This will have to be a separate post (or several) because I have so much to say about the food, but I\u2019ll keep it to the headlines for now\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ensure a variety of food options by keeping Grande World Eatery open; open up half of All\u2019s Well Hall for regular guests; keep Grab & Go\u2019s salads, wraps, and sandwiches always available for those with more specialized diets; and reopen some kind of food service at the former La Cantina location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: High
7) Menus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDining locations being open is one thing, but obviously there needs to be good options at each one as well. With a park like Wonderland, the food has to be unique enough to keep people from going across the street and getting the same type of food for half the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The park could make the most popular Oktoberfest items permanent parts of AlpenFest, possibly replacing Grab & Go (whose items should be available from every major restaurant\u2019s fridges). A massive \u201cFeast Burger\u201d from the recently-remodelled King\u2019s Feast could be (literally and promotionally) huge! Grande World Eatery could also use one iconic dish served year round for consistency, similar to the Lodge\u2019s popular beef brisket (though obviously distinct from that). My vote goes to the amazing chicken parmigiana served for a limited time last fall!<\/p>\n\n\n\nDesire: BEGGING!<\/strong>8) Ride Availability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI know we\u2019ve been spoiled at Wonderland over the years, but the park\u2019s built a reputation for excellence. Seeing rides and attractions which typically draw long lines (The Bat, Snoopy\u2019s Racing Railway, Splash Works, etc.) shifting to later daily opening times is disheartening. That goes double for the rides which had scheduled (but not communicated) weekday closures for parts of the summer. I\u2019m not blaming the park in any way because I know budgets are tight and these decisions aren\u2019t made lightly. I\u2019m just expressing my desire to see fewer closed rides in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Moderate
9) Funnel Cakes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI really struggled with where to place this one. It\u2019s an easy fix and I truly believe a simple post\/announcement about returning to \u201cthe park\u2019s famous funnel cake recipe\u201d would result in higher sales and higher guest satisfaction. (I for one won\u2019t be getting any more until I hear something\u2019s changed.) I am absolutely begging for the park to return to the original funnel cake batter recipe, which gave the park such a perfect end-of-night treat!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING!*wink wink, nudge nudge*<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n10) Lockers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI understand the pay-per-use lockers on AlpenFury because every little operational efficiency the park can find for this attraction is mandatory. I still don\u2019t like them, but I understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Yukon Striker, which has an award-winning loose article system built into the station? There\u2019s absolutely no reason for the lockers here. Especially when it means losing the larger bins, causing more difficulty with guests retrieving their articles after the ride. And oversized items that couldn\u2019t fit in the bin conveyor are still an issue since the lockers are much smaller than the old bins! This just causes fewer guests to ride one of the park\u2019s signature attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe lockers are bad for guests, stressful for employees, and don\u2019t result in significantly higher ridership (according to the park\u2019s own numbers). I sincerely hope the park reverses this decision and removes the locker policy at Yukon Striker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING
11) Throwing Shade<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen AlpenFury first opened, the park put up signs assuring guests a shade structure was coming. When the shade structure arrived, it proved\u2026 less than optimal. There are long stretches which still don\u2019t receive any shade and there are gaps for the parts that do.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSomething is better than nothing, but this setup is woefully insufficient. I\u2019m desperately hoping the park at least adds more shade to the portions which don\u2019t have any current protection, and maybe they can be blue and orange to more closely fit the fire and ice theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While we\u2019re at it, can Sledge Hammer, Backlot Stunt Coaster, and maybe Klockwerks or Riptide also get shade structures of some kind? Maybe stealing the rarely used one from Lumberjack\u2019s already tree-covered queue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING!
12) Trees<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOn the note of trees, could we get some new ones in 2026? Some areas that seem like good candidates: the border of International Showplace (on either side of AlpenFury\u2019s track); Action Zone (around Sledge Hammer\u2019s southwest border); permanent ones around Arthur\u2019s Baye (replacing the boxed trees); the infield of Snoopy\u2019s Racing Railway (which had some removed in the past year); all around Shockwave (I miss them and they would help hide AlpenFury\u2019s backstage area); around Swing of the Century (they really made the ride experience special); maybe some evergreens in Splash Works (especially around Moosehorn Falls and on the slopes around Minebuster); and the area under\/around the Skyflyer Loop (and plaza).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING!
13) Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe park\u2019s entertainment quality is always spectacular, but I think Arthur\u2019s Baye and Canterbury Theatre could be switched up this year. Castaways was a huge improvement over the previous show, but it\u2019s still lacking a good storyline. When Cirque Ambiente returned a couple years ago, it really emphasized to me how much the cirque shows have improved since first introduced at the park. Either going to another former show (Tundra, Dimensions, or Cirque Canadien) or a brand new iteration could be quite refreshing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also miss the rotating lineup at International Showplace. Having each show last just a few weeks worked really well for a park like Wonderland with such a high season pass-holder base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: High
14) Thunder Run<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are a few ways Thunder Run could be improved through additional theming and what better time than the 40th anniversary of it being added to Wonder Mountain? The new ground level exit cavern is excellent, but the bare bones stairwell really needs the same look to maintain the illusion. The lighting on Herman could also be improved, plus maybe a return of the \u201cheartbeat\u201d sound effect?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But honestly the most glaring issue (no pun intended) is the sunlight pouring into the otherwise pitch dark interior. This is due to gaps in a wooden wall next to the ride\u2019s initial straight stretch of track, just outside the station. Sealing these gaps would be a quick and inexpensive way to greatly enhance the ride experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING!
