My El Toro Ride Reviews:
THE COASTER IN GENERAL:
I hopped into the rather comfortable seat, which consists of a contoured, hard plastic base and a semi-padded back rest.
I then fastened the military-style seat belt tight and fast across my lap. Next was to pull down on the inverted "U" shaped
hydraulic restraint, which provided a nice, safe feel. Note that because of this ride's Ejector Air, (HIGH upward forces
exerted on the rider), the ride attendants are required to "Staple" you (Secure you EXTREMELY SNUG) with the restraints.
I thought this was excessive at first, until a woman in front of me said that after I have ridden this once, I will be happy I was
Stapled. And I WAS Happy, both from my ride experience and that I was Stapled.
This Intamin (manufacturer located in Switzerland) coaster is unique because even if you are stapled you still feel air time.
Actually, you feel MAJOR air time with most of it being Ejector Air, meaning it feels as if the Bull (El Toro) wants to throw you
from it's back. This is a unique feeling and one you are not likely to feel on any other coasters.
Ok, back to the ride. Once the train leaves the station, it is pulled to the lift hill and effortlessy engages the cable
lift with only a one big clunk. After this, the train moves slowly at first until the entire train is engaged and completely
ON the lift. Then, you experience what feels like a MINI-Kingda Ka launch (so to speak). The train accelerates rather
quickly as you speed up the lift in approx. 10 - 15 seconds, almost feeling some airtime at the top as you crest into the
180 degree turn before the first drop.
The ride is smooth like a steel coaster, yet still squeaks a bit like a classic "woodie" (wooden coaster). The first drop is
INSANE, and gives you an amazing view of the entire Great Adventure park and all of the other coasters and larger rides.
The "Head Choppers" (Cross-over points where it "seems" as though your head comes really close to the supports
overhead) are intense, and caused me, as well as others near me, to lower our arms and crunch just a bit. This, of course,
is only for the first few rides until you realize that your head and arms will NEVER touch and you are completely SAFE !!!
Nevertheless, a really neat experience that happends at least 7 or so times throughout the ride.
The twister section, although rather small with highly banked turns, will keep you thrilled and screaming with excitement.
The turns are smooth and steep, and the train banks into each of these Beastly turns with such precision that you
actually feel like you are flying a fighter jet through a slalom course, or at least I can imagine is what this would be like.
Another unique element of this coaster.
After the twister section, the train slows nicely directly before the brake run (set of brakes which slow a coaster before it
enters the station). You stop directly over the base of Rolling Thunder's first drop, then glide down a semi-steep incline,
cheering Ole', Ole', Ole' as the Bull returns to the station.....Check-out more of my Ride Reviews & Experiences from various
seating positions BELOW !!!
BACK CAR, BACK SEAT:
This was my First & Second ride ever on this coaster. After you crest the lift, and because the train is so long, you can look
to the left and watch the first car travel down the first drop, then feel the entire train accelerate quickly. Soon, you are
WHIPPED down the Monsterous First Drop and are feeling as if you are actually on top of the world, FLYING through the air,
looking out over the park, all before you quickly descend down the 76 degree hill into the first head-chopper element. The
other hills all provide nice ejector air, but not as much as other seating arrangements.
FRONT CAR, FRONT SEAT:
This was my Third ride in this seating position, and was a real treat as I was looking out at the track over the bull's horns
mounted to the front of the train. For the BEST view of the park, the wind in your face and, in my opinion, the BEST ejector
air time, this is the seat to be in. Let me tell you that the first drop, a whopping 76 degrees, seems as though it curves
UNDER the train and you will literally fall off of the track - Oh Yeah, it's that COOL !!! Also, you may be thinking that
because the train is so long that the first car will be half way down the first drop before it starts to really accelerate.
Definitely NOT the case. As the train continues through the remaining hills, you will feel MAJOR ejector air on ALL of them,
especially the last hill directly before you enter the twister section.
FRONT CAR, THIRD SEAT:
Basically the SAME as above, yet the ejector air is enhanced. Others I talked to have felt the same way but I cannot explain
it. You'll just have to see for yourself.
MIDDLE OF TRAIN:
This is where I rode most of the time and feel had the best of both worlds. Nice ejector air, good views of the park on the
way down the first drop, and mild transitional effects. If you're worried about riding El Toro, ride in the middle of the train
at first, then graduate to a more extreme seating position like the FRONT or BACK....
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