If someone were to ask, and believe me it comes up in conversation all the time, I have no problem professing my all-consuming love for all things Disney, Disneyland, and amusement parks. It’s always been a major bone of contention for me that Vancouver really doesn’t have an amusement park. I don’t count PlayLand, the permanent offspring of the yearly Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), because it’s a bunch of carnival rides slapped down next to a very cool, very old wooden roller coaster.
When I’ve had the urge to hit a bunch of rides, I will admit to visiting PlayLand. I’ll even admit to getting a seasons pass one year, just because we weren’t going to Disneyland and I was going stir crazy. But a bunch of rides and one wooden roller coaster do not make an amusement park, so I’ve had to look elsewhere.
If you’re looking for amusement parks close to the West Coast of Canada, the only one you’ll find is Wild Waves Seattle. Located in Auburn, Washington, it’s a quick 2 hour drive from the border (unless you hit Seattle traffic, and you will always hit Seattle traffic) and in a previous life it was a Six Flags. You might have heard of Six Flags, and they have locations in San Francisco, LA, Georgia, Texas, and a bunch of other places. In places like LA, where you’ve got Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Knotts Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain is one of those places you put off. With temperatures reaching 110 degrees in steamy Valencia and no real shade in the entire park, it’s o