Recently, a few of my friends and I were reminiscing about Ontario Place. I have spent so much time here growing up. I always liked that when you purchased admission to The Ex, you got to visit Ontario Place. My parents and I went here often. It was great watching the air show from Ontario Place. I have fond memories of all of us sitting on a boulder and taking in the show. It was fun doing pedal boat rides in swans and the bumper boats. I have photos of waving like a crazy kid in them. As a teenager, I spent so much time visiting Cinesphere to take in a movie when I had enough money. It was cool back in the day. Oh, let's not forget about The Forum. It was a nice venue to take in live performances. I didn't get into seeing huge concerts here (I was 18 years old when I officially saw my first concert), but I did see whatever acts were on with my parents. Perhaps over a decade ago, I dropped by to take in the Toronto Chinese Lantern Festival. It was magical seeing all these displays at night. I took so many photos and I like looking at how spectacular the displays were. I miss it. The closest that I get is seeing concerts at Ontario Place is at Budweiser Stage. It's a nice venue when you have Lake Ontario as a backdrop. It's lovely to spot when you are doing a boat tour (I was fortunate to do one a few years ago). You can't miss it. The marina is alive and kicking. I always admired when folks were there taking in the music and view. Here's hoping that whatever restoration plans are in store for Ontario Place are realized. It's such a lovely area. It's a shame that it's not used as much as it should be these days. (455) read more

Ontario Place - Ontario Place from Lake Ontario - Local Flavor Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Okay, imagine going back in time to be a kid again! That's Ontario Place. Ontario Place was the theme park that was affordable in the GTA with a sunshine guarantee (so if you went during the rain you got a free second visit). Fast forward to present it is an abandoned place for events. I've visited this place a few times, for the BBQ Fest in 2018, the Asian BBQ fest. Oh yea I remember in 2018 getting a bottle of ketchup with me on it! I also remember spending 30$ for a set of tickets to visit different venues-no direct money payment. In 2018 I've also gone to Winterfest that has light art and an artificial skating rink made of plexiglass; not sure if it damaged my skate blades because I didnt drag my skates out. Reason I visited is for Snow Magic, I had a Yelp endorsed ticket - usually $80 with ticket vender during peak time. The Snow Magic was a feature of artist work; Ontario Place has a nice way to showcase community artists as other events in the Winter have featured lots of art work stationary and moving with lots of artistic optic plays with mirrors. I did capture many photos of the events, feel free to check out then out when they're posted @foodrebelivana for events from this event. This event is truly family friendly; not enough seats in your 6 seater van, take a Mercedes and make it a party as they charge one fixed rate irrespective of the number of people in the vehicle (safely travelling of course). :) Overall Ontario Place has turned into a money pit venue, pretty much every venue I've been to has asked for some sort of compensation up front or didnt bother because its ridiculously cold. read more

I used to love going to Ontario Place as a kid. I was quite sad to find out that it had closed. It's good that, at least partially, the space is used for other functions and events. I attended the Aurora Winter Festival last winter and now Alegría by Cirque du Soleil at The Big Top. I much prefer the Cirque show being at Ontario Place versus the Port Lands. Ontario Place is accessible by TTC, GO and has large parking lots. Needless to say, Alegría was amazing! If this review was for Alegría it would be 5 stars for sure. Under the Big Top there was merchandise for sale, concession stands, a VIP lounge, a throne/chair you could take photos on and plenty of porta potties outside with their own sinks. read more

See all

I went here as a part if Snow Magic Drive-Thru. Everything was well-organized. The parking is $20 until midnight, so if you want to park for an hour, it's not worth it at all; especially when you can find reasonable parking prices close-by. read more

Most of the place is still closed off, but it's still available as an event space and...DUCKS :D Whenever they have events here, be sure to bring a camera so that you can take pictures of ducks. And their ducklings. read more

Ontario Place - The reason to go to Ontario Place now. - Local Flavor Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I didn't grow up in Toronto, so I never knew Ontario Place in her heyday. I will say, though, in the summertime there is still a lot going on! The venue is used for lots of festivals and fairs and the park and water views are fabulous. The IMAX is back up and running in the Cinesphere and and I look forward to introducing my daughter to the joy of pedal boats soon. read more

Ontario Place - Open for movie business - Local Flavor Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

During the winter months the city of Toronto puts together a FREE lightshow which in turn works as an art gallery of sorts for various local artists. They take an abandoned amusement park (okay it's closed but it has the creepy feel of something that has been abandoned) and transform it into a brightly-lit winter wonderland. Parking is nearby but it's worth parking across the street and saving yourself the headache. The remains of some rides are still within the park as you check out the exhibit (including the old log flume). Pretty cool to check out and even though it's cold since it's right on the water, it makes for some great photos to share with your friends back home. There is also an iMax theatre here and an amphitheatre that is open during the warmer months. They're hoping to change this place around completely (maybe a casino?) but there's something nice about the fact that, for the most part, it remains untouched. read more

