Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Six Flags Great Adventure and Kings Dominion Trip Report
Sept. 6, 2010
Before we get to the main event, lemme quickly share a few more tidbits. Nitro was the bomb, of course. Still one of the best of the hyper Beemers, for sure. The Log Flume was also good for some wet yucks. Skull Mountain was aggressively annoying. Not a bad coaster, but what the damn is going on with the stuff inside? Two static "props" and that's it?! Sheesh... Just get rid of them, plug all the light holes and be done with it. Also, the acoustics in the load room are terrible and the lead ride op needs to back off the mic. This is what we had to suffer through with every dispatch (at earsplitting volume):
"ShesnasheersherfseesnpawsherfderfSkuuuuuulllMOWNtin!"
Oy. Thankfully, one ride in this park makes up for a million Skull Mountains. And that ride is El Toro.
We basically added a 14-hour round-trip to our itinerary for this one coaster. Totally worth it.
I had never been on one of the Intamin "pre-fab" woodies before, but the raves have been unending and my hopes were sky-high that this would be in my wooden coaster Top Five. It is my Number Two, just a hair behind The Voyage.
It seems almost impossible that a woodie this gargantuan would be such a graceful, pleasant experience. Defies all common sense, it does.
And so beautiful, too.
The airtime is monstrous. Over every hill.
Pretty as a peach, I tells ya.
I truly hope this trend of ad-plastered cars just curls up and dies. Soon. I mean, come on, this looks ridiculous. I'm making it a point never to purchase any product advertised in this manner. Hmph. (Take that, Axe Body Spray, Sprint Gum and unnecessary Karate Kid remake!)
But even with the goofball graphics, this train is just spectacular. Very comfortable restraints, so much upper-body freedom, miraculous. Intamin, I bow low before your brilliance. And look the expressions: these people are having the time of their lives. Well, except for that chick towards the back (left row, in front of the guy in the green shirt) who looks like she's delivering a 20-pound baby...
In my experience, this is the best first wooden coaster drop, by a mile. Steep and deep, hellyeah!
And man, does that cable lift hustle you up...
Amazing, simply amazing.
Check out the bank on this turn. And what I couldn't properly photograph was all the spaghetti-bowl hysteria of the final portion. Out of freaking control.
Proud bull is proud. And he should be. Other parks: build more of these NAO!!!!!!
Bye-bye, topiary Bugs!
And topiary Daffy!
And topiary Wile E. Coyote!
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