get a ride on Vampire if you're lucky, usually its operations aren't too bad and out of the few Batman clones I've ridden it's my favorite, I find it a little more forceful than the others for some reason.

 

Open-Close. Or at least "until I get mad".

 

If I want to eat food, I eat everything and anything. Is there a specific restaurant that might be less popular than others? Or something that's always generally quick to get out to customers?

 

They won't let you go on the Mini-Mine train coaster unless you're with a kid, so skip it.

 

Figured that was still the case. Ah well.

 

For the last ride you're asking about, I'm unsure if you're talking about the monorail or the train ride in the kid's section, so : if you're talking about the monorail they will let you in even if you're a single rider, if you're talking about the kiddy ride they won't unless you're with a kid.

 

Both. The kiddie ride is an original from Expo 67 and is actively interesting to me because its actually got theming bits, but I figured there was a possibility it was a "no adults allowed" situation. Monorail though I'm excited to go on. Hopefully the wait isn't too crazy.

 

Thanks for the answers though!

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If I get there 30 minutes prior to opening and line up, how gnarly is the line into the park gonna be? I expect to be cut often going up to the metal detector, but like whatever, I'm not gonna fist fight some kid. TBH I'm considering buying a pack of menthols and smoking in the park just to fit in.

Would like to help but can't really say from my experience, because I never go at opening time since I live 15 minutes away so I have no reason to. However I did hear from many friends that the line at the entrance can be really really bad, so perhaps trying to get in from the back entrance near Goliath wouldn't be a bad idea. Plus, I personnally find the back entrance prettier than the main.

 

I'm a big time wood coaster guy but I did get on it last time I was there. I know it won't race. I'm still interested no matter how bad it is, but I'm guessing one train operation on one track, right?

Correct, but that's implying that both tracks will be open, and if they are, not only they can't race but they also can't ride *at all* at the same time (so even if the loading is over on one track, they might have to wait for the other track's train to be back into station before dispatching). Each train can only hold twenty people, and spoiler alert, that never happens. The ride is very rough with the new PTCs. So if you REALLY REALLY want to ride it, it's your call... But I can't recommend it.

 

If I want to eat food, I eat everything and anything. Is there a specific restaurant that might be less popular than others? Or something that's always generally quick to get out to customers?

There isn't much interessing stuff restaurant-wise at the park, but the Lafleur near Vampire/SkyScreamer is decent and relatively quick.

 

Both. The kiddie ride is an original from Expo 67 and is actively interesting to me because its actually got theming bits, but I figured there was a possibility it was a "no adults allowed" situation. Monorail though I'm excited to go on. Hopefully the wait isn't too crazy.

The only theming on the train ride is the cow that moos when the train passes nearby, and you can see it without getting on the ride. Monorail is indeed fun, the wait may seem really long but it's usually not too bad because the trains have a very high capacity. I would suggest you board at the station at the back of the park (on top of the back entrance) instead of the station near the main entrance, the wait is usually least long over there and you can stay onride when you arrive at the main station if you wish to do a full tour.

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  • 2 weeks later...
OK, for those who have this place as their local park or people who've been recently: I'm planning on going on a Saturday in June because that's the time I've got to use. I literally don't have another weekend or day and don't even tell me about "if you go on _______" because NO NO NO.

 

That being said, I need 5 credits here: Goliath, Boomerang, Dragon, Super Manege, Toboggan Nordique. Do I start with Goliath or do I start with Toboggan Nordique and Boomerang since their capacity is the drizzling $#!+$? I am accepting I may not ride La Monstre because this is a retarded theme park. I am accepting that I may not ride Vampire again because this is a retarded theme park. I would like to ride the flat rides that are big, but...you guessed it. This is a retarded theme park. I technically need the Mini Mine Train but....yeah. Oh and I'd like to ride that thing that has cars shaped like train cars and goes around theming, or the monorail, but like, is it so retarded that someone at the park by themseles won't be let on or get yelled at for phototaking from a scenic attraction intended for people to take pictures on?

 

I need your help, guys. I really don't want to get a QBot here. I really, really don't want to give them my money. It isn't like they'd do anything competent with it anyways. It's not the lack of $15 pizza/fry meals being bought that makes this place so bad.

 

I went on Sunday, got there at noon, Monstre wasn't open yet, went to Goliath, walked on and did 5 rides in a row, went back to Le Monstre, it was open, did two rides then a line started forming, Had some Mcdonalds which costs pretty much the same as any other mcdonalds in quebec, and then did 5 rides on vampire around 2:00, all walk-on front row. I wasn't alone but there was a couple of singles that got on the monorail, and everyone was taking pictures. Every ride was walk on, or at most a one train wait when we left at 3:00 except for le monstre it was at 30 min.

 

This was my first visit, I truly don't get the hate people have for this park, first of all it's six flags, i mean you're paying $60 a year for unlimited use of a dozen parks, what are you guys expecting? If I use it 10 times they're making $6 a day from me. It's not Disney at $100/day.

