Author Topic: Top 5 Wood Coasters. GO! (Read 15248 times)

AV Matt · « **Reply #50 on:** September 06, 2009, 10:38:48 AM »

Yeah, the "banked" comment had me LOLing. And the lapbars?

For what it's worth, I think El Toro was a great investment for the park. It's not my favorite by any means, but it is in the top 25 or so of the over 100 different wooden coasters I've been fortunate to ride. The "steel feel", uncomfortable restraints, dead hills, and bad ending (after the twisting) make it harder for me to appreciate, but I won't deny it has some fabulous airtime.

I've been riding Phoenix for 11 years now and it has really grown on me. I always liked it a lot, but didn't understand why it was ranked so high until more recently. It's becoming more and more one of my top favorites.

P.S. Going off topic is what makes this fun, as the discussion stays related to the topic and doesn't turn into a bunch of puns and haiku like CoasterBuzz.

dkny6363 · « **Reply #51 on:** September 06, 2009, 11:23:00 AM »

If I have this correct Matt the section between the airtime hills and the drop over RT is where you find it to be dead. Correct? I agree this is the worst part of the ride but it's only in comparison to the hills, the drop over RT, and the insane twisting ending. Possible the 3 greatest sections of any ride I've ever been on. The drop over RT being the most insane.

I have a theory that this slow section is to lull you to sleep in a way, like a calm before the storm approach. Or even a rope-a-dope if I may. It makes you think the worst of it is over and then boom, insane ejector air followed by twisted mayham.

I agree that section could be a little better but
I think the first three hills desensitise you a bit. Also I do find the turn around pretty enjoyable. The speed at least.

As far as the phoenix goes. I can totally see how it grows on you. I've only been 2 years and from the 1rst to the 2nd it's grown on me massively. Next year I am going to wait until PPP to go so I imagine that will increase my enjoyment 10 fold.

AV Matt · « **Reply #52 on:** September 07, 2009, 01:40:03 AM »

I'm mostly referring to the last two hills just before the brake run, but the middle two hills really suck too. Lemme 'splain it to you. No, there is too much. Lemme sum up. I am an airtime junkie. There can never be too much airtime, and drops/hills are pointless unless they are going to throw you out of your seat (except for really long ramps to build up speed, like the Beast's finale. I like those). Coasters should start off strong and maintain that strength if not get stronger all the way to the brake run, just like a great action movie. So with that in mind, here is what I find wrong with El Toro's layout... (please forgive me)

1) It's great until the first spiral drop/turnaround, where the track banks before the train reaches the apex of the hill. This eliminates the airtime that could otherwise be here. If only the bank was just after the apex of the hill (could also be a nice lateral as a bonus), then you'd get one more amazing boost of air before getting tossed to the side as the train dives down the spiral drop. Oh man, how sick that could be.

2) The tall straight drop after that spiral drop. Unless the train is hauling (which it usually isn't from my experience), there is no airtime on this drop. After those first three hills of ejector air, this hill is a major buzz kill IMO. It's not that it's just weak by comparison; it's a dead hill and could be made great with just a tad of re-profiling.

3) The low profile stretched-out speed hill. Again, no airtime. What's the point of this hill if it doesn't deliver the goods? It maintains speed, but even GCI could make this hill sick.

4) The climb into the next (upward) spiraling turnaround. No pop of air on the little hill into the turn. This minor, but another missed opportunity. Little details like this are why The Gravity Group are the masters of the coaster universe.

Ok so from there it kicks butt again (except on cold days. I can't believe it can slow down THAT much). The drop over RT is amazing (except on cold days)! I love the zig-zag and the final turnaround. I really do. But then...

5) The second to last twisting bunny hill is absolutely a dud. And...

6) The last twisting bunny hill is absolutely a dud. What happened here, Intamin? When the ride was announced, I expected these two hills to be amazing, knowing how great the twisting bunny hop on Ride of Steel at SFA is. But wait...

7) The climb into the brake run is absolutely a dud. Terrible way to end an already awful ending. It always feels like the train has to fight its way up on to the brae run. BAD way to end a coaster. Bad Intamin! I really think they expected the train to be going over those last hills a lot faster than it turned out. It just doesn't make sense to have two hills in a row that do nothing. And the track length is kind of short relative to the height of the lift hill, so it seems the train is burning too much energy. Usually Intamins hit the brakes with plenty of energy left, but the Bull barely makes it to the brakes. If only it could borrow a little wasted momentum from Kingda Ka.

Ok, now I'll really sum up... (I couldn't resist the Princess Bride reference above)
A) The first out run is fabulous (mostly).
B) The first back run is a buzz kill.
C) The second out run is fabulous.
D) The second back run is HORRIBLE.

Now, imagine if all of the above "dead spots" were remedied. Then, I would have a very hard time saying there's anything wrong with that ride (other than being way too smooth and the crappy restraints of course), but perhaps Matt's El Toro would be too much for some of you.

