‘G-forces are perfect’ on Six Flags Great Adventure’s newest roller coaster

I had already made a few friends by the time I reached the front seat of El Diablo – Six Flags Great Adventure’s 13th roller coaster, which opened first to the park’s season pass holders and members of the press Wednesday, May 14. No, my new pals did not include former NJ Devils hockey player Colin White, who was in also attendance, surrounded by spirited fans. Let’s face it, I don’t even know how to play hockey.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
The looping roller coaster rockets
forward and backward pendulum-style.

I was more intrigued by the members of the New Jersey region of the American Coaster Enthusiasts organization. These people really love roller coasters. Ted Hunter, the group’s oldest member at 83, rode by himself with his hands in the air the entire time. And he was smiling the whole way, too.

“Ted goes on everything; he’s not afraid at all,” said Bret Ulozas, the group’s regional representative, who has been with the group since the age of 12. “Ted’s been on roller coasters I’ve never even contemplated because they’re all gone,” he added.

Despite the fact El Diablo rockets into the air seven stories high, hanging riders upside down at the tippy top, Ulozas claimed he wasn’t one bit apprehensive of the looping ride, either. Not just because he had already been on it, but because he has ridden more roller coasters than he can count. In fact, Ulozas has been on all of Great Adventure’s roller coasters more than once. Before the Internet and Google existed, he used to write letters to many of the area’s famous parks asking for information, he said.

When he was 4, Ulozas’s first-ever coaster had been the Runaway Mine Train, which opened as Great Adventure’s first steel coaster in 1970. As a ’90s kid, that was my first roller coaster, too. Of course, I cried the whole way because the safety bar didn’t press against me closely enough and the train dipped too close to the lake in the middle. I can’t believe that rickety thing is still there.

“The g-forces are perfect on this ride,” Ulozas said to me as I sat waiting for El Diablo to take off on its first pendulum-style rotation. “It’s not too much, but not too little. It’s definitely a thrill ride.”

What he was referring to, he explained, is that funny, weightless feeling you get in your stomach from the ride’s push and pull between acceleration and gravity.

Inspired by the Jersey Devil, the fiery red coaster – featuring face-off seating – is meant to haunt thrill seekers into some of the park’s bigger roller coasters. It is situated in the Mexican-themed de Carnaval plaza, right next to El Toro, the park’s top-rated wooden coaster, which replaced the Viper in 2004.

After going through a few of El Diablo’s six rotations, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I actually was not scared at all. The ride is not super-fast, and you get a really nice view of the park, albeit quick and upside down. The seating harness felt secure, even when I was suspended from the top; I even had a moment of courage where I let my arms go above my head. It was a really comfortable ride.

I had finally talked my coworker into joining me for a second ride when the coaster ran into some issues and rides were delayed. Good luck getting me on it again.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.