El Toro.
Photo: Sarah Windisch. View full-sized image.
That’s No Bull
Although Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, New Jersey) has stated El Toro is receiving some TLC from Intamin in efforts to bring back the legendary smoothness fans will remember from when it opened, it isn’t reported on how much track work is being done. The release just said “newly installed track sections.” El Toro is one of a handful of woodies that received the term “plug and play” from enthusiasts because sections of track could be removed with new ones dropped in.
Photo: courtesy Six Flags Great Adventure. View full-sized image.
Blue and Purple
Speaking of Great Adventure, the park is certainly piquing interest with its track teases. Purple track has gone vertical for the 2027 “record-setting” coaster project, and a very long upside-down stall is getting people excited.
Barrels O’Fun.
Photo: courtesy Six Flags Great Adventure. View full-sized image.
Also, blue track has surfaced for an additional coaster opening this year in the enhanced Boardwalk area. The initial tease was quickly followed by the announcement of the name Barrels O’Fun. The Reverchon spinning mouse will be part of an expansion of the park’s Boardwalk area, which includes five rides. This is the third location for the coaster, as it operated as Ragin’ Cajun at both Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Illinois; 2004-2013) and most recently Six Flags America (Upper Marlboro, Maryland; 2014-2025).
Image: courtesy Canada’s Wonderland. View full-sized image.
Daredeviler
Perhaps three times is a charm.
Canada’s Wonderland (Vaughan, Ontario) opened its Vekoma suspended looping coaster as Top Gun in 1995 during the park’s Paramount days. In 2008, Cedar Fair renamed the coaster to Flight Deck after separating from the movie’s intellectual property. For 2026, it once again receives a new moniker, this time Daredeviler.
According to the park, the coaster is being rethemed to align with the original vision of the Grande World Expo area. “New” trains will feature open, vest-style restraints that will make riding more comfortable.
Photo: courtesy Six Flags Great America. View full-sized image.
Gee Wizz
It is awesome that another classic Schwarzkopf is getting some TLC. The beloved speed racer Whizzer at Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Illinois) can continue to delight families for years and years to come following the delivery of new sections of track to the park.
Whizzer was designated an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark on August 10, 2012.
Image: courtesy Toverland. View full-sized image.
Bob Out, Bob In
ACE members who attended the Journey to Central Europe trip in 2024 may recall a fun attraction at Toverland (Sevenum, Netherlands). Anyone who has visited the theme park, which has attractions indoors and outdoors, might have hopped aboard Maximus’ Blitz Bahn. This attraction let riders control their own speed while they sped through a curved trough. Think go-kart meets roller coaster … kind of.
Image: courtesy Toverland. View full-sized image.
However, it is closing on May 17. The park will then replace it with an upgraded model that follows the same route, but uses roller coaster rails instead of a trough.
“Rodeling has always been an important part of Toverland, so we set out to find a replacement that would preserve the ride’s most popular elements. That led to the new ‘swinging bobsled’ concept, which we developed together with ETF Ride Systems.”
The ETF vehicles are larger, seating two passengers, which will increase capacity. The steampunk-themed cars are designed to swing outward, depending on their speed.
— Compiled by Tim Baldwin, ACE News
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