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Playland at the PNE
Category: Active Life Amusement Parks Amusement Parks [Edit]
2901 E Hastings StVancouver, BC V5K 5J1
Neighbourhood: Hastings-Sunrise
(604) 253-2311
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
21 reviews for Playland at the PNE
Review Highlights
"Fright Nights scares me to death, but it's so much fun."
(in 4 reviews)
"...they have about seven haunted houses with different themes..."
(in 5 reviews)
"It is definitely fun in the dark riding the amusement rides."
(in 15 reviews)
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Evilyn T.
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fright Nights returns! Every year this place just gets better and better, I should know, I go every year! It should also be noted that every year it gets more and more expensive. This year on a weeknight it was $25 per person if you bought your tickets online ($28 if you didn't) and $33 on Fridays and Saturdays. Sheesh! Come on guys I know you are putting money back into the night, but the night only runs from 6pm "until late" which on Sunday night means it closes around 11:20pm, and suddenly my friends and I were stranded in the dark and abandoned fairgrounds, which was pretty cool because it was spooky. With all the fog machines running all night, it felt like we were supposed to go out and solve a mystery!
Surprisingly the lines weren't too bad, we kinda lucked out though, and the two times we got in line for the coaster there was hardly anyone there. If you have a group to go with it also means you can joke around while you wait in line, so the time goes by faster. I love getting a hot chocolate and elephant ear in between haunted houses because it is so cold out that I have to wear about 3 sweaters, a scarf and two pairs of pants. I love the steam that rises from both treats in my cold little hands in the night air. I feel like a fat kid at Christmas, but I'm just a nerdy goth on Halloween.
There were five haunted houses this year, I think the funniest part is the one with the vagina-birthing canal that you have to dive through. I was surprised to discover one of my claustrophobic friends didn't enjoy it, I guess she was never meant to be a muff diver in this lifetime. I also totally dig that they have paid actors in cool costumes wandering about the fair to catch you off guard and make you pee a little. When someone gets scared easily, it always makes the adventure more entertaining. Fright Nights I wish you could be all year round *sigh*.Listed in: Tips from the Halloween Queen
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Review from Siri W.
10/16/2011
This is a review for Fright Night which I always think is pretty fun. Even for $30 which is frankly a bit of a rip-off, it's still a pretty good time.
The rides at night are great, the actors really give'er (don't try and touch them, not even as a joke, you will be out on your butt so fast...seen it happen)
All the haunted houses are good, but the lines typically SUCK. Like really suck...it's a long time for a little payoff.
Also they don't seem to care too much about claustrophobia - last time I went there was one haunted house where you were forcibly jammed into two inflatable walls and had to fight your way to the other side - I'm mildly claustrophobic and found it uncomfortable, people behind me were obviously VERY claustrophobic and were straight-up freaking the shit out. A little warning would have been nice in this case.
However, I always have a good time here so I can't complain too much. But the price for the payoff doesn't always balance out. Still worth checking out - the haunted houses are genuinely scary and it's pretty cool riding all the roller coasters and whatnot at night. You gotta go at least once! -
Review from Edward L.
Maybe I'm just old, but Playland has really gone downhill since I was a kid.
Everything seems dumbed down, and frankly, the rides are a total ripoff. You have to buy a PNE gate pass ($20) to be able to use your Playland pass ($31). So if you're with someone, you're now out over $100 and you haven't even gone on a ride or eaten yet.
What I really don't get is why they took down many good rides and replaced them with crappy new ones. For example, the new Ferris wheel isn't that much bigger than the original (red) one. The Wildmouse is gone, and so is the classic potato sack slide. The new one is probably only half the height, and way more narrow.
Another thing I don't get is why there are so many similar rides. For example, there is a kids' version of the Hellevator, and a smaller version of the Atmosfear. You'd think they'd just tear down the old one.
Even though it was a Thursday, the lineups were insane. Actually, I should rephrase that. The lineups were not that long, but the rides simply don't "process" enough people. It took over an hour to get to the Atmosfear! Fortunately the Hellevator was much shorter (maybe 10 minutes). And many of the other rides (such as the Pirate ship) had no lineup at all! Yay!
