Should Canada's Wonderland be replaced?

[Tg11]

I'm of the idea that if you replace Canada's Wonderland in Toronto well Vaughan area, then what should it be replaced with? I would replace Wonderland with Six Flags honestly or even replace Wonderland to go Disney and have a Disney World or Disneyland here in Toronto

[urbandreamer]

I would build a super dense Manhattan style neighbourhood with a height limited to 12 storeys. A city of 100,000 easily.

[TorontoDrew]

Why would we replace it with a 6 flags? It's pretty much the same thing. As far as big parks with coasters go its in 4th place on the planet for the most Roller Coasters. Kings Island having a couple more but Wonderland outshines 24 of their 26 parks. Cedar Point was a Six Flags until 2004. That's the best amusement park and the oldest. It's also nowhere near as busy as wonderland.

I'd love it if they built a Haunted House like in Disney.

[MolsonExport]

cover it with snouthouses and blast Rush's "Subdivisions" from thousands of drones

[Coldrsx]

Toronto thread as per the other?

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Toronto thread as per the other?

But its "Canada's" Wonderland.

[Coldrsx]

Fair comment

[OTL]

Originally Posted by Tg11

I'm of the idea that if you replace Canada's Wonderland in Toronto well Vaughan area, then what should it be replaced with? I would replace Wonderland with Six Flags honestly or even replace Wonderland to go Disney and have a Disney World or Disneyland here in Toronto

If you are desirous of US themed amusement parks, then simply cross the border and attend one in the US. There is no need to turn everything in Canada into a bloody American-style circus.

[casper]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

But its "Canada's" Wonderland.

After living in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario (Ottawa Valley), I can reliably say I have never heard of it or had someone mention it.

This is an amusement park like Playland in Vancouver? Or it trying be more like a make believe Disney universe with talking mice and ducks and princess.

In Vancouver we did have Fantasy Land for a while. A Holland inspired park overrun by tulips with a big artificial windmill. The Fantasy Land was owned by a former Premier of the province who many though did not have a full grasp of reality and lived in a fantasy world. But i digress.

[Hali87]

I remember seeing occasional ads for Canada's Wonderland growing up in Halifax. Marine Land (Niagara Falls) advertised here as well. It was branded as "Paramount Canada's Wonderland" back then but always seemed like more of a 6 Flags than Disney World type place (focus was mostly on the rides and not the larger "Film Industry" stuff). Even as a kid this seemed like a Toronto thing, not a Canada thing. Still, they did have more/better roller coasters than anywhere in the Maritimes.

[acottawa]

What's the problem you would be trying to solve with replacing it? It is a perfectly good Ontario-scale attraction that entertains thousands of people when there is no pandemic. There is no way Ontario has the population or the weather to support a Disney-style park.

It would be nice if they could have a people mover to the subway and reduce the parking.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by casper

After living in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario (Ottawa Valley), I can reliably say I have never heard of it or had someone mention it.

This is an amusement park like Playland in Vancouver? Or it trying be more like a make believe Disney universe with talking mice and ducks and princess.

In Vancouver we did have Fantasy Land for a while. A Holland inspired park overrun by tulips with a big artificial windmill. The Fantasy Land was owned by a former Premier of the province who many though did not have a full grasp of reality and lived in a fantasy world. But i digress.

The only thing in Canada that compare to it is La Ronde in Montreal. Wonderland is in a class of its own in Canada, with rides that consistently rank top 10 in the world. It is decently themed.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Hali87

I remember seeing occasional ads for Canada's Wonderland growing up in Halifax. Marine Land (Niagara Falls) advertised here as well. It was branded as "Paramount Canada's Wonderland" back then but always seemed like more of a 6 Flags than Disney World type place (focus was mostly on the rides and not the larger "Film Industry" stuff). Even as a kid this seemed like a Toronto thing, not a Canada thing. Still, they did have more/better roller coasters than anywhere in the Maritimes.

It seems like a nice, big amusement park but general awareness of it out here always seemed pretty low to me. As you point out they don't advertise nationally (unlike Marine Land and their incessant commercials), so growing up the only people I knew who had ever been to Canada's Wonderland were those with cousins in Toronto or whatever who took them out there for a fun day trip. I'm assuming the having relatives component of the formula is essential, given that getting out there without access to a car would be a royal pain.

[Tg11]

Exactly Paramount Pictures had the branding for this theme park but lost it which is why if I'm saying if and only if you ever replaced this theme park, then Six Flags/Warner Brothers or Universal Studios or Disney with Disneyland or Disney World should replace it. It would make a shit ton of money here in Canada.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Tg11

Disneyland or Disney World should replace it. It would make a shit ton of money here in Canada.

Any theme park in Canada would operate at most four months per year. There is no such limitation in Florida or California. There is a reason why there is no Disneyland in Minnesota. The same limitations apply to Canada too.

Canada has many blessings, but we are not the ideal location for major theme parks. Sorry.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

The only thing in Canada that compare to it is La Ronde in Montreal. Wonderland is in a class of its own in Canada, with rides that consistently rank top 10 in the world. It is decently themed.

La Ronde is a decent amusement park, but Canada's Wonderland is on another level.

[niwell]

Wonderland is legitimately a great amusement park with the focus on coasters and other rides. No need for Disney (or other corporate) branding.

I knew about Wonderland growing up in Calgary and it was one of the main things I always wanted to do when we visited Toronto. It's primarily GTA focused of course, but has about the same cache a Six Flags park would have.

[Tg11]

Originally Posted by Acajack

La Ronde is a decent amusement park, but Canada's Wonderland is on another level.

I mean it is but I'm saying it could do with better rebranding like think how Paramount had this branding for years until they pulled out. I'm saying if Warner Brothers or Disney or even Universal got behind Wonderland, think about how much more money is made in the future going forward.

[Acajack]

When I was a kid in the Maritimes I remember ads for Wonderland on TV all the time. Not sure if they were part of national campaigns or targeted for the Maritimes, but every kid knew what Wonderland was.

I don't recall seeing ads for Wonderland on Quebec TV networks. Maybe they're there though.

In any event Wonderland is still fairly well known in Quebec. Lots of people I know have been there and it's actually one of the main reasons families in my entourage go to Toronto.

[TorontoDrew]

The park kind of sucked when it was Paramount owned. There is no reason for it to become a 6 Flags. It's currently owned by Cedar Fair which operate 17 successful parks, one being Cedar Point. If anybody is a true coaster fan and can afford it they will make the pilgrimage to that park.

I'm not sure how 6 Flags markets better then Cedar Fair. The last commercial I can remember were with that creepy old bald guy on speed driving the bus.