Historical Timeline of Canada's Wonderland
NOTE: Thanks to jetscreamlover of the CWMania forums for his contributions to this timeline.
1979
King's Entertainment Company (KECO) selected Maple (Vaughan),
ON as the location for its new amusement park
KECO created a business deal with Canadian company Trizec
Investments to finance the park. KECO owned 20% of the park, while Trizec owned 80% via its subsidiaries
Construction began on the park
1981
Canada's Wonderland opened with the following rides and attractions:
Aerofield, Balloon Race, Bayern Curve, Bedrock Dock, Blauer Enzian, Boo Boo's Buggys, Boulder Bumpers, Carrousel, City Zoo Golf,
Dragon Fyre, Flintstone Flyboys, Ghoster Coaster, Great Whale of China, Hanna-Barberry-Go-Round, Happy Landing, Hotrock Raceway,
Klockwurker, Krachenwagon, Mighty Canadian Minebuster, Pharoah's Eye, Quixote's Kettles, Scooby-Choo, Scoobyville Rocketport,
Shiva's Fury, Sol Loco, Swings of Siam, Viking's Rage, Wilde Beast, Wilde Night Mares, Wonder Tour, Yogi's Cave and Zumba Flume.
1982
King's Courtyarde catering facility debuted
1983
Kingswood Music Theatre debuted
1984
Smurf Forest children's area debuted
White Water Canyon rapids ride debuted
Boo Boo's Buggys renamed and rethemed to Lazy Snail's Trail
Yogi's Cave renamed and rethemed to Smurf's Cave
1985
Skyrider stand-up roller coaster debuted
Wonder Mountain Walkway closed permanently at season end
Blauer Enzian dismantled and portions, including train used for Thunder Run
1986
Thunder Run debuted
1987
The Bat boomerang coaster debuted
Saltwater Circus renamed Bedrock Aquarium
Pharoah's Eye removed at season end
Swings of Siam moved to accommodate Racing Rivers during off-season
1988
Racing Rivers debuted
1989
Timberwolf Falls water ride debuted
Swings of Siam renamed Swing of the Century
1990
Jet Scream looping starship debuted
1991
Vortex suspended coaster debuted
Klockwurker renamed Klockwerks
1992
Lazer Maze debuted
Splash Works debuted with these attractions:
Drop Zone (2 Proslide Multibumps and 2 Proslide Freefalls), Body Blast, The Lazy River, Pipeline, Whirl Winds, Scooby's Splash Island
Ginza Gardens renamed Southside Grille
Smurf Forest removed during off-season
Wonder Tours' south track removed at season end
1993
Kids Kingdom children's area debuted
Jumbo Bumps giant slide debuted
Pro Putt Golf debuted
Batter's Box debuted
Balloon Race renamed Jumbo's Balloon Adventure
Lazy Snail's Trail renamed Snail Trail
Woodland Theatre received new canopy
Smurf Cave rethemed as King's Treasure Arcade
Paramount purchased KECO
Ghoster Coaster re-profiled during off season (removing last bunny hill)
Hot Rock Raceway's south track removed at season end, though the concrete path remained
1994
Paramount purchased the remaining 80% of the park and
rebranded it Paramount Canada's Wonderland
Days of Thunder debuted
The Paramount Story debuted
Canterbury Theatre renamed Paramount Theatre
Viacom International purchased Paramount Communications and park
remained unchanged (still treated as a Paramount Park)
Minebuster's and Wild Beast's bench bars replaced with individual racheting lapbars
Zumba Flume removed at season end
1995
Top Gun inverted jet coaster debuted
Royal Courts and Sports renamed Medieval Arcade and Games Complex
Lazer maze removed at season end
Top Gun received new restraints during off-season
Vortex's cars repainted during off-season
1996
Xtreme Skyflyer skycoaster debuted
Cool Zone refreshment centre debuted
Splashworks expanded with: Whitewater Bay, Black Hole, and Pumphouse
Drop Zone water slide renamed Wipeout
Wonder Tours south track queue line and station removed in preparation
to build Drop Zone and Speed City Raceway (but another location was chosen)
Wild Beast's trains painted purple and green during off-season
1997
Drop Zone stunt tower debuted
Speed City Raceway go-karts debuted
Quixote's Kettles renamed Spinovator
Wilde Beast renamed Wild Beast
Wilde Night Mares renamed Night Mares
Viking's Rage renamed The Rage
Dragon Fyre renamed Dragon Fire
Tucker's Roadside Cafe renamed Traveller's Roadside Cafe
Medieval Arcade and Games Complex renamed Cyber Central
Klockwerks repainted blue, yellow and red
Snail Trail removed at season end
Boom Ball game removed at season end
Dragon Fire's trains re-painted in off-season (1 purple, 1 green)
Sol Loco has 3 cars re-painted blue in off-season
Wild Beast's fan curve rebuilt during off-season
1998
Swing Time chair swing debuted
A-Mazing Adventure debuted
Chopper Chase debuted
Flavourator debuted
The Edge climbing wall debuted
James Bond, Licence to Thrill debuted at Action FX Theatre
Wonder Tours renamed Jokey's Jalopies
Scooby-Choo renamed KidZville Station
Jumbo's Balloon Adventure renamed Frequent Flyers
Happy Landing renamed Swan Lake
Kids Kingdom renamed Candy Factory
Days of Thunder rethemed and renamed Action FX Theatre
Ristorante renamed International Street Pizza Pizza
King's Treasure Arcade renamed and rethemed as The Palace and The Candy Shoppe
Woodland Theatre renamed Playhouse Theatre
