Canada's Wonderland Discussion Thread

[lankanboy101]

I hope the 3 new rides are family oriented. Most of the rides at CW are either for really young kids or for Thrill Seekers. There is very little family rides and I would love to see something for everyone.

[steel]

Somebody said a while back that kids don't know Snoopy because he's older than Sailor Moon... Most people didn't even know about Sailor Moon when it was a big deal. Peanuts is still in the paper and they still show the specials on TV. And kids do watch them in school, too. I remember watching the one about leukemia in elementary school. And incidentally, I went to Worlds of Fun with a five-year-old recently who begged to have her picture taken with Snoopy and Lucy. They may not be as ever-present as Nick, but it's not like kids have absolutely no idea who Snoopy is.

[Philrad71]

Although, Ghoster Coaster should remain the same theme because it is no longer "HB" related as the park dropped "Scooby Doo" from the name 2 seasons ago.

 

^ The Scooby name was still on the sign for Ghoster Coaster last year.

 

I think it is a great move for CW and will only improve an already really nice kid's area. Sure I am sad to see HB Land going, but I understand that not as many kids are in tune with Tom/Jerry, Fred/Wilma and George/Jane as us old farts!

 

Personally, I think that they should move all the HB stuff (leave the rainbow bridge though!) to Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park right up the highway.

 

When we stayed there last year, Yogi was telling me how depressed him, Boo-Boo & Ranger Smith were after being banished from CW for Nick Universe. They were lonely and in need of something more...

 

I am sure that they would welcome Magilla Gorilla, Jabberjaws, The Herculoids, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss...and of course, Grape Ape & The Smurfs with open arms!

Yogi's says, "Come HB retirees....come live with Ranger Smith, Boo-Boo and me at Jellystone Park! We offer universal health care and cheap prescription drugs!

Ghoster coaster signage.

[Sparebear75]

I'll miss HB Land for sure. I recall that summer day the opening year on my very first visit to the park. I pinched Wilma's butt in the gift shop next to The Ghoster Coaster. Memories....

[Huge_Wonderland_Fan]

I have a hunch this will be a chain-wide move. I expect to see similar announcements from KI & KD soon.

 

I agree but not until 2011 or 2012 for KD.

 

I agree that KD would probably do the switch but KI make take a while. Remember, Nickelodeon Universe had won awards for best THEMED kids area and Cedar Fair might not be willing yet to give it up.

KI Won those awards when they still had there HB Land.

[scruffy]

Nick is on its way out at Kings Island also. All of the things in the store are 75% off that have Nick on it.

[BrownStreak]

Do kids even know who Snoopy is any more?

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Do kids even know who Snoopy is any more?

I hope this answers your question

 

Somebody said a while back that kids don't know Snoopy because he's older than Sailor Moon... Most people didn't even know about Sailor Moon when it was a big deal. Peanuts is still in the paper and they still show the specials on TV. And kids do watch them in school, too. I remember watching the one about leukemia in elementary school. And incidentally, I went to Worlds of Fun with a five-year-old recently who begged to have her picture taken with Snoopy and Lucy. They may not be as ever-present as Nick, but it's not like kids have absolutely no idea who Snoopy is.

[tatertot3710]

^ that may be the case, but my 6 year old cousin won't stop talking about (and watching) Scooby Doo.

[jazzimm]

Somebody said a while back that kids don't know Snoopy because he's older than Sailor Moon... Most people didn't even know about Sailor Moon when it was a big deal. Peanuts is still in the paper and they still show the specials on TV. And kids do watch them in school, too. I remember watching the one about leukemia in elementary school. And incidentally, I went to Worlds of Fun with a five-year-old recently who begged to have her picture taken with Snoopy and Lucy. They may not be as ever-present as Nick, but it's not like kids have absolutely no idea who Snoopy is.

 

While this may be true in the US, I have to disagree for Canadian/Torontonian kids. I only know Peanuts characters because I lived in the caribbean when I was little, and they were popular there (though Scooby and the gang were more popular).

