When is Playland at the PNE open, and what's there?

Rides and the midway

The best-known ride is the Wooden Roller Coaster, designed by Carl Phare and opened in 1958. ThunderVolt, an electric launch coaster billed as the fastest of its kind in Canada, arrived in 2024. Other rides named in recent coverage include the Pirate Ship, Hellevator, Atmosfear, Enterprise, Himalaya, Zero Gravity and a log flume, alongside mini-golf, a climbing wall and a line of midway games.^5119123

Roller coasters

Several roller coasters, from the 1958 wooden coaster to ThunderVolt, which launches riders through a lit tunnel before an 18-metre drop.⁹⁵

Thrill rides

Bigger rides such as the Pirate Ship and Hellevator sit in the Thrill Pass tier, with minimum heights between 45 and 56 inches depending on the ride.⁹

Family rides

A Fun Pass tier covers gentler rides suited to families, and the park also has mini-golf and a climbing wall.⁹

Midway games

Midway games, including a games line near the I Scream, U Scream ice cream stand.³¹

Fair food

Food stands inside the park; the adults-only Playland Nights evenings in June 2026 paired rides with wine, cocktail and craft beer themes and chef pop-ups.¹²

Shows

Fright Nights, the October Halloween event, adds haunted houses and costumed performers on the midway.¹⁰⁸

Only what a source names. Rides come and go between seasons.

On the same grounds

• PNE Fair: During the PNE Fair, Playland's rides are the fair's ride area and its Purple Gate is one of the fair's entrances. Fair gate admission does not include rides, so riders buy a separate ride ticket; the 2026 season pass covered both Playland and the fair.³²

History

The Hastings Park midway, nicknamed Skid Row in its early years, was formally renamed Happyland in 1926.⁵ In 1958 Happyland moved across the grounds and reopened under the Playland name, the same year Carl Phare's wooden coaster opened; Walker LeRoy of Oaks Park, Oregon, oversaw its construction.⁵¹¹ After a series of private parent companies, Playland became a division of the PNE in July 1993.⁵ The Revelation and Drop Zone rides came out in 2023 to make room for ThunderVolt, which opened in 2024.¹²⁹

Getting there

• Playland sits on Hastings Street at Windermere Street, close to Exit 26 of Highway 1. Several bus routes stop a short walk from the main entrance, and there is a bike rack outside the gate.⁴
• Drivers can park at Hastings and Windermere, entering through Gate 6 off North Renfrew Street or Gate 9 off Bridgeway Street. TransLink handles transit trip planning.⁴

Accessibility

• Members of the Access 2 Entertainment program can collect a ride exit pass from Playland guest services; others using mobility aids can email the PNE guest experience team ahead of a visit.³
• The park's accessible washroom is next to the I Scream, U Scream stand, and parking for disabled guests is reached through Gate 2 off Renfrew Street.³⁴

Good to know

From the operator's own FAQ.

• Height and age limits are posted at every ride and listed on the PNE's ride pages.³
• Bikinis and open-back tops are not allowed on rides, and loose or open-toed footwear can be refused on some of them.³
• Heat, strong wind, heavy rain or lightning can shut single rides or the whole park, and Playland gives no refunds or rain cheques when that happens.³
• There is no child minding; kids 12 and younger need a paying adult or guardian with them throughout.³

Also in the directory

• Rides built by: Antonio Zamperla S.p.A. (Ride or game manufacturer)
• Once home to: C.W. Parker Carousel (Historic carousel or ride)
• Nearby: VanCity Pinball & Arcade (Arcade or game room, Vancouver, BC)
• Nearby: C.W. Parker Carousel (Historic carousel or ride, Burnaby, BC)

Ties come from the other listing's sources; follow the link to see them.