Teens will soon be barred from entering Canada’s Wonderland without an adult presence as the park hopes to prevent ‘inappropriate behaviour,’ and many thrill seekers are reacting to the policy online.
With the beginning of its annual Halloween Haunt attraction on Sept. 26, the park will begin asking guests under 15 years old to be accompanied by an adult chaperone when entering or remaining there after 6 p.m.
The amusement park’s Conduct Policy and Guidelines web page states that the decision comes to maintain the safety and integrity at the park, making sure that parents and guardians are held responsible for the behaviour of their children.
“In response to the increasing incidents of unruly and inappropriate behaviour across our industry and at other major entertainment venues, we are taking proactive steps to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone,” it states.
As part of the new policy, chaperones need to be 21 years old or older when accompanying minors, and must show a valid government ID to confirm their birthdate in order to be admitted into or remain in the park. They will also need to stay in the venue and be available by phone during the visit, and are not allowed to accompany more than 10 teens at a time.
Teens that are over 16 years old might also be asked to show a valid form of ID to confirm their age in order to remain in the park, and might be denied entry if they fail to do so.
“We are committed to maintaining Canada’s Wonderland as a place where families and friends can come together to enjoy a one-of-a-kind park full of fun experiences and immersive entertainment,” the policy says.
Now Toronto reached out to the park for a comment about the decision to make chaperones mandatory and are waiting for a response.
The news comes as the park is also charging Halloween Haunt visitors $10 to enter several mazes, on top of the admission fee.
Read More
Meanwhile, many park visitors seem to be in favour of the new policy, with many even calling for restrictions for older teens.
“15 and younger ? That’s it? It’s the 15 to 20 year old that are the issue,” one person said on Reddit.
“Love it!!!! Hope this policy goes into effect for the entire season,” a different person said.
“It should be [those] under 18 that need to be accompanied by a chaperone. As many people have said, it’s the 16-19 crowd (not everyone) that seem to be the ones causing this issue,” someone else suggested.
On the other hand, some guests also seem to think that being required to carry an ID is an annoyance for all visitors.
“The ID BS is enough of a reason for me to not do haunt as much as I did last year,” one person said.
“[They will] likely [be] asking for valid ID like photo cards, drivers’ licenses or passports which does feel annoying tbh,” a different person pointed out.
ADDITIONAL POLICIES
Besides the new chaperone rule, Canada’s Wonderland guidelines also reveal other additional policies during Halloween Haunt.
Guests under 11 will also face further restrictions on their costume throughout the event, being forbidden to wear costume masks, full-face paint, trench coats, flak jackets and any other similar materials.
Starting Sept. 26, the park will also be adding more bag restrictions after 6 p.m., limiting bag sizes to 12” x 12” x 6” and keeping guests from bringing more than one bag into the venue.
Additionally, guests who leave the park during the Haunt hours will not be allowed to re-enter on the same day, which the policy says will “support the safety and flow of park operations.”
Lastly, guests are also not allowed to record or photograph scare actors and other park-goers, with cameras and other video and audio recording equipment being forbidden from entering the haunt mazes. Guests who get caught recording could be removed from the park, with no right to a refund.
