Canada's Wonderland Discussion Thread

[Yogurt]

Two questions about timing:

 

1. How long does the Guardian line tend to be first thing in the weekday morning? (I suppose if you hurry faster than everyone else, no time at all, but our family won't be outracing any determined young folks.)

 

We're travelling from B.C. and will be visiting Canada's Wonderland on Tuesday (July 8). I'm trying to decide if we should join the crowd for Guardian or just wait a year until it's not the new thing.

 

2. Should we plan to arrive early for the Dimensions show? Or is 10 minutes before showtime enough?

 

Thank you!

[EricGarbo]

Two questions about timing:

 

1. How long does the Guardian line tend to be first thing in the weekday morning? (I suppose if you hurry faster than everyone else, no time at all, but our family won't be outracing any determined young folks.)

 

We're travelling from B.C. and will be visiting Canada's Wonderland on Tuesday (July 8). I'm trying to decide if we should join the crowd for Guardian or just wait a year until it's not the new thing.

 

2. Should we plan to arrive early for the Dimensions show? Or is 10 minutes before showtime enough?

 

Thank you!

 

They let you into the park a half hour early and you wait right near the entrance to it. Unless you run when they drop the rope at opening you're in a 30+ minute wait right away. Based on my experience, however, your real fight isn't against the queue, it's against the breakdowns. Get on it ASAP if you see it running because you may not have another chance.

[behemothman08]

I'm not sure if this belongs here, but I haven't been to CW in a while and am going sometime this summer...

 

1) which day of the week would be the best time to go

 

2) my group's must rides are Behemoth, Leviathan, Vortex, Sledge Hammer, WindSeeker, and Drop Tower, how can we get to these with minimal wait times?

 

any tips would be greatly appreciated

[1pizza14]

I'm not sure if this belongs here, but I haven't been to CW in a while and am going sometime this summer...

 

1) which day of the week would be the best time to go

 

2) my group's must rides are Behemoth, Leviathan, Vortex, Sledge Hammer, WindSeeker, and Drop Tower, how can we get to these with minimal wait times?

 

any tips would be greatly appreciated

 

I would try to avoid weekends as much as possible, however even during the week CW can be very busy. Tuesday-Thursdays are probably the best days of the week. As for the rides you are looking to ride the worst capacity is Vortex, so I would try to get to it as early as possible, later in the day the line will probably hover around a 1hr wait. Leviathan and behemoth are capacity monsters so even in the middle of the day waits will be less than 45 minutes. Windseeker and Drop Tower rarely have lines longer than 25 minutes even on very busy days. If your group can spend a little more you could get Fastlane which would give front of the line access to all of those rides, but I would wait til you arrive at the park to see if its busy or not.

[Yogurt]

Thanks for the advice, EricGarbo. We'll be at the gates by 9:30 a.m. and keep our fingers crossed that Guardian is running at opening.

 

Yogurt

[behemothman08]

I would try to avoid weekends as much as possible, however even during the week CW can be very busy. Tuesday-Thursdays are probably the best days of the week. As for the rides you are looking to ride the worst capacity is Vortex, so I would try to get to it as early as possible, later in the day the line will probably hover around a 1hr wait. Leviathan and behemoth are capacity monsters so even in the middle of the day waits will be less than 45 minutes. Windseeker and Drop Tower rarely have lines longer than 25 minutes even on very busy days. If your group can spend a little more you could get Fastlane which would give front of the line access to all of those rides, but I would wait til you arrive at the park to see if its busy or not.

Thanks! Any advice about Sledgehammer (if it's open)?

[greghill]

^Lines in that end of the park (Psyclone, Sledgehammer, Behemoth, Backlot) are usually fairly short until lunch time, as everybody usually first heads to Leviathan or WMG.

Also, Sledgehammer does not like the heat, so often it breaks down for short periods of time in the afternoon, as it needs to cool down after a few cycles.

[behemothman08]

^Lines in that end of the park (Psyclone, Sledgehammer, Behemoth, Backlot) are usually fairly short until lunch time, as everybody usually first heads to Leviathan or WMG.

Also, Sledgehammer does not like the heat, so often it breaks down for short periods of time in the afternoon, as it needs to cool down after a few cycles.

so head for Vortex or Sledgehammer first, Leviathan, Behemoth, followed by Drop Tower or WindSeeker?

