Photo TR: Playland - Vancouver, Canada - July 2009

During the Scandi Tour, I promised Larry to get myself back to PLAYLAND, my home park, and snap a roll or two of film (yes, I still take photos with old fashioned film-in-a-camers!), aso he could have some much-needed coaster and flats pix for the TPR Coaster/Rides Index.

So, spent a few days taking photos of the park, which is pretty easy to do, considering there's no landscaping to it, no real shape, except one big rectangular parking-lot type setup.

But - with one of The Best Wooden Roller Coasters In The World... Coaster!

Hope this helps, Larry.

New this year - official recognition from ACE as a true Coaster Landmark! First one recognized outside the USA, I believe? (o:

A front shot of Coaster, and the 50th Anniversary banners, still up from last year.

What I consider IMhO, the most sexy hill on Coaster.

After the second drop on Coaster.

A nice shot of the first drop turn around and the second turn around "fan turn."

But once in awhile you can get a fairly decent shot of it. And Revelation in the background.

Fence is too high to get any good outside shots of corkscrew, as "seen" here.

Here's three attractions in one shot! L-to-R: Revelation, Corkscrew Coaster, and Drop Zone.

Thought I would walk outside of the Playland property and see what I could snap. You can get pretty close to Coaster, here.

The Main Entrance to Playland. But first, before I go in with my season's pass...

Entrance at the other end of the property where Playland sits - and whats this? A new attraction? Later on that...

More of the park, continuing through it.

Stuff to read. And then there - waaaaay at the bottom of it all - $5 upcharge entrance. But I did go in it, during our Gay Day at the park, with friends. And it was really good, worth the upcharge, I felt. With three actors sweating it out inside, heh.

Better view of the entrance. The building used to originally be a cheesy and fun Laff-In-The-Dark ride years and years ago.

New Attraction! The walk-thru Haunted Mansion! (o: And the Corkscrew in back.

One of the main eating establishments here - with (dare I call it) All-You-Can-Eat... Salad Shrubbery? King Arthur & The Holy Grail group would love this one, lol.

The Baywatch-sponsored (?) Crazy beach Party. And more famous Playland fencing. Can't get enough of that.

Another Kettle Creek shot, with one of Playland's famous themed trash cans in view as well. And potted "landscaping" behind the can.

Another Mine Coaster view - as best as I can take it, all "themeing" considered. Building to right is On-Ride Photo place.

Most of any "themeing" of any rides here, including this one, are contained within metal fencing. Classy, huh?

For the kids and parents - The Kettle Creek Mine Coaster! With the Crazy Beach Party and Coaster beyond.

The main Playland Merchandise Store, with Guest Services in the background to the right, there/

Thanks Bill, I figured I'd see this in the off season after my visit to the park next month.

I'll upload these later tonight.

Scooby's Gasping Ghoster Coaster at CW was an ACE Coaster Classic until Paramount added seatbelts.

I'm sure you've answered this before...but why stick with film? Certainly your photos are nice...but are they really anything you couldn't get (more easily) with a digital camera?

/Not criticizing. Just curious.

//Thanks for the photos!

^ Dunno. Am still used to using it, and have done so for all the TPR Tours I've been on. Call me stubborn, HAH! Eventually, and when they finally stop making film for my type of camera, that's when I'll switch, heh. But for now, I'm fine with what I snap, and the memories that 'appear' from the envelope a few weeks' later is still cool to me. Digital....eventually.

^^ Didn't know that, H_W_F. So they took it away then, the landmark status when the seatbelts were added? Sad.

^^^ Oh you know me Larry, worry worry worry.

And now, the rest of it all.

And - The Bear showed up! Have no idea of it's name. But he's ours, LOL!

The Honeybee Express children's train ride. With "enclosed thmeing" again.

Our Scooters "building". Too many cars in it, and definitely needs Major Maintenace on most of them.

Our Break Dance. Fairly tame IMhO.

And most of the main park, with Coaster in back there.

The Corkscrew.

What replaced the now extinct scary old Wild Mouse - boooooo! But it gives a view of...

And yeah - it's another upcharge ride. Funny thing, the "Hourly Special" board has been up since the park opened in spring, lol.

A more "fuller view" of Revelation. Finally got to ride and compare this with Booster in Power Park-Finland. And - it rocked!

Revelation with the Corkscrew.

This is nw to me...they got rid of Wild Mouse? When did this happen? Hey Nrthwind, did you happen to see the film Roller Coaster that was shot at Playland?

^ They dismantled Wild Mouse in November, last year. Booo. It was rickety and totally freaked-out to ride, but worth it, IMhO.

The Coaster has been featured in several films and tv-movies. Unfortunately, I don't remember any titles of them, LOL. Some commercials, too.

And Corkscrew got it's (ahem) Fame from the being in "Final Destination: 3", although as you can see from my over head shot, the "station" created for the movie was nothing like the open-air loading station that actually exists for it.

All "movie magic", lol.

Man I want to ride Coaster so bad. Maybe next year I'll make it.

I was wondering if it is better to go when the big fair is in town, or during the regular summer season? The fair looks great, but are the lines for Coaster extremely long during that time?

^ The annual fair, the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) adds several flats to the Playland mix and then ups the one-day pass, and doesn't allow the seasons pass.

The lineups during The Fair are long long long, and not worth waiting in, for my $. I only go to the PNE for a day, just to stroll around, see what You-can't-live-without Gadgets are being sold, and what's being eaten that year (smile) and "briefly" walk through the rides section, if only to see what they brought in for the fair.