The rides I would recommend are the world-famous Coaster (wooden one), and Hellevator. The Coaster looks rickety, and frankly isn't that high either, but it really is world-class. This is, quite simply, the most fun and one of the scariest rides. It has no fancy loops or anything, but because the restraint on the cars don't exactly close tight enough, half the time you literally feel like you're going to fall/fly out of the thing. Always a pile of fun.
As for the Hellevator, again, it's not the scariest ride, but it's fast, it's definitely hair-raising, and there's nothing like the sensation of free-falling as you're nearing the top of the shaft.
The glass house is a classic. I still remember the solution from when I was 5 years old. They haven't changed it at all. Be sure to walk with your hands in front of you though, so that you don't get a panel to the face.
Bumper cars are classic too. This ride was probably originally built in 1960. The cars are totally ghetto, but it's always good for some fun.
The Corkscrew is a disappointment. Sure, the first 2 loops (corkscrew) are fun, but after that you're just riding these gentle dips, and nothing scary happens. For the reasons, the Coaster blows the Corkscrew out of the water.
Overall I guess Playland is one of those things you can do once, but it looks like I won't be back for a while. -
Review from Diana B.
8/27/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Word of Advice: Get there early,even before the doors open, to ensure you can find free parking or get on the good rides...
When I was looking up prices online, I thought to myself "Playland is pretty pricey!" Think about it....
**Season PlayPass
$79.95
ONLINE $74.95 Save $5
**Jr. Season PlayPass (Guest under 48" tall)
$44.95
ONLINE $39.95 Save $5
Season PlayPass
$79.95
ONLINE$74.95 Save $5
One-Day PlayPass (Over 48" Tall)
$29.95
ONLINE$26.95 Save $3
Guardian Pass
(Maximum of two Guardian Passes permitted (for persons 21 years of age or older) per child under age 12)
$12.95
Not to mention... You have to pay for a gate pass and ride pass seperately, and if you're not planning on packing a lunch, Food is Expensive!
Just be prapared to have a lot of cash on hand.
It's fun! Don't get me wrong. There is a lot to do. It's like Great America (in California), a Carnival and A farmers Market, all in one! -
Review from Erin U.
10/21/2011
FRIGHT NIGHTSSS!!!!! an awesome good time for everyone, worth the slightly expensive entry fee for a great night around halloween, my favorite holiday. Going to fright nights again on sunday to make sure I see it all, happy halloween!!!!
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Review from Paul R.
Vancouver, BC
10/20/2011
I went to Fright Night a couple of nights ago.
Great weather, few people, those rides, haunted houses, freaks in costume.
Got frisked for safety reasons going in.
Roller Coaster seemed faster than ever. So fun.
That new ride, Atmosphere, is awesome; kind of an upgrade on the Wave Swinger, which I still like.
I was spooked in every haunted house; they're great!
Go early, right after work; then head over to Bao Chau for great 'Viet Pho. -
Review from Ninette C.
5/30/2011
"There really is no way to describe it other than mediocre," I told my friend later.
I came up to Vancouver with the guys (including their tourist friends) and they read that this was a top 10 spot to visit in Vancouver so off we went. The $30 admission was a little steep, in my opinion. Especially considering there were two rides with an additional charge ($32 for both of them...so more than the regular admission!), pizza was $5 and water and juices in the vending machine were $3.50-3.75. Seriously?! when you ask for free water, even if you purchased food, they give you these dinky plastic cups that are smaller than the kinds the doctor gives you for pills. I'm still not going to buy your $3.50 water jerks.
The wooden roller coaster is way scarier than it looks. It doesn't go upside down and my boyfriend said this was probably the tamest one on there. I cried because I swore I was falling out and made him hold me tight so I wouldn't fall out. Probably not my proudest moment. After riding all the rides, he tells me it was probably the scariest one.
I liked the water roller coaster, the musical ride, the Ferris wheel and the carrousel. This place is old and doesn't have anything particularly groundbreaking. It was a nice day so it was an ok way to spend a day, but I wouldn't come back or particularly recommend it.Listed in: Overrated
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Review from Kimli W.
