Canada’s Wonderland today announced plan’s for Yukon Striker, which will become the world’s tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster when it opens in 2019. It will also be the only one of its kind to include four inversions — one of them being a vertical loop, a first for a dive coaster.
If Yukon Striker wasn’t exciting enough, Canada’s Wonderland also announced plans to debut the WinterFest holiday event in 2019. More details about that are at the bottom of this post.
Yukon Striker Stats
- Height of drop: 245 feet (includes underground tunnel)
- Top speed: 80 mph
- Length: 3,625 feet
- Inversions: 4
- Ride duration: 3 minutes, 25 seconds
- Trains: 3 seating 24 (3 rows of 8)
- Designer: Bolliger & Mabillard
According to a news release from the park, “Yukon Striker promises an exhilarating journey along its 3,625 feet of mountainous track where guests will be treated to a spectacular view stretching to the Toronto skyline.”
Like other dive coasters, Yukon Striker will hold riders over the edge of the vertical, 245-foot-tall drop, allowing them to look down at the lake and the Vortex suspended coaster below.
The 24-seat trains will reach a top speed of 80 mph as they plunge down into an underwater tunnel. Riders will maneuver through four inversions, including a vertical loop.
The Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster Yukon Striker will claim three world records:
Yukon Striker World Records
1. Fastest dive coaster: 80 mph
2. Longest dive coaster: 3,625 feet
3. Tallest dive coaster: 245 feet (including underground tunnel)
Yukon Striker On-Ride POV Animation
Yukon Striker Back Story
As part of the announcement, the park revealed details about Yukon Striker’s gold-rush-themed back story, set in the late 1800s:
“It’s 1897 and a flood of men and women are venturing into the untamed wilderness of northwestern Canada, fueled by little more than rumor of limitless gold. The headwaters of the Yukon spread beyond an unforgiving landscape, tempting newcomers with the promise of riches that lay buried in ice-cold riverbeds throughout the Klondike.
Most prospectors are doomed to fail. The journey is treacherous along the Chilkoot Trail, a steep and punishing climb high into the coastal mountain range. The seasons are extreme and the backcountry, for all its raw beauty, is unyielding.
Among the lawless boom towns and outposts, only a few will succeed in this quest for glory. A Golden Eagle soars high on the winds watching the perilous hunt. Who will endure the longest journey? Who will conquer the tallest mountain pass, the treacherous terrain and rise worthy of the name Yukon Striker…”
Yukon Striker Off-Ride Video
Yukon Striker will be built in a newly themed section of the park.
Yukon Striker Anchoring New Frontier Canada Area
Yukon Striker will open inside the new gold-rush-themed Frontier Canada area. The new land is 37 years in the making, as it was originally designed as one of the five themed sections to open with Canada’s Wonderland in 1981.
Along with Yukon Striker, Frontier Canada will feature the following existing rides: Lumberjack, Flying Canoes, Mighty Canadian Minebuster, Soaring Timbers, Timberwolf Falls and White Water Canyon.
“This is the largest capital investment we’ve made in our park since opening,” said Norm Pirtovshek, Canada’s Wonderland General Manager.
“Yukon Striker will be the centerpiece of our new themed area Frontier Canada, delivering exhilarating and record-breaking coaster elements like no other in the world.”
Yukon Striker will be Canada’s first dive coaster and Canada Wonderland’s 17th coaster, placing the park among the world’s top three amusement parks with the most roller coasters.
Yukon Striker is slated to debut when the park opens for the 2019 season next spring. More information is available at Canada’s Wonderland’s website.
Canada’s Wonderland Hosting WinterFest in 2019
Yukon Striker wasn’t the only big announcement made by the park today. Canada’s Wonderland also announced that it will introduce the WinterFest holiday event in November of 2019. The event, which will run through the end of December, will transform the park into an “enchanted winter wonderland” with themed areas, Christmas trees, millions of lights, ice-skating, live entertainment, holiday-themed food, crafts and hands-on family activities.
The park’s fountain on International Street will become Snowflake Lake where guests can enjoy ice skating amid brilliant holiday lights.
And each night, singers and dancers will set the stage for the celebratory lighting ceremony of a 70-foot-tall Christmas tree featuring more than 40,000 sparkling ornaments.
WinterFest visitors can feast on savory treats and holiday favorites such as turkey, hot chocolate and peppermint fudge. The event will feature a dozen live holiday-themed shows like “Cool Yule Christmas” and “Jingle Jazz.” Younger guests can write letters to Santa, decorate cookies in Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen, and meet classic Peanuts characters or special WinterFest entertainers like Jack Frost, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Candy Cane.
What do you think about Canada’s Wonderland’s 2019 plans? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
well I’m sure this is a shocker for all
Not even close on tallest and fastest, not sure what kind of research marketing did. Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in US is 2nd tallest and fastest in the world at 410 feet hight and 120 mph.
Hi Steve, the park is claiming Yukon Striker as the tallest dive coaster (which it will be), not the tallest overall.