If you’re a thrill-chaser looking for the next epic rollercoaster to ride, not just this summer but all year long, then one Ontario theme park has got you covered with a brand new, record-setting ride that is about to make its big debut this weekend.
But maybe not the park you’re thinking of.
Santa’s Village may be best known as the place in the province to get into the holiday spirit over the winter months, but it is now in the midst of a large-scale expansion that further positions it as a year-round destination offering fun for all ages — and also a prime alternative to bigger, more crowded competitors.
An hour and a half north of the chaos and lineups of Canada’s Wonderland, the village is set in the pristine wilderness of Muskoka, of which you get scenic views aboard the latest addition to its ride oeuvre, Yeti Trek.
The coaster, which we got a sneak peek of before it opens to the public on July 5, not only serves as the biggest ride in the park’s 70-year history, but is also the only one of its kind in the country on more than one count.
It is the first new-age build from esteemed Dutch manufacturer Vekoma Rides in Canada (and one of only a couple in North America), along with being the nation’s only coaster that features a station fly-through, where riders are launched through the ride’s chalet-style hub above the heads of those eagerly waiting their turn.
Muskoka, Ontario’s Santa’s Village is opening a game-changing new rollercoaster on Saturday that features the only station fly-through in Canada🎢 pic.twitter.com/utO4zKK7Tt
— blogTO (@blogTO) July 4, 2025
It’s pretty clear from just one look at the new feature — or a few seconds enjoying its smooth ride and expert engineering — that Santa’s Village owners Brad and Sara Dunkley made the right choice going with Vekoma, which is known for designing some of Disney’s most iconic attractions.
“We shortlisted rollercoaster companies and did a tour visiting parks across the U.S. and Europe. We rode so many coasters and spoke to our friends at other parks for advice and guidance,” the Dunkleys, who took over the park in 2016, told a crowd gathered at the Yeti Trek media preview on Thursday evening.
“We wanted our custom one-of-a-kind experience to be something truly Santa’s Village: fun, surprising and woven into the beauty of Muskoka… leaving riders with windblown hair, huge smiles and a spark of ‘wow, I did it!'”
That ‘wow, I did it’ moment definitely rings true upon disembarking the ride, which is a whirlwind of twists and turns that follow a breathtaking drop at the beginning.
That being said, it is absolutely a family-friendly ride — alongside us at the early preview were a slew of kiddos excitedly running to hop on again and again, along with Santa himself, who rode it no less than four times.
The whole experience is also packed with delightful details, from hidden yetis, you can try and spot as you loop through the property to a pre-ride video that really drives the Yeti narrative home.
The vantages of the Muskoka river and surrounding scenery also perfectly complement the alpine theme, and will even moreso during winter — when, yes, the coaster can still operate, in temperatures as low as – 10 C.
Speaking of alpine, local amusement park lovers will likely notice that Yeti Trek has beat Canada’s Wonderland’s much-hyped (but now delayed) new rollercoaster, AlpenFury, to the finish line.
Given the scale of Santa’s Village in respect to Wonderland, this is a huge feat, with crews working all through late fall, winter and spring to bring Yeti Trek to fruition in time for the busy summer season.
Yeti Trek opens at noon on Saturday, July 5 at 1624 Golden Beach Rd, Bracebridge, ON.
