Honeybee Express

The Honeybee Express is a children's roller coaster at Playland amusement park in Hastings Park, East Vancouver. It's designed as an introductory coaster for young kids who aren't tall enough or brave enough for The Coaster (the park's full-size wooden roller coaster).

The ride features small cars shaped like bees that travel along a compact track with gentle hills and turns. The speed is slow enough that it's exciting for small children without being scary. The ride lasts about 90 seconds — short, but young kids often want to ride it multiple times.

Height requirements are minimal compared to adult coasters. Very young children (roughly 2+) can ride if they're accompanied by an adult or older sibling, depending on the specific height thresholds set by the park. Check current height requirements on the PNE website or at the ride entrance.

The Honeybee Express is part of the Kiddieland section of Playland, which clusters several young-child rides together. This area includes a small carousel, a frog hopper drop ride, and other age-appropriate attractions. For families with mixed-age kids, parents can split up — one takes the little ones through Kiddieland while the other takes older kids on The Coaster and other thrill rides.

Playland operates seasonally, roughly May through September, with extended programming during the PNE Fair in late August. The Kiddieland rides generally have shorter wait times than the adult rides, making them a good value on the ride wristband.

The park has plenty of food vendors, washrooms, and shaded areas for rest breaks. Playland isn't a mega theme park — it's a neighborhood amusement park with a local feel. For young kids experiencing their first amusement park, the scale is perfect: big enough to be exciting, small enough not to be overwhelming.