The Batter's Box game removed at season end
A section of Jokey's Jalopies' track removed at season end
Sol Loco has 1 car re-painted purple in off-season
1999
The Fly wild mouse coaster debuted
Escape from Dino Island 3D debuted at Action FX Theatre
Splashworks expanded including: The Plunge and Super Soaker
Shiva's Fury renamed The Fury
Bedrock Dock removed at season end
Minebuster renovated to combine 2nd and 3rd bunny hill into a single long hill during off-season
2000
Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion interactive dark ride debuted
Cliffhanger splashover debuted
Meteor Attack debuted at Action FX Theatre
Several Mr Sub locations debuted throughout the park
The Eruption pyrotechnics show debuted
King's Courtyarde renamed Courtyard
Klockwerks relocated to accommodate Shockwave at season end
Bayern Curve removed at season end
Jumbo Bumps removed at season end
Ghoster Coaster's yellow train painted red in off-season
Ghoster Coaster's station painted red, green and purple in off-season
Pharaoh's Falls (part of Racing Rivers) removed at season end
2001
Shockwave debuted
Silver Streak mini-inverted coaster debuted
Jumpin' Jet debuted
Blast Off debuted
7th Portal debuted at Action FX Theatre
Watersnake dropped the Racing Rivers name
Bedrock Aquarium renamed Bedrock Event Tent (dedicated to trampoline show)
Scoobyville Rocketport renamed Jetson's Rocketport
Pipeline and a waterslide from Scooby's Splash Island removed from
Splash Works at season end
Watersnake (formerly part of Racing Rivers) removed at season end
Bedrock Aquarium permanently closed at season end
Dutch restaurant theme removed at season end
2002
Psyclone debuted
Splash Works expanded including: Riptide Racer, Barracuda
Blaster and Children's Spray Ground
Cyber Sez virtual reality simulator debuted
Superstition debuted at the Action FX Theatre
You Go Grill debuted in former location of Dutch restaurant
Bedrock Aquarium closed permanently at season end
Sol Loco renamed The Orbiter and lost Mayan theme including repaint
Hot Rock Raceway removed at season end
Flintstone Flyboys removed at season end
The Edge removed at season end
Minebuster received new seatbelts during off-season
Boulder Bumpers renamed and rethemed to Rugrats Toonpike during off-season
2003
Sledge Hammer debuted
Jimmy Neutron's Brainwasher debuted
Wild Thornberries Treetop Lookout debuted
Dora's Dune Buggies debuted
Launch Pad euro-bungee debuted
Warrior of the Dawn debuted at Action FX Theatre
Spongebob Squarepants 3D debuted at Action FX Theatre
Metal detectors installed at the entrance
The Fury removed at season end
Great Whale of China removed at season end
Drop Zone's cars repainted all-black during off-season
Spinovator and Klockwerks received new seatbelts during off-season
2004
Tomb Raider: The Ride flying coaster debuted
Magic of the Movies debuted at Paramount Theatre
Dipamo's BBQ renamed Arthur's Pub & Grille
Wipeout water slide removed at season end
2005
Italian Job: Stunt Track launch coaster debuted
School of Rock debuted at Paramount Theatre
La Cantina renamed International Street Starbucks
Vortex reduced to 5 cars per train from mid-season on
Dragon Fire's supports painted purple
Viacom International announced intentions to create two
separate companies from its existing assets - Paramount Parks falls under the ownership of CBS Corporation
2006
CBS Corporation announces its intention to divest Paramount
Parks in January citing that the division did not fit the focus and direction of its other assets
Hollywood Stunt Spectacular debuted
Nickelodeon Celebration Parade debuted
Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera debuted at Action FX Theatre
Southside Grille renovated and renamed Backlot Cafe
Staff Cafeteria renamed Oscar's
Cameras added to Top Gun for on-ride videos
Cedar Fair announced that it won the bidding battle for
Paramount Parks and had reached a definitive agreement to purchase the parks for $1.24 billion dollars
Cedar Fair announced that the acquisition of Paramount Parks was
completed on June 30th and immediately assumed operations and management of the parks including Canada's Wonderland
2007
Coasters Drive-In and The Marketplace restaurants debuted
Picnic Pavilion debuted outside park entrance
Starlight pass debuted for guests entering the park late in the day
Endless Summer debuted at the Paramount Theatre as the first
ice-skating show in 10 years
Twistin' to the 60s show debuted at the International Showplace
New York Fries locations renamed and replaced by Hot Potato
Dragon Fire's rails track repainted with yellow running rails
2008
Behemoth debuted as the tallest and fastest coaster in Canada
Tomb Raider: The Ride renamed Time Warp
Drop Zone renamed Drop Tower
Cliffhanger renamed Riptide
Top Gun renamed Flight Deck
Italian Job: Stunt Track renamed Back Lot Stunt Coaster
Paramount Theatre renamed Wonderland Theatre
Paramount Action FX Theatre renamed Action Theatre
Front Gate Photo relocated to opposite side of main entrance