[loop-de-loop]

^Lines in that end of the park (Psyclone, Sledgehammer, Behemoth, Backlot) are usually fairly short until lunch time, as everybody usually first heads to Leviathan or WMG.

Also, Sledgehammer does not like the heat, so often it breaks down for short periods of time in the afternoon, as it needs to cool down after a few cycles.

so head for Vortex or Sledgehammer first, Leviathan, Behemoth, followed by Drop Tower or WindSeeker?

I would suggest doing them in this order: Sledge Hammer, Behemoth, Windseeker, Vortex, Leviathan, Drop Tower. This just saves you from running across the park and back. I wouldn't do Leviathan, then Behemoth, then Drop Tower since Leviathan and Drop Tower are right beside each other and Behemoth is at the opposite end of the park.

[behemothman08]

I would suggest doing them in this order: Sledge Hammer, Behemoth, Windseeker, Vortex, Leviathan, Drop Tower. This just saves you from running across the park and back. I wouldn't do Leviathan, then Behemoth, then Drop Tower since Leviathan and Drop Tower are right beside each other and Behemoth is at the opposite end of the park.

Where should I put Backlot, Psyclone, and Guardian in that plan?

[buck funny]

I would suggest doing them in this order: Sledge Hammer, Behemoth, Windseeker, Vortex, Leviathan, Drop Tower. This just saves you from running across the park and back. I wouldn't do Leviathan, then Behemoth, then Drop Tower since Leviathan and Drop Tower are right beside each other and Behemoth is at the opposite end of the park.

Where should I put Backlot, Psyclone, and Guardian in that plan?

 

psyclone is beside sledge hammer, backlot beside behemoth.

 

after vortex you could go on the fly if the lineup is not long, since it's line doesn't move very fast. It is not spectacular but is a fun little coaster anyway.

 

The queue for guardian is almost all indoors, and may even be air conditioned. If you get a snack and go there during the hot part of the day it is a good strategy for getting out of the sun.

 

Leviathan and to some degree behemoth have great throughput and just eat through lines.

 

Wild beast is getting rough, but if you sit near the front of the train you don't get whipped around as much. it is too bad because it was a pretty nice coaster.

[behemothman08]

So I'm thinking of doing (in this order) Sledgehammer, Psyclone, Behemoth, Backlot, WindSeeker, Vortex, Guardian, The Fly, Leviathan, Drop Tower, Wild Beast. Anything else you guys would recommend?

[jokey]

If you have the time and it isn't too busy, I would try to get to White Water Canyon just for a bit more variation of rides. Shockwave would be a flat ride that I would also highly reccomend.

[buck funny]

^ Skyrider is an early togo standup, and one of the few that you don't smash your head on. Ride in the back and you get pulled over the camelback humps by the front of the train. the sideways helix is nice too.

 

Dragon fyre is a classic arrow looper with corkscrew. in 1981 it was the scariest thing. now it's lift hill is below leviathan's brakerun, and it seems puny, but it has decently forceful toomey loops. Plus no lineups.

 

Leviathan has the worlds most spectacular brakerun! (and the track ahead of it is fun too)

 

thunder run is a little minetrain through the mountain, long line but fun.

 

Great Canadian Minebuster has had it's out and back airtime neutered a bit, and a bumpy but spctacular final helix through a tunnel.

 

the bat is a vekoma boomerang. enough said.

 

fun fact train on the bat was originally the third train on dragon fyre but they rarely (never?) ran 3 trains so they bought a new track to put it on.

 

the kiddie suspended coaster is fun.

 

You must go on enterprise to celebrate old school schwarzkopf/ huss!

 

Unless you like slc headbangers you don't have to bother with flight deck. although the themeing makes me think of an old mothballed airforce base that has been left to rust. budget cuts for top gun...

 

time warp is a bit of a head banger and the seating position encourages vomiting beware...

[rcjp]

Leviathan has the worlds most spectacular brakerun! (and the track ahead of it is fun too)

Really? I think it's one of the world's most poorly placed brake runs.

[Dom497]

^ Skyrider is an early togo standup, and one of the few that you don't smash your head on. Ride in the back and you get pulled over the camelback humps by the front of the train. the sideways helix is nice too.

