Playland (Vancouver)


Playland is an amusement park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in Hastings Park and is the oldest amusement park in Canada.
The regular season lasts from May to the end of September every year. The park reopens for Fright Nights from mid October to the Halloween weekend. Playland usually adds a new ride every year and the park is always near capacity during the Fair. For the 2015 season, the park added Canada's most extreme pendulum ride, The Beast.
Playland and its renting partner Pacific National Exhibition collectively host an annual fair for the residents of Metro Vancouver. Talent shows, Animal Races, Demolition Derbies, Monster Trucks, agricultural demonstrations, and many foods/snacks are a few of the many interesting events found at the fair. During this time, rides are brought in from West Coast Amusements nearly doubling the number of rides.

Attractions at Playland

Roller coasters

Ride NameYear OpenedDescription
Wooden Roller Coaster1958Playland's signature attraction, this wooden coaster, designed by Carl Phare and Walker LeRoy, is the oldest operating roller coaster in Canada. The coaster is an ACE Coaster Classic and Roller Coaster Landmark.
Kettle Creek Mine Coaster2004Family coaster built by E&F Miler Industries. The ride takes two trips around. It replaced the Dragon Coaster in 2004.
Bug Whirled2017An SBF Visa Group miniature family spinning coaster with ladybug cars that go around a figure 8 shaped track.

Extreme Rides

RideOpenedManufacturerDescription
AtmosfearJuly 16, 2011Funtime AmusementsThis ride joined Playland in the Summer of 2011. Manufactured under the name StarFlyer, the ride consists of Wave Swinger-like swings that rotate 360° at a towering height of 218 feet and spins up to 70 km/h. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group, who handles all of Funtime's operations in North America.
The Beast2015KMGAn XXL ride similar to Crazy Beach Party. Temporarily shut down on July 26, 2017 after fatal accident in Ohio. Oil spilled on August 13, 2019.
Breakdance2005HUSS Park AttractionsA model of the Breakdance ride by HUSS. It traveled in Europe before being located to Playland.
Crazy Beach Party2004HUSS Park AttractionsA model of the Frisbee designed by HUSS. It traveled with Funtastic Shows in Washington state before being located to Playland. It was thought to have been replaced by The Beast which was installed for the 2015 season but, the two rides currently co-exist as the Crazy Beach Party was relocated to another area in the park.
Drop Zone1998SkyCoasterA model of the Skycoaster. Guests attached to rip cords get pulled up a 30 m tower then let to free fall. There is an additional charge to go on this attraction
Enterprise1984HUSS Park AttractionsA standard Enterprise ride. It traveled with Conklin Shows in eastern Canada before being located to Playland.
Flume1985Reverchon IndustriesA log flume water ride with two drops, with the second drop being 12 m tall. A picture is taken on the second drop for purchase at the booth towards the exit.
Gladiator2005HUSS Park AttractionsHuss airboat ride. Three arms with spinning air boats raise and lower while spinning.
Hellevator2000S&S PowerA 60 m tall pneumatically powered vertical tower ride by S&S Power. A model of the "Combo Ride", it may operate in Turbo Drop mode, Space Shot mode, or irregularly, combining both.
Hell's GateJune 17, 2000HUSS Park AttractionsA Top Spin ride with water jets spraying riders at random times. The water jets were taken out from the ride for a period of time, but have been recently put back in and were in use during the summer, however the jets no longer spray the riders. It was purchased new.
Music Expresspre-1987Mack RidesA model of Music Express ride, cars on a raised and lowered circular track spin rapidly while music is played. It sat with Conklin Shows in eastern Canada before being located to Playland.
Pirate1984HUSS Park AttractionsA swinging pirate ship ride. It was purchased new. The peak swing height of Pirate was reduced by approximately 3 m after Atmosfear was installed. It is not known if it will be increased again.
Revelation2000Gravity WorksA 50 m tall Skyscraper rotating arm with cockpit seats on both ends. There is an additional charge to go on this attraction. It was purchased new.They also shot Scenes of the movie on this ride.
Rock-N-Cars2014MajesticBumper car ride.
Westcoast Wheel2007MulliganA Mulligan Wheel bought in 2007 to replace the 80-year-old Ferris wheel that used to be at Playland.

