Does AlpenFury at Canada's Wonderland live up to the intense hype?

Canada's Wonderland is having its biggest summer in years thanks to the debut of its new flagship attraction, AlpenFury, in July.

The ride was subject to an intense hype campaign in the months leading up to its July 12 debut, and despite some first-day jitters, AlpenFury has been met with widely positive reviews, immediately establishing itself as the new must-ride attraction at Wonderland.

But all this hype and early reviews have only driven more numbers to the park, and AlpenFury's first weeks of operation have been plagued by long lines, sometimes exceeding three hours. 

We hit the park last week to ask riders who braved lengthy lines if they thought AlpenFury lived up to the hype. And it turns out thrill-seekers are willing to put up with long queues and scorching temperatures to spend just over a minute on the record-breaking launch coaster.

One rider told us that he didn't think the ride was worth the hype, explaining that he "had to stand in line in the hot sun and ride with a bunch of people." However, in Wonderland's defence, the attendee had access to weather forecasts and still opted to wear a hoodie. As for the crowds? Yeah, bud, it's Wonderland. That'll happen there.

Despite the overheating and overcrowding, the attendee said that the ride "was fire" and particularly enjoyed "the launch thing."

Another rider said the ride is indeed worth the hype, assuming you get to the park on time. 

Several others echoed this stance, including one impressed rider who said that, while he is not a regular at Wonderland, "this would bring me back."

"Yeah, that was insane," said an excited passenger after stepping off AlpenFury.

Not all answers on if the ride lived up to the hype were definitive, like one attendee who explained that "as somebody who's been on a lot of roller coasters, yes and no. I personally like other launch coasters in the States a bit better than this."

See what else AlpenFury riders had to say in the video below:

@blogto Is the new ride at Canada's Wonderland worth the hype? #toronto #fyp #canadaswonderland #foryoupage ♬ original sound - blogTO

Do you think AlpenFury is worth the hype?