 

I was pretty satisfied with my $6 Goliath is a great ride

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DIdn't it rain in the morning with more rain in the forecast that never materialized (likely keeping crowds away)?

 

Your experience isn't typical because the park was unimaginably dead based on that report and the stars pretty much aligned for you. Trust me, we go into Six Flags parks with reasonable expectations. This place is historically terrible.

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DIdn't it rain in the morning with more rain in the forecast that never materialized (likely keeping crowds away)?

 

Your experience isn't typical because the park was unimaginably dead based on that report and the stars pretty much aligned for you. Trust me, we go into Six Flags parks with reasonable expectations. This place is historically terrible.

 

it rained in the early early morning but the forecast was for sun all day and it was a beautiful day. maybe everyone went saturday, which was opening day for the season. but even then someone on reddit said wait times were 10min max on everything except monstre.. i wasn't even going to go opening weekend thinking it would be packed but i went based on his report and there was even less people. it was great

 

i had the same experience at great adventure a couple weeks ago on a beautiful saturday. some waits for kingda ka, 15-20 min but mostly because it broke down a couple times. el toro had no waits all day, same with nitro..

 

i'm going to go again next weekend and i'll report back, have you guys gone in may before? maybe it just gets crazy once school lets out end of june?

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i'm going to go again next weekend and i'll report back, have you guys gone in may before? maybe it just gets crazy once school lets out end of june?

 

I tried. The park didn't open because of passing showers hours earlier on Victoria Day 2004. The staff stayed, however, because they are union, behind padlocked gates. And they ran rides. Empty rides. Possibly for hours.

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i'm going to go again next weekend and i'll report back, have you guys gone in may before? maybe it just gets crazy once school lets out end of june?

 

I tried. The park didn't open because of passing showers hours earlier on Victoria Day 2004. The staff stayed, however, because they are union, behind padlocked gates. And they ran rides. Empty rides. Possibly for hours.

 

well maybe they've improved in the 14 years since then

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i'm going to go again next weekend and i'll report back, have you guys gone in may before? maybe it just gets crazy once school lets out end of june?

 

I tried. The park didn't open because of passing showers hours earlier on Victoria Day 2004. The staff stayed, however, because they are union, behind padlocked gates. And they ran rides. Empty rides. Possibly for hours.

 

well maybe they've improved in the 14 years since then

 

I went again and actually got inside years later. It was what I was warned about. Lots of other people have tried to go and have a good time independent of me and found it a challenge. I mean, kudos to you having that luck. I got lucky too - Saturday at Canada's Wonderland was dead when I popped in for a few minutes for some rides. Like walk-on Leviathan dead. But I have no illusions I'll find that at La Ronde.

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i'm going to go again next weekend and i'll report back, have you guys gone in may before? maybe it just gets crazy once school lets out end of june?

 

I tried. The park didn't open because of passing showers hours earlier on Victoria Day 2004. The staff stayed, however, because they are union, behind padlocked gates. And they ran rides. Empty rides. Possibly for hours.

 

well maybe they've improved in the 14 years since then

 

I went again and actually got inside years later. It was what I was warned about. Lots of other people have tried to go and have a good time independent of me and found it a challenge. I mean, kudos to you having that luck. I got lucky too - Saturday at Canada's Wonderland was dead when I popped in for a few minutes for some rides. Like walk-on Leviathan dead. But I have no illusions I'll find that at La Ronde.

 

that's too bad, hopefully i get lucky again next weekened! and you too if you come back again. curious how does behemoth compare to goliath at laronde? (i'm assuming you've ridden both) they seem pretty similar, out and back with a lot of airtime hills. if behemoth is really similar to goliath, i'm debating whether it's worth the 5 hour trek just to ride leviathan and paying $50 when i could drive 5 hours to SFNE and ride superman, wicked cyclone, batman floorless, etc.. for free with gold pass. nothing else at CW really piques my interest beyond the two big B&M's

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Headed here on 2nd of June, a Saturday... Going in to process my pass, ride Goliath and Le Vampire, then leave... Expecting brutal operations either way, but what order should I ride those in to get out of there as fast as possible???

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Headed here on 2nd of June, a Saturday... Going in to process my pass, ride Goliath and Le Vampire, then leave... Expecting brutal operations either way, but what order should I ride those in to get out of there as fast as possible???

 

why not process the season pass after you're done riding?

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Now that SF is picking up some new parks, maybe they would like to let go of this one lol!

 

Let it go? How about just putting some money into it instead of buying more parks in buttfuck nowhere. Where else is there an amusement park IN a city of 4 million, that gets 10 million summer tourists, that you can see from the city, bike to from the city, is accessible by subway, etc..? The potential of this place is huge, the problem is no investment. Spend the bucks to spruce the place up, staff it properly, RMC the le monstre and build a record breaking steel coaster and voila. Build it and they will come.

 

Problem is Six Flags is cheap, they prefer to charge peanuts for passes but spend peanuts on their parks outside of a couple flagship parks (MM, Great Adventure, etc). You can buy a gold pass for $60, the equivalent cedar fair pass is $220.