Visit here and get ready to see what must be one of the biggest, visible wastes of squandered potential and misused government money known as OP Take a friend to any IMAX movie (I saw Stones At The Max there just last week) and you're likely going to have the entire cinesphere almost yourselves. It's an eerie, but cool feeling- having almost to yourself a private theatre with Ontario's largest IMAX screen and a 26,400 watt sound system :)) It feels here like an island that's way off tourist season and no one's around save a few workers here and there. So odd. Their neat idea of a summer skating rink is a disaster. Not much momentum can be sustained on the plasticy surface, and the skates aren't sharp enough (says a skater I ran into there). A girl that works at the rink said that she has never seen any more than one single party at a time on the rink. Never a crowd. Pity. There is quite a loaded battery of lovely new-looking skates in the rental booth with no one to love them. And one seriously bored student sitting in front of them. When OP closed down in 2012 my kids cried, while looking at a map of OP amusements. So many good memories we had there- many of them at the fantastic water park and the cute little 680 news driving school. It was just so great and relaxed a place for families. Now all that's there is a whole lot of beautiful nature and some expensive places to rest while you cycle, run or rollerblade through the park. Oh OP. What will become of your beautiful lands??? When will large crowds gather once again?? read more

See all

My husband and I spent the afternoon at Ontario Place. We were out for a walk and wandered in because admittance is now free (you pay a set fee if you want to do stuff). It's definitely showing it's age. There's not much to do unless you're about ten. We wandered around, had lunch at the Marina Grill and went for a helicopter ride. No doubt we'll be back to hang out on the patio of the Marina Grill. read more

See all

Hey you guuuuuys! Came down here to watch a screening of The Goonies at the Cinesphere with a friend and wow, has it changed since I first moved to Toronto four years ago! The movie theatre itself was really cool. I didn't know Toronto was the birthplace of IMAX and was nerding out over all the fun facts about Ontario Place and 70s pics that they played on the screen before the movie. And of course, watching The Goonies on the big screen totally rocked my world. It was dark when we were leaving but Ontario Place was totally lit up. The little island area is completely redone with what looked like food shops and bike paths. Such a cute summer vibe for waterfront nights and I will definitely be back to check out what else they've done with the place. ;) read more

5 stars if it was 1979.. Ontario place was a really cool, unique theme park. They have a nice space for weddings, fortunately movies are playing again, mostly second run.. For the most part it's sat for ages, with little to no reason to enter. Toronto has improvements, overall a disappointing waterfront. This Ontario place takes a big chunk of it. The imax theatre is incredible, check it out. Rest of Ontario place looks abandoned l. read more

I went to Ontario Place in late August just to get some fresh air so very little expectations of theme-park activity will be used as comparison here. The fact that it was FREE entrance didn't hurt one bit. Little did I realize that with minimal expectations attitude it turned out to be a very enjoyable day in the park. If we had the same weather year-round as Vancouver and that Ontario Place had more greenery/forest, I would have taken it as Stanley Park by mistake. The docks with the boats, nice walking pathway not quite bicycle/inline skates friendly, the spectacular waterfront view on a blue sky white cloud day with the water shimmering. I did block out the whole Ontario Place experience to see the comparison with Stanley Park but the shows, rides,attractions, waterparks did put smiles on faces of Families with small Children. With the families came screaming Children, crying Children, running Children, etc... Normally, in past Summers it would cost for Grounds Admission then a purchase of either the All-Day-Pass or Pay-as-you-Play. This Summer I'm glad it was free entrance so I could casually pace around soaking in the warm Sun and intake the beautiful lakeside calm peaceful scenery. read more

See all

the Ontario place i once knew was an amazing place to go as a kid, the Ontario place that is here and now, is a different animal all together!. the water park and amusement rides are long gone, the IMAX theater is almost up and running again, and Atlantis is still in place. so you might be asking what is left? a whole bunch of land, on waterfront that various people are using for art expos, or food fests. was fortunate to come here in the summer and the fall to not only have a trip down memory lane, but also check things out. a lot of the buildings remain in good shape, but have not been updated at all. towards the extreme left side of the island remains the old log ride and the old barn maze which is locked away from the general public, because they still do not know what to do with it all this time since Ontario place closed down in 2012. oh and not to mention that if you look really hard you can still see some advertisements/specials for Ontario place from the summer of 2011...memory lane INDEED! this land has been a wonderful place for people to walk, jog, run, bike ride, skateboard, roller blade etc. you can get a lot of calories burned "running" around this place. my only complaint is that transit is not a nice option to getting here, as some lines come close, but involve a 15-30 minute walk one-way. parking is available on site, and i'm not sure what the charge is, if at all anything. read more

