Speculation is running rampant as a mysterious new roller coaster preps to begin construction at Canada's Wonderland — one that is expected to become the new flagship attraction for the amusement park north of Toronto.

Canada's Wonderland sent out a survey in mid-2023 gauging public opinion on concept art for three separate coaster designs.

One of these concepts drew considerable interest: a launched wing coaster built into the park's signature feature, Wonder Mountain. And, almost one year later, construction has begun on a new ride that indeed appears to pass through the fake mountain.

However, multiple commentators on the theme park business believe that this rendering — while the closest of the three concepts to what might actually be planned for the park — no longer reflects the design or even the type of coaster that has been quietly approved behind the scenes.

As with previous major attractions at the park, searches for development applications are building permits filed with the City of Vaughan are fruitless, leaving little more than past announcements and analysis of ongoing construction activities to hint at a possible outcome.

As the rumour mill churns away, the park has kept silent on its plans aside from the survey and a subsequent 2023 announcement noting the closure of Xtreme Skyflyer to make way for "new developments."

As expected, Canada's Wonderland remained tight-lipped when pressed for details.

Grace Peacock, Wonderland's director of communications, tells blogTO that the park is "developing areas of the park for a future attraction," adding that "more details will be shared later this year."

Despite the radio silence from Canada's Wonderland and parent company Cedar Fair, insiders in the amusement park industry are widely aligned on two beliefs: first, that whatever is brewing is likely to be the single-largest investment in the park since its opening in 1981, and, second, that this new attraction will open in 2025.

Site preparation works are now underway within the park, and an update shared this past weekend by YouTube channel Amusement Insiders shows ongoing work in the area of Wonder Mountain, though it's not quite far enough into the process to really inform the public on what the iconic fixture will look like one year down the road.

The video also breaks down clues into the ride's layout, most notably recent soil samples taken from an area extending from near the park gate along the south side of the park's central fountain and Wonder Mountain, as well as an additional area northeast of the artificial mountain.

Combined with Wonderland's 2023 closure of Xtreme Skyflyer, the extensive preparatory work in the area of the closed ride has onlookers believing that a significantly tall lift or launch element will be constructed at this location.

Canada's Wonderland is expected to make a big announcement about its next major attraction later this year.