Canada Wonderland's Signature Ride...

I was at Paramount Canada's Wonderland just the other day for the first time. Great park, nice landscaping, and the placement of rides is almost perfect... although you can easily get lost there.

Anyway, I was wondering the following:
For those who have visited the park, what do you consider Canada's Wonderland's signature ride/attraction?
Every park has one, in one form or another, especially the large parks. Darien Lake & New England have their Superman: Ride of Steel, Great Escape has Comet, Cedar Point has Dragster, Magic Mountain has X, and so forth...

Do you think it's Sledge Hammer, their latest greatest flat, or is it a coaster, or something else? None of their flats have as large a queue as their coasters.

I personally think it's Vortex. The suspended Arrow coaster. That thing seems to stand-out the most. It's intense, it climbs Wonder mountain to the top, and is probably the fastest coaster they have.

How about you?

I thought it was the Mighty Canadian Minebuster. But that is probably largely due to the fact that my last visit there was in 1986.

lata, jeremy

--who would move to Toronto if it wasnt in Canada

I'd say Vortex. The lift climbs all the way into the mountain, as you mentioned, it was probably the most intense at the park. I'd also say it's one of the better Arrow Suspended coasters. I did prefer Wild Beast though. It's the most underrated woodie, anywhere.

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Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

Actually, I think Jeremy is right with the Minebuster. I went to the park for the first time last year, and although Minebuster wasn't my favorite ride in the park, it was about the only coaster that isn't a clone. Vortex is a clone of PKI's Top Gun (only better visuals), The Fly has been cloned as PKD's Richochet, the Wild Beast is PKD's Grizzly, and I could keep going through the list. Minebuster is the parks most unique coaster.

I still don't see the "clonism" (like my new word? ;)) betweem Top Gun and Vortex. I rode both last year and did not notice any similarities. I've even looked at picutures of the two side by side. Am I thinking the wrong Top Gun? Thanks for the help. :)

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If at first don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

PCW's Vortex and PKI's Top Gun are identical versions.

"Clone" is a relative term. Clone says "exact duplicate" to me. When actually Wonderland's has like an extra 4 feet or so on the initial drop.

Wonderland's also has better visuals as well as a bit of a faster pace (probably because of the minor difference in the drop length.)

But yes, the layout is exact. Wonderland's appeared, I believe, two seasons before PKI's. So if you choose to use the term clone, then PKI's is a clone of Wonderland's... not vise versa.

FYI.... when it was initially decided to add the version at PKI, the park was not yet under Paramount Ownership and was still just "King's Island." Carl Linder sold his lions share of stock in the company in late 1992, after construction had begun on the coaster. Under the Linder KI, the ride was being called "Thunder Road" however Paramount took controlling interest in late 1992 and decided to continue with the addition for 1993. However there was one major change... they themed it to Top Gun.

Both Top Gun at PKI and Top Gun at PGA hold the distinction of being the first rides under the Paramount moniker to be named/themed after a Paramount Movie property.

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Shaggy
*** This post was edited by Shaggy 6/25/2003 2:53:11 PM ***

I visited the park for the second time last year, and found Shockwave (the Mondial Top Scan) to be, no doubt, the best ride there. If you would have asked me before that visit, I would have said Mighty Canadian Mine Buster, but not because Shockwave is much better, just because MCMB has gotten BAD IMO. I got a little room between my lap and the bar and on the first drop, there are very significant positive g's that slammed the bar into my lap and the ride is not the smoothest wooden I've ever been on, actually, it was probably the roughest wood coaster I have ever been on, and the bar digging into my lap with the side to side roughness was too much for it to be real enjoyable.

I didn't ride Vortex last time I went due to time issues, but I had the time before that that I went there and I wasn't real impressed with it, I don't think I'm a suspended coaster person because people rave about Vortex. I found the most enjoyable coaster to be Skyrider, call me crazy, but I loved that ride.

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Warning: I do not think like the average person. My remarks have plenty of thought behind them. Take it for what it's worth, if you disagree, please, feel free to express it, but don't put me down because of it.

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2Hostyl said:
I thought it was the Mighty Canadian Minebuster. But that is probably largely due to the fact that my last visit there was in 1986.

lata, jeremy

--who would move to Toronto if it wasnt in Canada

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While I recall Canada's Wonderland as being a clean, attractive park, I thought most of the coasters were forgettable, with the exception of Mighty Canadian Minebuster. And I liked the name, too.

Most people would consider most of their coasters "forgettable", and rather spend their time in their huge waterpark, or look for the oodles & oodles of flats out there.

However, I must say that Vortex was pretty intense, if short... still I'd take that anytime over the slow, but longer Iron Dragon at Cedar Point.
Their woodies were pretty decent (yes, even Ghoster Coaster), but you got the best air-time on Wilde Beast (question for the people who rode it: CAN you hit your hand on the head-choppers if you tried?)
The Fly is just a wild-mouse, and their other steelies are mainly clones. Surprisingly, for an '01 coaster... Silver Streak is a little bumpy (and it's a family/kiddie coaster!).

I haven't visited the park on the most busiest of days (although sure felt like it, the other day).
What ride has THE longest line there (not wait, mind you)?