Angry visitors demand change to Canada's Wonderland chaperone policy

Frustrated park-goers are sounding off about Canada's Wonderland's existing chaperone policy, citing increased disruptive behaviour from groups of teenagers.

With school out for the summer, it's no surprise that an influx of young teenagers is swarming the amusement park for their annual dose of thrill rides. But, apparently, it's coming at the expense of other visitors' experience.

Complaints on social media have drawn hundreds of comments from park-goers and employees describing everything from rowdy behaviour in ride lines to alleged incidents of spitting.

Many say Canada's Wonderlands chaperone policy, which requires all guests under 15 to be accompanied by someone over 21 starting at 4 p.m., isn't doing enough.

In one Reddit post, an anonymous Wonderland employee pleaded with younger guests to show more respect while visiting the amusement park.

"I am begging you teenagers to please behave and not treat us like absolute crap...the amount of big groups of 13-year-old boys that came in, disturbing everyone, begging for free samples (while simultaneously putting their dirty hands in the bulk candy), and fighting each other in the stores is absolutely insane," the post reads.

Many comments back the employee's concerns, with users saying they've witnessed similar behaviour during recent visits, while others argue that Canada's Wonderland's chaperone policy should be applied more strictly. "I wish the chaperone policy was enforced at all times," one user writes. 

Another user says that the park should adopt an all-day chaperone policy, similar to that at places like Dave & Buster's. Others are pointing the park's lack of enforcement as the problem. 

"As far as I'm concerned, this is a park failure rather than a parental responsibility," a frustrated guest writes. They go on to say that Canada's Wonderland should adopt a zero-tolerance approach and immediately kick out visitors who misbehave, as it did in the past.

It's alleged that underage guests are causing problems on rides as well.

In a separate Reddit post, a park-goer claims they were hit with a spitball while on a roller coaster.

"I was on Leviathan, and a bunch of kids were sitting in the row in front of me. Within 15 seconds of the drop, the one ahead of me was forming giant globs of spit and firing them all over, and hit me on my forearm," they write.

It remains to be seen how Canada's Wonderland will respond to the issue, which many visitors say has become an ongoing concern.

blogTO reached out to Canada's Wonderland for comment, but has not heard back at the time of publication.