8/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
Playland is really, really expensive. For a park that is definitely showing its age, you pay a LOT of money for the privilege of going on some rickety rides. And if you want to eat? Well, I hope you robbed a bank on your way in. The prices are just outrageous - the only way to get your money's worth is to go early and ride all damn day long (and don't eat). The season's pass makes more sense, but if you're only going once for a lark, it's a hard pill to swallow.
It was also kind of awkward to watch a never-ending line of fat little children getting endless refills of pop via the enormous souvenir mug the park sells, but that's a story for another time. -
Review from Shab S.
7/7/2010
this place is so WEAK! It shouldn't be called an amusement park, it looked like a traveling fair. Went here with some cousins while visiting Canada, I swear i was laughing when i got there.
Maybe i had higher standards for an amusement park, because of all the awesome ones we have in California, but damn, this place is for kids. -
Review from christine c.
Victoria, BC
11/3/2009
You know the signs warning those with neck injuries to steer clear of the rides? Well I am she. So why do I torture myself to the point of a migraine when I've been given very clear instructions? It's the coaster...
The wooden one to be precise.
Let me paint you a picture.
When I arrive at Playland I start out slowly with the Corkscrew. For me this coaster is a bit of a yawn, but it seems I'm always at Playland with scaredy cats (my bf said he felt his heart stop) so I have to ease them in.
After I get them warmed up I head over to my favourite, the Wooden Coaster. Ahhh yes you feel as though you may die, but isn't that fun!? And trust me you won't fall out even though you're certain you will. Look around at all the little kiddies. If they haven't fallen out then neither will you. Just sit back, throw your hands in the air and prepare to get chucked around. In the most fun way possible of course. And it's absolutely fun, seeing as it is ranked as one of the top ten coasters in the world and reaches speeds of up to 80km/h. I've read that sign way too many times.
Once I've freaked out my friends (or perhaps foes at this point) we have the 'Hellevator talk.' You know the whole, 'It's not as scary as it looks and quite frankly it's a lovely view up there.' Once coerced we enjoy that view from 200 feet in the air and then plummet safely to the ground. Exhilarating!
Next I acquiesce to the pleas and chill out by going down the giant slide then hitting up the bumper cars. No head on collisions you say? Puhlease, I'm breaking those rules in a hurry.
After a healthy lunch of water and a dozen mini donuts (mmmmm...!) I excuse myself from my friends and brave the Wooden Coaster a few more times solo. And then a couple more times after that. I pretty much have to make sure I hit my coaster a bare minimum of 5 times.
I guess you could call me a Wooden Coaster fanatic. Just a smidge.
And then I always finish my time at Playland with the giant swing. Except for last time when I couldn't even look at the swing going around in it's circular motion for fear of sickness. -
Review from David L.
8/11/2010
P.N.E. is less about having fun and more about making a profit. I felt like I was walking into a real life TV infomercial at one of their buildings. People selling mops, knifes, massaging chairs. Next, I went inside the petting barn. It had cows, horses, goats, donkeys, pigs, chickens and the whole atmosphere smelled like poop. What's worse? All of the hand sanitizers were empty! What a great way to spread disease eh? Luckily, I didn't pet any animals and I didn't step on any goat droppings. Outside, there were less rides as I remembered. It looked like there are about 40 percent less rides and more vendors selling food and products. Not the best place if you're a kid wanting to have some fun.
P.N.E. is more for the kids - I really enjoyed it when I was growing up. Great for students who need a job - although, I was never hired when I applied, it's where a lot of young people find their first job. As a adult, I really understand why my parents hated the P.N.E. when I was young. -
Review from Paola C.
Vancouver, BC
11/16/2009
I used to be a HUGE fan of Playland.... Yeah, when I was like 13. I have been there a couple of times these past few years and things just are not the same. Probably because the rides have not really changed? Being an adult now, the look for amusement seem to be really different from when I was a kid, I used to get thrilled from all the rides, yes this includes the swing ride. Ha.
The price is quite ridiculous, umm the SIX FLAGS in Mexico is cheaper? SInce when was the hellevator not included on the Ride Pass? Because uh, it is a ride? I think the Revolution Ride should also be included in the price as well but I do understand why the drop zone would be extra pay... or do I? Ha. I just want everything to be free, considering I am already paying the HIGH entrance price.
