Johnlloyd

Yes, you can purchase discounted tickets for Six Flags Darien Lake on the Six Flags website.

If you are getting Fastlane for your visit, then that is a good idea Canobie. Pretty sure you know your way round the park, Thunder Run and Vortex would be in close proximity to you once you've done Guardian, so three nice rides to start with...and Fastlane will take care of Leviathan, Yukon Striker and Behemoth. Hope it works for you the weekend you go. I have never had any issues on it, and enjoy it also. Also hope you get some decent weather when you come up to visit. I have to admit that I don't fully understand why it should be compared to rides at Disney/Universal as they are completely different types of parks with different business models that can afford the cost of the Avatar/Spider-Man/Harry Potter type stuff. Wonder Mountain's Guardian and Spider-Man don't even enter into the same comparison to me, Spider Man is more technologically advanced...and an excellent ride...but they are on two different budget planes and serve a different purpose and market. I appreciate Cedar Fair for giving us something "different" for a park like Canada's Wonderland. It definitely opened up some new use for the mountain, and I believe, from way back in the thread,....isn't only about half of the mountain actually used for rides inside (Thunder Run and WMG)?? Could someone confirm this (John Lloyd...you are good with these questions?) Yes, there is still quite a bit of room inside Wonder Mountain. As for Canobie Coaster coming up for a visit to Canada's Wonderland soon, I would recommend getting Fastlane Plus which includes Behemoth, Leviathan, and Yukon Striker. The normal Fastlane pass does not include these coasters. Just thought I would mention that. I hope you enjoy your visit to Canada's Wonderland, Canobie Coaster!

The Six Flags SkyScreamer looks absolutely stunning! I can't wait to make another visit to Six Flags Darien Lake this season in order to ride it at night!

Like a guillotine? It would be nice to have Drop Tower fit in with the Medieval Faire section. Even if the name were not to change, it would fit in better with a new colour scheme, similar to what they did with the Drop Tower at California's Great America this past off-season. Although maybe having it painted with different accents of browns and yellows would be more suitable for a Medieval theme.

This past Friday and Saturday, I ventured down to Six Flags Darien Lake to process my membership. I must admit that the level of service and operations has improved since my first and only visit in August 2017 when Premier Parks was still operating the park. With Six Flags now operating the park once again, the staff appear to be friendlier, more helpful, and take greater pride in their jobs than ever before, compared to when I had first visited nearly two years ago. Also, the loading and dispatching of rides seemed to be quicker and more efficient than from what I recall in the past, despite the roller coasters currently only having one train each (except for Tantrum which operates with two eight-passenger cars). It was also nice to see improvements around the park such as freshly painted sign posts and new signs (as some others here have mentioned), some re-tracking taking place on the Predator, the bridge for Shipwreck Falls getting repaired, and the Blast off receiving some needed maintenance. Also, the new-for-2019 Six Flags SkyScreamer looked absolutely amazing standing 240 feet tall! It will sure to be a hit when it opens for the season next weekend! While there were some issues with redeeming discounts with my membership at some gift shop and food locations on Friday, the issues seemed to have been mostly resolved by Saturday. I am quite certain that the new POS system will be free of issues within the near future. I had a fun time this weekend at Six Flags Darien Lake and look forward to going back again sometime this summer!

I have no idea how they come up with their estimates either. From being a constant park-goer, Canada's Wonderland should not be busy on the Thursday as it will still only be mostly school groups that will be there. They typically leave around 4pm or earlier after doing their musical performances or physics day activities. Considering the park closes at 6pm on May 30th, you could possibly have the chance to re-ride some of the larger coasters during that 2 hour period. As for Friday, May 31st, it may be a tad busier, but not busy as in a late July through August visit as the park is only scheduled to be open until 8pm that night. Also, weather is another factor to consider as many people (for some odd reason) do not enjoy visiting on slightly rainy days. I hope this gives you some insight on how busy it will probably be visiting on those dates.

It looks like they had quite the opening day celebration today!

