DAY 1(Friday): Where does a PCW Junkie take his sister, niece, and two aunts who had just flown in from Prince Edward Island? Wonderland of course well, where would you suggest? Friday morning we get to the park just when it was opening and since we will we coming back more than once our visitors opt for a season pass. We quickly get the season passes processed and are ready to head for the Haunted Mansion and then the heavens opened up for the next 45 minutes with rain. We all gathered in a gift shop along International Street until the rain let up. This was only a sample of the rain that was to follow later that evening.

We head over to Scooby Doo’s Haunted Mansion and my five year old niece, Chelsey, took turns with all five of us. There was no line up and Chelsey was able to re-ride at will. I told my sister not to get use to this because this ride will be packed the next time Chelsey wants to ride. The Haunted Mansion is a real neat family attraction and PCW has done the right thing requiring the riders to be chaperoned by a kid. This should save the ride being destroyed by show-off young teenagers.

Next up was to be Chelsey first ever roller coaster ride. Uncle Kevin takes her to the place where a lot of Canadian kids since 1981 got their start, Ghoster Coaster. No wait for the front seat and we put our seat belts on and Chelsey already has her arm straight up in the air before we even leave the station. I think my boys were showing cousin Chelsey how to ride coasters the night before. Chelsey loved Ghoster Coaster and we were able to get four front seats rides before having to give up our seat.

Chelsey said that she was ready for the Fly. I had checked her height the night before and she was just tall enough. My sister, Michele, and Norberta also decide to wait in queue with us. The wait was about 20 minutes and Chelsey again had those little arm straight in the air when we ascended Fly’s lift chain. Uncle Kevin made a mistake and did not hold onto Chelsey long enough and she banged her head on the side of the car during a hairpin. I think this ride on the Fly maybe Chelsey last for a while. We purchased the on ride photo which will be posted on our site soon. My mom’s sister, Bunny, was not going to be out done so she said, "lets go on the Fly". I though she was just bluffing so I took her up on it. My aunt is 65 years old and this was going to be her very first coaster ever. I told Bunny the trick on riding the hairpins and she survived her first trip but did not volunteer to be my riding partner on any other coasters.

I was able to sneak one ride on Mighty Canadian Minebuster before I had to leave to go home to pick the boys up from school and then drive down to Markham and pick Donna up at work by 5:00PM. All the Reids arrive back at the park by 5:30PM and we are ready to show sister, Michele, how the PCW Junkies enjoy their home park.

Nolan wants to start the evening off with a ride on Dragon Fire. Michele and with some convincing Norberta also queue up with Nolan and I. I failed to tell Norberta that Dragon fire had loops. Oops ! Sorry Norberta you didn’t ask if it had loops. She got the courage on Sunday to walk up the exit ramp to see want she had ridden on Friday evening.

The real big news of the evening was Nolan adding to his coaster count. Nolan wanted to try Skyrider, Togo standup, and has been straddling that bike seat at the entrance for years. Skyrider was a walk on and we went right for the front stand.(can’t really say seat) The ride ops were very friendly and helped Nolan by lowering the seat to its lowest position. Nolan’s little feet barely touched the floor. Did Nolan like the ride? Well as soon as we got to the brake run he said, "Dad lets go again". So we instantly go back in line for our second ride. Unfortunately on Saturday the park was extremely busy and on Sunday only one train running so Nolan was not able to get back on his new favourite roller coaster.

We took a few spins on Mighty Canadian Minebuster and tried to end the night with a ride on Top Gun. But, by 7:45PM the Top Gun was already closed. Good thing because it started to lightning like crazy as soon as we got back into the van.

DAY 2(Saturday): We get to PCW around 12:00 noon and surprisingly was able to get a close parking spot. During Saturday there was a cheer leading competition and the park was pretty busy. Not quite PKI Labour Day busy but, real busy for so early in the season. Saturday was a good day to take in the shows rather than the rides.

PCW’s show in the Paramount Theatre this year is "Jump Jive N Swing". This is the same show that was preformed at PKI last year. We didn’t really like it very much last year at PKI because we were comparing it to PCW’s "Tropical" which we really loved. PCW in our opinion has done a much better job in presenting "Jump Jive N Swing" than what PKI presented in 1999. Okay! you are right we are prejudiced in favour of PCW.

PCW is also showing the Ultimate Tribute to The Backstreet Boys at International Show Place. The way those young girls screamed you would have thought it was the real ones. Let just say we will not rush back to see that one again.

At least once a year we try to catch the California Sea Lion show at the Bedrock Aquarium. They try to add a few different things each year. I suspect that this aquarium costs PCW a lot of money to operate for the year and I think it is the only Paramount park that still has one.

Nolan and I went down Pharaoh’s Falls and it was pretty disappointing because nobody was wiping out. There is a trick to riding this without getting wet. It was around 4:00PM so we decide to leave and have an early Mother’s Day supper to avoid the crowds on Sunday.

DAY3 (SUNDAY) We get to park just past 10:00AM and most people have come unprepared for the weather. It is very cold and PCW is selling tons of Polar fleeced sweaters which are a rather good deal when you factor in your 25% season pass discount.

The park was not very busy all day except for the kids area. We were able to go to the Mighty Canadian Minebuster and get eight continuous rides. We have found a new love for this coaster after all the new tracking that was preformed on this coaster. There is not a rough spot anywhere on this coaster. Once again I will say that PCW’s two major wood coasters MCM and Wild Beast are world class wood coasters and could make any top 10 coaster list.

Top Gun was not busy at all. I was able to get 3 rides without leaving the platform. I found my sister and told her to head for Top Gun because there was no wait. The last time my sister was at PCW in 1997 we had to wait about one hour to ride. After our first ride I convinced her to ride front seat. Michele had never ridden any coaster in the front seat and was happy she took her little brother’s advice – she loved the front and now understands why people wait the extra time for the front.

On our way out we were able to catch the last installment of "The Craze Crew Stunt Show" at the front entrance. They are a group of very talented BMX trick bike riders. They put on a very excellent display of bike tricks.

So the second weekend of the Wonderland season is over and the PCW Junkies have a perfect attendance record- Five days opened Five day attended.

Regards,
Kevin Reid