Quick Facts (thanks to Great Adventure History and RCDB for the statistics):
Height: 96 ft
Speed: 56 mph
Largest Drop: approx. 85 ft.
Steepest angle of descent: 45 degrees
Duration: 2:10
Manufacturer: Cobb and Associates
Train provider: Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Type/Model: Classic wooden racing coaster
Years of operation: 1979-2013
Height: 96 ft
Speed: 56 mph
Largest Drop: approx. 85 ft.
Steepest angle of descent: 45 degrees
Duration: 2:10
Manufacturer: Cobb and Associates
Train provider: Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Type/Model: Classic wooden racing coaster
Years of operation: 1979-2013
Ride History
The only thing you heard about Rolling Thunder in its last decade of operation was how ridiculously rough it was. I'm not disagreeing with that at all, but I believe Rolling Thunder was once a fun, air-time filled ride in its best days. I have ridden this coaster when it was running really good, and when it was running really bad. I have to say, the ride was actually pretty enjoyable on the good day, and I can't imagine what it was like in its best years. However, the 80s happened. Any roller coaster that when through the 80s era at Great Adventure will not exactly be a smooth experience. The park was struggling just to keep their guests coming back, and I can't imagine them spending to much money on maintenance during this time. This is why I think the coasters I have ridden from that period (Runaway Mine Train and Rolling Thunder) are so rough. If this coaster was well maintained, I think it would still be in operation. I have always wanted to see this coaster with both sides racing, as their layouts are different enough to provide unpredictable results. I am honestly kind of sad to see this coaster being replaced with a pathway to Zumanjaro, as it was a true classic to the park.
Before Ride Thoughts
Ok, I found the right and left side of this coaster to be different enough for separate reviews. I have ridden each side once, and both provided different experiences. The right side review is based on my second real roller coaster ride, and the left side is based of of when I had more experience. However, I still found the right to be much better than the left.
Right Side
Being new to roller coaster riding, the ominous, rickety structure of Rolling thunder made me pretty nervous. It's the second loudest coaster in the park due to all of its crazy screeching noises, and its not a good thing to hear these crazy sounds when your nervous.
Left Side
While in the line for El Toro, I pointed to Rolling Thunder and said to my friend "we should do that one next." As the train screamed by, he replied "I don't know, that thing looks pretty sketchy." So we walked over to the line for Rolling Thunder after a fantastic ride on El Toro and noticed that the left side, which I hadn't ridden, was open. We got in line, and it was easily our longest wait of the day. They put the WORST ride ops on that ride. I wasn't surprised to see the back car roped off with caution tape, something that I also saw when waiting for the right side. Once we got in line for the front, it must have taken about 10 minutes for the ride ops to dispatch every train, no joke.
Right Side
Being new to roller coaster riding, the ominous, rickety structure of Rolling thunder made me pretty nervous. It's the second loudest coaster in the park due to all of its crazy screeching noises, and its not a good thing to hear these crazy sounds when your nervous.
Left Side
While in the line for El Toro, I pointed to Rolling Thunder and said to my friend "we should do that one next." As the train screamed by, he replied "I don't know, that thing looks pretty sketchy." So we walked over to the line for Rolling Thunder after a fantastic ride on El Toro and noticed that the left side, which I hadn't ridden, was open. We got in line, and it was easily our longest wait of the day. They put the WORST ride ops on that ride. I wasn't surprised to see the back car roped off with caution tape, something that I also saw when waiting for the right side. Once we got in line for the front, it must have taken about 10 minutes for the ride ops to dispatch every train, no joke.
The Ride
I love the Buzz bar restraints that only come down to your stomach and don't even touch your body. They provide a really free feeling that makes the ride a lot more fun. Unfortunately, Rolling Thunder is one of the few that actually has these. Once Rolling Thunder leaves the station, It immediately turns left, making an ear-splitting screech. Then, it begins the agonizingly long climb up the lift.
Right Side (Second Row)
Finally, the train rattled down the drop, providing some awesome airtime that slowly lifted me further and further out of my seat until the bottom of the drop. Then, the right side sends you over a great airtime hill, providing some mild, but fun roughness. The second hill provided little to no airtime, and the turnaround was actually not that rough. Rolling Thunder then goes into a series of bunny hills, some of which provided a little pop of floater. Then came the final turnaround. This is by far the worst part of the ride as it smashes you from side to side while providing its signature earsplitting noises. Overall, the ride wasn't that bad, providing some pretty fun airtime. The roughness wasn't that bad except for on the last turnaround. From other experiences I have heard about, the ride must have been running exceptionally well that day.
