La Ronde — Attraction in Montreal

We took advantage of the $50 season pass, as a day pass was $30, so well worth the money. We've been twice and plan to go more times. Each time has been really fun! You'll probably not be able to go on every ride in just one day, so get there early to minimize a long lineup time. The first time we arrived 9:45am (park opens at 10am) and waited maybe 45 minutes. The second time we arrived after midday and didn't get in until 2pm!

The best thrill ride is definitely Le Monstre so far. I waited 45 minutes for that ride and my partner waited a little over an hour. There are two tracks, first one is slightly higher and the second track is very similar but apparently knocks you around more, so I went on track 1. The Orbite is by far the most disappointing ride- one quick fall to the ground and that's about it! At least you can bypass the lineup if you're a solo rider like I did and waited less than 5 minutes. I had to ask to be let on however, as the staff just ignored me. Ednor and Boomerang are very fun! Tip: if you have long hair, make sure any hair-ties are positioned low so that you can put your head flush against the headrest, as otherwise your head will be thrown about rather violently, as I found out. The log ride I waited for about an hour and was NOT worth the wait! There's just one small drop, though you do get very wet, so that's fun. I think due to Covid, the lineup has gotten ridiculous, seeing as every other row on the log has to be left vacant, so only about 6-9 people can board at a time. The ride in the dark was very tame, not worth the almost hour wait time, more of an older kid's ride. I'm very disappointed that both times we've been, the monorail has not been running, why? It would be an awesome way to oversee the park and get your bearings a little! The kids' section of rides is ample enough, best ride is the tree swing.

Definitely try and eat a lot before entering the park, as you're not meant to bring in any outside food or drink and if you get searched, it will be confiscated. And yes, food inside the park is super expensive. The first time here we spent over $100 in food for two adults and a toddler, ridiculous! The food court near the Loto Quebec fireworks section has the worst quality food and prices so far, poutine terrible and healthier salad bowl option in the big glass building was very unappealing with gloopy over cooked rice and they were out of some ingredients for my salad, not to mention the 30+ minutes wait!

The second time going was on Sept 4th and there was meant to be a Labour Day fireworks display, yet when we asked an employee at the end of the day, they said they were cancelled. It would have been nice if they had notified people of this, as their Six Flags phone app said it was scheduled! Speaking of the app, it's good for directing you to rides etc but it constantly says 'closed for the season' on every single ride in the park, please fix this!!!

Some other negatives: park is no frills scenery with run-down looking paintwork etc. Obviously the Montréal weather plays a part in this. More plants to make it prettier would be nice! Another negative is people do not respect the 2m distancing during these Covid times, which is frustrating, although since the vaccine passport has been implemented, I'm more at ease about the lack of distance, although of course you 'could' still get Covid after being vaccinated, but the risk is greatly reduced. It would be nice if there were staff to make sure people follow the Covid rules, as so far, nothing has ever been said to rule breakers, which is 90% of people!

Better/ more signage for solo riders would be nice too, so that you don't queue up for ages only to later realize you could have skipped the long wait. I didn't see a solo riders sign for the adult swings for example and queued alone for almost an hour, yet there were many swings left empty... why not let solo riders fill them up and reduce wait times?

Souvenirs are reasonably priced though, grabbed a nice long t-shirt for my daughter for only $5, it was on sale.

Overall...

La Ronde, Montréal’s premier amusement park located on Île Sainte‑Hélène within Parc Jean‑Drapeau—a legacy of Expo 67 that now thrills visitors from May through October .

🎡 Park Overview

Located at: 22 Chemin Macdonald, Île Sainte-Hélène, Montréal, Quebec, H3C 6A3

Season: Typically runs from mid-May to late October, with extended hours during marquee events like the Fireworks Festival and Fright Fest

Entry: Tickets must be purchased online in advance (no on-site sales); single-day tickets are around CAD 43–50 for adults, with season passes available at tiered pricing (e.g. Prestige or Silver pass) offering extras like free parking, ride skip-the-line passes, and discounts

🎢 Signature Rides & Attractions

La Ronde offers over 40 rides including eight exciting rollercoasters for thrill-seekers, as well as family and children’s attractions alike :

Thrill Rides

Le Monstre: Canada’s largest wooden roller coaster and the world’s tallest two‑track wooden coaster. Hits ~ 60 mph with a signature airtime experience on two parallel tracks