 

I honestly hope you are being sarcastic with this. First, if you ride in the front, you get way more ejector air going over the 2 hills (and I mean A LOT more). Second, your head does get smashed. Third, most of the smashing is in the helix (of death). I don't understand how on earth you find the helix "nice"...

 

So I'm thinking of doing (in this order) Sledgehammer, Psyclone, Behemoth, Backlot, WindSeeker, Vortex, Guardian, The Fly, Leviathan, Drop Tower, Wild Beast. Anything else you guys would recommend?

 

Don't even bother with Backlot. Its my opinion, but that coaster is nothing special and defiantly not worth the extra long wait. Even when it comes to The Fly, unless your really lucky, you going to be in the line for quite a long time.

[1pizza14]

^ Skyrider is an early togo standup, and one of the few that you don't smash your head on. Ride in the back and you get pulled over the camelback humps by the front of the train. the sideways helix is nice too.

 

I honestly hope you are being sarcastic with this. First, if you ride in the front, you get way more ejector air going over the 2 hills (and I mean A LOT more). Second, your head does get smashed. Third, most of the smashing is in the helix (of death). I don't understand how on earth you find the helix "nice"...

 

So I'm thinking of doing (in this order) Sledgehammer, Psyclone, Behemoth, Backlot, WindSeeker, Vortex, Guardian, The Fly, Leviathan, Drop Tower, Wild Beast. Anything else you guys would recommend?

 

Don't even bother with Backlot. Its my opinion, but that coaster is nothing special and defiantly not worth the extra long wait. Even when it comes to The Fly, unless your really lucky, you going to be in the line for quite a long time.

 

I agree Skyrider is a horrible ride and should be avoided at all costs, Stunt coaster and Fly are only good when theres a <10 minute wait.

[buck funny]

I actually like skyrider. i was 16 when it came out and it was a big deal back then, so maybe there is a sentimental connection.

 

I wouldn't say it is a great layout, but it is fun and it is a window into what they were trying to do when these first came out. The helix is crazy in that it is at about a 90 degree bank. The g forces pull you into your seat, but you lean on your side with 1g lateral. As a standup this is exaggerated. Why didn't they bank it a little less so people could avoid lateral g's? Did it predate the modern idea of the heartline? who knows.

 

I have ridden iron wolf (at both sfga chicago and relocated to sfa DC) the one at magic mountain, and the one at La ronde in montreal. the tracks were (for the first 2 anyway) more interesting, mm especially, but i spent the whole ride looking up the track to see which way to brace myself so i didn't smash my head. they were kinda fun, but too much work to make me want to re ride. the one at la ronde was a crummy track poorly maintained, little merit.

 

 

 

If you are going all the way to the park anyway, ride it and form your own opinions.

 

As for italian job, it is too bad that they just shut off all of the special effects and ran the coaster dry. It is still fun, and if you are already there worth a ride.

 

I hate lineups and prefer to go preseason weekdays before kids are out of school. If lineups are less of a problem for you then go whenever and bring someone you like to hang out with while you wait.

 

let us know what your thoughts are once you have ridden them.

 

I also think sledge hammer is boring! your results may vary...

[behemothman08]

Based on your suggestions (and what people in my group do to do not want to ride), the rides we will try to hit are Backlot, Behemoth, Dragon Fire, Drop Tower, Leviathan, Minebuster, Skyrider, The Bat, The Fly, Thunder Run, Vortex, Wild Beast, Windseeker and Guardian, any recommended order you guys have for these?

[buck funny]

Based on your suggestions (and what people in my group do to do not want to ride), the rides we will try to hit are Backlot, Behemoth, Dragon Fire, Drop Tower, Leviathan, Minebuster, Skyrider, The Bat, The Fly, Thunder Run, Vortex, Wild Beast, Windseeker and Guardian, any recommended order you guys have for these?

 

go up the middle left side of fountain, hit guardian, thunder run, fly, vortex, around the back to behemoth/ backlot/ enterprise/ hammer/ pscyclone, come back to skyrider, minebuster, reride vortex if short line, clockworks, the bat (if you must), wilde beast, leviathan, dragon fire. then beer break, then reride what you liked best.

 

piece of cake!

[canadianparkfan]

Here's my opinion on the rides, as to what to hit, & what to avoid.

