Marineland

Marineland is, I think, the largest park in the world with very little in it. It's located on the Canadian side just south of the Niagra Falls and is primarily a seaworld/zoo type park with a small selection of rides. Be ready to walk around half a mile to get from the entrance to the coaster at the rear of the park.

The big coaster is called Dragon Mountain and it's bizarre!

It's got a very long track at 5.5k with lots of space between the elements. There's also a large helix section that goes around the inside of a partly built volcano. This ride has taken even longer than the Flying Turns having opened in 1983 and only getting the volcano bit in 2006. The owner of the park clearly isn't in any hurry to complete it. We had an excellent all-girl crew for our ERS. I'm just wondering if they put the EMO ride operator in the dark deliberately.

An example of one of the small paths that run between rides.

Brown bear in the ring...I mean in the bear enclosure. Doesn't sound as good though.

"This Bear's Dead"
"No it's not, it's just resting"
Monty Python's "Dead Bear" sketch isn't as well known as their parrot one.

Nice theming on the topple tower. A shame the ride doesn't look as good from on it as it does from the sidelines.

The park has second coaster themed around a ladybird or lady bug as they're called in North America after a court trial when what was the Ladybird Corporation were successfully sued for not having any association to the avine species whatsoever.

A local group of Amish visited the park on the same day as us.

Nicely themed rockin' tug.

Are we watching them or are vice versa?

One of the park's Killer Whales. This one is called "Ripper". Actually that's not correct, it likely has a nice cute name like "Fay" or such like.

The ride has an amazing tower attraction, which if you get the north-facing side gives you a brilliant vista of the Niagra Falls. The downside to such an amazing view is that you have to climb this bitch of a sun-exposed hill to get to it.

The main show contains many creatures such as dolphins, seals and vipers.

We got distracted during the main animal show by this kid over on the far left of the stage who was totally rocking out to the performance drumming faster than Animal from The Muppets. Great to see him having such a good time.

The finale of the show was the introduction of the laziest walrus I'd ever seen (not that I've seen that many). He just came out and lay around then did a big shit for us all, and that was it. Goo goo g'joo!

Inflatables in abundance in the large gift shop.

Anyone remember the Goodies?

I wasn't sure what to make of Marineland. It's was one of the more tiring parks on the trip with the littlest benefit. The heat was immense today and we were approaching the end of the trip, which had meant our energy levels were taking a battering. The coaster is equally odd. I wonder what the final concept will be like and when it'll complete. Maybe by the next time I return, which I have no date for yet.