As for all of the wood coasters I prefer over El Toro (about 25 of them), none of them have moments of airtime as extreme as El Toro's, BUT they all have great pacing with little to no dead spots to let me stop and realize the ride isn't as good as it could be, and they feel like a wood coaster which is an important element of the experience for me.

It's still a great ride though, just not the greatest IMO.

kingdakafan · « **Reply #53 on:** September 07, 2009, 01:42:14 AM »

holy crap that was long...

AV Matt · « **Reply #54 on:** September 07, 2009, 02:23:36 AM »

That was the short version.

themeparkrider · « **Reply #55 on:** September 07, 2009, 08:12:08 AM »

The two hills at the end are to ensure that Toro will brake easily at the end! wow

WadeJ · « **Reply #56 on:** September 07, 2009, 08:15:43 AM »

Any post the references the princess bride is a good post lol. Nice summary Matt. I actually agree for the most part too because like you said, Matt's El Toro would likely be too extreme for many of us. I think the ride is right on the money personally.

Also, as with most Intamins, the restraints aren't always bad. I love them personally. And the only part I don't understand is why the ride can in fact be so different. I've flown through both dead spots you mentioned. I've also hit the brakes rather hard to the point that it almost felt like Nitro. And for some reason I have yet to experience that this summer. I can only assume to comes down to the train configuration as there are no trims. Still a good post though Matt. And if it had those additional qualities all the time I would probably never again ride 30+ times in one day lol.

themeparkrider · « **Reply #57 on:** September 07, 2009, 08:23:15 AM »

okay right I see

WadeJ · « **Reply #58 on:** September 07, 2009, 08:26:23 AM »

Btw - to the folks that care, sorry about my poor grammar above. I typed the entire post on my bberry so it isn't up to my usual standards

.

AV Matt · « **Reply #59 on:** September 07, 2009, 09:15:37 AM »

Quote from: themeparkrider on September 07, 2009, 08:12:08 AM

The two hills at the end are to ensure that Toro will brake easily at the end! wow

Umm no. Ka hits the same kind of brakes at about 50pmh faster. Magnetic brakes decelerate proportionally to the momentum of the train. The hills aren't lame to slow the ride down.

What I described above would be like Voyage on steel track. I think you all would love it. Don't be afraid.

Bubba Z · « **Reply #60 on:** September 07, 2009, 10:43:10 AM »

^ There's no triple down on El Toro or a third L.I.M . ; )

themeparkrider · « **Reply #61 on:** September 07, 2009, 03:41:26 PM »

Okay thanks!

nitrorox1414 · « **Reply #62 on:** September 07, 2009, 06:09:05 PM »

So many rants on Toro!!

kingdakafan · « **Reply #63 on:** September 07, 2009, 08:04:11 PM »

Yeah can we stop beating down on El Toro? Its a great ride!

AV Matt · « **Reply #64 on:** September 08, 2009, 10:08:38 AM »

It's a great ride, but needs a lot of work to be sooper dooper great.

LOL Bubba.

themeparkrider · « **Reply #65 on:** September 08, 2009, 08:57:37 PM »

Not every ride CAN be sooper dooper great. It's like saying that you only drive the best most expensive cars in the world just becuase they are.

kingdakafan · « **Reply #66 on:** September 08, 2009, 11:21:00 PM »

except for the chuck norris of roller coasters, bizarro(ne)

AV Matt · « **Reply #67 on:** September 09, 2009, 12:28:56 AM »

Quote from: themeparkrider on September 08, 2009, 08:57:37 PM

Not every ride CAN be sooper dooper great. It's like saying that you only drive the best most expensive cars in the world just becuase they are.

Not sure what that's supposed to mean. I still ride nearly every thing and enjoy nearly everything regardless if it could be significantly better.

Anyhow, now we are going too far off topic.

Ogolo · « **Reply #68 on:** September 13, 2009, 04:03:13 PM »

I may have a Boulder Dash hangover today.
Many, Many rides yesterday at Oc~Boulder~Fest.
The many high ratings of Boulder Dash are well deserved.

I'll be back next year. It was great to see everyone there!
I think I may need some more Advil.

B-mac · « **Reply #69 on:** September 13, 2009, 04:49:15 PM »

atleast you enjoyed it, right?

AV Matt · « **Reply #70 on:** September 13, 2009, 06:17:14 PM »

It was better than El Toro.

B-mac · « **Reply #71 on:** September 13, 2009, 06:38:00 PM »

Don't start this again.

AV Matt · « **Reply #72 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:53:43 PM »

Well it was.

. It was second only to Voyage last night...some of the best night rides ever.

Steve · « **Reply #73 on:** September 14, 2009, 12:12:28 PM »

These are all my top 5.

1) The Voyage
2) El Toro
3) Tennessee Tornado
4) Phoenix
5) Son of Beast (pre-loop)

Yes, I loved Son of Beast.

AV Matt · « **Reply #74 on:** September 14, 2009, 12:49:41 PM »

By pre-loop do you mean the part before the loop or SoB when ti had the loop? The loop was the best part and the ride is pointless without it IMO.

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Author Topic: Top 5 Wood Coasters. GO! (Read 15248 times)