Yesterday Canada’s Wonderland revealed details on several new and upgraded offerings guests can expect in 2026. It’s a lot to go through, so let’s get into it!
1) The DareDeviler
It’s been a bit of an open secret Canada’s Wonderland received trains from the recently closed Six Flags America to be used on Flight Deck. These trains are an updated model from Vekoma (the ride’s manufacturer) using open vest-style restraints for added comfort and visibility. The trains only had eight cars each in their former home compared to the 10 cars used by Flight Deck, so it’s unclear if the ride will have a reduced maximum capacity or it Canada’s Wonderland has purchased four brand new cars from Vekoma to make up the difference. Regardless, with just two years of use at Six Flags America, these trains should significantly extend the life of the ride while providing a much smoother experience for guests.
Speaking of, the park also notes “targeted track refinements” being done on the coaster “for a smoother, more dynamic ride.” Here’s hoping all the work pays off! I’ll be sure to share a review of my first ride once it reopens, which is expected to be in “early summer.”
And with that reopening comes a new name and theme! Flight Deck, originally opened in 1995 as Top Gun, will now become The DareDeviler! (Incidentally, this ride is now the first coaster in the park’s history with three different names.)
The name on its own seemed a bit odd to me, but after seeing the official art featuring a pilot atop the wings of a biplane, soaring through the clouds above Wonder Mountain, I started to come around on it. And then the full description really sold me on the whole theme.
At the turn of the 20th century, world expositions captivated crowds with visions of the future. Among the wonders of that era was a revolutionary experimental aircraft unveiled by French inventor Étienne Vallon. Known as The DareDeviler, the prototype was engineered to attempt maneuvers [sic] no aircraft of its time could safely achieve.
The plane’s true fame came during the barnstorming era, piloted by the fearless Canadian aviator Clara “Hawk” Redmond, whose breathtaking dives, barrel rolls, and near‑miss stunts dazzled audiences wherever she flew. Though the original aircraft faded into aviation folklore, its reputation for heart‑pounding exhilaration never disappeared.
Now, that legend rises once more.
As far as I can tell the whole story is fictional, but I believe the name of the inventor might be a reference to Etienne Tsu and René Villon, both innovators in biplane flight. Barnstorming is definitely the type of show you might have seen at a world expo, especially as a showcase of new technology. And the fact the plane itself is called “The DareDeviler” (rather than it describing a person) makes me like the name of the ride a lot more!
I do have some small issues with the theme though, primarily around the time period. The themed area is The Grande World Exposition of 1890. But the Wright Brothers didn’t take their first flight until 1903 and barnstorming didn’t start until the early 1920s. I know it’s a small detail to some, but it’s the equivalent of featuring a PlayStation in the 1960s. 30 years can make a huge difference! World Expos are also made up of country pavilions, but it’s not clear whether The DareDeviler is meant to be the host country’s pavilion (since it’s a Canadian pilot), or possibly the France pavilion (since the innovator is French). Maybe that will become clearer once the ride opens.
Having said all that, the park was in a tricky spot. Top Gun was built with Quonset huts, a radar dish, and a station themed like an air-traffic control tower. Some coats of paint aren’t going to fix the fact the ride was designed with flight in mind. Certainly the early days of flight didn’t provide the looping action The DareDeviler gives guests. And considering which country was “first in flight,” probably best not to build a pavilion around it at Canada’s Premier theme park, especially right now. All in all, I think the park did the best they could with fitting the ride into the spirit (if not the era) of a very Grande World Expo.
2) Other Ride Updates
As mentioned previously, Antique Carrousel is having several horses beautifully restored this off-season. The park’s blog post also mentions “all-new names,” though I’m not sure how guests will know the name of each horse… Perhaps there will be a sign (or several) listing all their names?
Now officially confirmed by the park, The Mighty Canadian Minebuster is receiving an additional 980 feet (299m) of vertically stacked, pre-cut track from The Gravity Group for this year. This includes most of the helix and replacing part of the “trick track” with a small new airtime hill. I’m very excited to try it out this year and I’ll be sure to share my thoughts when I do! Although it’s worth noting the park stated it will not be ready for the start of the season as they finish the upgrades.
Also not available for the start of the season will be Sledge Hammer, which is receiving new pumps. Love to see Sledge Hammer continuing to get all the care it needs!
Swing of the Century will be getting new double-seats this year, which will allow “parents and children to swing side-by-side-together.” I’m not sure how many of the baskets will be switched out, but it should be a nice upgrade for families. Though if they really wanted to improve the experience, I think the money would have been better spent replacing the trees around the ride.
In the kids’ park, Snoopy’s Space Race and Snoopy vs. Red Baron are both getting some new paint while Character Carrousel has received new flooring. Great to see opening day attractions getting attention! Flying Eagles is receiving a refresh as well, though I’m not quite sure what the park means by “a full repaint and restoration of its signature ride arms.” I’m guessing this means the “fin” at the front of each car, maybe calling it out because the handles have some wear?
3) Chaperone Policy
I don’t want to end on this, so I’m mentioning it now. Starting May 1 (Season Pass Preview Night), guests 15 and younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old. Each chaperone can accompany up to 10 guests per day. This policy is in effect daily starting at 4 p.m. (or earlier at the park’s discretion). For more information, please review the park’s Code of Conduct.
