The future of El Toro?
They just about might as well RMC it.
Haven't heard the theory of an RMC treatment yet. RMCing El Toro almost sounds bizzare, but I suppose it's possible!
I wonder if they could do an RMC treatment that more closely follows the track path but also do improvements to the layout in the dead sections. Basically keep the first drop and hills, reprofile turn around to be more purposeful (airtime going into it or just do something completely different), make the return trip have solid airtime (maybe add a roll), etc.
So keeping everything amazing about El Toro while making everything else just as great.
As much as I love RMC's work, I actually think I'd prefer the way El Toro is now compared to how RMC would refurbish it. I don't hear this talked about often but I really like how it's a pseudo-simulation of bull riding. Ejector after ejector after ejector then throwing you left and right and running in circles. I feel like RMC's design style wouldn't really capture that in the same way.
Of course, that's just my opinion, and I could be totally wrong! Maybe it will get an RMC, it'll be a masterpiece, and I'll be proven wrong lol
milowo posted on August 29th, 2022
As much as I love RMC's work, I actually think I'd prefer the way El Toro is now compared to how RMC would refurbish it. I don't hear this talked about often but I really like how it's a pseudo-simulation of bull riding. Ejector after ejector after ejector then throwing you left and right and running in circles. I feel like RMC's design style wouldn't really capture that in the same way.
Of course, that's just my opinion, and I could be totally wrong! Maybe it will get an RMC, it'll be a masterpiece, and I'll be proven wrong lol
Well what I was saying was that instead of doing a full RMC conversion, they could just have RMC just retrack the first portion of El Toro with I-box, keeping of the parts of El Toro that make it El Toro (first drop and the series of massive camel backs) but then on parts that are slight dead spots without as much airtime or forces, like the turn around and return run, they could just add a bunch of airtime and maybe a roll somewhere. Also they could keep the ending section turns, or maybe figure out something even better for the finale.
More like an "El Toro 2" kind of thing. I guess in a similar vein to the Phantom's revenge conversion.
Oh, that's actually a pretty cool idea, hadn't thought of that! It would certainly be wayy more reliable, too lol
Know what, I want to give a go at that concept. I'm not when or if I'll have time for it in the near future, but I think it could be a fun project.
If you ever do, totally shoot me a link to it! I would absolutely love to see your interpretation of it lol
milowo posted on August 29th, 2022
El Toro's had two pretty recent accidents; the back car of a train derailed last year, and just a few days ago a good handful of people were sent to the hospital after experiencing an unnatural slam in the track. Those situations were pretty back to back. Is it just poor Six Flags upkeep, maybe? I'd think GP would start getting too frightened to ride it, but I doubt one of SFGADV's best coasters would be scrapped so quickly.
I spend a lot of time researching accidents like these, figuring out why they happened and how they can be prevented in the future. I'm curious to hear other user's thoughts, as the details for the recent incident are still up in the air.
I don't know much at all about this topic, but i'd like to throw in my 2 cents worth.
I'm gonna put it down to what i highlighted in your quote above. Poor maintenance on Six Flags' part. From what i've learned, that's usually how these type of things happen. When you cut back/slack off on maintenance of something for whatever reason (usually it's money) then that something in question starts to degrade. And eventually, parts of it start to fail. And then something bad happens that could've been prevented.
Which brings us here.
You say it's one of the park's best coasters, so i'd agree with your thoughts about it being scrapped. I doubt they'd do that. Although RCDB tells me it's been operating since 2006, so who knows what the park is likely to do.
I truly believe the supposed increase in incidents we've seen at parks lately is directly tied to the pandemic. Maintenance people work closely together in enclosed buildings, which means the virus can easily spread. Some people likely died, some people got sick and couldn't work, some got new jobs, and some retired early. They've been difficult to replace.
This accident I also think was just a freak accident. It's partially Six Flags' fault because it hasn't treated this coaster the way it's supposed to be treated. That Intamin prefab track requires less maintenance, but it does need to be retracked every so often. Colossos at Heide Park was the same. That park ignored what Intamin said, and that coaster had to be closed for a year to retrack it the way it was supposed to be. Six Flags seems to have confused "less maintenance" with "no maintenance" on the track.
But the real problem was this wasn't with the track. That was last year's problem. This was in the supports or footers. Those aren't inspected every day like wooden track is. If there's a hairline crack in the wood or a footer, that can cause unseen problems. There was a pothole in that spot (I rode about a week before last year's derailment), and I imagine it only got worse without track maintenance. That culminated in people getting hurt.
I don't think it will be scrapped. The park is probably going to look long and hard at the supports and footers and reinforce things. I wouldn't be surprised it it reopened this year.
Six Flags has been under a lot of hot water recently regarding their spending/general upkeep, so that's what I assumed had happened. I've only been to Great Adventure one time as a birthday treat (wanted the El Toro and Kingda Ka credits), and while it was a hell of a time I did feel like the park wasn't being well taken care of. Kings Dominion is my home park, and it kinda reminded me of what KD looked like before Cedar Fair bought it. Janky, but loved by the people who attended it.
milowo posted on September 1st, 2022
Six Flags has been under a lot of hot water recently regarding their spending/general upkeep, so that's what I assumed had happened. I've only been to Great Adventure one time as a birthday treat (wanted the El Toro and Kingda Ka credits), and while it was a hell of a time I did feel like the park wasn't being well taken care of. Kings Dominion is my home park, and it kinda reminded me of what KD looked like before Cedar Fair bought it. Janky, but loved by the people who attended it.
It's unfortunate to hear that Six Flags has been facing issues with their spending and park upkeep. The state of a theme park can certainly impact the overall experience for visitors. Your comparison between Great Adventure and Kings Dominion before Cedar Fair bought it is interesting. Many parks go through phases of improvement and revitalization under different management.
While a "janky" charm can appeal to some visitors who appreciate the nostalgia and unique character of older parks, it's essential for theme parks to strike a balance between maintaining their existing attractions and investing in new ones. Cedar Fair, known for its commitment to enhancing guest experiences, has likely brought positive changes to Kings Dominion.
On a positive note, it's wonderful that you got to visit Great Adventure as a birthday treat and experience the thrill of El Toro and Kingda Ka. It must have been a special day for you. Sometimes, these memorable experiences can overshadow minor maintenance issues.
Ultimately, every park has its own unique atmosphere and appeal, and it's great to hear that you had a memorable time during your visit to Great Adventure despite its condition. Hopefully, Six Flags will address the issues you mentioned and continue to make improvements so that visitors can enjoy their parks to the fullest. Perhaps as a special birthday gift to themselves and their patrons, Six Flags will invest more in park upkeep and enhancement.
El Toro's had two pretty recent accidents; the back car of a train derailed last year, and just a few days ago a good handful of people were sent to the hospital after experiencing an unnatural slam in the track. Those situations were pretty back to back. Is it just poor Six Flags upkeep, maybe? I'd think GP would start getting too frightened to ride it, but I doubt one of SFGADV's best coasters would be scrapped so quickly.
I spend a lot of time researching accidents like these, figuring out why they happened and how they can be prevented in the future. I'm curious to hear other user's thoughts, as the details for the recent incident are still up in the air.