Last time I went to Ontario Place I wanted to shoot myself out of boredom. I don't understand why they don't just make access to the grounds free, and keep paid access to things like the rides, water park, etc. I do remember one time I went there with my high school that was fun though. Some yacht owner was driving around the harbour blasting the Macarena while people danced on the bow. Even if they knew how embarrassing that dance was going to be years later, I think they still would have done it. That was priceless, but not an incident Ontario Place can claim responsibility for. read more

Where else can I hang out in my bikini with a beer while my kids run wild through the water park and slides? The cafe next to the splashzone serves a decent Chicken Gyro with salad washed down with a beer while you enjoy the sailboats sliding by on lake Ontario. So civilized (for an amazement park that is.) The cafe next to the marina has a bit more of a menu and serve a decent greek salad, with the cost about the same as the food stands located around the park. Easy access to the rides, with no lines (except weekend waterpark fun on hot days) Mini golf and an IMAX theater round out the experience. It's a tolerable way to spend the last dog dayz of summer. read more

meh. Not a lot to do here if you're not 10 years old. However, they do have the occasional concert that is amazing to see in their outdoor theatre! Don't even bother getting tickets to the covered area seating, the lawn seating is where it's at. read more

Ontario Place - concert stage - Local Flavor Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Having not been since I was much younger, my girl and I gave Ontario Place a whirl. I was skeptical, as I wasn't sure if it would suit people who were going without children. Ok, so it's no Wonderland, but I actually found myself having a lot of fun. The weather was gorgeous, and just getting to walk around lakeside is a treat for someone who doesn't get out that way very often. The casual atmosphere (versus the crazy lines and ride-rush of Wonderland) definitely fit the situation as well. As for the attractions there...well there aren't many. We did the log ride a couple of times (which was not how I remembered it AT ALL), as well as the 4D theater, which was fun...I even got water squirted into my ear during the thrilling underwater scene. Good shot! The mini-golf was also fun, and was included with the Play-All-Day pass. We also hit up the water park section, which I didn't remember from my youth, but was really fun. We did the single-person slide once, and the 2-person tube slide a few times, which was really fun, if not much different from Splash Works at Wonderland. All in all, a really fun day. Sure, it doesn't have the flashy rides of Wonderland, but it also didn't have the insane crowding that goes along with that. I was looking for a nice relaxing day that allowed the chance to enjoy my company and do a few fun things, and I got exactly that. read more

Absolutely love this place. Loved it since I was a child. Thanks Toronto for keeping a parklike setting and green space on the water. It's a nice place to get away from all the traffic and noise. The cinesphere, festival of lights, ice skating, walking trails and sunsets was magical. Loved it. It was so nice to be back at Ontario Place. I used to go to Ontario Place when I was very little with my family and always had fond memories of it. We used to go every weekend and loved going to the forum and seeing famous artists perform along with children's place and pedal boats. Beautiful outdoor setting. It's so nice to see that the greed of developers haven't taken this land over and Toronto is keeping it as a beautiful park space. There is such a lack of park space in the G.T.A and to keep one near the water is fantastic. This has always been my favourite go to place. Canada's Wonderland is just filled with noise and chaos and Ontario Place is just a beautiful setting where you can stroll along the water and get away from the noise of the city. I am so grateful Toronto is keeping it as a park setting which will have different venues lined up. I went recently with my family for my 50th birthday and enjoyed seeing 3 movies in the cinesphere, outdoor skating, walking along the water and strolling through the festival of lights and seeing an amazing sunset. The whole family loved it. The nice part was it felt like you were up north walking along the water side but in the heart of the city. I truly hope Ontario Place lasts through many more generations and people just appreciate the nature walks and it's old world glory. I'm looking forward to seeing it's new transformation while hopefully keeping it's historic water trails and parks. Thanks for not tearing it down. read more

I went to the Cinesphere to see The Greatest Showman in Imax. The movie start was advertised to start at 4pm. By the time I found the right area. ..no signs for the box office inside the door...no signs outside either to speak of. So I walked all the way to the end of the walkway only for all to be locked so I walked all the way back. In a steaming hot walkway. Good thing I came early. The box office person said the doors would open by 3pm...and the movie would start at 4pm. I went all the way back to the theatre and they didn't want to let me in because at 3:20 PM they were still testing the projector and sound. They did let me in to sit and wait which was fine...but by 4:10 the movie still hadn't started. When it at least it didn't have adverts like other theatres. The movie itself was breathtaking but could have done without the inconvenience. read more

