WonderCoasters
A Gallery of Student Built Roller Coasters for Canada's Wonderland Roller Coaster Contest
For Pictures of Winning Rollercoasters:
There are 4 award categories:
(Sorry - this is really old & maybe out of date - last updated before 2008...)
  1. Technical Merit - the roller coaster that is determined by the judges to record the highest score according to the technical merit calculation will be declared the best roller coaster.
    1. Remember - the rules change every year. What works one year may not work the next.
    2. The strategy has been lots of loops and lots of time. Hard Drive had 22 loops and 90 s. Steez'n had 13 loops and 60 s.
    3. Notice the time eating straight tracks - these may be gone in 2003.
  2. Creativity and Artistic Value - the roller coaster that is in the opinion of the judges the most creative and makes the best use of available materials.
    1. Judges have been looking for a well integrated design - not just a theme pasted on at the end.
    2. Treehouse is a popsicle stick construction which gave the feeling of Tarzan moving between treehouses.
    3. Paper Dream was an  all paper construction. Rolls of paper tubes make the vertical structure and origami stars and cranes with cotton complete the decoration.
  3. Best Elementary School Roller Coaster - the roller coaster that is the best one constructed by students enrolled in an elementary school (grade 8 or less). 
  4. Most Exciting to Ride - the roller coaster that is the one that would be the most exciting to ride if it was constructed for humans at Paramount Canada’s Wonderland.  The Ride Engineer from Paramount Canada’s Wonderland will judge this category. There will ONLY be a first place in this category. 

Construction Tips
A discussion of:
  • Track Material
  • Connectors
  • Vertical Supports
  • Loops & Corkscrews
  • Temperature
click here

Comments and questions:
mark.kinoshita@tdsb.on.ca
Mark Kinoshita
Head of Physics
North Toronto C.I.

Technical Merit
Fifth Dimension

1st place - 2002
Score: 9.0 million		 Steez'n

2nd place - 2002
Score 8.8 million		 Hard Drive

Score: 21 million
but didn't work at Wonderland
Slapshot

1st place - 2001
Sudden Death

2nd place - 2001
Red Devil

1st place - 1998
Creativity and Artisitic Value
Treehouse

1st - 2002		 Paper Dream

2nd - 2002		 BBQ

(3rd - no 3rd prize is awarded)
Forest ?

1st - 2001
Discoaster

2nd - 2001
(shown w/o lights and sounds)
Dragon Flyer

another artistic coaster

Best Elementary School Roller Coaster

Jungle Fever

1st - 2002
almost won in creativity ...
 Survivor

2nd - 2002		 Remember, these coasters don't have to work to win! Yes, the judges try them - but mostly these are judged on appearance and the track design.
Try to create an interesting track, with good use of materials and a great theme.

Most Exciting to Ride - Park Engineer Award

Son of Beast (2002)
Popsicle Pete (2001)
Every year, it seems that the Park Engineer Award goes to a "wooden" roller coaster...
c