fun ride with a big punch for a small coaster
it looks a little ramshackle and i wonder if thats on purpose?

Classic old wooden coaster. Looks can be deceiving. Its small and compact layout didnt look all that thrilling, but it has a few surprises in store.

Ahh...my first "big" coaster and still one of my favorites. Although T-bolt is 40 years older than SFNEs Cyclone, it is surprisingly much smoother. The final hill before the last turn into the station still jolts me into my seatbelt. Even on hot days and the fact that there is only one train in use, the wait for this classic rarely exceeds 15 minutes and is a must-ride at SFNE.

I think after the debacle that was Cyclone any wooden coaster that didnt give me a back adjustment was more than welcome. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised with Thunderbolt. I was very close to just leaving without riding it. It was hot, the line was long, there was only one train running, and I still had to travel to Lake Compounce. Since it wasnt a clone like Mind Eraser, I stuck it out and Im glad that I did. Thunderbolt was much smoother and much more fun that I thought it would be. The first drop dips to the left which caught me off guard. And the airtime bunny hills towards the end were great and again, much more fun than they look. Theres nothing particularly memorable or impressive about it, it was just a solid classic woodie that doesnt beat you up too much. Final Rating - 6.5 (Better than Average-Approaching Good)

This was the smoothest wooden roller coaster I have ever been on. Dont let peeling paint fool you into thinking this ride wont be good. I didnt get much air, but thats because I sat in the front row. A good, classic wooden coaster that should not be missed.

Vintage woodie. Still pretty thrilling for its size and the double dip is awesome, one of my favorite moments on any coaster for that matter.

This thing is old school and I liked it. It had a nice little layout and a few good drops. When I rode it was a one train operation so the line moved a little slowly, but it was worth the ride. There were a few behind the scenes things that I could have done without seeing while working my way up the queue (I believe it was behind some of the shops... a few busted up pallets and some garbage and a soda machine that looked like it had seen better days). Other than those poor sights from the line, the ride was pretty fun. It was fairly smooth for its age and the airtime does not rival that of a Phoenix, but it was still there. It is small but packs a bit of a punch. This could really go into the category of a classic coaster.

Thunderbolt is a wonderful wood twister from 1941. Its 75 first drop is taken at a rather shallow 45 degrees. This keep Thunderbolts top speed to a fairly tame 45 miles per hour. However, what TBolt lacks in speed she makes up for with a very "zippy" layout. There is also a surprising amount of air time on this coaster, especially towards the end. If you have a child in your family who is ready to graduate from kiddie coasters, then Thunderbolt is the perfect choice for a kids first adult coaster. But dont let that description fool you, this ride can be surprisingly exciting, and like all good woodies, every ride is different.

This coaster is a small classic woodie, and is tame compared to the other coasters at SFNE. Hard to believe it was the most thrilling ride at the park not so long ago Its also in decent shape and they keep the line moving quickly. Its a good coaster for beginners.

I had a short wait, but the ride op just wouldnt shut up and start the ride. I had about 5 minutes added to the wait because of him. The ride is good for its height, but its very bumpy and rickety. I felt like it was going to fall apart as soon as it caught on to the lift. The bumpiness isnt terrible, but it wouldve been better if it was just a TINY bit smoother. It didnt provide airtime in every seat, and I didnt have a chance to try back (I had to get my mother to ride). It had some fun drops, but I knew it wouldnt be too exciting from the height. All in all, its a good little woodie, but could be a bit taller and smoother.