Wildplay Element Park has ropes courses, ziplines over the Niagara Falls and more! Although it’s not in the city of Toronto itself, it’s not too far away.
Wildplay’s Zipline to the Falls and Whirlpool Adventure Course
Wildplay is an outdoor adventure park company with several locations in Canada. All of them except Niagara Falls, however, are in British Columbia. Other Canadian Wildplay locations are in Metro Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo on Canada’s West Coast. They also have a couple of locations in New York State.
The adventure park is home to fun (and safe) outdoor activities for all ages. It might not be a place for those with a fear of heights, but it’s an exceptional one for those who enjoy a bit of a thrill!
Location and Admission
Wildplay is actually split up into two different locations that are about five kilometres from each other. The Zipline to the Falls is at 5920 Niagara Parkway in Niagara Falls. The Whirlpool Adventure Course, meanwhile, is at 3500 Niagara Parkway. They have different schedules too. The adventure course is usually closed until May. From then until mid-September it’s open seven days a week, and from mid-September until the end of November it’s open only on weekends. (Note: Exact dates and hours of operation may vary.)
The Zipline, meanwhile, is open year-round. In January of 2022 its hours were from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm the rest of the week. This Wildplay activity is currently undergoing renovations and, therefore, is closed for the time being.
The prices for the Zipline can vary depending on the season. Usually it costs around $70, but during the winter it can be lowered to around $50. The adventure course, meanwhile, has set pricing. The most popular option is the Classic Course which costs around $60 and is good for all ages. Then there is the Extreme Course (which is higher up and a harder difficulty) for around $40. The Kids’ Course costs is around $35. Finally, there’s also the What’s To Fear Jump (WTF) which costs $20.
WildPlay Ropes Course
Bundle Options
For those looking to take on multiple elements there are a couple different bundle options. There’s the Triple Play Bundle for around $90 which includes the Adventure and Extreme Courses as well as the WTF Jump. There’s also the Season’s Pass, for those who plan on going a number of times in a year. The Season’s Pass gives you unlimited access to the main adventure courses, plus two zipline rides and four WTF Jumps. It normally costs $200 but if you buy it during the offseason you can save. As of early February, 2024, passes were on sale for around $175.
The Experiences on Offer
Expect to spend at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours at Wildplay, depending on how much you do. The Zipline and the Classic Course both take between one and two hours to complete. Below is a short description of each of the main elements at Wildplay.
Zipline to the Falls
When operational, the Zipline is good for everyone ages 7 and up. It offers great views of the falls as you are taken over 650 metres down to the Horseshoe Falls lower observation deck. You glide past both Horseshoe and American Falls on the way by, taking in the water as well as the scenery surrounding the area. This attraction is open during the wintertime as well, giving a different experience when the region is covered in ice and snow. Zipline to the Falls is temporarily closed as it undergoes renovations.
WildPlay’s Classic Course
The Classic Course at the Whirlpool Adventure Course is made up of three different sections. Each of them is its own separate thing, so you come back to the ground and have a chance for a breather between each of them. For the most part the ropes course is between 30 and 50 feet in the air, and you move from tree to tree while tackling various kinds of obstacles. It’s not necessarily an “easy” course, but the majority of people can do it without any issues.
This is the part of the adventure park that takes the longest to complete. You can spend up to two hours on it depending on how fast you go, and expect to take at least one hour.
The Extreme Course
WildPlay’s Extreme Course
The Extreme Course is shorter than the Classic Course and often done as an addition to the latter. As you’d expect from the name it’s more difficult and made up of only one section. It’s higher up in the air too! For those who are fit it’s a fun experience, but for those who are older or less fit it can be more challenging. The course takes less than an hour to complete.
The Kids’ Course
Made for those under the age of 13, the Kids’ Course is a lot lower to the ground and has easier obstacles. It’s fairly short as well, but those who buy admission to it can go on it twice. Children as young as 5 can take part, as long as they’re at least 45 inches tall.
What’s To Fear (WTF) Jump
The WTF Jump is the most unique of the four sections of the adventure park. Rather than an obstacle course, it’s like a bungee jump (although more controlled than a regular bungee jump). For this, you climb up a 40-foot tall tower and jump off, falling back to the ground in a harness. It’s not a freefall, as the harness slows you down enough to where you’re not in danger. It can still be scary, however!
WildPlay’s Extreme Course
Other Information
For more information about the adventure park and its ziplining opportunities, visit the Wildplay Niagara Falls website.
To learn about the company in other Canadian locations check out WildPlay Maple Ridge in Metro Vancouver. And on Vancouver Island there are two sites: WildPlay Victoria and WildPlay Nanaimo.
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(Note: Some of the photos in this article are from the WildPlay parks in other locations.)