 

So yeah, I guess you're right, best thing would be for SF to let it go, and Cedar Fair to pick it up and do it right. In less than 10 years CW has gotten behemoth, leviathan, and a new dive coaster coming. Coasters that have put it back on the map. Look at KD with i305 and Carowinds with Fury. Six Flags is just too damn cheap. I would gladly pay triple for a better park with modern cutting edge rides.

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But that’s just it...

 

The park has no competition whatsoever and they have a huge market. They’re packed all the time and they don’t even have to try to put up huge attendance numbers. Maybe they feel that there’s no reason to spend a lot of money because everyone anywhere near La Ronde that wants to go to a theme park already goes there because they’re the only game in town.

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But that’s just it...

 

The park has no competition whatsoever and they have a huge market. They’re packed all the time and they don’t even have to try to put up huge attendance numbers. Maybe they feel that there’s no reason to spend a lot of money because everyone anywhere near La Ronde that wants to go to a theme park already goes there because they’re the only game in town.

 

good point, people will come no matter what. but the same could be said for Canada's wonderland, there's no competition there. and yet they're investing money in it, three high end coasters in 10 years. but it costs more. I just think six flags is too cheap, it works for the condition the parks are in, but I would prefer they invest in laronde (and other parks) and just increase the price of admission. in the case of laronde, like you said, there's no other game in town.. so people will inevitably pay, especially if there's a new flagship coaster or two and they spruce up the place.

 

alternatively they keep lowering prices and keep the parks stagnate with minimal to no investment, it seems like a race to the bottom..

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  • 3 weeks later...

So, I went on Saturday.

 

First off: There's a single rider line for the mouse coaster. It was even open and I used it. I waited almost no time at all. This was miracuous. I then walked onto Super Manege and Boomerang before heading back to wait in line for Dragon (maybe a 30 minute wait). Then headed off to Goliath and was able to walk on three times in a row before getting lunch (which was actually good; went to the kebab place in the back).

 

La Monstre, by the time I got there, had a wait of about 45 minutes. Did the Red Side, front seat. Took the monorail around after and noticed that Vampire had no wait. I needed to get going if I wanted to get more stuff done, so I rode it once and dipped out.

 

First, the ugly: trying to get into the parking lot is a PITA. I was set to arrive about a half hour early and actually didn't get into the gate until 5 minutes after opening. I know there's not a lot they can do here about that, but it's a pretty small lot and there's only two lanes of traffic for a lot of cars. There are, as we know, "issues" with many structures and rides in the park. The log flume lift is still standing, conveyor belt and all. The area where the standup coaster was is just empty. Lots of show venues and big stands just closed up. I assume they use them for fireworks or something (you can clearly see all the tubes along the St. Lawrence), but it would be nice if they had something else. Which I guess gets to the issue about parking again and how it inherently limits the attendance. Monorail could use a nice coat of paint. Super Manege could use one. Weeds that are like 3-4 foot high should not be greenery in public spaces. Building a walkthrough you only use for Halloween as a "new for XXXX" attraction is frankly bizarre, and it just stays up all year round because why not.

 

Now, the good: the B&Ms were both running two trains and dispatching well. They moved the lines on those. Flat ride attendants from my glimpses seemed to be OK too, though the lines for those were way to long for me to justify doing. All the stuff they've bought in the current regime is obvious because it is all shiny and nice, and everything old looks like hell. The old steam carousel does look great, even if it is for families only and super duper slow. Figuring out a way to "complete the loop" to walk around the park should be a serious project of their's. Probably would make riding Dragon even tougher as it would shortcut people who arrived early to it, but still would save some walking for later in one of the better designed/decorated/themed sections of the park.

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I like Dragon. It's super weird and actually kind of fun. I feel like if I ever went back to this place (shudders), I would probably ride Goliath, whatever new ride convinced me to go back to this god forsaken place and Dragon and then leave.

 

The frisbee looks fun too, but between the assigned seating system and naturally long load times I feel like if I ever had to stand there and see how La Ronde operated a giant frisbee it would probably give me an aneurysm.

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Just looking at pictures and maps, I've always been confused about the parking at La Ronde. I see a parking lot in the back of the park by Goliath, but that is it. Are you shuttled to the front gate, or do you have to walk all the way to the front of the park from that parking lot?

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Just looking at pictures and maps, I've always been confused about the parking at La Ronde. I see a parking lot in the back of the park by Goliath, but that is it. Are you shuttled to the front gate, or do you have to walk all the way to the front of the park from that parking lot?

 

I will agree with you that the parking does appear to be confusing by just looking at the map. While there is parking at the back of the park, there is also parking near the toll booths where you enter, just before going under the Jacques Cartier Bridge. So, there are two parking lots available for parking your car at La Ronde. If you do park in the back parking lot, there is a secondary entrance which you enter known as the Village Entrance. So, there is no need for a shuttle to take you to the front entrance from the back parking lot.

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