Having rode Vortex many times over the years, it is quite forceful and amazing! My favourite place to ride on it is in the back seat as it just pulls you from start to finish. It always draws a line due to its swinging motion and forces that it produces. It never disappoints! Well, I would say The Bat at Kings Island is a clone of Vortex at Canada's Wonderland since Vortex opened in 1991, two years before The Bat (Top Gun/Flight Deck) had. I've been on both, and I always prefer Vortex due to its location and its overall smoothness and speed. While nearly identical, The Bat at Kings Island seemed a tad slower and slightly uncomfortable when I rode it in 2014 and 2016. It was still quite fun, but not nearly as fun or intense as Vortex. We're quite lucky to have it! On a side note, I rode Vortex last night during Season Pass Sneak Preview Night and it seemed even more so intense than usual due to the amazing and new Yukon Striker interacting with it. There is at least one section where the cars swing quite close to Yukon Striker's supports!

In addition to Doppel Looping's wonderful photos of Yukon Striker from Season Pass Sneak Preview Night, I thought I would share some photos I had taken of other new (or reintroduced) things within the Medieval Faire section. Here's the new sign for the Canterbury Theatre within Medieval Faire, a name which the performing venue had from 1981 through 1993. The Rage reverted back to its original name, which it had from 1981 through 1996. The new sign looks awesome and suits the ride well! Nightmares is once again known as Wilde Knight Mares, giving it a Medieval feel like it did from 1981 through 1996. This new sign also incorporates the colours of the ride and the surrounding structures. The new Wilde Beast sign (with the original pseudo spelling that it had from 1981-1996) looks awesome in person as it has a rustic, medieval type wooden look to it. Thrill Burger was renamed Kings Feast this year to better fit in with the theming of the Medieval Faire section of the park. It is of note that while Dragon Fire's name has returned back to its original spelling of "Dragon Fyre", the old sign that has been used since 1997 is still in place as of Season Pass Sneak Preview Night. I assume the new sign will appear within the following weeks to reflect the name change.

It is quite a large site. When I attended the first rider event as a guest on Wednesday, I was surprised to see how the new path was placed. I thought they would have directed it more towards Sledge Hammer, but they clearly have future plans for the plot of land. I could see a new smaller thrilling flat ride occupy the land that is left over sometime in the future, but I don't know what it could be since we have quite an extensive flat ride collection at the park. I will admit that it is was eerily quiet when I passed through Action Zone yesterday. I miss Orbiter, but it had a great 37 years of operation at the park.

Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland during the First Rider/Media Day Event on Wednesday!

I will also be attending Season Pass Sneak Preview Night on Friday. I was debating about which rope drop point to go to as well. I honestly think the one next to Wonder Mountain's Guardian may be busier, so it may be best to go to the one near Flight Deck. But we'll just have to wait and see which rope drop point is busier.

It is great to see the Jack Rabbit getting some love! I enjoyed riding it during my first visit to Seabreeze in August 2017. The park definitely focuses on quality when it comes to rides!

Canada's Wonderland's 2019 park map has been released! Check it out below or view in a PDF file by clicking here. It is important to note that the park brought back the Grande World Exposition of 1890 section and some original ride and attraction names in Medieval Faire, as previously mentioned. The 2019 season sure is going to be an exciting one for many reasons!

If you have been on Valravn, then you have already been on Yukon Striker. Exactly the same coaster, just a bit higher drop and a small difference in layout. Basically sister coasters, IMO. When comparing the layouts of both Valravn and Yukon Striker, there is a significant difference between the two. Yes, both are Dive Coasters and feature an initial height of 223 feet and use an Immelmann as the first inversion. But besides that, they're quite different as Yukon Striker features an underwater tunnel at the bottom of the first drop, a total of four inversions (including a vertical loop), and doesn't feature a mid-course brake run until after all the inversions. Also, the layout of Yukon Striker appears to stretch out more than Valravn. I also like it how they made Yukon Striker interact with the other rides, which will hopefully make it more thrilling. On another note, while I am not a fan of the vest restraints, I do look forward to giving Yukon Striker a ride in less than one month's time. Yukon Striker has definitely gained a significant amount of publicity not only here in Canada, but Worldwide. So, I am sure the park will be very busy this season and will quite possibly break the four million visitors mark because of the addition of Yukon Striker.

