La Ronde (amusement park)
 | This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (August 2008) |
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| Location | 22, chemin MacDonald Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3C 6A3 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°31′21″N 73°32′06″W / 45.52250°N 73.53500°W |
| Opened | April 1967 |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Operating season | May – October |
| Area | 146 acres (59 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 40 |
| Roller coasters | 10 |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Website | La Ronde |
La Ronde is an amusement park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, owned and operated by Six Flags. The park is under an emphyteutic lease with the City of Montreal, which expires in 2065. It is the largest amusement park in Quebec, and second largest in Canada.[1]
It is on 146 acres (59.1 ha) located on the Northern tip of Saint Helen's Island. This is a man-made extension to the island in the space were the small Ronde Island had been.[2] The park hosts L'International des Feux Loto-Québec, a highly regarded international fireworks competition. La Ronde is one of two Six Flags parks not to be officially branded as a Six Flags park (the other being Great Escape in Queensbury, New York).
Park
The park opens from mid-May to late October, with peak admissions in July. Toddlers under the age of 2 receive free admission. Family rides require a height of 36 in (0.91 m), while most intermediate rides require 44 in (1.12 m)) and high-thrill rides require 52 or 54 inches (1.32 or 1.37 m).
La Ronde closes its season in the last weekend of October. To celebrate Halloween, in the month of October, the park hosts its annual La Ronde's Fright Fest. The festival includes four extravagant haunted houses and more than a hundred horrifically-costumed performers, who roam the park looking for new victims to thrill and scare.
The park has 40 rides, including ten roller coasters; among them is Le Monstre, a 40-metre (131 ft) high wooden double-tracked roller coaster which holds the record for highest double-tracked roller coaster in the world.[citation needed]
History
 | This article appears to be slanted towards recent events. (November 2011) |
La Ronde was the entertainment complex build for Expo 67, the world fair held in Montreal from April 27 to October 29, 1967.[1] The exposition was located on 400 hectares (ha) of man-made islands in the St Lawrence River adjacent to Montréal, and comprised six “theme” pavilions, 48 national pavilions, four provincial pavilions, 27 private-industry and institutional pavilions, and La Ronde – a 54-ha entertainment complex with theatres, midway attractions, drinking and dining.[3] Visitors could experience the rides, restaurants and beer halls of La Ronde until 2:30 a.m. nightly. The rest of the Expo site closed down at 10:30 p.m.[4] After Expo 67 World's Fair, the City of Montreal continued to run the amusement park for the next 34 years.[5]
The City of Montreal sold La Ronde to Six Flags, an American theme park chain, in a deal completed on May 4, 2001. It acquired all of the assets of the park for $20 million USD and has 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 around $90 million in new rides and improvements,[6] such as Le Vampire, Splash, Le Goliath and Ednör - L'Attaque as well as a new main entrance.
La Ronde has a Nintendo-sponsored video game centre with the latest Nintendo video games and attractions. Since 2009, the former 3D theatre has housed Nintendo DS and Wii consoles, advertisements and a Nintendo Store.
In May 2002, La Ronde announced the installation of a Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster called Le Vampire, which was the first major investment by Six Flags.[7] It is a clone of the "Batman – The Ride" roller coasters found at many other Six Flags parks.
In May 2006, La Ronde opened its ninth roller coaster, Goliath (La Ronde), a 53-metre (174 ft) high Bolliger & Mabillard mega coaster. It reaches speeds of 110 km/h (68 mph), making it the third tallest and the third fastest roller coaster in Canada. For the 2007 season, La Ronde painted its iconic observation tower bright orange to advertise Pizza Pizza, an Ontario pizza chain that, at the time, was just emerging into the Quebec market. All of the pizza stands inside the park were renamed from Pizza Ronde to Pizza Pizza.
2007 was La Ronde's 40th anniversary. The park celebrated with Expo 67 themed events commemorating the world fair.[8]
In January 2009, La Ronde announced its intention to become a Six Flags branded park, using the rights to Warner Bros. and DC Comics trademarks under the licensing agreement with Six Flags.[9] Le Vampire, a mirror image of Batman: The Ride constructed in 2002, carries no association to the Batman media franchise because the licence with Warner Bros. and DC Comics is not valid in unbranded Six Flags parks.[10] It is yet unknown if Le Vampire will be re-branded to Batman: The Ride once the branding of the park commences.
The Serial Thriller, a Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster that used to be located at the now defunct Six Flags AstroWorld, has been shipped to La Ronde from the Great Escape, another Six Flags property where it lay in storage since 2005. The roller coaster, which opened in 1999 at Six Flags AstroWorld, has been installed over the Lac des Dauphins at the park for the 2010 season and is named Ednör - L'Attaque.[11] It features special effects and theming from an alleged sea monster that was reported to have appeared in the Lac des Dauphins.[12]
On March 9, 2010, La Ronde announced that Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation, an interactive laser-tag attraction themed around the Terminator series, will also be featured in the park for the 2010 season.[13]
On January 19, 2012, Six Flags announced Vol Ultime at La Ronde; it is similar to the SkyScreamers and it is 45-metre (148 ft) tall.[14][15]
In 2013, the park opened a water-themed attraction, Aqua Twist.
