This internationally acclaimed cultural, leisure, and entertainment complex, designed by Eb Zeidler
and opened in 1971, is centered on three man-made islands along the
Lake Ontario waterfront. The park is filled with family attractions,
from rides to concert venues; snack bars and restaurants are dotted
throughout the complex. Taking full advantage of its lakeside setting,
Ontario Place offers fantastic water activities, with the city’s only
downtown waterpark, featuring gigantic waterslides, flume rides, and
wading pools for toddlers. The complex is open from late May to late
September.
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Toronto-based IMAX
Corporation is a world leader in large-screen cinema systems. Founded in
1967, the company develops film technologies that heighten the illusory
sense of immersion in the cinema experience, including 3-D projections,
which simulate a sensation of movement in the viewer. 70mm film stock
is used to project an image 10 times the size of conventional 35mm film –
what you see in a regular theater. Each IMAX film reel weighs 200 to
300 lbs (90 to 135 kg). A special cooling system in the theater pumps
water through the gigantic lamp housing to prevent heat damage to the
film. Over 130 venues around the world use IMAX projection systems.
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Plan of Ontario Place
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Hit a snack bar for a beavertail – deep-fried pastry dusted with cinnamon sugar.
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Full-service restaurants offer patios and great lake views.
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Buy a Play All Day Pass for unlimited use of most rides for $30.
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Check out the Festival Stage for free live children’s entertainment.
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Molson Amphitheatre box
office, at the Main Gate is open 11am– 8pm daily; until event start time
on show days. Ticket prices include grounds admission.
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For Molson Amphitheatre concert listings, call its concert line at 416 260 5600 or view them online at www.molsonamp.com
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For four nights in June and July, Ontario Place hosts the annual Festival of Fire, extravagant fireworks set to music
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Top 10 Attractions
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Cinesphere
With
a six-story-high screen and 24,000 watts of digital sound, this IMAX
theater makes movie-watching a spine-tingling experience. For best
viewing, pick a seat in the middle of a row. The theater, housed in a
Triodetic dome, was the world’s first permanent IMAX venue when it was
built, in 1971.
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MegaMaze
Navigate
seven mazes in this multilevel indoor-outdoor labyrinth. Mirrors,
lasers, and sound effects add to the challenge of finding your way out.
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Soak City
This
waterpark features four heart-stopping rides. The Hydrofuge shoots
riders through a tunnel into a giant bowl, where you spin in circles
before landing in a pool of water, while the Rush River Raft Ride takes
riders on an exhilarating, 873-ft (266-m) plunge. Children who do not
meet the age and height restrictions can have lots of wet and wild fun
in the splash pool.
Water fun at Ontario Place
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Pedal Boats
Rent a pedal boat on Adventure Island to explore the many lagoons and bays. Kids can try the Mini Bumper Boats, in Centre Plaza.
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Thrill Zone
Three
Thrill Zone sites offer the latest in interactive, virtual game
hardware. Challenge yourself with Alpine Ski simulators, driving
simulators, Wave Jet, Sega Rally, and a large variety of coin-operated
video games.
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Free Fall
Hold
on to your hat – and clench your stomach – on this drop tower ride. A
platform seating 10 people rises 20 ft (6 m) above the ground before
plummeting, for two minutes of hair-raising fun.
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Miniature Golf
Two well-designed nine-hole golf courses built into the landscaped hillside offer great family fun.
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Wilderness Adventure Ride
Against
a backdrop modeled on the Northern Ontario landscape – deep canyons,
forests, and wildlife – this animated flume ride, the world’s largest,
features a 40 ft (10 m) splashdown.
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Molson Amphitheatre
A
sensational line-up of international and Canadian musical acts, from
rock and hip-hop to country, blues, and jazz, is presented at this large
outdoor concert venue.
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Go Zone
At
this play area, kids can climb the huge H2O Generation Station, steer
electric cars through a realistic course at OP Driving School; and dodge
the Atom Blaster’s 12,000 foam balls, shot in all directions from
canons and volcanoes. Microkids is a play area just for toddlers.
