We equate visiting Canada’s Wonderland, a Cedar Fair park that you can utilize with your Platinum season pass, as a fine bottle of wine. The more you visit, the more you fall in love with the park! Canada’s Wonderland routinely brings in the second highest amount of guests among Cedar Fair parks each year behind Knott’s Berry Farm and ahead of Cedar Point.

In addition to being a really great park, they offer an incredible array of flat rides with some you will not find elsewhere in a Cedar Fair park, and we think the food at Canada’s Wonderland happens to be as good as Carowinds, which is known for their exemplary menu options. This might be a good spot to mention that Canada’s Wonderland is also the home of Leviathan, one of four giga-coasters in the Cedar Fair arsenal (the others being at Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds).

Pair the amazing rides, food, and atmosphere with some great live shows, and Canada’s Wonderland should definitely be on your summer travel list.

So now that our family has been visiting Canada’s Wonderland for a number of years, we put together some tips to make sure you have a FUN visit.

1) Season Pass

If you visit any of the Cedar Fair parks more than a handful of times each year, a season pass makes absolute sense for guests. Purchase your pass in the fall for the cheapest price and get on the payment plan, and you will be paid off before the parks even open.

For the best deal, consider the Platinum pass that gets you free parking and admission to all of the Cedar Fair parks each year.

2) Passports

If you are U.S. based, like we are, then to travel outside of the country you will need a valid passport. Make sure it is valid at time of travel, including through the time of your return. Fortunately at the time of this article, the passport does not need to be valid six months prior to your trip like it does when visiting other countries.

3) Money

We have an entire article about how to handle paying for things in U.S. Dollars at Canada’s Wonderland.

4) Language

Even though there is a large portion of the guests that can speak French Canadian, English speakers will have no issues at Canada’s Wonderland reading menus, ride instruction boards, etc., as everything was in English.

This could be a great opportunity for you to brush up on your French lessons though! 🙂

5) Weather

Our biggest obstacle over the past several years of visits to Canada’s Wonderland has been the weather. We have either experienced all-day rain events or extremely hot temperatures, both of which do not make for an ideal day.

Fortunately, we have also experienced the park on the most ideal of weather days on a recent trip.

Make sure to pack plenty of sunscreen no matter the weather.

Plan and dress accordingly for your visit to Canada’s Wonderland.

6) Bring a Bathing Suit

When comparing the size of Cedar Fair parks, Canada’s Wonderland falls about in the middle. With your admission, guests get access to both Canada’s Wonderland and Splash Works waterpark. You will also find a couple of water rides within Canada’s Wonderland.

Therefore, consider having your bathing suit handy to utilize the benefits of both sides of the park.

7) Virtual Reality

Canada’s Wonderland was the first of the Cedar Fair parks to test out virtual reality (VR) on roller coasters, as they do on Thunder Run. While we were skeptical at first of taking a roller coaster and having to wear a VR headset, the experience was quite FUN and well worth it.

While the Thunder Run VR was free in the past for season passholders, this year Canada’s Wonderland is charging for the experience. Season passholders pay $5 while regular guests pay $10.

Guests must be 40″ to ride Thunder Run and at least 13 years of age to try VR.

8) Buy a Souvenir Bottle or All-Season Drink Pass

We absolutely love visiting Canada’s Wonderland and find it difficult to find something to not like; however, the one thing that makes a visit difficult is they do not give guests free water like they do at the rest of the Cedar Fair parks. Free water (and ice) appear to be an American thing, as we evaluated in our article, Does Canada’s Wonderland Need to Adjust the Free Water Policy?

Therefore, guests should plan accordingly, and the easiest way to do that is with the souvenir refillable drink cups or all-season drink passes.

In prior years, we noticed it was difficult to even find water at the fountain machines. However, for 2017 we really saw a proliferation of options for where guests could get water in addition to their favorite fountain drink options. Plus we were pleasantly surprised to see a lot of Coca-Cola Freestyle machines throughout the park, where you can also get water.

9) Canadian Cuisine

Our two favorite parks to eat are at Carowinds and Canada’s Wonderland. As you peruse our Canada’s Wonderland Dining Guide, you will notice tons of great food options you will not find at other Cedar Fair parks.

For example, try classic poutine at a variety of food locations around the park. Or stop at the Bistro 81 food truck and try the Pork Belly Sandwich…it is AMAZING! Or visit Backlot Cafe for some terrific Indian food (or Mexican, Italian, or American).

If you do not have the All-Season Dining Plan, this is one time where we highly suggest getting the All-Day Dining Plan so you can eat every 90 minutes!

10) Great Rides

You first realize a visit to Canada’s Wonderland is unlike any other when you walk in the entrance and see the beautiful landscaping and Wonder Mountain. In addition the park offers tons of great rides and attraction. Hop on board Wonder Mountain Guardian and fight dragons in a unique roller coaster shooting game. Try the great flat rides, ride the many roller coasters like Leviathan and Behemoth, and not to be overlooked, there are many great rides at Planet Snoopy/Kidzville.

Have additional tips for visiting Canada’s Wonderland? Let us know below in the comments.

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