Luckily it was not long when I had visited due to a passing storm. It would be great to see more parks make them enclosed. Maybe Darien Lake could do that with their Scrambler? This will never happen because around the year 2002 there was a big accident with an enclosed scrambler at seabreeze park, I think one of the employees of the park died. Yes the employee was stupid but there are risks to an enclosed scrambler. I am surprised there is an enclosed scrambler anywhere in the state of NY left. I would not say never, as the Gyrosphere at Seabreeze continued to operate until the end of the 2007 season, despite the supposed incident that happened at Seabreeze back in 2002. I think the removal of the Gyrosphere was more due to the aging and decreasing popularity of the ride. No ride lasts forever.

Surprisingly, the drop down tab was still advertising Tantrum as the new for 2018 ride up until a few weeks ago! I am sure they will update the website even more within the following month. The first and last time I visited was in August 2017, so I look forward to checking out the rides that were added since then. I cannot wait to process my Six Flags pass at Darien Lake this May!

Maybe they'll do it in the future. We will just have to wait and see!

Earlier this month, it was discovered by looking at the 2019 Guest Assistance Guide that some of the rides and attractions within the Medieval Faire section of Canada's Wonderland would receive their original names for the 2019 season. One of those includes the Wild Beast, which will be receiving the original spelling of its name, "Wilde Beast", which was used from 1981 through 1996. Below is its new sign, which was shared on the park's social media accounts today. Photo credit: Canada's Wonderland via Facebook Other rides and attractions within Medieval Faire to receive their original names from 1981 will include The Rage (known as Viking's Rage from 1981-1996), Dragon Fire (known as Dragon Fyre from 1981-1996), Nightmares (Wilde Knight Mares from 1981-1996), and Wonderland Theatre (originally known as Canterbury Theatre from 1981-1993). It is great to see these original names come back! The 2019 season will be an exciting one in more ways than one!

Luckily it was not long when I had visited due to a passing storm. It would be great to see more parks make them enclosed. Maybe Darien Lake could do that with their Scrambler?

Actually from what I hear Great Escape is actually a pretty nice small sized park. La Ronde though... Great Escape is my home park, they are getting a great flat selection and a great water park. It’s nice my Great Escape pass also works at Six Flags New England and Six Flags Darien Lake so when I want to ride actual coasters I can. The Comet is great too Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Saying that a park has a great flat ride collection and a great waterpark is like saying a girl has a great personality. I'll elaborate TGE is home to Sasquach 2 S&S Towers one a space shot one a turbo drop, a Larson Superloop, Greezed Lightnin, a Zamperla Frisbee, Extreme Supernova, and a Chance Rides Freestyle, Pandemonium its Waterpark has a Wave Pool, Kids Watertreehouse, Kids Water playground, Tornado Slide, Bowl Slide, Tube Slides, Dropbox Slide, Racer Slide, Body Slides, Water Tea Cups and Kids Water Splashpad You forgot to mention the Blizzard Indoors, the indoor Scrambler which in my opinion is the best flat ride at the park. I greatly enjoyed it during my first visit to The Great Escape last July.

Canada's Wonderland released a quick video of the park during the off-season yesterday. You can see how Yukon Striker will look as you walk along the path from International Festival to Action Zone, near Wonder Mountain! Be sure to check it out below!

I can confirm that you can ride solo on the Skyway at Six Flags Great Adventure. I did twice during my first visit to the park last July. It definitely provides a nice view of the park and surrounding area.

Canada's Wonderland just shared a photo of the Yukon Striker water tower on their social media today! It looks absolutely stunning! I cannot wait to see the final product! Photo credit: Canada's Wonderland via Facebook

Historically, any weekday starting in May through mid-July is a good time to visit. Although the opening of Yukon Striker may make the park busier than ever before, given its publicity. But I don't think we'll see huge crowds there until July and August as that is when most people visit the park.