El Toro Review...

[ChuckR]

Well after 30 rides on El Toro, all I have to say is I am still debating which I like more, El Toro or S:RoS in SFNE(Yes, it is that amazing).


Lets go back to yesterday morning, where I boarded the train in the back seat for my first time. After being stapled, we exited the station and go around the turn and head up the lift. After hearing the three horns we start to fly up the lift hill(which is 10% faster than MF). You actually even get a little pop of air as you crest the top of the lift, then you have no time to look around before you actually get tugged down the first drop and you get extreme ejector airtime!!

You fly down the lift going 70 miles per hour before bottoming out into an amazing headchopper before going up the first hill getting more amazing ejector air. Then you fly down the hill and no time to breathe enter then second hill even providing more ejector air. It is that insane.

Then you enter the awesome turnaround which is smooth and has some really good banking on it. You then enter the third hill which provides a good pop of air but not as extreme as the drop, first hill or second hill. But it is still good. Then you enter the hill before the bank and fly by the station and get some extreme headchoppers which make you think twice about keeping your hands up.

After all that excitement, you hit the bank turn and you gotta love that little headchopper they made before the hill over RT. Now, this hill is by FAR the best hill ever created! Every seat on this coaster gets the most AIRTIME I have ever expierenced in my life, I can never get enough of that hill.

Then it gets even better, after that hill you hit the twister section which is just crazy. You go left, then you go right, then left and then you hit that 180 degree turnaround. Just talking about it makes me want to go back there and try it again! You then go over a little hill and then slide into the brakes nice and smoothly.

This coaster has everything you need, its soo smooth and its AMAZING! I am seriously trying to decide if it's better than S:RoS in SFNE. It is currently sitting in my number 2 spot overall and it is now my favorite woodie.

GO RIDE EL TORO!!!

Posted on: June 12, 2006, 07:34:45 pmI will also have pictures up later and if any of you guys live in Ocean County. Make sure to get the Observor, I will be in it!!

OLE OLE OLE OLE!!

Update: Here are the pictures you been waiting for.

El Toro waiting for us

Here I am ready to do the Running of the Bulls!

OLE OLE!

El Toro flying by the station

First drop goodness!

Best airtime ever!

There is Wade with the press!

Austin seems like he had a blast!

AIRTIME!

Due to the high uplift forces of this ride!

Waiting for the GP to come in!

[Ogolo]

Well I got 2 rides on El Toro today (sorry no luckly 30 rides for me) and I'll have to say it is my new favorite in the park.  This is the first ride I've been on where the lift is actually a great part of the ride.  What really surprised me was the side snap as you went down the first hill.  I suppose the momentum from the front of the train goin down the hill gives you that extra speed at the back.  I didn't ride near the front...maybe next time.  I'll have to ride it a few more times to know what my favorite part is.  Great Adventure has a real winner on their hands with this one.

And yes load times were extremely long...Especially when someone doesn't quite fit in the seat and then they have to reset the entire train.  They said have to put the second train through all the testing that the first train went through before they will let anyone ride it.  I can't remember if I saw water dummies in it.  Once that comes online it will obviously make a big difference in the wait time.

Go Tame the Bull!!

[Dubya91]

Ok, So I will start off the review in the backseat of the ride, At this point I am stapled and not sure what to expect from this beast, Viper's old station was really kept the same for Toro, It's amazing how small Viper's trains were when you look around, So anyway I hear "DISPATCH, Enjoy your ride on EL TORO!" and we are off.

Around the turns we gently go and start to get up on the left, slowly we are going up, then I heard three horns and WHOOSH! We start to SOAR! It is amazing how smooth, silent and swift this thing really is, as we hit the top you almost get some airtime, then you are at a nice speed, see KK crest over the top and then a gap in track, but wait its the drop!

LET THE EJECTOR AIR BEGIN! You are soaring down the world's steepest drop at this point and the Ejector air just wont give in, then you hit the bottom where you are greeted by Positive G's and then up the first hill where a good 3 seconds of airtime,then back down and up the second hill for EVEN MORE airtime, its throught the whole hill too in both cases not just a little pop, its almost form start to finsih, so no we soar down this hill..

Then right into the perfectly smooth turnaround, the banking is as good as it can get and then you soar up another hill, where you whore up even more air, not as much but its there, then you drop back down, and you get a nice pop of floater air on the bunny hill as you pass the station, here is where you gather yourself for the great second half, oh yeah i forgot to mention, DUCK! Or it may seem like it can hurt, the headchopping is very noticable, beware 

So as you pull out you come up, but dont bring your head up yet, as your rocketing over RT, more head chopping and then here it is the BEST part of the ride, your get EXTREME INSANSE EJECTOR AIR that seems it will never give in, it starts and just RIPS you over the hill into the twister section of the ride, here the bull runs wild and give you an outta control cant stop feeling, it gets better each time you soar through it, once the bull tires out you climb up one last hill where you get the last bit of air, then into the breaks as it dont even seem like it, you use all of the speed, over RT, down a turn into more breaks and into the station with a feeling of just WOW! Words cannot describe this feeling!

