Concrete Enchilada

Even with the excellent trip report, I believe the park is still under appreciated. Despite having traveled cross country, the Texas Tornado is still one of my favorite steel coasters. It's right up there with the coasters from the big chains. After the first drop, the ride levels off into a flat straight-away with a slight left curve to it. And then the first loop. Past the loop is quirky feature that resembles a double-up. Next the coaster takes a steep dive to the left, swooshing under the Flume shoot. As quickly as it drops, it rises again in the same fashion. And then dives right down to the ground to enter the second loop. After inching through the loop, it thunders underground through the tunnel. The ride ends after a smooth hill with low hanging branches. Well, actually, the ride ends with the manual brake lever. With the rides quirky elements, the ride is more a hybrid of a steel looper and a mine train. The coaster is well paced, a great ride from the beginning to the end. With the tunnel at the end, the ride has a what I call "dessert" at the ending. A feature that a vast majority don't have and come back to the station rather anti-climatic. And the coaster has interesting story itself being designed on a bar room napkin, and OD Hopkins keeping the ride budget under a million. For the technically inclined, Wonderland was a showcase of OD Hopkins rides. Along with the Texas Tornado, the Log Ride, Shoot the Chute, and the Rattlesnake River were all products of OD Hopkins. As for water rides, the unusual Thunder Jet Racers was the prototype for now world famous Master Blaster slides. This prototype was built-in house by Schlitterbahn (NBGS) to test the uphill blaster technology. And, they have a great and challenging retro mini-golf course.