The place was beautifully decorated with lights everywhere. There are art displays along the paths for a nice walking tour all over the old Ontario place park grounds. It was nice reminiscing about what rides were where 15 years ago when the amusement park was still open. There was a nice bonfire area that was manned by an employee to ensure it was safe and that there was enough firewood burning at all times. You can even purchase a package of 6 marshmallows for $2, or 12 for $3 and $7 for a s'mores package that included marshmallows, chocolate and roasting sticks. The skating rink was where I was disappointed. It was literally skating on plastic. Very difficult and painful as it wasn't smooth like a real ice rink. They have skate rentals available at a cost but the skating is free. Come for the art displays, lights, romantic walk around the park and a less crowded tourist area. Despite the cold, it was a visit worth making. Very family friendly! read more

Ontario Place - Local Flavor Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I have been here several times now or concerts. Very nice venue ! Seats are good, even lawn. You an see from everywhere. Lots of concessions. Friendly staff. Getting out after a show can be challenging ! Watch out for the cabbies that are right by the entrance. They go rogue and gouge concert goers..."how much will you pay?". If you take a short walk up the road to the first light and hail a can there, you can get the normal fare. Fun place to hang. Beer is cold, food isn't to bad. read more

Ontario Place - NIN - Local Flavor Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Went here for great big steak and well... boating with a crew from the company... fun fun fun... Saw a film, not on TV, on the IMAX another time... Cheers Andrew (c) Copyright 2017. Andrew M. Walduck. Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. read more

Ontario place is a small amusement park for younger kids. They have a number of rides and even a water park. They usually have a number of people in costumes for you to take pictures with. There is also an Imax which you can watch certain films (but not movies!) for free. You can walk along the harbour and cross over to the Canadian National Exhibition centre during summer. However, the park is getting a bit old and there is not a lot to offer for the older kids. Adults may find the place a bit dull. read more

Nice for kids. The last time I went was when I was 16, and this was 2 years ago. My (at the time) 11 year old brother enjoyed, while I was absolutely bored out of my mind (until the waterpark). They have a drop tower which is about 30 ft high which again, great for kids. But there's really no rides here for teenagers or adults The waterpark was amazing, though. Without the waterpark, this would be a 1-star review instead of a 3-star review. A decent number of large waterslides; what they lack in rides, they certainly make up for with the waterpark. I don't remember much about Ontario Place other than that, but I do remember that the food is quite expensive. They could really improve by upgrading the place so that it appeals to more age groups. read more

The skating rink here is one of the worst rinks I've ever been too. The 'ice' is just plastic boards that dull your blades. Wouldn't even think of risking my skates. The staff and security didn't even know what was going on, so they were unable to help us. read more

Getting into parking lot takes 20-30 minutes. It is not even the busy summer time. How can this be? Who runs this place?

Great fun for kids. Will be crowded on a sunny weekend day & during the CNE. Watch for coupons and get a day pass - it was well worth the ride all day factor. Pack a lunch and picnic as food is typically expensive - 6 chicken fingers, maybe 40-50 french fries and 2 bottle's of apple juice were ~$25. read more

Ontario Place is a great place for kids. As an adult I think it's kind of boring. I come through here if I'm at the EX in August, and when they have the air show, and if we have relatives visiting from abroad that want to see this place in the summer. I take it back, I like the pedal boats too. read more

I should have read the review regarding the fact that this place is not Disney World. The staff their has obviously never taken any type of customer service training, they are all slightly under 18 years old. The biggest smile comes to their faces when they are busy chatting and visiting the employees among themselves. I brought my four year old daughter to the splash zone and she had a sudden reaction to the chlorine and sun combination. Her skin broke out and turned red and itchy therefore she was crying. As she was crying, I frantically searched all through gift shops for some sort of soothing cream, calamine lotion or benadryl. However, I shocked to find that they did not sell any. When I called First Aid, which that itself was hard to do considering the fifteen year olds working there could care less, the intensive care (the seventeen year olds) arrived with a bag of ICE. He then told me that I should have brought my own cream! Its an unsafe and scary place to bring young children from my experience. We had to leave immediately and therefore was not able to view the fireworks on Canada Day which was a waste of money on admission fee. When I went to customer service, the head of communications (another seventeen year old) gave me a blank stare. They have no appreciation for their customers, seeing as how she didn't even ask for my name or take down my complaint. I would NEVER recommend this place to ANYONE. ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN! Compared to parks in the United States which, I'm sorry to say seeing as I am canadian, were sadly a whole lot better compared to Ontario Place. Happy Canada Day everyone! *insert sarcastic tone* read more