Historical Timeline of Canada's Wonderland
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:
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 Lazy Snail's Trail
Wonder Mountain Walkway closed at season end
1985
Skyrider stand-up roller coaster debuted
1986
Blauer Enzian moved into Wonder Mountain, lengthened and debuted
as Thunder Run
1987
The Bat boomerang coaster debuted
Saltwater Circus renamed Bedrock Aquarium
Swings of Siam moved to accommodate Racing Rivers at season end
Pharoah's Eye removed at season end
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 (water slide), Body Blast, The Lazy River, Pipeline, Whirl Winds, Scooby's Splash Island
Ginza Gardens renamed Southside Grille
Smurf Forest removed at season end
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
Lazy Snail's Trail renamed Snail Trail
Smurf Cave rethemed as King's Treasure Arcade
Paramount purchased KECO
Ghoster Coaster is re-profiled in off season (removing last
bunny hill)
1994
Paramount purchased the remaining 80% of the park and
rebranded it Paramount Canada's Wonderland
Days of Thunder debuted
Canterbury Theatre renamed Paramount Theatre
The Paramount Story debuted
Viacom International purchased Paramount Communications and park
remained unchanged (still treated as a Paramount Park)
Zumba Flume removed at season end
1995
Top Gun inverted jet coaster debuted
Lazer maze removed at season end
Royal Courts and Sports renamed Medieval Arcade and Games Complex
Top Gun received new restraints in the off-season
1996
Xtreme Skyflyer skycoaster debuted
Quixote's Kettles renamed Spinovator
Cool Zone refreshment centre debuted
Splashworks expanded with: Whitewater Bay, Black Hole,
Pumphouse
Drop Zone water slide renamed Wipeout
Wonder Tours partially disassembled and rebuilt mid-season
Wild Beast's trains painted purple and green in off-season
Dragon Fire's blue train painted red in off-season
1997
Drop Zone stunt tower debuted
Speed City Raceway go-karts debuted
Tucker's Roadside Cafe renamed Traveller's Roadside Cafe
Wonder Tours renamed Jokey's Jalopies
Scooby-Choo renamed KidZville Station
Balloon Race renamed Frequent Flyers
Medieval Arcade and Games Complex renamed Cyber Central
Snail Trail removed at season end
1998
Swing Time chair swing debuted
A-Mazing Adventure debuted
Chopper Chase debuted
Flavourator debuted
The Edge climbing wall debuted
The Edge removed at season end
James Bond, Licence to Thrill debuted at Action FX Theatre
Days of Thunder rethemed and renamed Action FX Theatre
Ristorante renamed International Street Pizza Pizza
Dragon Fyre renamed Dragon Fire
Wilde Beast renamed Wild Beast
Wilde Night Mares renamed Night Mares
Viking's Rage renamed The Rage
Happy Landing renamed Swan lake
Kids Kingdom renamed Candy Factory
King's Treasure Arcade renamed and rethemed as The Palace and
The Candy Shoppe
Woodland Theatre renamed Playhouse Theatre
1999
The Fly wild mouse coaster debuted
Escape from Dino Island 3D debuted at Action FX Theatre
Splashworks expanded including: The Plunge & Super Soaker
Shiva's Fury renamed The Fury
The Batter's Box & Boom Ball games removed at season end
Hot Rock raceway removed at season end
Bedrock Dock removed at season end
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
2001
Shockwave debuted
Silver Streak mini-inverted coaster debuted
Jumpin' Jet debuted
Blast Off debuted
7th Portal debuted at Action FX Theatre
Scoobyville Rocketport renamed Jetson's Rocketport
Watersnake, Pipeline and Scooby's Splash Island removed from
Splash Works at season end
Bedrock Aquarium closed at season end
Racing Rivers removed at season end
2002
Psyclone debuted
Splash Works expanded including: Riptide Racer, Barracuda
Blaster & Children's Spray Ground
Cyber Sez virtual reality simulator debuted
Superstition debuted at the Action FX Theatre
Boulder Bumpers renamed Rugrats Toonpike
Sol Loco renamed The Orbiter and lost Mayan theme
Hot Rock Raceway removed at season end
Flintstone Flyboys removed at season end
Minebuster received new seatbelts
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 in the off-season
Spinovator and Klockwerks received new seatbelts in 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
Bedrock Aquarium removed
Wipeout water slide removed at season end
2005
Italian Job: Stunt Track launch coaster debuted
School of Rock debuted at Paramount Theatre
Southside Grille renovated and renamed Backlot Cafe
Staff Cafeteria renamed Oscar's
La Cantina renamed International Street Starbucks
Vortex reduced to 5 cars per train from mid-season on
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 does not fit the focus and direction of its other assets
Hollywood Stunt Spectacular debuted
Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera debuted at Action FX Theatre
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 debuts just outside park entrance
Starlight pass for guests entering the park late in the day
debuted
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 were replaced by Hot Potato
Dragon Fire's rails track repainted with yellow running rails
New York Fries locations were replaced by Hot Potato
Tomb Raider: The Ride renamed Time Warp at season end
Drop Zone renamed Drop Tower at season end
Cliffhanger renamed Riptide at season end
Top Gun renamed Flight Deck at season end
Italian Job: Stunt Track renamed Back Lot Stunt Coaster at season end
Paramount Theatre renamed Wonderland Theatre at season end
Paramount Action FX Theatre renamed Action Theatre at season end
2008
Behemoth debuts as the tallest and fastest coaster in Canada
Front Gate Photo moves to a new location