And so far, every year I've been going, nothing has intrigued me enough to either get the Fair's day-pass or at least single tix for that particular ride.

And the Coaster line is much MUCH less so during non-PNE times. Especially on week days in July and early August. Can't beat those non-lines, heh.

Hope that helps. http://www.pne.bc.ca/ for more information.

^ My nephew and his wife live in Vancouver, so there's no excuse now for me not going up there. That place looks like a lot of fun!

Eric

^^Thanks for the help. Yeah, I think I'd probably be more interested in riding a world class wooden coaster a few more times than seeing and paying more money for a decent fair.

I would suppose Playland is fairly accessible using public transportation since it's close to the city. If anything we could get a cab from a hotel or something. Vancouver looks like a pretty interesting place to stay for a couple days.

Nrthwnd:

The lineups during The Fair are long long long, and not worth waiting in, for my $. I only go to the PNE for a day, just to stroll around, see what You-can't-live-without Gadgets are being sold, and what's being eaten that year (smile) and "briefly" walk through the rides section, if only to see what they brought in for the fair.

Jim:

I must have hit the PNE during a slow year (2003)....Went twice and don't recall the line for Coaster being more than 10-15 minutes, either day or night.

Thoroughly enjoyed the Ex (or does that designation apply to Toronto only?) Those mini-donuts were a great treat!!

Honestly, I don't see the hype for Coaster. It looks okay.. I mean yeah its an ACE coaster classic... but Scooby Doo was for god sake!

- MixedDrink

^People don't like Coaster just because it is an ACE Classic, they like it because it provides a kicka$$ ride.

Hey Bill...great photos! I always enjoy seeing what you do with film. PNE looks like a fun place, and I really hope I get out there soon (TPR NW trip maybe?).

How did Revelation compare with its Finnish sibling?

I mean yeah its an ACE coaster classic...

The designation of an "ACE Coaster Classic" is nothing more than:

a) No seatbelts

b) No seat dividers

c) Fixed position (non-racheting) lap bars.

A couple of "ACE Coaster Classics" have had their "status" removed (both "Grand National" and "Coaster" at Blackpool), and nobody seemed to care.

It's also a way that ACE kisses up to a park trying to get more perks. They decide where they'd like to hold a national event (CoasterCon, SpringCon etc...), find a coaster they may meet their criteria, give them this special "honor" and then ask for more perks, as only coasters that meet "ACE's" high standards (gag, ack, barf) get this "honor".

It's a faux honor, at best.

Honestly, I don't see the hype for Coaster. It looks okay..

I know exactly where you're coming from. I'd heard about this thing for years, before I finally went to ride it (due to the yearly "Playland is closing" rumors).

In fact, it looks almost identical to "Coaster Thrill Ride" at the Puyallup fairgrounds. While "Coaster Thrill Ride" is a fun ride (and an "ACE Coaster Classic" as well), I could only give this a 6 on a scale of 10.

But, once I got up to Vancouver and rode "Coaster", I (like many others) was completely blown away!! It has some of the most severe airtime and laterals on any coaster, and it's only 68 feet tall!!

I actually prefer this to Phoenix (not blasphemy!!), as it has more laterals, and still has incredibly scary airtime.

In Mitch's poll last year, it came in at #23. That's still in pretty damn good company.

Personally, I still have it ranked in my top 10, at #10 (out of 161 wooden coasters).

It's truly a gem.

JJ

(Edited to add) Nice pics Bill! Now, go get a digital camera!!

Honestly, I don't see the hype for Coaster. It looks okay.. I mean yeah its an ACE coaster classic... but Scooby Doo was for god sake!

Till you've ridden Coaster - you have no idea. And I rode SD coaster back then on a CW visit. Was fine. But Coaster is whole other animal, lol.

And it's lasted for more than 50 years before ACE finally decided to annoint it etc. etc.

(EDIT to tell Jeff..... Pfffffffttttt!)

Call me stubborn, HAH!

I thought that was your only reason

Nice update.

^ They dismantled Wild Mouse in November, last year. Booo. It was rickety and totally freaked-out to ride, but worth it, IMhO.

The Coaster has been featured in several films and tv-movies. Unfortunately, I don't remember any titles of them, LOL. Some commercials, too.

 

And Corkscrew got it's (ahem) Fame from the being in "Final Destination: 3", although as you can see from my over head shot, the "station" created for the movie was nothing like the open-air loading station that actually exists for it.

 

All "movie magic", lol.

Oh yeah, I'm quite familiar with FD3... As for Coaster it was also in an episode of 21 Jump Street...oh yeah, I'm showing my age now. lol

Tis a shame about the Wild Mouse though...you know that it couldn't be saved with restructuring or whatever needed bein done.

Looks like you had fun! Too bad I wasn't working that day.

Coaster is indeed an AWESOME ride. You gotta love that out of your seat airtime! That ride still freaks me out to this day! All the people from out of town I've taken to Playland and ridden Coaster with all say "I'm going to die I'm going to die!"

I heard from the rides manager that in 2010 some new rides will come in. She said she's not allowed to tell me any of the plans though. It's PNE's 100th anniversary next year and it's also the year of the 2010 olympic games so I'm expecting something good.

Bill - I always love the old school look of your new school photos. I think you do a great job, and I really enjoy your reports.

Good job on the TR, Nrthwnd. It's nice to see one of my home park for once (I really should bring a camera sometime and write a TR).

And as for Coaster, it doesn't look like much, but once you've ridden it, you'll understand the hype.