If you're a diehard sports fan, like my whole family is, who also loves the roller coasters, I'd recommend a visit to our neighbor up north: Canada. Toronto, to be exact. There is a lot to see on this road trip starting with a pit stop in Niagra Falls, an interesting blend of Mother Nature's finest beauty supplemented with a high dose of tourism tackiness. Once you make it to Toronto, you can catch a Blue Jays game (hopefully against your home team) at SkyDome to experience one of the few stadiums with a retractable roof . . .kind of a necessity anywhere north of Boston, I think. Then it's on to visiting the Stanley Cup and all the NHL legends at the Hockey Hall of Fame right in downtown Toronto. After you've satiated your sports addiction, the grand finale of this trip is about 45 minutes away with a visit to Canada's Wonderland.
If you're thinking Canada, with its laid-back image and lengthy winter season, couldn't possibly produce an amusement park with rides as cutting edge and exciting as anything in the U.S., think again. You have not met Leviathan, Behemoth and Flight Deck. Not to mention the newest coaster, Yukon Striker, which I have yet to ride as it was not finished when I visited. So get out your passport and make that trip over the bridge. Here's a rundown of my top three coasters at that park.
3. Flight Deck, formerly known as Top Gun, is full of loops, inversions, and drops to make you feel like you're on a rogue F-14 during a gun fight. The illusion starts before the ride begins when the trains are lined up in a military themed hangar. Before take-off, riders are seen removing glasses, hats and loose-fitting shoes, a tip-off to the ride's intensity. It hits a speed just under 80mph, and with all those twists, turns and deep dives, there were several moments I thought my hanging feet might scrape the ground or the track. I liked how this ride kept the excitement coming by having either a loop, a roll or a twist every few seconds. It's not surprising that this ride has a height minimum of 52 inches as well as a maximum of 78 inches, as smaller rider could be at risk of being thrown, and larger riders would not fit comfortably in the tightly fitting safety constraints. Luckily, I fit safely in this range and had a great time on this ride.
2. Behemoth, a hyper coaster that reaches 77 mph and 230 feet was the tallest and faster coaster in Canada when it first opened until beaten by Leviathan, my number 1 pick below. But Behemoth is still a great ride and deserves a spot in the top 3. One thing you can't help but love about this ride is how quickly the line moves, something that every coaster should strive for in my opinion! And the ride lasts over 3 minutes, making the reasonable wait time worth it. If you like the traditional coaster climb up the big hill then dramatic drop, you'll like this one. Once you reach the top of the first hill, you get a few seconds to view the park and even see Toronto and the CN Tower off in the distance, then rapidly drop. There are about 4 weightlessness experiences as you climb and dive down the series of hills and then suddenly slow then speeds up again for a helix. The ride is smooth and comfortable and if you like lots of airtime without having to wait too long to ride, you're going to love Behemoth.
1. Leviathan. This giga coaster is currently Canada's tallest and fastest coaster. It is still one of my favorite coasters of all time even though I ride new, amazing coasters every year. If you like high speed, high climbing and dramatic drops without a lot of spiraling and turning upside down, this is the ride for you. It hits speeds of approximately 92 mph and because of how smooth the ride is, you wouldn't even know you were going that fast. No jerks or vibrations on this ride either. Just fast, thrilling sailing through the sky catching views like the flying dragon it pretends to be. Leviathan also has a decent ride time of almost 3 and a half minutes. The only complaint about this ride is the long line and wait time, as expected with a popular ride, so I recommend a fast pass so you can hopefully get on this ride more than once. It will definitely be one of your top rides for years to come.
Rounding out your trip to Canada can be any one of these things below!
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