Left Side (front Row)
At the top of the lift, I held my hands up, prepared for the airtime I got on the right side, but Rolling Thunder had other plans. It bounced around from side to side while going down the drop, with a crazy head chopper that just happen's to be the unofficial "worlds most airtime filled hill" on El Toro. Instead of going over a little airtime hill like the right side, the left side climbs a much higher hill. Instead of airtime, the train "derailed," or that's what we called it. What really happened was Rolling Thunder's upstop wheels that prevent derailing smashed into the bottom of the track while cresting the hill. This makes riders in the front seat feel like the car won't follow the track for a couple of terrifying seconds. The next hill wasn't any better, but the next drop did have an extra head chopper that the right side didn't. The turnaround was awful. The jackhammering was still present, but the train was also smashing from side to side and screaming like a banshee. The last few hills provided more jackhammering, and no airtime. The final turn was just as bad as it was on the right. We came off and figured out that our friends, who were in a different train but still in the front row, experienced the same jackhammering. We agreed that this was the most frightening roller coaster we had been on, not because of its thrills, but because you also have to worry about the car staying on the track during the ride. I was pretty surprised how different both of my experiences were.
Right Side (Second Row)
Finally, the train rattled down the drop, providing some awesome airtime that slowly lifted me further and further out of my seat until the bottom of the drop. Then, the right side sends you over a great airtime hill, providing some mild, but fun roughness. The second hill provided little to no airtime, and the turnaround was actually not that rough. Rolling Thunder then goes into a series of bunny hills, some of which provided a little pop of floater. Then came the final turnaround. This is by far the worst part of the ride as it smashes you from side to side while providing its signature earsplitting noises. Overall, the ride wasn't that bad, providing some pretty fun airtime. The roughness wasn't that bad except for on the last turnaround. From other experiences I have heard about, the ride must have been running exceptionally well that day.
Left Side (front Row)
At the top of the lift, I held my hands up, prepared for the airtime I got on the right side, but Rolling Thunder had other plans. It bounced around from side to side while going down the drop, with a crazy head chopper that just happen's to be the unofficial "worlds most airtime filled hill" on El Toro. Instead of going over a little airtime hill like the right side, the left side climbs a much higher hill. Instead of airtime, the train "derailed," or that's what we called it. What really happened was Rolling Thunder's upstop wheels that prevent derailing smashed into the bottom of the track while cresting the hill. This makes riders in the front seat feel like the car won't follow the track for a couple of terrifying seconds. The next hill wasn't any better, but the next drop did have an extra head chopper that the right side didn't. The turnaround was awful. The jackhammering was still present, but the train was also smashing from side to side and screaming like a banshee. The last few hills provided more jackhammering, and no airtime. The final turn was just as bad as it was on the right. We came off and figured out that our friends, who were in a different train but still in the front row, experienced the same jackhammering. We agreed that this was the most frightening roller coaster we had been on, not because of its thrills, but because you also have to worry about the car staying on the track during the ride. I was pretty surprised how different both of my experiences were.
Overall thoughts
Rolling Thunder isn't the worst roller coaster out there, the right side is actually pretty fun, and the left side is so bad that its fun to talk about and make fun of. A few days after riding the left side, it was announced that the ride would be closing forever in a few weeks. Immediately after, I saw a picture of the exact car we sat in sitting in the middle of the Great Adventure parking lot with the front plate ripped off. This is quite frightening considering I had just been sitting in that car a few weeks earlier. I feel as if people exaggerate how bad this coaster is because it is just so much fun to do. Rolling Thunder is bad enough to be ridiculous, but good enough to be really amusing, making it come up in almost every Great Adventure conversation. I'm pretty sad to see this roller coaster hit the scrap heap. If they really wanted to, Six Flags could have hired GCI or RMC to do some retracking and the coaster could have been an actually good ride. However, Rolling Thunder is no more. I hope the current Six Flags Management doesn't keep this streak going. They have been getting rid of park classics left and right with no regret. Ever since the new management took over in 2006, they have removed many of the park's signature rides. I just hope that it will end with Rolling Thunder.
My Rankings
For my Overall score, Rolling Thunder's left side gets a 2.5/10, but the right side will get a 3.5/10. This is still below average, but not crazy bad.
Rolling Thunder gets a 2/5 for intensity. It's intensity is mostly caused by roughness.
For theming, Rolling Thunder gets a 2. The theming southwestern theming is there, but just barely noticeable. However, the original intentions for theming weren't that bad for a wooden coaster. The name was supposed to represent the rumbling of the cars along the track, and the original entrance sign was pretty cool.
Have You Ridden Rolling Thunder? Which side did you like better? Was the jackhammering present before the trains were wrapped in Twix advertisements for the last season? I am interested