Janice Y.
Yelp
Had a blast at Wonderland last Saturday (August 19)! Way better than last year. Most of the big rides were up all day. Here are my tips for the ultimate time: Get there early! We hit the gates at 10 am and was on the Leviathan ride in just 30 mins. If you've got a season pass or a corporate hookup, you can access at 9 am, even hit up Leviathan multiple times in a row like my friend did.
Mornings are for the big rides--Leviathan, Behemoth, Yukon Striker. We were able finish it along with a couple other smaller rides on a Saturday morning. Once you hit the afternoon onwards those rides are around an hour wait or longer on a Saturday so fast lane pass is your best bet. I think the best value wait to thrill level has to be the Wilde Beast ride, a classic wooden roller coaster that isn't as shiny and tall as the new ones but still fun. Downloading the Wonderland app is essential, trust me. You can check wait times, snag fast passes, and sort your food situation. Food deal alert: Packages start at $32, allowing you to order an entree/snack every 90 mins. Total steal and share-friendly.
We checked out the limited time Taste of Brazil--food, drinks/cocktails, live music. Meals start at 4 tastes for $34. I had instead the corporate lunch this year and it was a letdown. Waited like 45 mins for ribs and poutine, line was a mess, and just 1hr to eat. They ran out of fries clogged up the line and people took long to build their poutine. We bailed on the lineup and just ate the burgers and hot dogs instead. Any corporate event planners, avoid picking the add-on poutine option, the fried chicken and ribs moved faster.
Catch the circus show at Medieval Faire (30-mins), but show up early. We barely got in 10 mins earlier than the 6pm start, latecomers missed out.
Funnel cake! Pricey at $18ish, but worth. The one near the entrance is hefty and better than last year's at another location inside. Skip the end-of-day rush for it though.
$99 golden pass alert until Sept 5/2023, season pass for 2023+2024, plus Halloween Haunt and Winter Wonderland. What a deal. However, parking is quite steep at $30, so use public transportation or carpool is best.
In short, Wonderland's a blast. Better than last year. Food, rides, shows--epic day guaranteed if you start your day early.