15) AlpenFury\u2019s Tunnel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI had very high hopes for what AlpenFury\u2019s tunnel could look like, but sadly it didn\u2019t even live up to my low expectations of what it would look like. If the whole tunnel looked like the dive into the mountain, that would have been perfect! If there was a gust of cold air as you enter and hot air as you exited, that would be neat! If the shaft was significantly narrower, that would at least be much better than what we got. If the stalagmites and stalactites lined most of the track, that would be acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut instead, like a lot of the ride, it feels rushed and unfinished. I really hoped it was just that and we\u2019d see more details added during this off-season, but after speaking with park officials, I\u2019m all but certain we\u2019re stuck with the warehouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING!
16) Fencing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI actually have two mini points here\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First: Replace the temporary, scrim-covered construction fencing with some permanent, World Expo style fencing around the Skyflyer Loop. (This can be paired with those trees I asked for earlier, plus some themed lampposts for that plaza.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nHigh security (yet decorative) fencing around AlpenFury.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSecond: Some of the new-for-2025 fencing is great, like AlpenFury\u2019s queue stairs and the \u201chigh security\u201d tall metal fences that look a bit like skis (seen above). But what happened with the rest of these fences? And why are they painted grey?<\/p>\n\n\n\nGrey wooden gate and fences behind Wonder Mountain.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat was wrong with the decorative metal posts with chains characteristic of the area before? I love the fencing throughout Frontier Canada, and I think it even works pretty well around Snoopy\u2019s Racing Railway, but can we please give AlpenFest some more thematically unique (and consistent) fencing?<\/p>\n\n\n\nOriginal decorative metal fence posts and chains used in AlpenFest.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDesire: High
17) Bins at bag check<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe bag check area introduced in 2024 is a massive improvement over the old layout! My only real criticisms are with the actual metal detectors process. At other parks, this process works a lot like an airport, with guests placing their small bags and loose articles in a bin which security personnel pull along the table to the other side of the metal detectors. With multiple bins per table, each person\/group can use a separate bin. This keeps everything together and keeps the line moving more smoothly. This is also improved by longer tables so guests can set their loose articles and bags down earlier, giving them more time to prepare and make sure they\u2019ve removed all metallic items from their pockets before approaching the metal detectors. Theoretically, this could also cause fewer \u201cfalse detections\u201d from people moving their objects too close to the apparatus when setting items down on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a small change (longer tables with bins for small bags and loose articles), but it could significantly increase speed of entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Moderate
18) Signs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe sign shop does great work, truly! But there are some things that don\u2019t quite work. Like the typos on the posters in Grande World Eatery that still haven\u2019t been fixed. And the way-finding signs throughout the park which are mostly generic instead of blending into the respective themed areas. Don\u2019t even get me started on the disturbing Jokey\u2019s Jalopies sign\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat car’s face is creepier than anything at Haunt…<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut probably the biggest standout for me is the shop on the northeast corner of International Street. It was The Locker Room, then became the terribly named \u201cThrills Are Wonderland.\u201d But for some reason it still has signs up which read \u201cThe Varsity Club.\u201d I\u2019m really hoping this location can figure out its identity crisis (please not as \u201cThrills Are Wonderland\u201d) and get some appropriate exterior signage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Low
19) New Names<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA new name for existing attractions can really help build a cohesive themed area. Sadly The Fly and Shockwave remained unchanged as a new anchor ride sprouted right between them, bringing with it an area with ties to other existing attractions. Maybe we could see The Fly and Shockwave receive new names this year to better fit into AlpenFest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course there are still rides in other parts of the park which could also use a change to better fit their respective themed area. Candidates include Riptide, Drop Tower, Spinovator, and Speed City Raceway in Medieval Faire; Flight Deck in World Expo; half of KidZville; and maybe the entirety of Action Zone so it fits better with the rest of the park\u2019s themed areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Low
20) AlpenFest Theming<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMaybe I\u2019m cheating by having this as a different listing, but Klockwerks and Krachenwagen definitely don\u2019t need new names so they get their own entry! The biggest thing with Klockwerks is adding some gears on the fencing and queue, plus maybe replacing any arrow signs with clock hands. Some new paint could also help it blend a bit better with AlpenFury, but I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s really necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Krachenwagen, the roof should absolutely receive the faux wood shakes to match the rest of AlpenFest. Some updated signs could also help people understand the \u201cone way\u201d nature of the ride, though I would miss the snowflakes. That goes for the whole area; those snowflakes are iconic, but I feel there might be a better way to convey the Alps theme. Probably easier to add some snowflakes to AlpenFury\u2019s buildings for consistency, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Moderate
21) Festivals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t have much hope we\u2019ll see four straight weekends of cultural food festivals return anytime soon, but I hope we can get at least one new festival this year. With its wide array of entertainment garnering most (if not all) of the praise, maybe the Food & Wine Festival could shift to more of a \u201cFestival of the Arts\u201d this year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m really more interested in seeing a \u201cTaste\u201d festival return, if only so there are a few more meal options to keep things fresh in the later part of the summer. However, considering the Great Brew-B-Q was announced for last year before being quietly removed from the calendar, forgive me if I\u2019m a bit skeptical the company will be willing to invest in a brand new festival for 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Moderate