On August 29, 2013, Six Flags announced the addition of Demon, a top spin ride, for the 2014 season.[16] As a world premiere, Goliath was the first roller coaster equipped and exploited with virtual reality headset.
On August 28, 2014, Six Flags announced Maison Rouge, a haunted house, for the 2015 season.[17]
On September 3, 2015, Six Flags announced Avenue Aventure, a section of the park which includes Bateau Pirate, Condor and two new rides ; Phoenix, a Larson flying scooters and Gravitor, a Chance Falling Star from Six Flags St. Louis.[18]
On September 1, 2016 Six Flags announced Titan, a Zamperla Giant Discovery. It is the park's second pendulum ride. It is identical to the Riddlers Revenge at Six Flags Over Texas.
Access
The site is accessible by automobile via a special exit off the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.[19] During the months when the park is open, the Société de transport de Montréal runs a ee shuttle bus (known as route 767) between the park and Jean-Drapeau metro station on Île Sainte-Hélène. That station is on the yellow line. Route 769 connects La Ronde to Papineau Metro station, in eastern Montreal.[19] La Ronde also operates a private marina for access to the park by boat.[19]
Features
Roller coasters
| Ride Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Model/Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boomerang | 1984 | Vekoma Rides | Boomerang | |
| Cobra | 1995 | INTAMIN Worldwide | Stand-Up Coaster | relocated from Skara Sommarland |
| Dragon | 1994 | INTAMIN Worldwide | Indoor/Family Roller Coaster | |
| Ednör – L'Attaque | 2010 | Vekoma Rides | SLC (689m Standard) | relocated from Six Flags Astroworld |
| Goliath | 2006 | Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) | Hyper Coaster | |
| Marche du Mille-pattes | 1967 | Arrow Dynamics | Mini Mine Train | |
| Le Monstre | 1985 | William Cobb & Associates | Wooden Roller Coaster | |
| Super Manège | 1981 | Vekoma Rides | MK-1200 | |
| Toboggan Nordique | 2003 | Zamperla | Zig Zag Coaster | |
| Le Vampire | 2002 | Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) | Inverted Coaster |
Thrill rides
| Name | Installation Year | Manufacturer | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bateau pirate | 1988 | HUSS Maschinenfabrik | Pirate Boat |
| Orbite | 1999 | S&S Power | Space Shot |
| Vertigo | 2003 | Zamperla | Hawk |
| Manitou | 2003 | Zamperla | Discovery |
| Vol Ultime | 2012 | Funtime | Star Flyer |
| Demon | 2014 | Mondial | Roll Over |
| Maison Rouge | 2015 | Haunted House | |
| Gravitor | 2016 | Chance | Falling Star |
| Titan | 2017 | Zamperla | Giant Discovery |
Family and children
| Name | Installation Year | Manufacturer | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Galopant | 1967 | Bairolle | Carousel |
| Pitoune | 1967 | Arrow Dynamics | Log flume |
| Joyeux moussaillons | 1967 | Arrow Dynamics | Boat ride |
| Tchou Tchou | 1967 | Arrow Dynamics | Train ride |
| La grande envolée | 1990 | Zamperla | |
| Grand carrousel | 2003 | Chance Morgan | |
| Air papillon | 2005 | Zamperla | |
| La danse des bestioles | 2005 | Zamperla | |
| Monsieur l'arbre | 2005 | Zamperla | |
| Marais enchanté | 2005 | Zamperla | |
| Ourson Fripon | 2005 | Zamperla | |
| Pommes d'Api | 2005 | Zamperla | |
| Aqua Twist | 2013 | Mack Rides | Teacup ride |
| Phoenix | 2016 | Larson International | Flying Scooters |
Intermediates
| Name | Installation Year | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Disco Ronde | 1986 | HUSS Maschinenfabrik |
| Condor | 1990 | HUSS Maschinenfabrik |
| Dragon | 1994 | Intamin |
| Autos tamponneuses (Bumper cars) | 2003 | RDC Bumper Cars |
| Tour de Ville | 2003 | Zamperla |
| Splash | 2004 | Intamin |
Panoramic
| Name | Installation Year | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Minirail | 1967 | Von Roll Habegger |
| Spirale | 1967 | Von Roll |
| Grande Roue (Ferris wheel) | 1984 | Vekoma |
Paid attractions
| Name | Installation Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Sling shot | 2002 | $20 per person |
| Catapulte | 2008 | $20 for 1 person, $15 for 2 people, $10 for 3 people |
| Go-Kart | 2008 not there anymore in 2016 | $15 per person for 5 min |
Former rides and attractions
| Name | Manufacturer | Operating Years | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation | Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company (SIEC) | 2010 | |
| Tasses Magiques | Zamperla | 2003–2009 | Ednör – L'Attaque |
