Ontario Amusement Park review

[Rubbertops]

In the past 2 years we went to quite a few amusement parks in Ontario. I should mention that for most of them I received comp tickets (for arranging group sales to the corporation that I work for). Here are my reviews.

Canada’s Wonderland: Vaughan
Busy park. Lots to do for all ages. Great rides. Includes water park. I like to go just after the water park opens but before school vacation starts. That is around the 3rd weekend of June. The waits aren’t too bad. Much worse in the middle of summer.

The food is expensive. I think parking was around $10. Staff aren’t the brightest. They aren’t very friendly (generally speaking). We go every year and will go back.

Fear Fest at Wonderland (October)
We enjoyed this but there are a lot of screaming teenagers. Short lines for rides. Fun atmosphere.

Marineland: Niagara Falls
The rides are okay for kids. We didn’t go on any big rides. Good animal displays and shows. However, we felt there was too much walking and not enough attractions. It is really spread out. There is not a lot of shade. We went in June one year and September last year. Waits were okay – maybe 15 minutes. Free parking. The food was expensive and not very good. We took our own corn pops to feed the bears. We probably wouldn’t go back for a while.

Santa’s Village: Bracebridge
We really like this park. It is nice and compact. Not too much walking. Nicely landscaped and shaded. Short lines for rides. Great for small kids. A few water fountain/splash pads. Free parking. Cheap food. Excellent staff. They are very friendly and seem to really enjoy being there. Will probably go back while the kids are still little. The Sportsland area beside the park is better for older kids.

African Lion Safari: Cambridge
We like this park. We like the animals, especially the baboons. However sometimes the safari drive can get congested and it is really slow. It is best to get though the safari early and then spend time in the other areas of the park. The kids enjoy the water park. We will go back.

Ontario Place: Toronto
This park was okay. It is very spread out. We only stayed 3 hours since it was a rainy day when we went. However it was still crowded (went in the middle of summer) Food and parking were expensive. We should go back to give it another chance.

Wild Water Kingdom: Brampton
It was fun. We only stayed 3 hours. Lunch was reasonable. We had to rent a float (extra cost). Kids had fun. It was crowded but we managed to get around okay. Staff wasn’t very good. It was a nice hot day so good for water, but bad for sunburns. Will probably skip this.

Sportsworld: Kitchener
It wasn’t a good park. The kids liked the water park and Moose Winooski’s but I won’t go back there.

This summer we would like to go to the Toronto Zoo, we haven’t been there for years. Can someone give a recent review?

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Sportsworld: Kitchener
It wasn’t a good park. The kids liked the water park and Moose Winooski’s but I won’t go back there.

Apart from the mini-golf, the indoor arcade and the restaurant this park no long exists. Waterpark is gone. Amusement park rides are gone. Indoor golf driving range is gone.

African Lion Safari: Cambridge
We like this park. We like the animals, especially the baboons. However sometimes the safari drive can get congested and it is really slow. It is best to get though the safari early and then spend time in the other areas of the park. The kids enjoy the water park. We will go back.

Plus, apparently, more animal species than Disney's Animal Kingdom and more space. Certainly not as well themed. They have a wonderful Asian elephant breeding programme.

 

[Hug the Mouse]

Our family really enjoys the Toronto Zoo. We took last year off but had memberships the prior 2 years.

I can't emphasize enough what a great value buying a membership for the zoo is. A family membership costs $130 and gives you admission for 364 days (closed Christmas), gives you 10% discount at gift shops, and free zoomobile rides during warm weather season (great when you find yourself at the back of the zoo, exhausted from the long walk).

http://torontozoo.com/BecomeAMember.asp

The splash zone isn't huge, but is a nice size, and kids under age 10 will find it a fun place to cool off. The kids zoo is another fun area next to the splash zone.

We would visit during winter and visit the buildings which have a tropical temperature for their inhabitants. The crowds are small in winter too so there are better opportunities to get up close for extended time with gorillas, orangutangs or whatever.

 

[NikP]

African Lions Safari is far better than Animal kingdom for seeing animals. The safari gives you a great up close view of the animals. Both my sons were face to face with a baboon on the safari. We took the bus ride and they climb all over the shuttle and stare at the riders.

I think Disney's themes are far better, but when it comes to seeing animals, we do not waste our time at AK, we hit the rides and enjoy the atmosphere instead. We can always go to Lions Safari when we get home to look at animals or the T.O. Zoo.

 

[SandraC]

Wonderland: Very busy....season's passes are good so we go for 3 hours at a time, but often. Go early in the season and early in the day. Go late in the season for rides. Waterpark is good, but busy.

Zoo: LOVE IT! Season's passes are worth it.

Marineland: LOVE IT! Season's passes are great value....camping fun too.

African Lion Safari: It's okay. Drive there is too long. Can get busy.

Sportworld: Okay for little kids. Kinda old looking.

CNE: Hate it. Don't trust the ride.....Have you seen the move "Carny"

Ontario Place: It's okay. Pretty with the Chinese Lanterns

Centreville: Okay for little kids.

ROM: Season's passes are great value....but once you've done it a couple times you want to go back to the zoo.

Ontario Science Centre: Was fun, but lacking these days.

Chuck E. Cheese: Always fun!

Woodie Woodchucks: Like Chuck E. Cheese for little kids.

Dave & Busters: My kids love it!

Halton Conservation Area: WELL WORTH THE SEASON'S PASS! We are tree-huggers.

Wasaga Beach: Fun for a day.

 

[katiesmom2]

We really love the zoo. We go every summer. This year, DH's parents bought us a family pass for the year, so we are looking forward to going more often.

Our kids are 3 and 5. Is Santa's village worth a 3 and 1/2 hour drive from home? I'll have to check out their website.

 

[NikP]

We really love the zoo. We go every summer. This year, DH's parents bought us a family pass for the year, so we are looking forward to going more often.

Our kids are 3 and 5. Is Santa's village worth a 3 and 1/2 hour drive from home? I'll have to check out their website.

If you are going to Bracebridge just for Santa's village, I think the 3 1/2 hour ride would be way too long and not worth it. But, there is also a camp ground located at the park and lots to do in the surrounding area.

Our boys love Santa's village. They want to go every year. It is a 3 hour drive for us from home, but we end up staying at my inlaws about an hour away from Bracebridge and make a weekend out of it.

It is very small. The rides are similar to carnival rides. The merry go round is very very old. There is also a train ride, small rollercoaster and the highlight, the jet speed boat ride down the river. The park is in a tall evergreen shaded area. The park staff are mostly young teens. Some I wonder if they are even old enough to work. I am not sure we will be back this summer. Our children are now a little old for it. Ages 5 and 7.

 

[Rubbertops]

Santa's Village is 3 hours away from us and we felt it was worth it. It really is a great park for little kids. But we did make a weekend out of it.

We have been twice. Once we stayed at the Travelodge and once we stayed in a cabin at the Gravehurst KOA. Both have nice heated pools.