The lineups are so not enjoyable and kills a bunch of valuable time. I think, half of the time you are at playpland, you are probably at the lines. Well, there is really not much they can do about the lines unless they were willing to allow a sum of people to enter each day, but then again, that would be ridiculous wouldn't it?
It's still a fun place to go to hang out with your friends or your significant other. But they should really consider adding more enjoyable rides or lowering the price. One or the other, or maybe even BOTH! :) -
Review from Tim L.
8/18/2008
Year after year there are threats of this place shutting down and year after year it's magically open.
Unfortunately there really aren't any other options for amusement parks and for families this is simply a great place to take your kids.
As much as the rides are no longer thrilling, secretly everyone still loves it.
It's the whole carnival/ride/summer festivities feeling and it brings back fond memories for all while creating new ones for the next generation.
Speaking of families the 2 adults per child admission is a great deal! So great in fact I refuse to go with any friends unless I can get in with a borrowed child. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
10/22/2008 2 photos
I go to Playland twice a year: during the PNE and for Fright Nights, my favourite Halloween activity. Fright Nights scares me to death, but it's so much fun. This year, they have about seven haunted houses with different themes, including one that's a really huge haunted house. Last year, I seem to recall they had even more.
For the uninitiated, you go into each house and go around a darkened maze of corners and rooms. Scary stuff lights up as you pass, with loud sound effects, and actors jump out at you and sometimes chase you a bit through the corridors.
There are also actors roaming the grounds and sneaking up on the unwary or easy to scare (like me, big scaredy girl, right?)
The most fun you can have at Fright Nights, besides riding the Coaster in the dark, is the big maze. Here too, you must find your way out of the maze - no running back to the start! - with scary things jumping out of the hedges and corners and chasing you, sometimes with chainsaws...
It's a lot of fun and definitely not for the faint of heart or overly sensitive! Fright Nights is definitely not for the little kids, unless you're truly deranged as a parent.
Here's the website for Fright Nights: http://www.pne.ca/frig... -
Review from caroline s.
Burnaby, BC
11/3/2009
I went during the summer, and I'd really like to know how safe those rides are...
Dissapointed they wanted more money for the Haunted House... Marketing needs to think things through a little more and consider a new attraction as a way to increase front stall ticket sales rather than trying to eek money out of people when inside PlayLand. I hope they've changed their policy. -
Review from Joyce D.
Burnaby, BC
8/23/2009
I love Playland, especially because I love rides. But I agree with the other reviews, hate the price and hate the line-ups.
Time for some new rides. Of course when the PNE is on, I could live on the Hellevator. I just love it. Up and down Up and down.
I don't the game thing, it is just too expensive.
The food is hit or miss. Sometimes just ok, sometimes terrible.
During the PNE, fish and chip huge trailer is awesome. Barnicle Bills perogies is the worst ever and he is the rudest asshole ever. I have talked to people who worked for him and he is just unbelievable. Stick around for 5 minutes and watch how he talks to his staff.
Got to have the mini donuts, Beaver Tail is awesome. Dole icecream soft serve is awesome. The hamburgers with the fried onions used to be a staple but when down hill.
I love fright night too. It is definitely fun in the dark riding the amusement rides.
We all complain about the PNE, playland etc, but we go every single year. I love it. -
Review from Ryan A.
North Vancouver, BC
8/23/2010
If you havent been on the wooden roller coaster, you haven't experience Vancouver at its fullest, that's for sure. One of the top 10 coasters in North America :D
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Review from Stacey H.
Vancouver, BC
8/22/2009
I very spontaneously visited Playland with two friends this past week eagerly anticipating reliving childhood memories of skee ball, bumper cars and mini donuts. It has been a very long time since was last there. Like 25+ years. Hoo boy, some things have really changed and some things have stayed exactly the same.
There was still skee ball, that arcade horserace game where you frantically play a pinball machine while watching your "horse" move along a lighted board and, of course, the wooden roller coaster. There are plenty of places to get mini donuts and cotton candy. The bumper cars are exactly the same. And I mean literally as I believe they are the same cars they had when I was a child. Same goes for several of the rides. I simply cannot imagine how these ancient things continue to run. Great for nostalgia but freaky for safety.