Family Attractions

These rides are located at a section of the park called Kids Place at Playland. All rides there have a height restriction of with the exception of Balloon Explorers, which has a minimum height of 42 inches. The maximum height is 150 cm unless otherwise noted.
Playland and its renting partner Pacific National Exhibition collectively host an annual fair for the local residents of Metro Vancouver from mid-late August to early September. During this time, rides are brought in from West Coast Amusements nearly doubling the number of rides. The lineup of rides provided by the PNE may vary each year.
Ride NameManufacturerYears ActiveDescription
1001 NachtsA.R.M.?−PresentA model of the Ali Baba ride, similar to the previous permanent Playland attraction.
Berry go RoundSellner ManufacturingUntil 1990Where riders sit in berry shaped cars and spin the car using a turntable located inside the car.Similar to a Tea Cup ride.
ChaosChance RidesA ride where passengers sit in cars of to people that face out wards while the wheel spins and the boom rises so that the cars connected to the wheel flip and rock up side down.
Cliff HangerLarson?−PresentHang Glider type ride
EvolutionFabbri GroupA ride where riders sit outwards in 4 seater carts that are connected to a centre wheel that is connected to a huge arm that rotates back and forth until going completely upside down while the centre wheel is spinning.
FireballLarson2010Updated version of SuperLoops and the RingOfFire
FootLooseFabbri Group?Similar to Skymaster.
GravitronWisdom?−PresentAlso Starship 2000 and Starship 3000.
Impact ZoneMajestic?−PresentBumper Car ride
InverterChance Rides?A standard Inverter
OrbiterTivoli?−PresentStandard Orbiter
Ring Of FireLarson?Superloops and Ring Of Fire. The PNE Stopped hiring the ride after an accident involving a mechanic. They brought back the newer version, Fireball in 2010.
SizzlerWisdom2010A faster more flashy version of the Scrambler
SkymasterA.R.M.?Standard Skymaster
SpiderLee Eyerly2010–presentAlso known as the Octopus
Spin OutK.M.G.?Standard issue Spin Out. 2001 model.
Spring RideMoser2000s − PresentThat drop ride for kids.
Super ShotLarson?Super Shot ride.
Tilt-a-wirlSellner Manufacturing2010–presentBasic Tilt-a-wirl brought back after Playland sold theirs.
TornadoWisdom?Where riders spin the carts while been elevated into the air.
Twin FlipMoser2005It is believed to be the only Twin Flip in North America.
VertigoA.R.M.2010–presentA wave swinger type ride which climbs a large tower
ZendarDartronA ride where riders enter to large cages and ride in a standing position while being held to the wall with contrifugal force because of the two large cages faslty spinning. Similar to the Scat and Scat II.
Zero GravityDartron2006 −PresentDartron Zero Gravity
ZipperChance Rides1980s and 1990sA ride that spins on a giant boom while carts flip riders upside down.

Past Amusement Rides

Past attractions

Fright Nights

From the start of October until the Halloween weekend, Playland is home to the Fright Nights Halloween event. During this time, haunted houses are setup inside Playland and employed monsters are roaming the park scaring patrons. Most of the parks regular amusement rides are in operation.
Since the beginning of the event in 2003, the haunted houses have been owned and managed by ScreamWorks Inc., a Calgary-based company. In 2009, the PNE and Playland begun managing the Fright Nights event, including the haunted houses.
A 2010 episode of the TV show Psych entitled "In Plain Fright" was filmed at Playland during Fright Nights at Playland.

Film setting

The amusement park was for the filming of several films. The 1999 Canadian teen-drama film Rollercoaster, was shot at the park. The opening scenes of the horror film Final Destination 3 were also shot at the park, utilizing the Corkscrew roller coaster, seen in the film as "Devil's Flight". was filmed at Playland for the boardwalk scene, where the Corkscrew roller coaster and Revelation rotating arm ride were shown along with many smaller rides. The Nickelodeon original movie Splitting Adam was also filmed at Playland's water park. The 1996 film, Fear was shot there in the summer of 1995.