BigJohnWC
Posts: 676
Registered: 4/18/2002
Rank: Gold Critic
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 9/11/2002 11:25:00 AM
Okay .. here we go .. sorry this is so late...
Paramount Canada's Wonderland ... Nice park, the mountain center-piece really gives it a great look. See my reviews for opinions on the coasters, but I will say the following. WOODEN COASTERS were very unkept and brutally rough. It was a HOT day, so they should have been running good ... but THE WILD BEAST could've been so much fun but kept resorting to painful recourses (and I LIKE to get my *ss kicked on a ride) and THE MINBUSTER had some great possibilities for airtime and a nice layout, but was just to vibrating and jerky. I noticed, on both lifthills, the lift chain trough looked extrodinarily crooked and THE WILD BEAST's support system wobbled severly worse than any coaster I've come accross. THE VORTEX's support system did something similar. The raft canyon ride was a dissapointment overall, not very wet except for 2 spots (one of which is a waterfall). Rides not to be missed ... SCOOBY-DOO's HAUNTED MANSION (more on this in a moment) and RAGING THUNDER (electric driven mine-train ride, VERY unique and good fun). SCOOBY-DOO was fun, but the capacity was that of an old pretzel car dark-ride, so the line was almost an hour. Also, since it's SCOOBY-DOO, I found myself wanting to enjoy the characters and look at the scenery rather than be distracted while playing the game. Guns couldn't target at all, either. Overall, this was a very nice park with minimal wait times and a decent layout. However, no coaster seemed to really thrill me or blow me away. It was all the "same ol same ol." They badly need a signature coaster here (like THE BEAST or SON OF BEAST is for PKI or MILLENIUM FORCE is, currently, for CEDAR POINT). Prices were actually pretty cheap once you converted them to American ... I think we spent $4 to park and $2 (American) for two ice cream cones.
CENTREVILLE ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK ... great old time family park, but not quite as much here for adults to partake in as I'd like. I don't mind family parks, but I really want to be able to ride the rides as a "family," meaning they can handle an adult. HAUNTED BARREL WORKS is a great, old fashioned dark ride with a couple of rather intense looking stunts. The indoor lighted scrambler is good fun. The HIGHLIGHT here came in the Dodge 'Em ride. Cars are running fast at full speed, there is no middle island to avoid, and there are no direction (one way) rules. EVERYONE loved this ride, I'm a pretty big guy and I was getting tossed a bit out of my sit with impacts. This one ride is worth the trip to the Island. Only disspointing comment comes in the overall cost. THE PARK itself is rather cheap dollar wise, but you have to pay $5 each (canadian) for the ferry boat to the island and pay to park your car at a lot near the ferry docks. Don't skip this park just because of the lack of coasters, this is a beautiful site that needs to be seen.
Marine Land ... First of all, BEAUTIFUL PARK and a tremendous amount of interactiviy with the animals. Rides are a little sparse and TOO spread out, but I'll pay that price here for the incredible amount of beauty of the trees and the up-close and personnal feeling with the animal. Don't miss a chance to touch the Beluga or Killer Whales, youhave to get there 30-60 minutes early to have a chance, but it's well worth it. Also, don't miss ANY of the shows ... great fun. The DRAGON MOUNTAIN coaster has some of the best outer theming I've seen outside of the ORLANDO parks and the feeling of the coaster being built literally within and along a mountain is incredible. I'd be curious to see what this coaster would be like if they finish the themeing of the ride (you can see there are areas they ment to develop and never have). This coaster was without a doubt the best overall coaster of the trip, and it was a WALK-ON every time. Overall, spend a full day and take your time at this park. Don't go expecting to ride ride after ride, but go to enjoy the shows a
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