The first thing that shocked me was how expensive it was to get in. Remember, this was just Playland and not the PNE. $30 each! We really just wanted to play some arcade games and eat mini donuts but there were no different types of access. We were told it was all-inclusive so we sucked it up and paid the fee. First thing on the agenda was skee ball and we played several games for our fistful of tickets. Sadly there were no feathered roach clips or black light posters (talk about dating myself) but mostly cheap-ass plastic junk. Next were mini donuts which we snarfed down and regretted later as they sat like doughy lumps in our stomachs. Not nearly as good as any of us remembered.
We didn't really want to go on any barfy rides and as a result didn't have a lot of choice left. We decided the Haunted House was a good bet only to find that our all-inclusive entrance fee was not as all-inclusive as we were lead to believe. Admission to the ride was an extra $5.50 each. Same with the mini-golf.
Over all it was very disappointing. We shelled out an exorbitant amount of money for a very shabby and dated attraction. Many rides were shut down and covered with tarps. Whole arcade areas were also closed. There were very few rides overall for the cost and little variation on the puke-your-guts-out theme. The first word that comes to mind is mediocre.
While I did have a really fun time I attribute that to being in the company of my friends rather than the environment. Likely, if we had gone during the PNE there would have been much more to do and see.
Personally, I would not bother going until the PNE was on and be prepared to be nickel and dimed for everything. I preferred my memories of Playland to the present day real thing. From now on I'll be calling it PAYland. -
Review from Mathieu Y.
Vancouver, BC
1/26/2010
Get drunk on a Friday, go to fright nights, and ride everything spinning until you come out puking. Not only will it cost you about as much as bar cover to get in (after 9), but youre going to have the time of your life trying to keep the world from spinning around your head as you make your way to the bar for another round before jumping on the wooden coaster. And possibly relive your youth as you are unable to handle your liquor for the first time in years. Its gross, but you can do it.
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Review from Mercedes G.
Vancouver, BC
11/14/2008
My first experience at the PNE was for the amusement park's annual Fright Fest during the Halloween season. I was told not to believe the hype about it being terrifying as year's past hadn't really done it justice, but this year, the PNE claimed on its website that it was not allowing minor's in due to the immense scare-factor that awaited within. This news made me even more excited to go! (no underage folks running amok?! fantastic! Just sayin'!) Unfortunately, when we got there, the first thing we noticed were a plethora of, you guess it, underage kids...and babies! Really? Maybe the PNE realized the lost market of parents with kids for Fright Fest, but I just assumed that most parents would refrain from terrifying their children. Regardless, we went on the last good-weather night and it was incredibly busy. There were most of the usual rides that are operating during the summer season at PNE plus a few haunted houses and mazes, along with a number of creepy jerks running around dressed as clowns freaking people out. I've always wondered what joy these people derive from being paid to give people nightmares? Mind you, I paid to have these people scare me, so there you go.
We were unable to get into any of the haunted houses or roller-coasters because the lineups were outrageous, but we did make it on a few great upside-down, make you nauseous rides, including the one that looks like part of wind turbine and two people sit on each end and it spins you around at over 100 km/h. Yes, we paid extra for this and it was awesome!
I might venture out to the PNE again, if only for a yearly dose of mini donuts and motion sickness. Weeeee! -
Review from robby m.
Vancouver, BC
4/8/2010
very out dated park needs work NOW as it has one ride only worth going on the coaster and last year they ripped out the wild mouse which is a tragedy it too bad they couldnt keep it a refurbish it
it also only cotains tiny versions of a frisbie -hellsgate-hellavator
and a small looping coaster which you would expect to see at a travelling canival and then there is the price more expensive than Canada's Wonderland (15 coasters) Or 6 Flags La Ronde in Montreal
and it has 10 coasters. bottom line is that the pencil pushers running the PNE and Playland have no clue in how to run a park as every other amusement park seems to add new thing yearly like new rides to keep the people comming back year after year ,but not our little said park called Playland aka LameLand
