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This is an exceptional coaster in appearence, features and ride quality it deserves a "5" rating. However, I am not convinced that it is the world's best wooden roller coaster as Six Flags claims. First, although it has a wood frame, it rides more like a steel coaster than like a woodie. Indeed, it is easier to compare El Toro to Nitro or to Superman Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England than it is to compare El Toro to Rolling Thunder or to Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce. Second, most coasters are either out and back or a twister and in its desire to be both El Toro falls short of being the greatest at either. As an out and back, it features a unique lift hill, an unusually fast top turn, a wickedly steep first drop, numerous head choppers and great airtime. But, despite these positive attributes, El Toros out and back section lacks the sense of covering vast distances that the great classic out and backs enjoy. The Boulder Dash, The Beast at Kings Island, The Comet at Great Escape, the Wild One at Six Flags America, even The Racer/The Rebel Yell at Kings Island and Kings Dominion, all make you feel like you went someplace. Nitro also has a better there and back feel. As a twister, El Toros twisting section is fast and fun, but it is too short and compact for a coaster in this class. The Coney Island Cyclone and the various B&M and Batmans mix you up in furious knots in ways that are more satisfying than El Toro. The twisting elements should be bigger (e.g., think of the double helix on The Beast and the second mist tunnel on Superman Ride of Steel) and the section should be longer in duration (e.g., The Coney Island Cyclone). Indeed, the twister section of El Toro is so compact it is vaguely reminsicent of much smaller bobsled coasters like the Avalanche at Kings Dominion that try to compensate for their lack of scale with small tight turns. It is possible for a hybrid design to be great at both out and back and twister elements. Superman Ride of Steel's twister section has a scale befitting a 200 foot coaster, while the big drops at the start combined with the sunstantial bunny hills at the end remind you this is also a great out and back.
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