El Toro in my book gets
11/10 Rating
It is that good, it is now my favorite coaster out of the 41 (Ok, not too many but hey now), but if you ride it you will see why, It rides like a steel and is hands down the best in the park, get down here and ride it at all costs, especially the back! You will NOT believe how great it is, you will be left speechless like me....

[ChuckR]

Updated with pictures!!

[Cyclonic]

Well, I guess i'll add my review here as well:

El Toro brings Six Flags Great Adventure something it has sorely needed, a fanominal wooden coaster.  I don't really rank my coasters, but if I did, this one would be up there pretty high.

The fun starts right on the lift hill, which is considerably faster then any other lift out there.  You fly up it and around the turn around, and then down the first drop, and what a drop it is.

I don't really know how to best describe the first drop, it leaves you speakless.  You are flunf from your seat and don't land back into it until you reach the bottom.  As you bottom out you plung into the woodwork, with head choppers that are sure to make you put your hands down.

The next two hills are simply amazing, some of the best airtime hills on any coaster, anywhere.  At the turn around you get thrown into a steep banked turn and dive down and around to the other side of the outbound track.

Next is one of the weak spots on the coaster, a few speed humps that give up some airtime, but not much, before a long left turn that leads to the twister section, with a great head chopper right in the middle of the turn.

Next comes the surprise element, the one that will WOW everyone that rides because it is hidden and unexpected.  After crossing over Rolling Thunder, you dive into the twister section on this steep, abrupt hill that tosses you from your seat and then quickly flies through a right, left, right turn sequnce that is lightning fast and stunningly close to the ground.

However, this is followed up by the weakest part of the ride, two little bunny hills that the train almost meanders over, giving little airtime.  To the coaster's credit, as the day wears on this section does speed up, but never really lives up to what the rest of the ride is. 

And the rest of the ride is fantastic.  Some people will not like how glass smooth it is, it feels like a steel coaster, but the general public reaction has been fantastic, and those are the opinions that really matter.

Externally, I love the ride's location, you get great views of it, yet at the same time part of it is hidden and a surprise to riders.  I love how the ride seems to wrap around the new Plaza Del Carnival section.

The trains are reletively comfortable, I think mostly because of the smooth ride, since there is little padding, and what there is of it is the harder foam.  They do staple you in, and larger people will not be able to ride as the sensors on the train are very finiky.  Operations were a little slow, but I think they will pick up are they get procedures down.

Overall, El Toro is a must ride, it is simply awesome and unlike any coaster out there.

[overlord]

^I agree with everything you said there. It does have some weak spots as you pointed out but it does not bring down the rest of the morale of the coaster. This is a must ride coaster if you go to the park. The airtime is incredible and will leave you speechless arriving back at the station. My favorite coaster by far.

[Cyclonic]

I'll follow up with some media day photos here:



Everyone gathers to head into the park as GASM roars overhead.



We hid out in Rolling Thunder's station until it was time to run.



Everyone streaming out of Rolling Thunder.



Down the first drop!



Diana and Austin.  In the background is Sam Marks (left) and Bob of the Coaster Zombies.



Coastin' Steve (right) and BubbaZ.



Diana and Austin again.  We can play "Spot Reggie" in this shot.



Another great ride!

[img]http://www.cyclonic.smugmug.com/photos/75129346-L.jpg[/img

The public finally gets to ride.

More photos can be found here:

http://cyclonic.smugmug.com/gallery/1556762

and here

http://cyclonic.smugmug.com/gallery/1552268

[Bubba Z]

It's funny,  out of all those great shots , my favorite is the empty Rolling Thunder station.

[Cyclonic]

Well, I do like to take a different perspective on my photos

[PcMan]

Looks like my zipper is down LOL  I'm getting old 
great pics,great coaster,great event I'm bringing my camera next time.
OK I got to get some work done, I can't stop reading all the great reviews.
I'm just still so existed about the event.

OLE'

[Cyclonic]

Are you in one of the shots?  Please, everyone, point yourselves out so we can get an idea of who you are.

And in case anyone is wondering, I am behind Austin (the kid) in this shot:

[Bubba Z]

Coastin' Steve (right) and BubbaZ


I think you already did that for me again Great shots!

 

[Cyclonic]

I really should have gotten pictures of everyone I could, but I was so busy, well, riding

Maybe that is an idea for Saturday, a Gadv Updates photoshoot.  Everyone on the site that will be at CC get together for a photo after ERT.  I'll bring a tripod and all.  I'll create a new thread.

[PcMan]

Here is 2 photos the only ones I can find with more then 10 people at a time coutesy of Penncoasters.com copy and add your name I missed the deadline for CC

[DianaR]

I really really wanted a group photo of ALL the fansite people together! I know it was going to be impossible LOL. Not your fault Wade, don't apologize! As Wade said in a differant thread, I won't be able to make CC because I have to work. I MAY show up later in the dat for a couple of hours just to say hello to some coaster friends coming in from out of State. I will call you Nathan if that happens

[DianaR]

Everyone did an awesome job covering Media Day! This is why we love that our affiliates & friends come as well. We all find something differant to bring to the fans It's been FUN!

[stew560]

Lookee there, it's Stew! (A rare pic with no sunglasses!)

[overlord]

I like the little facial hair thing you got going on. Im surprised you arent wearing your sunglasses. You usually are.