Personally I don’t see the need for this policy. It just feels like an unnecessary measure and I’m not sure having more security personnel (including those approaching young children to ask if their parent/guardian is around) really sets the right atmosphere. It also feels like an awkward extra step at Front Gate for associates. But I agree guests under a certain age should be accompanied by a responsible adult while at the park due to safety concerns for the young guests. I suppose 15 is as good an age as any (though I think 12 might have been a more easily accepted cutoff), and it’s certainly better than what some of the other Six Flags parks have introduced.
However if this policy is intended to prevent rowdy or unruly behaviour (as it was presented during Halloween Haunt last year), it makes even less sense since most people seem to believe those 15 and under are not the (main) problematic age group. And the time it starts seems arbitrary, with it even flexing according to “operational needs,” though I’m not sure how that will be communicated to guests. Using a blanket statement about the code of conduct applying to all guests regardless of age or time of day (including possible removal from the park for failure to abide) seems like a much better course of action in my humble opinion.
4) Events
I am so incredibly happy to see Brew & BBQ returning this year! I’m a little concerned with how busy the park might be during this event since it coincides with the FIFA World Cup games happening in Toronto, but I still plan to check it out and get some savoury food! Some of the items planned for this year’s Brew & BBQ include sesame-glazed smoked pork ribs, wood-fired chicken legs, and smoked beef brisket flatbreads. While those don’t sound super appealing to me, it’s already a much better selection than at the Food & Wine Festival. Hopefully the entertainment is on par with that event though!
Other changes to this year’s events calendar include a significantly shorter Celebration Canada (five days; down from three weekends in 2025); fewer nights of WinterFest (now starting a week later and ending just two days after Christmas); four fewer days for KidZfest; one less weekend of Oktoberfest; and no fireworks on the Civic Holiday weekend in August. These are sad but mostly understandable cuts in my opinion. WinterFest ending before New Year’s Eve is really disappointing, though…
The last notable change is Camp Spooky getting a new name, now known as Tricks & Treats. It’s a rather generic name, though the former name never made a ton of sense since Wonderland doesn’t have a Camp Snoopy from which to base the pun. Regardless, I expect this year’s daytime Halloween event will still provide near the same level of fun for kids and families!
5) Shows
I’m thrilled to see three brand new shows coming to Canada’s Wonderland this year!
Retrospect at International Showplace is the one I’m least interested in. Song and dance shows don’t typically excite me and from the clips I’ve seen of RetroSpect at Kings Island, I don’t see this one being much different. Still, it’s been many years since the regular season had something like this so it’s probably good for the sake of variety. I just hope we swing back to the rotating lineup at Showplace sooner than later.
Watchtower sounds like Castaways with extra comedy, though I’m still not sure there will be much of a story. Mentioning the “mythical” nature of Arthur’s Baye and describing the performers as “a band of overly confident merrymen and women” does sound promising, though. An emphasis on humour could be good and of course I expect the acrobatics will be excellent as usual!
If Watchtower sounds like it’s taking more inspiration from its Medieval setting, that’s doubly true of The King’s Banquet! Coming to the castle-clad Canterbury Theatre, this show’s description is really telling a story and I am here for it! “A grand royal feast will erupt into chaos when a shadowy sorcerer poisons the King, sending a band of loyal heroes on a time-bending quest filled with towering cirque feats, fire juggling, sword-swallowing, and breathtaking acrobatics to rewrite fate itself.” Opening day for this show can’t come soon enough!
6) Food
There were just a few food items mentioned in the park’s media release and blog, but so far I’m cautiously optimistic.
Choco Crispy Bites Funnel Cake — Okay, this is the exception. Even if the park switched back to the old funnel cake batter recipe (which it absolutely should ASAP!), this still wouldn’t be too appealing to me. Despite my extreme sweet tooth, I’m not a huge fan of chocolate nor marshmallow fluff. I would still try it, though… if the funnel cake batter was fixed.
The DareDeviler IPA — “A refreshingly bold, craft-inspired beer with bright citrus aromas.” I’m not much of a theme park drinker, but I do appreciate how this one is “inspired by the popular beer styles of the Grande World Expo era.” I’ll probably try it out at some point this year.
Tanghulu — A fruity snack covered in clear, hardened sugar. It looks healthy, but should be very sweet. I’m looking forward to trying it out from the newly remodelled Sweet Shoppe! I can’t say I’m a huge fan of The Sweet Spot as the new name for this store, though… Sweet Shoppe felt more authentically Wonderland somehow.
Donair Kabobs — “Crispy, smoked spiced beef skewers finished with the park’s signature sweet, garlicky, tangy white sauce.” Okay, that’s a lot of descriptors, but basically it’s meat on a stick, with a Canadian flair! That’s Halifax Donair! As long as the portions are decent, it might become my preferred meal at Lazy Bear Lodge!
“Wonder Rush” — I don’t always drink pop, but when I do, it’s Sprite. (Or the occasional root beer.) I’m also a fan of pineapple and Lemonade, so you better believe I’m excited for this Coke Freestyle concoction combining vanilla Sprite, pineapple Fanta, and Minute Maid lemonade! And there are more spots than ever to get this exclusive drink because the park has added a second Refresh Centre to the kids’ park in as many years! This new location will be right next to Maple Park Treehouse, which is very convenient for anyone around Roadside Chicken or KidZville!
Really not bad for a year without a brand new ride/slide, and I’m sure I’ll notice a few more things once I get back to the park in a few weeks. I’ll certainly have fun watching the progress on The DareDeviler plus whichever other projects the park is still working on in the early part of the season. Look forward to food and ride reviews, entertainment spotlights, and much more coming soon!
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