Canadas Wonderland Archives

A few weeks ago, we took the boys to Canada’s Wonderland for the very first time. Let’s just say that I have a 5-year old budding adrenaline junkie, and a 3-year old who specializes in thrill ride avoidance. (Be still my heart! I have a comrade-in-fear.)

Alas, one of the only attractions that we didn’t have a chance to experience on our recent adventure was the new Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit. Unleashed in May 2012, visitors to Canada’s Wonderland are transported back in time to periods between 245 million and 65 million years ago in one of the world’s largest animatronic dinosaur parks.

Thanks to the generosity of Canada’s Wonderland, we were invited back to the park for our own prehistoric adventure, and we even brought along a few friends; @ShaunaMacKenzie from Kindergarten Confidential and her two boys, Big A and Lil J.

The day started off a little gloomy, and unfortunately, we encountered a rain delay of about 30 minutes. Thankfully, the passing showers made way for a beautiful, sunny day. As soon as the skies cleared, we made our way over to the Dinosaurs Alive exhibit. First, an obligatory pose by the entrance. (Side note: My “Change Your Life with Bacon” t-shirt made me Ms. Popularity for the day. Thanks Maple Leaf Foods!)

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Families in the Greater Toronto Area have always known about Canada’s Wonderland. Heck, we’ve grown up with it. The amusement park is THE destination for summer fun, and I can fondly recall my first visit, because, well, I was 16 years old.

I know! It’s kind of crazy that it took me so long to get there. But I was raised by immigrant parents who just didn’t have amusement parks on their radar as something they’d like to do with their kids. So, for the most part, I was a late bloomer when it came to going places and doing things.

I’ll never forget my first roller coaster. My BFF assured me we’d start out with a “tame” one, and having no frame of reference, I trusted her implicitly. So, she took me on the Vortex. YES, I said the freakin’ Vortex. After descending from the ride, with my heart in my throat and my tummy ready to be turned inside out, I had just one question for her… the same I have today:

DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A TAME RIDE TO YOU???

Sigh, I fear that may have put me off roller coasters for good. Or maybe it was because she dragged me on The Bat, Mighty Canadian Minebuster and the now defunct Jet Scream immediately thereafter.

Regardless, I decided that a fear of heights combined with a penchant for motion sickness did not make for a good thrill ride companion. Hence, I politely let my BFF know she could stick my Season’s Pass up her a**, and suggested she find another friend to join her in anything roller coaster related. (I did make use of my pass again that summer – we saw All 4 One in concert. Yes, All 4 One!)

Therefore, along with a disastrous Wonderland grad night where I lost my then-boyfriend and had to make do with an annoying “frenemy” all night long, my experience with Canada’s Wonderland was extremely limited. However, since I always make a concerted effort to expose my boys to the places and things I missed out on as a youth, I jumped at the chance to participate in “Blogger’s Day” at Wonderland.

And what has changed since 1997? Oh… everything.

First things first, Canada’s Wonderland is less than 30 minutes from our home, and often, visitors to Toronto may write it off because it’s located in Vaughan, about 20 minutes north of the city. So technically, if you’re staying downtown it’s not really a convenient “tourist” destination.

But hear this; hire a cab. Make plans to carpool. Jump on a bus. If you’re visiting the Greater Toronto Area at any point this summer, be sure to add Canada’s Wonderland to your itinerary. You simply won’t experience anything like it anywhere else in Canada –

“It’s really no wonder that Canada’s Wonderland is Canada’s premiere amusement park. It’s where families come to spend quality time with each other and their good friends, g-forces. Only Canada’s Wonderland has Leviathan, a new roller coaster in 2012 that boasts speeds of 125 mph with an 80-degree drop. The park also features such thrilling rides as Vortex, Shockwave, Behemoth and the 301-foot WindSeeker. And for the kids, there’s Planet Snoopy and the new Dinosaurs Alive! Seven acres of Jurassic fun with over 40 life-sized dinos. And if you like water park thrills, Canada’s premiere amusement park features Splash Works, a 20-acre water park featuring The Plunge, Super Soaker, the Lazy River and enough thrill rides to leave you and your family closer and prunier than ever. It’s what happens here every day at Canada’s Wonderland. Thrills Connect.”…

ROAR! Dinosaurs Alive! at Canada’s Wonderland

Canada’s Wonderland: A “Must Do” for Summer Fun