My little brother, however, is in the Canadian elementary school system and has never seen any episodes in school, and has no interest whatsoever in reading the comics in the papers (he's a kid - he doesn't even want to see the paper. And I'm not even sure if they're in our papers or not). He also couldn't care less about the specials on TV - he'd rather be watching Spongebob or Johnny Test or something. I've asked around, and I've heard similar stories from friends. They're excited about Snoopy & the gang coming to Wonderland, but any younger siblings don't have the same interest that we do.

I think that for kids today, Peanuts is dying as fast as Scooby - if not faster.

I'm excited for it though, haha.

[arson]

You guys really aren't getting it... Snoopy and the Peanuts gang? They're cheap. Merchandise is easy, because it's standardized inside Cedar Fair. There's a limited number of characters, which makes it easier for costumed walk-around characters (there are a ton of Nick ones by comparison). Ride themes? Red Baron, Kite-Eating Tree, Woodstock Express... that's it, and anything else could be folded into it (no expensive or elaborate re-themes.. just look at how they did that for CP's Planet Snoopy).

 

Even if kids today don't know who the characters are, they become representative of whichever park the kids know about. Look at parks with mascots like Duke the Dragon, Kenny (from Kennywood), Kozmo, the Indiana Beach Crow, the crocodile from Blizzard Beach, (there are other examples... a historic one is Alfundo) Kids like that stuff, even if they're only seeing them for the first time. Don't count out Snoopy yet. Just because he's seldom seen on TV, doesn't mean he'll flop. It just means kids with identify Snoopy with whatever park they saw him in. How is that a bad thing?

 

Now, a disclaimer: I like the Nick stuff, and I wish they'd hold on to that license. Clearly, it's more expensive for the company, but it's hipper, and evergreen in the sense that there will always be another show or up-coming character to promote. But, Nick has other (non-Cedar Fair) parks with their characters (and one's in competition with Valleyfair), and other ventures (the hotel, for example), so I'm not surprised they're dumping it.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

As a KD local and a one-time Canada's Wonderland visitor, I'm sad at this move, but not shocked. Going into HB land at CW was like a step back in time.

[vistaway]

You guys really aren't getting it... Snoopy and the Peanuts gang? They're cheap. Merchandise is easy, because it's standardized inside Cedar Fair. There's a limited number of characters, which makes it easier for costumed walk-around characters (there are a ton of Nick ones by comparison). Ride themes? Red Baron, Kite-Eating Tree, Woodstock Express... that's it, and anything else could be folded into it (no expensive or elaborate re-themes.. just look at how they did that for CP's Planet Snoopy).

 

Exactly...I don't think anyone would expect Cedar Fair to theme their kids land to the 'hottest', 'newest', 'trendiest' brand that resonates most with today's kids. They have an existing brand that they own the theme park rights to, so it makes sense to use it. Kids and their parents (both the target audiences) don't care much about which characters the area is themed to...it's more about the balance of rides/shows/shops/restaurants to keep the family entertained.

 

My kids don't know who Snoopy and the Peanuts gang are, expect from Cedar Point. In fact, if you were to show a picture of Snoopy to my 4-year old, he would likely tell you that he is the dog from Cedar Point (and ask when we're going back again...). But it works just fine - they love the kids area at CP, and we enjoy taking them there. We didn't get CW passes this year for a bunch of reasons, but we might next year, if they have some decent new kids attractions in the Snoopy area...

[steel]

On another level... why theme your kids section to something that kids *today* can relate to when kids will be visiting it for years and years to come. Spongebob is not going to last forever. Nickelodeon will be dated eventually.

So it's pointless to argue that kids won't like it since they don't know Snoopy because in 20 years, they won't know the Fairly Odd Parents either.

[denning]

No big loss to the Fairly Odd Parents but the Flintstones and the themeing of the bedrock area is timeless.

[taytig]

No big loss to the Fairly Odd Parents but the Flintstones and the themeing of the bedrock area is timeless.

 

Except most of the bedrock theming is gone. I loved the Old theming, but I think we need to give Snoopy a chance.

 

It doesn't matter the theming in my opinion, the kids will still love it. In fact, I have taken my Girls to CW for 6 years now and the only theming they talked about is the hanna barbara merry-go-round! So I think this is not a terrible move either!

