Canada’s Wonderland* is known for thrill rides, but not everyone can tolerate that much excitement. As I mentioned in a previous article, I suffer from intense motion sickness, so I’ve had to learn how to get creative at theme parks, like Canada’s Wonderland, that specialize in thrills and chills. I recently had the chance to visit the park with two visitors from Mexico City that are seniors, one friend who is a thrill-lover and another who tears up on a roller coaster – literally. I understand the feeling. We also experienced a thunderstorm which meant that we had to get creative.
Here is how we were able to enjoy Canada’s Wonderland without making it about the thrills.
Photo Fun
I always like new experiences, and one thing that I’ve never done is play dress up for a photo. Adults, outside of Halloween, rarely get to dress up in fancy costumes. This is something that you can do at Wonderland at Antique Photo. There are two different set ups – one that looks like the Wild West and the other is more Victorian. You will have costumes selected for you based on your theme. They are size friendly and you just put them on over your clothes.
We decided on a Victorian theme and costumes based on that time period were selected for us. Remember, it’s not about the fit – it’s about the theme. Everything looks perfect in the photos. You can hold guns, fans, flowers, swords or whatever Victorian charm suits you. We had a blast dressing up and modeling. We changed props three times and had six different poses – three were essentially the same, but one set was with smiles and the other without.
The price for access to six digital photos was $25.00 which is pretty reasonable. Depending on whether you want it framed or not, prices vary. It was also a fun souvenir for my friend’s parents to take home with them. Our timing was good. It started to pour just as we walked into the shop.
DIVINE Tip: If you forget to take your smart watch off – simply ask for gloves so that you can cover them up and look authentic.
The Games
I’ve been to Canada’s Wonderland many times over the years, and the games were never on my radar but I was with three men and it was definitely on theirs. The ever popular ring toss was first. I have yet to see someone get the ring around the neck of the milk jug, but it’s always fun to try. So fun that 150 rings later, we finally left. Next was soccer – I didn’t try, but my friend’s father used to play so to honour the World Cup, he tried. He scored two goals, but you needed five for a prize. It was a good try.
Finally, we tried to get five out of eight balls into a basket. Sounds easy, but it is a game of skill. I managed two. My friend was so close with four. Better luck next time to both of us.
DIVINE Tip: It’s easy to spend a lot on games to “win” a prize. Have a set budget for games. All of the stores at Canada’s Wonderland have fun plush. If you aren’t winning, cut your losses and buy something.
Gentle/Gentler Rides for the Motion Sick
I want to be that person who can go on AlpenFury, scream my guts out and laugh all the way through. Unfortunately, drops, sharp turns, and spirals means that my motion sickness will kick in and aren’t necessarily friendly for seniors. Fear not – there are still rides that you can enjoy. Here are the ones that we went on:
- Antique Carrousel: This ride is almost a century old and a true classic. I also can’t handle spinning rides, but this is gentle. There were a lot of adults on the ride – in fact – children were difficult to spot. I understand why – it’s a piece of nostalgia and a great photo opportunity rolled into one.
- White Water Canyon: This water ride is fun and very tolerable for people with motion sickness. It is also my very favourite ride at Canada’s Wonderland. As long as you can get in and out of the raft, it’s also a senior friendly ride. Just ask the ride operator to turn off the moving platform to make it easier to get into and out of. There are some drops, but they are small. The downside for some is that at least one or two people in the raft will get soaked. I was one of them. It was a hot day, so it felt nice.
- Boo Blasters on Boo Hill: My second favourite ride is, quite literally, a blast. It’s like a haunted house met laser tag. It is also the only dark ride at Canada’s Wonderland. It’s fun because there is a scoreboard at the end and also in your car and you can see how you rate against your friends at hitting the targets.
- Jokey’s Jalopies: I’m going to give you some insider advice. Take a ride on Jokey’s Jalopies, even if you don’t have kids. It is one of the prettiest rides in the park. The lineups are low – I think we waited about ten minutes, maximum. It is a nice way to get a little bit of shade and to feel like you are driving in the country.
- Bonus: Vortex: This is one of the first roller coasters to open after the storm. I didn’t go on the ride, but my friends did. The one that loves roller coasters LOVED it and he came back with a big smile. The other came back in tears – not that I blame him. That should tell you everything that you need to know if you are a thrill seeker.
DIVINE Tips: Canada’s Wonderland gives each ride a rating from one to five based on a thrill-o-meter. Look at the website before you plan your day – especially if you have kids or suffer from motion sickness. The rating isn’t always 100% accurate – it really depends on your own tolerance. White Water Canyon, for example, is a four – I think it’s more of a two – but again, it’s personal. If you like roller coasters but prefer a smoother ride – stay away from wooden coasters and try the steel coasters.
Another tip – you will find gigantic dryers in the park to dry off after getting soaked on a water ride like White Water Canyon. We tried it, and for three minutes, the cost is over $6.00. It’s not worth it – none of us dried off. Wear quick dry clothing instead and bring nylon bags and backpacks with you so that everything stays dry.
Finally, if you like rides, but not the sick feeling – don’t skip Kidzville or Planet Snoopy. You will find rides that are more your speed there, but be kind, let a family go first if the line is short.
Character Meet and Greets
If you love The Peanuts, you are in luck. We bumped into Charlie Brown almost immediately after walking into the park. We each took our photos. You all have that one friend who tries to turn character meet and greets into a photo shoot. You’ll thank them – but try to hurry them along – remember that as excited as you are, so is everyone else. We missed meeting Snoopy, but we did find a sculpture of him and that was exciting for all of us.
Food
You can’t walk around all day and not eat something. We headed to Lazy Bear Lodge for lunch. What I liked was that there were limited options that made ordering easy. You picked your main and a side and you also receive a roll with your meal. I ordered chicken fingers and rice. The food quality was really good. If you are a vegetarian, try their meatballs – you can’t tell the difference between traditional meatballs and these meatless delights.
Take a look at some of the drinks as well. There are exclusives to Canada’s Wonderland like the Wondermelon Splash from Ernest Cider that you won’t be able to get anywhere else.
Once we walked around for a few hours, we were able to try a funnel cake – another first for me. The five of us shared one with vanilla soft serve. On the thrill-o-meter, it was a five out of five. It was delicious and Instagrammable, but huge. Share if you can.
DIVINE Tip: You won’t get a lid for your soft drink from the restaurant, so get a size that you can manage to finish in the restaurant. You’ll thank me once wasp season starts. You can buy reusable cups and refill them at drink stations every fifteen minutes, but you really need to love soda to drink it that often.
Shopping
We couldn’t finish a day at Canada’s Wonderland without checking out the shops. We checked out True North Gifts and if you love Snoopy, they have a large assortment of plush, including an adorable hat with movable ears. The t-shirt designs were well thought out and very adult friendly. They aren’t shirts that you will buy and leave in a drawer.
My friends also stopped in Dulce The Candy Shoppe and left with some treats and gifts. They have a great variety of stores spread out through the park, but not so many that you feel like every ride ends in a retail opportunity.
Final Thoughts
We got to Canada’s Wonderland just before noon and left at around 7pm. Even with inclement weather and ride closures, we had a great time. The great part about Canada’s Wonderland is that it’s a create your own adventure. We had a very full day with very few rides and without seeing a show. Don’t forget to plan ahead to get the most out of your day.
*Tickets and food vouchers were supplied to me for review purposes. Opinions are my own.
