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Thrill seekers will find a new charm at Playland.
The new ThunderVolt at the Vancouver amusement park is fit to ride on the former site of the beloved Corkscrew roller coaster, which closed in 2019.
Dubbed “Canada’s fastest launch roller coaster,” the $18 million ThunderVolt opens its doors to the public at 11 a. m. on Saturday, July 6.
Built by Italian company Zamperla, the three-car exercise carries 12 passengers at a time with 1. 3G acceleration through a lighted tunnel, climbing a steep slope before an 18-meter drop.
Local media outlets had the opportunity to ThunderVolt on Friday, July 5, one day before its public release.
The fast jet ride takes about forty-five seconds (not 90 as previously said) over 380 meters of yellow runway, north of the famous wooden Playland roller coaster.
A word of caution: people who have extra pounds in the middle may be too big to ride, as this journalist learned firsthand when the crash bar couldn’t be properly fixed in position.
Otherwise, Friday’s first participants got excited about ThunderVolt, adding Lana Popham, British Columbia’s Minister of Tourism and Culture.
“It’s one of the races I’ve done,” he said Friday. “It’s very fast at first, and then you adapt. I would give it five stars, yes. ”
A “Thriller Seeker Pass,” priced at $45 per day, is required to ride the ThunderVolt, which has crash bars “that could prevent some visitors from traveling due to their shape and size,” according to a pne. ca article. with a minimum driver height of 52 inches.
“Due to the nature of the trip, other visually or hearing impaired individuals are not permitted to board,” the PNE/Playland website notes. “People with hearing disabilities must be accompanied by a companion, and those with visual disabilities must be accompanied by a companion. Due to the forces and evacuation needs of the trip, all riders need a minimum of two functional legs and one arm to ride.
ThunderVolt will be at Playland in the weeks leading up to the annual PNE Summer Show, which kicks off on August 17.
This year, the PNE’s Summer Night concerts move to the Pacific Coliseum while a new 10,000-seat amphitheater is built on the fairgrounds.
The 2024 concerts will kick off Aug. 17 with Burton Cummings Band/Colin James and conclude on Sept. 2 with an “I Love the 90’s” lineup featuring Vanilla Ice, Rob Base and All-4-One. Pop, rock, country and Concerts in R
For PNE concerts, the Coliseum will have a grandstand for between 5,500 and 9,500 fans, with (reserved) seats on the floor and no space to sit or stand in the arena. Admission to the exhibit is included in the value of a ticket, which retails for $40 and up at ticketleader. ca/events/detail/snc-2024.
The new $65 million physical education amphitheater, which will open in 2026, is designed through the company Revery Architecture.
As for the ThunderVolt, Saturday is “a very exciting day for our fleet,” said Shelley Frost, PNE president and CEO.
“The addition of this attraction shows PNE’s commitment to making an investment in Playland and this attraction, one of the most productive of its kind in North America, will be a juxtaposition to our beloved and historic Playland wooden roller coaster,” said Frost.
“This Playland will delight many more generations of British Columbians and visitors from across Canada and around the world, making it a crown jewel for our organization. “
Last fall, the themes of “wild energy” and “electrifying speed” came up in a contest called ThunderVolt. More than 3,000 concepts were submitted and the winning call was announced in November, a year after the PNE revealed its plan to build the attraction. .