Construction nearly complete on two new Canada’s Wonderland rides

There are two big reasons to get excited for the upcoming season at Canada’s Wonderland.

The park itself isn’t actually open to the public yet, but CityNews got a sneak peek of the new rides nearing completion.

One is fun for the whole family, the other will be reserved for thrillseekers, and both are slated to be ready when the park opens in early May.

Canada’s Wonderland opens for the season on May 5.

The Tundra Twister

Planning on the new Tundra Twister began two years ago with parts fabrication getting underway last spring in the Netherlands. Construction on the attraction began at the park in January of this year.

“This mechanical marvel is the only attraction of its kind in the world and promises a unique thrill experience unlike any other,” according to Wonderland’s website.

Upon completion, the Tundra Twister will be “a giant looping ride with rotating gondola arms” that will spin, twist, and twirl riders nearly 50 metres in the air and at speeds of 75 km/hr. The two gondolas will simultaneously rotate on a horizontal and vertical axis and can accommodate 20 riders each.

“You’re spinning in three different directions as you’re flying over the midway,” says Peter Switzer, the Director of Maintenance and Construction at the park.

Switzer says the service life on a ride of this magnitude is approximately 50 years.

“Other components on the ride will need to change before that,” he says. “It’s like brakes on your car.”

Snoopy’s Racing Railway

Across the park, work is ongoing for Snoopy’s Racing Railway, a roller coaster that people of all ages can enjoy.

The coaster will accelerate from zero to 50 km/hr in seconds and make dips and turns as the train “narrowly avoids the traps set by Woodstock and his Bad Seed Gang.”

“This could very well become a first coaster experience for a whole new generation,” says Canada’s Wonderland spokesperson Grace Peacock. “I have two boys, I think they’re going to love this.”

The ride has been taking shape since last year on the former site of the Dinosaur’s Alive attraction. The pieces for the ride were shipped in from Germany.

The family-friendly ride will become the park’s 18th roller coaster.

With files from CityNews reporter David Zura