7 Rides At La Ronde That Have Been There Since The Park Opened
La Ronde has been a huge part of most Montrealers' lives growing up.
And while some ride come and go like these 18 rides that no longer exist, some have been there since the park opened in 1967. Some of them may have been refurbished, updated and even moved around the park, but they've been there since the very beginning and they continue to entertain hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Photo cred -ย themeparkcritic
1. La Pitoune
La Pitoune is the ultimate staple of La Ronde, no day is complete without riding the famous log shaped boats. Some of you might remember the gigantic horrifying wall of gums you stood next to while waiting in line. But it was all worth it for you to be able to cool off as the logs come crashing down into the water.
2. La Spirale
This 73 meter orange rotating tower gives you amazing 360ยฐ views of the park and of Montreal. The ride takes a minute to reach the top where you remain suspended 24 storey high, so you can relax and laugh at how puny the roller coasters seem.
Photo cred - themeparkreview
3. Minirail
The Minirail used to be a lot bigger and featured 3 different circuits and 2 types of trains. The blue train crossed over onto Notre-Dame Island but ceased operating in 1973. The yellow train ran on Saint-Helens Island and ceased operatin gin 1981. The only the smallest circuit remains.
4. Joyeux Moussaillons
This was always one of my favorite rides growing up. I don't even know why really, there was nothing overly thrilling about it, you just rode around the water and climbed up and down tiny tracks. Maybe it's because after a chaotic day of standing in line and being subjected to G force, it's nice to take moment to relax and float around awhile.
5. Le Galopan
This is the oldest ride of them all. It was built in 1885 in Belgium by a man named Leon Bolland. It featured a player organ containing over 900 meters of perforated music sheets which totaled over 75 songs. In 1964 the carousel was shipped to America for maintenance. It was later purchased for the 1964 and 1965 New-York World Fairs. The following year organizers of Expo '67 bought it and spend an extra $250,000 to restore it.
Photo cred - expo67
6. Tchou Tchou
It's crazy to imagine just how many people have been on this ride since 1967. And it's somewhat comforting to know that such a simple little ride can stay relevant for so many years.
7. Marche Du Mille-Pattes/Les Mini Montagne Russes
Although it has changed a lot over the years, the mini roller coaster has been around since the very beginning. If you don't recognize it, its because these days it looks completely different after having undergone a caterpillar makeover.