Canada's Wonderland packs more roller coasters than any other park in Canada, and if you only get one day here you need a plan. The park sits in Vaughan, just north of Toronto, and the good stuff is spread across the property, so pace yourself. Here are the rides worth building your day around.

Yukon Striker

Hit this first, before the line balloons past 60 minutes. It's a dive coaster that hangs you over a 90 degree drop for a few seconds before plunging 245 feet at 130 km/h straight down and through an underwater tunnel. Four inversions follow. The floorless trains and the hold at the top make it the most intense coaster in the park. On busy summer Saturdays the wait can crack 90 minutes by noon.

Leviathan

The park's giga coaster tops out at 306 feet and hits 92 mph. It's a B&M speed machine, so it's smooth start to finish, more about pure airtime and sustained speed than tricky transitions. That first drop is an 80 degree monster. If you sit in the back row the pull over the crest is unreal.

Behemoth

Before Leviathan showed up in 2012, Behemoth was the tall one at 230 feet. It's still my pick for best airtime in the park. The stadium-style seating puts your legs out in the open and every hill floats you out of your seat. Lines here move fast because it runs three trains.

Wonder Mountain's Guardian

This one goes right inside the man-made mountain at the center of the park. It's part coaster, part interactive shooting dark ride, and it's genuinely fun even if you're not chasing a high score. Great pick for the hot part of the afternoon since most of it is indoors and shaded.

Vortex and The Bat

Vortex is a suspended coaster that swings you out over the mountain and the park below, and it's an underrated way to get a view. The Bat is a boomerang invert that runs you through the elements forward, then backward. Neither has a monster line, so save them for when the headliners are mobbed.

Timing your day

Get to the gate before opening and walk straight back to Yukon Striker and Leviathan while everyone else stops at the front rides. Knock out the big three in the first two hours. Midday, hit the indoor and water rides while lines peak. The last hour before close is gold for re-rides since crowds thin out fast. Weekdays in late spring and early fall are noticeably calmer than July and August weekends.

Bring a season pass if you're local. Between the coaster count and Splash Works water park included with admission, one visit rarely feels like enough.