Canada’s Wonderland is enacting a new chaperone policy for its annual Halloween Haunt, after incidents of “unruly and inappropriate behaviour.”
Starting Sept. 26, the theme park in Vaughan will require guests 15 years old and under to be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21.
The new policy does not apply during Wonderland’s daytime hours, but will be in effect as of 6 p.m. each day when the park reopens for the Halloween Haunt experience.
“A safe, family-friendly atmosphere is the type of experience our guests expect and deserve at Canada’s Wonderland,” the park said in a statement. “We’re introducing this policy as a best practice in the industry, after seeing incidents of unruly and inappropriate behavior over the years at amusement parks and major entertainment venues.”
Guests who are 15 or under will be required to arrived with their chaperone, who must have a valid government-issued photo ID to prove they are at least 21 or older.
The park says one chaperone can be used for up to 10 guests aged 15 or younger, and must stay with the group during their visit and be available to park employees by phone.
“We want to ensure that all guests have a fun and enjoyable experience,” Wonderland said. “We are always evaluating our safety policies and will continue to make modifications based on the needs and behaviours we are seeing in the park.”
Visitors who are 16 or older may also be asked to show ID to verify their age, and could be denied entry without it, the park said.
Canada’s Wonderland told CTV News Toronto the policy will only be in place for Halloween Haunt.