22) Restaurant Renovations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOver the past few years, it\u2019s become pretty common to see major dining location renovations, with Coaster\u2019s Diner, Grande World Eatery, and King\u2019s Feast all receiving more efficient \u201ccafeteria-style\u201d service. There are two more locations at the park I think could use a similar treatment: Chicken Shack and Roadside Chicken. Of these, I\u2019d rather see Chicken Shack get the overhaul, though this is largely motivated by a desire to see a shade structure built over the south patio (which could be converted into a much-needed warm up station during WinterFest). Although the renovation at King\u2019s Feast didn\u2019t even include a waterproof roof to replace the current leaky one, so I\u2019m going to throw that under this heading as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TL;DR – New shade structure for Chicken Shack\u2019s south patio, new roof for the patio next to King\u2019s Feast, and converting either Chicken Shack or Roadside Chicken to an indoor, cafeteria-style setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: Moderate
23) Refresh Centres<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nConsidering how busy the location next to Coaster\u2019s Diner always seems to be, it might be worth bringing back the Refresh Centre attached to Crystal Palace Arcade or adding a new one around Sledge Hammer. But maybe it\u2019s better to wait until Time Warp\u2019s land sees a new attraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We also have Roadside Chicken, which is frequently lined with people just wanting a drink. The next closest Refresh Centres are in front of Splash Works, by Lazy Bear Lodge, or at the far end of Planet Snoopy. School House Snacks and Treetop Cafe function decently for pop and ICEE refills respectively, but having a proper Refresh Centre around this area would be more efficient operationally and serve guests better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: High
24) All the Single Riders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAlthough I\u2019m not a single rider as often as I used to be, I still appreciate being a seat filler, boosting the throughput of my favourite rides while potentially getting on faster than if I waited in the regular line. Yukon Striker and AlpenFury were both built with single rider lines, and Behemoth was retrofitted with one which I think works very well! But Leviathan is a bit trickier due to the layout of the queue as it is. Hopefully the park can manage to fit a single-rider line to make sure one of the park\u2019s most popular attractions runs as efficiently as possible, especially with its four-across seating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: High
25) Simplify the Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI would love if Six Flags focussed a lot less on technology (outside of rides). I don\u2019t need mobile ordering when most of the locations are cafeteria-style. I don\u2019t want to be blinded by screens along the midways, reminding me to download the app. I definitely don\u2019t want to scan unmonitored QR codes. (Look up \u201cquishing schemes\u201d for more about the dangers of scanning QR codes in public spaces.) And I am desperately hoping Wonderland never moves to a Fast Lane system requiring the mobile app like some other Six Flags parks introduced this year. (I don\u2019t even use Fast Lane, but I see several issues with that kind of system.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During my park visits, I want to spend time enjoying the outdoors, away from the screens I\u2019m inundated with every other moment of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having said all that, I have just one requested feature for the Six Flags mobile app: An open\/closed indicator for dining locations. Having restaurant hours or menus would be incredible, but at minimum, tell me what\u2019s open and what\u2019s closed. When someone\u2019s hungry and they walk across the park to get a specific meal, you really don\u2019t want to make them angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: BEGGING!
26) Teasers for 2027<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nSince the park didn\u2019t receive any major new \u201ccapital\u201d this year, I hope we\u2019ll see at least one new ride or attraction added in 2027. There\u2019s no guarantee of that, especially with the current state of Six Flags\u2019 financials, but for the sake of this point, let\u2019s assume the park is working on something.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt might be the \u201crecord-breaking water attraction\u201d previously announced for 2026, or it may be something completely different. I don\u2019t know if we\u2019ll see construction in the spring or summer, but I do hope we at least get some teasers before any official announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The extent of the teasers should be relative to the size of the project, but even a couple rides for the kids\u2019 park could see a small campaign a couple weeks out from the announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI love studying teasers, trying to reverse engineer why the communications team came up with those specific visuals and that specific release schedule for the posts. Surprises like Tundra Twister can be really fun, but my brain just loves trying to solve the mystery of a well-designed teaser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire: High
Whether it\u2019s on this list or not, submit a comment with the changes you\u2019d most like to see this year at Canada\u2019s Wonderland!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Despite Six Flags officially stating Canada\u2019s Wonderland would receive a record-breaking water attraction in 2026, as far as we know there won\u2019t be any new ride or major new attraction this year after all. This marks the ninth operating season in the park\u2019s history without a new ride or water attraction. But as we look […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[18,19],"class_list":["post-335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wishlists","tag-18","tag-predictions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":352,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335\/revisions\/352"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wonderlandweekly.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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