 

My opinion on Skyrider is this. For a nearly 30 year old TOGO standup, the thing's amazing. Other than the Helix and the final turnaround, the ride's crazy intense (in a good way. The loop is good and forceful, and there is plenty of airtime throughout the ride. I also like how the front and the back give different experiences. The back row gives some great air going into the first drop, and some cool hangtime at the top of the loop, where'as the front provides the full effect of the trick track, making you feel as if you'll hit the fence, and some great ejector air on the last few hills. Just be sure to brace yourself durring the helix and last turn, and it's a great ride IMO.

 

Guardian's fun, but not worth itvif the line extends pastxthecwaterfalls.

 

As for the other rides, behemoth and Leviathan are both eccilent. I'd recommend the front row for Leviathan, and the back for behemoth, but that's just me. The other coasters at the park are just "meh" IMO. You may want to ride the Arrows (Dragon Fire and Vortex), but be prepared for them to be rough. Last time I rode them, it wasn't fun . Finally, as far as woodies go, Minebuster's fairly forceless asside from the helix, unfortunately, however, I'd definitely recomend the Wild Beast. Despite many reports of the ride being rough, I rode toward the front on a recent visit, and loved the ride. It gave more air than Minebuster, and despite a few rough patches, was great. As a bonus, the ride never has a line.

 

One more thing this park has that you should definitely check out is their great flats. Sledgehammer, when running, isn't nearly as intense as it may look, but is definitely a unique experience. He park's Mondial frisbee,Psyclone, is one of my fav flats, and gives some pretty good airtime (if you sit facing the exit), as well as tons of Positive Gs. Finally, the HUSS giant enterprise, also located in that area, is definitely worth checking out, and a lot more enjoyable than Nightmares, the UFO (also made by HUSS) across the park.

 

FINALLY, I saved the best for last... These rides are not only the two best flats in the park, but IMO, the two best rides in general at CW. I'm talking about shockwave, the park's Mondial Topscan, and Drop Tower, their intamin 2nd gen freefall.

 

First, Drop Tower, IMO, provides the greatest drop of any ride at CW, including Leviathan and Behemoth. The airtime is just so strong and sustained, and the unexpected drop makes it even better. In addition, due to leviathan being across from the tower, the view is spectacular, looking out at the only (until carowinds gets theirs) B&M giga in existance. Another bonus of having leviathan so close, is being able to take advantage of the tendancies of the GP, who often think bigger and newer means better. Leviathan almost always sucks all the lines out of drop towe, as well as most other rides in that area. I've ranted enough about intamin towers in other threads, so I'll shut up now, but for sure, this is a must do flat at CW.

 

The other great ride, is shockwave. While you may occasionally get a forceless ride, most of the time you're almost garonteed more than a few OMFG moments throughout. Just make sure to pick the end seat on your row, and you're set!

[vistaway]

FWIW, I popped over the park last night on a whim. Got there at 6pm and stayed to 10. No lines for anything other than Guardian (and that was to the base of the stairs). Walk-ons even for slow-loaders like The Fly, The Bat and Boo Blasters! Lots of empty seats on the big coasters. There was a passing thunderstorm earlier in the day, but I was still shocked at how quiet the park was.

 

Oh, and saw the new Cirque Dimensions show and definitely recommend it. Not quite as high energy as the one they moved to KI, but still impressive.

[shivtim]

I love Skyrider. It's actually in my top 20 steel. In the front "seat" the airtime is extreme and it's relatively smooth.

[Invertalon]

I found CW's collection lacking. Especially having had been to other paramount parks which share many of the same rides.

 

Without Behemoth or Leviathan, I would not bother visiting... They have some cool flats though and such and the park is beautiful. I do love the two B&M's though, so that is the reason we go.

[mightypotato]

I found CW's collection lacking. Especially having had been to other paramount parks which share many of the same rides.

 

Without Behemoth or Leviathan, I would not bother visiting... They have some cool flats though and such and the park is beautiful. I do love the two B&M's though, so that is the reason we go.

 

I completely agree with you. Outside of the B&M's and maybe Vortex, there isn't a whole lot going on coaster-wise at the park. But, there are enough flats to keep you occupied and like you said, it's generally a nice park. Probably the nicest I've been to in the Cedar Fair chain.