La Ronde (amusement park)
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 The Cobra with the Jacques Cartier Bridge in the background |
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| Location | Saint Helen's Island, Montreal, Canada |
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| Website | http://www.laronde.com |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Opened | 1967 |
| Operating season | May – October |
| Rides | 38 total
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La Ronde is the largest theme park in the province of Quebec and the second largest in Canada after Paramount Canada's Wonderland, with about 2.5 million entrances in 2006.
It is a 146 acre (591,000 m²) park located on Saint Helen's Island in Montreal, Canada. It lies on the former site of the 1967 Montreal World's Fair. The park hosts L’International des Feux Loto-Québec, the most important international fireworks competition in the world.
La Ronde was opened in 1967 as a part of Expo 67 and now features 39 rides, including 9 roller coasters. Among them includes Le Monstre, a 40 metre (131 ft) high wooden double-tracked roller coaster which currently holds the record for highest double-tracked roller coaster in the world.
In May 2006, La Ronde opened its 9th roller coaster, The Goliath, a 53-metre (175 ft) high Bolliger & Mabillard Mega Coaster. It reaches speeds of 110 km/h (68 mph), making it the tallest and the fastest roller coaster in Canada.
La Ronde also includes a Nintendo-sponsored video game center. Inside are the latest Nintendo video games and attractions. For 2006, the attractions include Nintendo Gamecubes, Nintendo DS's, and advertisements of the Wii. The park opens from mid-May to late October, with peak admissions being in July. As of summer 2006, entrance costs $36.04 people measuring 1.37 metre (54 inches) or more and $23.99 for people under 1.37 metre (54 inches). Family rides require a height of 36 inches (0.91 m), most intermediate rides require 44 inches (1.12 m) and high-thrill rides require 52 or 54 in (1.32 or 1.37 m).
La Ronde was owned and administered by the City of Montreal until it was sold to Six Flags, an American theme park chain, in a deal completed on May 4, 2001. This is their only amusement park in Canada. They acquired all of the assets of the park for $20 million USD and have a long-term contract to lease the land from the city. Before the announcement of the Six Flags purchase, the city had considered offers from other bidders including Paramount Parks, Cedar Fair, and Parc Astérix. Since then Six Flags has invested millions of dollars in new rides and improvements, such as Vampire, Splash, and Goliath as well as a new main entrance.
Access to the $15 parking on Île Sainte-Hélène is often congested, but the island (including La Ronde) is easily accessible by metro. The island is only five minutes away from downtown Montreal, which means most visitors arrive here by public transit. To reach La Ronde by metro you must take the Yellow line from either Berri-UQAM or the Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke metro stations to the Jean-Drapeau station then bus 167 which takes you directly to the main gate. As is usual in theme parks, food is generally more expensive than at off-site locations. Bringing one's own food is allowed, but rigid coolers are forbidden in the park itself.
There is a marina near the rear entrance of the park, but it is not operated by La Ronde.
Contents |
[edit] Thrill Rides
- Bateau Pirate
- Boomerang
- Cobra
- Goliath
- Manitou
- Monstre
- Orbite
- Super Manège
- Tornade
- Vampire
- Vertigo
[edit] Family-Kids
- Air Papillon
- Bob L'éponge 3D (SpongeBob SquarePants 3D)
- Grand Carrousel
- Joyeux Moussaillons
- La Danse des Bestioles
- La Grande Envolée
- La Marche du Mille-pattes
- Marais Enchanté
- Monsieur L'Arbre
- Ourson Fripon
- Pitoune
- Pommes d'Api
- Tasses Magiques
- Tchou Tchou
[edit] Intermediates
- Autos Tamponneuses (Bumper Cars)
- Condor
- Disco Ronde
- Dragon
- Maëlstrom
- OVNI (UFO)
- Splash
- Toboggan Nordique
- Tour de Ville
- Twister
[edit] Panoramic
- Grande Roue
- Minirail
- Spirale
[edit] Mégadôme Nintendo
The Mégadôme Nintendo/Alcan Aquarium located in Montreal is a promotional installation at La Ronde for Nintendo products. It was originally the Alcan Aquarium built for Expo 67 which housed a dolphin exhibit. The aquarium was closed down after the dolphins died during a strike by the staff of the aquarium. The exhibit area is the part currently being used by the Mégadôme Nintendo. The pools for the dolphins were attached to the Lac Des Dauphins by an underground tunnel that enabled the dolphins to perform in the lake. The pool area was demolished and replaced by a Nickels Restaurant which is currently La route 67, another restaurant. When the Montreal Biodome opened its doors the exhibits from the old Aquarium were moved there.