[Philrad71]

Must be they are not showing enough re-run's of the classics "Charlie Brown Christmas", "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving", and "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" on some of your cable providers (or on dish) - they show them every year here and I still watch 'em!

 

How can you go wrong with Snoopy getting into a fist fight with a fold-up lawn chair and slap-serving everyone popcorn and toast for Thanksgiving?

 

Woodstock's song - Lil' Birdie? Awesome!

 

Lucy with her salty psychiatric advice and calling Charlie Brown a block-head while taunting him mercilessly while he seemingly suffers from life-long depression? No Xanax or Prozac needed here, just pull the football away, watch him land on his ass and laugh your head off at how stupid he is.

 

What about Snoopy hallucinating he is the Red Baron on his Sopwith Camel?

 

What about the soft, limp d%ck Christmas tree that magically keeps growing back it's five needles and then transforms into the best tree ever after the Peanuts gang man-handles it?

 

The first bi-lesbian cartoon couple: Peppermint Patty with her subservient, low-talking butch girlfriend, Marcy who always refers to her as "Sir"?

 

Sheeesh - c'mon people, you should be forcing your kids to watch these classics when they show them, or go buy them on DVD now!

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Aw noo, I like HB land because it brings back memories from my first trips there as a youngin! Nick Central is okay but I just kinda ran in there and out to get my Silver Streak credit.

 

Will they be keeping the names of like, Ghoster Coaster and for example, the Spongebob show, or will those be redone?

[steel]

You know, what this really comes down to is people who grew up or have a lot of experience with Cedar Fair and The Park Formerly Known as Camp Snoopy (me) arguing with people who grew up or have a lot of experience with the ex-Paramounts.

Neither side is right or wrong. It's just a matter of what we're used to being changed. Believe me, I was pretty steamed when Snoopy left MoA and even more unhappy when Nick took over.

[CanadianCoasterGuy]

I'm sad to see Nickelodeon Central and Hanna-Barberra go, yet I'm excited for Planet Snoopy! It's too bad they couldn't re-theme KidzVille though, which is still hurting for re-theming due to being VERY generic. I want the Smurf Village to make a comeback!

[CanadianCoasterGuy]

ill miss them...

but whatevs i just bought a new snoopy t-shirt and when this part of the park opens next year ill proudly wear it the first time i go there oh and i was on twitter and i follow this now *defunct* twitter-er named WonderlandFans and apparently CW might be preparing a TALLER AND FASTER COASTER THAN BEHEMOTH. hmmm....do we see a Nitro/Kingda Ka-esque future on the horizon?... i hope there is.

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

I wouldn't really care if it was Snoopy or Nick theming. I personally would prefer Nick but Snoopy's fine with me too. I wonder if they'll install a Snoopy themed coaster...

 

A taller and faster coaster than Behemoth? Can I say Intamin giga? Or Intamin launcher?

[CanadianCoasterGuy]

Well I think that Cedar Fair is shapin CW up to be Canada's Cedar Point, as Behemoth would be our Millenium Force and the 2011 might become our TTD. Hmmm, I wonder if this will follow a pattern as CP's coaster timeline is MF, TTD, then Maverick.

 

So maybe CW is doing the bigger,bigger,smaller thing...

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Well I think that Cedar Fair is shapin CW up to be Canada's Cedar Point, as Behemoth would be our Millenium Force and the 2011 might become our TTD. Hmmm, I wonder if this will follow a pattern as CP's coaster timeline is MF, TTD, then Maverick.

 

So maybe CW is doing the bigger,bigger,smaller thing...

 

I don't think so as they've had so many problems with TTD,now a KD intimidator clone maybe but don't expect much more than that but that doesn't have much to do with the whole snoopy retheme of the former paramount parks does it?

 

They should retheme CWL's kidzville along with the other kiddie sections,after all they're doing it at KD & it should provide a refreshing change for all of the parks IMO.

[mightypotato]

Like I said in the rumour thread, I don't think Canada's Wonderland will be seeing a giga coaster any time soon. They have a great mega coaster in Behemoth and I don't think they're in a hurry to put something taller up.

 

However, I can see an Intamin accelerator like iSpeed coming to the park. Either that or a smaller B&M floorless. I don't expect anything massive coming though.