Goliath: A B&M hyper coaster that once held the title of Canada’s fastest and tallest coaster. Features a 170 ft drop and speeds up to 68 mph over a three-minute ride

Le Vampire: A classic inverted coaster with corkscrews and tight turns—based on the same design as Batman: The Ride. Delivers intense thrills in a compact footprint

Boomerang: A shuttle coaster that sends riders forwards and backwards through loops at around 75 km/h. A compact yet intense coaster for adrenaline lovers

Orbite: A launch tower ride propelling riders to over 45 meters (~150 ft) before dropping them into freefall. Expect breathtaking views and heart-pounding descent

Manitou: A high-speed spinning pendulum ride delivering over 18 rotations per minute (thrill-level maximum)

Family & Kid-Friendly Options

Grande Roue: A scenic Ferris wheel offering panoramic views of Montréal and Parc Jean‑Drapeau—especially magical at dusk

Grand Carrousel: A nostalgic, antique carousel originally from Expo 67 and among the oldest in North America. Currently in storage but historically loved

DinoParc / Les Explorateurs: Animatronic dinosaur-themed rides, including a gentle sail through a giant prehistoric setting—great for young explorers

🎆 Seasonal Events & Festivals

L’International des Feux Loto‑Québec: The world’s largest fireworks competition, hosted over La Ronde’s Dolphin Lake. It draws ~3 million spectators annually, with synchronized shows broadcast to music on select radio stations

Fright Fest: Held in October each year, the park transforms into a spooky playground featuring haunted houses, themed entertainment, and Halloween fun for all ages

🧭 Visiting Tips

Getting there: Take the Metro Yellow Line to Jean‑Drapeau station and transfer to the complimentary 767 or 769 shuttle bus direct to the park entrance. Jacques Cartier Bridge offers access for drivers or cyclists

Best time to visit: Weekdays or early mornings offer lighter crowd levels. Attend towards season start or during weekday firework sessions for shorter queues.

Pro Tips: Use Flash Pass (skip-the-line) during peak times. Prepare for lines around major coasters like Goliath and Le Vampire. Tranquil attractions like the Ferris wheel provide great breaks between thrill rides.

✅ Why Visit La Ronde

Feature Why It's Compelling

Thrill Ride Variety From wooden beasts to high-speed steel coasters for all courage levels Family-Friendly Zones Dino-themed rides and nostalgic carousels for younger guests Signature Events Fireworks and Halloween festivals that elevate your park experience Scenic Location Rings the picturesque Dolphin Lake with views across Parc...

Second year in a row I get season passes for my kids and I. It's nothing compared to its glorious days in 80s and 90s, going back then was an event, these days, with the convenience of being able to go whenever we because of the passes, it's more of an outing to pass the time away on a boring day. The pass practically pays for its self if you plan on going more than twice in a summer, and depending the pass you get, you get discounts for parking or a friend who needs a ticket to go with you. Things that are different these days that are a highlight to our visits compared to when I was a kid/teen;

The Halloween season is always a blast with the whole place decorated with some pretty gory looking stuff, a bunch of dressed up creepy things roaming the park screaming, and some cool music. A night time visit is a must to get the full experience. Not for the really little ones, it's a bit extreme, the kids section is pretty well done for their age group, and you can avoid most of the really creepy stuff to get there.

The newly decorated, dinosaur themed, kids area is fantastic. There is a good choice for the little ones, many of the rides are almost mini versions of some of the adult rides, so it slowly introduces them to what is waiting for them when they are older, and they don't feel left out of the experience.

Firework nights in the summer have always been fun from the bridge, or across the river, but with the season pass that gives you access on firework nights, seeing them right up close with the accompanying music is way better, and we attend almost every show and get a few rides in at the same time.

Food prices are ridiculously high. I most always feed the kids outside the park before or after our visit. We've gotten some of the cheaper stuff before, paid like $20 for a hot dog and poutine, the hotdog was like a school hotdog day hotdog, the buns were dry and stale, the sausage was bland. The Poutine was ok. Nothing great, nothing amazing, acceptable. Some of the BBQ chicken, desserts, or fancier stuff smells delicious, but unless you did good at the Casino the night before, trying to feed 2 or 3 kids and yourself will drain your wallet fast.

The Arcade is ok. The tokens are a fair price, and the games are interesting and fun. My kids like the basketball and the VR roller coaster thing.

The park feels alive, and run down at the same time. Lots of boarded up games and areas that used to be booming, but there's still a good sized crowd on nice days and...