| La Momie : La Tombe de l'empereur Dragon | Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company (SIEC) | 2009 | Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation |
| Sky Ride (Le Téléférique, Chairlift) | 1967–1990 | ||
| Salem Aleikum Grand Orient-Les Mille et une nuits | ?-1984 | Le Monstre | |
| Hydroid '94 (Sub-Oceanic Shuttle) | Iwerks | 1994–1995 | Volcanozor (Dino Island II) |
| Volcanozor (Dino Island II) | Iwerks | 1995–2004 | Bob L'Éponge 3D (SpongeBob) |
| Bob L'Éponge 3D (SpongeBob) | Iwerks | 2004–2007 | Experience Nintendo |
| Experience Nintendo | Iwerks | 2007-2017 | The Simpsons Ride |
| Le Twister | Heintz Fahtze | 1985–2008 | |
| Maëlstrom | Mack | 1985–2008 | |
| OVNI | HUSS Maschinenfabrik | 1986–2006 | |
| Le Diablo (Troika) | HUSS Maschinenfabrik | 1978–2003 | Le Splash |
| Le Tapis Volant (The Flying Carpet) | Zierer | 1986–2002 | Les Autos Tamponneuses |
| Les Autos Tamponneuses | Reverchon | 1983–2002 | Le Toboggan Nordique |
| Astronef (Sky Flyer) | Vekoma | 1985–2002 | Le Manitou |
| La Course | Zierer | 1976-1976 | |
| Les Montagnes Russes | Schwartzkopf | 1968–1984 | Le Monstre |
| Les Astrobolides | Sartori | 1984–2004 | Le Marais Enchanté |
| La Petite Roue | Sartori | 1984–2004 | Pommes D'api |
| Le Mont Blanc | Reverchon | 1978–2000 | |
| Gyrotron | 1967–1981 | Le Monstre | |
| Le Moulin de la Sorcière | Pinfari | 1969–2005 | |
| Le Palais des Glaces | 1985–2003 | Le Splash | |
| Mini Rallye | Sartori | 1993–2004 | Monsieur l'Arbre |
| Les Bagnoles | Arrow | 1967–2004 | Air Papillon |
| Le Chat et la Souris | Sartori | 1984–2004 | La Danse des Bestioles |
| La Tornade | Huss | 1997–2010 | |
| Rock Wall | 2001–2010 | Phoenix | |
| Eurobungy | 2002–2011 | Gravitor | |
| Le Rotor | Anglo Rotor Corporation | ? |
The Flash Pass
With the introduction of the Flash Pass in 2007, visitors can “hold their place in line” electronically allowing them to go elsewhere in the park while waiting for an attraction. They will be alerted by the Flash Pass device when it is almost their turn to ride. Three types of Flash Pass are available: Regular, Gold, and Platinum. A regular pass simply holds your place in line. Gold holds your place and reduces your waiting time by 50%. Platinum reduces your waiting time by 90% and allows you to ride twice and only wait once. The Flash Pass is purchased separately from normal park admission. The flash pass prices increase as they reduce your waiting time.
See also
References
- ^ a b "EXPO 67: THEN AND NOW – Tourisme Montréal Blog". 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- ^ "Expo 67 La Ronde:". expo67.morenciel.com. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- ^ Brown, Thomas C. "Music at Expo 67". Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- ^ "1967: Expo 67 dazzles at night on opening day – CBC Archives". Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- ^ "La Ronde Amusement Park in Montreal – Attractions | Frommer's". www.frommers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
- ^ "Six Flags invests around 90 million dollars in new rides and improvements". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) [dead link] - ^ "Vampire – La Ronde (Montréal, Québec, Canada)". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Hustak, Alan (May 4, 2007). "Spirit of Drapeau makes appearance to launch La Ronde's 40th season". The Gazette.
- ^ Cloutier, Laurier. "La Ronde prend le virage famille" (in French). La Presse. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
- ^ "Montreal-based theme park". Amusement Business. 115 (9). BPI Communications, Inc.: 6 March 3, 2003. ISSN 0003-2344.
- ^ La Ronde. "Ednör L'attaque". La Ronde. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
- ^ La Ronde. "La Ronde unveils fast new roller-coaster". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2010-04-15. [dead link]
- ^ La Ronde. "Terminator X, the ultimate laser battle at La Ronde!". La Ronde. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
- ^ "Vol Ultime". La Ronde. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
- ^ La Ronde (January 19, 2012). "La Ronde will set the limit in 2012 with its upcoming new extreme tower ride" (PDF). Press Release. Six Flags. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
- ^ "New for 2014". August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ "New for 2015". August 28, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
- ^ "New for2016". September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ a b c La Ronde. "Directions". La Ronde. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
External links
