Out & About #726 | Wonderland (COVID-19 Edition)

Concerts, amusement parks, arcades - the prime destinations of personal interest first to be banned at the onset of the pandemic.

About eighteen months into COVID-19, residents of the GTA were welcomed back to Wonderland.

Reservations were mandatory, needless to say. Some few weeks before the park's slated re-opening, we joined the virtual queue, similar to the one arranged by the ROM for the Yayaoi Kusama Infinity Mirrors exhibit. The earliest entry slot was 9:30 AM, and the latest 11:30 AM. I opted for the latest possible, yet failed to preserve punctuality nonetheless.

Capacity limits had reduced the number of visitors within the park, allowing adequate space to maintain social distancing. Visitors of the washrooms were tallied by members of staff, while some rides were closed off entirely. We leisurely perused the walkways, given that crowding was no longer an issue, however lineups remained lengthy, with distancing difficult to enforce while in the snaking queue.​

My tardiness had resulted in an eventual arrival of noon, at which point conductor Snoopy had taken the stage in preparation for the fountain show. ​

The accompanying staff member was reluctant to permit fans of the American beagle too close to the mascot, reasonably so in fear of transmission exposure. His exit was swift, a stark comparison from previous years. In spite of the express escort, I succeeded in earning a high-five.

Our itinerary was largely unplanned and dictated by pre-existing lineup volumes. Shockwave marked our first ride since 2019, given the nearly nonexistent wait time. Upon being ushered past the gates, it was observed that each branch seated two people at its outermost section, while the other spots had been blocked off. A foam-based sanitizer was positioned at the exit for each access.

Vortex was the next stop. Though, a system malfunction led us to abandon it in favour of The Fly. A forty-minute wait ensued at the nostalgic childhood favourite, which was quite reasonable in consideration of an earlier experience under scorching UV rays.
The skies were, in fact, quite dull on our date of visit; there was even a faint chill in the air - one that demanded a windbreaker at high altitudes.

​Time Warp was attempted (never again, please), while Yukon Striker and Behemoth were revisited, each entailing an approximate two-hour wait and distanced seating across the carts. Those belonging to the same party would be arranged to enjoy the ride together, or split by groups of two or three otherwise. 

​Towards the early evening hours, Planet Snoopy began to vacate. Kidsville had noted a scheduled closure of 8 PM, which was just enough time for me to explore the gift shop and secure a souvenir for the trip.

Those that remained past supper time would see the azure return to the skies. But the growling in my stomach had other priorities.

We sought out sustenance at Katsuya under my recommendation, along with promotional birthday beverages at Gong Cha and M Cha Bar.  ​The Roasted Oolong Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly was positively delectable. It was unfortunate that the same could not be declared for the mains of the evening.

Neglecting the absence of patio dining and availability of Cheese Pork Loin Katsu sets, service was mediocre, breading was atrociously dense, sauce was scarce, and portion sizes noticeably slashed (versus dine-in). Never once had the North York or Mississauga locations delivered such disappointment. Even with the 20% off cash discount, the bitter aftertaste of the purchase lingered, confirming my wariness from their Grand Opening and eliminating any future potential trips to this location.