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The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread


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True. But I get the feeling that strategy isn't going to work much longer at a hard core thrill park like SFMM, especially with the competition in the area.

 

There is competition in the area but SFMM doesn't really compete with it. They're the coaster park of the SoCal market. That's what they've chosen to be.

I think what he means is that with KBF restoring Ghost Rider into the amazing ride it now is and adding a dive coaster in addition to their Accelerator and B&M Invert, SFMM may have more coasters, but may no longer be the only park in Southern California you consider when thinking thrill coasters - especially when you consider KBF has so much more to offer than coasters. It used to be KBF is a better park but SFMM has the thrill rides, now KBF has both, SFMM just has more thrill rides.

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Took a trip to the park today with family visiting from out of town. Since a number of schools were back in session, the place was fairly dead. The only hefty wait was, inexplicably, Riddler’s Revenge whose line spilled out of the main building and into the switchbacks (I haven’t seen that happen for some time). Apocalypse was down all day, but everything else was running as normal (except Justice League, which had to be unplugged and plugged back in a couple of times while we waited inside). Scream was running better than usual; Viper seemed extra punishing. Ride ops on Full Thröttle and Colossus were as fantastic as ever (two complete duels on our one ride!); ride ops on Goliath, Justice League, Batman, Ninja, Tatsu, and X2, less so (restraint-checker apathy levels were off the charts today). Superman was launching both sides almost at the same time, but only the left side was hitting the usual heights. Hideous VR was broken so we actually got to enjoy Revolution as nature intended it. Our Jet Stream boat had (no kidding) about 6" of water in it from the moment we climbed in (we hoped it would drain on the lift; it didn't). When we returned to the station, I pointed it out to the ride op and he said "yeah, I guess we should pull that one out."

 

I’ve ridden the SFOT version of Justice League, and this one’s somewhat different (this was my first time trying it). The sets appeared more elaborate (projections on the crashing truck etc.), and I don’t recall the Texas version spinning as much as this one does. The first half has some good detail and nice practical sets, and the second half makes an admirable use of immersive screens. With that said, the ride’s just a step up from the Knott’s video-game ride to me, with dodgy graphics/gameplay etc. It may be the result of the technical problems the ride was having while we waited in the pre-ride rooms, but several effects didn’t seem to do much, the fog projection lacked fog, and there was an “And the winner is . . .” announcement at the end that failed to announce any winners. Having already ridden another model, I knew what to expect but this version didn’t exactly win me over. Then again, I'm not the target audience for such a ride. I think if you love Justice League characters (and especially enjoy shooting them with lasers), it'll probably rock your world. I'm a huge dark ride fan, but much prefer traditional ghost trains and whatnot.

 

Are the pre-ride rooms supposed to do something? The first one was just a weird CGI animation. The second was just a stationary robot thing in a case that we just walked right past. My guess is that there’s more to them than that and that the ride’s reboot screwed them up. Last, I don’t know if it’s a problem of positioning, but the ride really kind of just looks like a white warehouse on concrete with a facade and some portable switchbacks. It didn’t seem quite finished, but maybe it’s a space that’ll see more use as a plaza for entertainment in the future? Anyhow, glad I got to check it out, but I think the air conditioning was my favorite part overall.

 

Anyhow, a decent day, and a good time to visit right now it seems.

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True. But I get the feeling that strategy isn't going to work much longer at a hard core thrill park like SFMM, especially with the competition in the area.

 

There is competition in the area but SFMM doesn't really compete with it. They're the coaster park of the SoCal market. That's what they've chosen to be.

I think what he means is that with KBF restoring Ghost Rider into the amazing ride it now is and adding a dive coaster in addition to their Accelerator and B&M Invert, SFMM may have more coasters, but may no longer be the only park in Southern California you consider when thinking thrill coasters - especially when you consider KBF has so much more to offer than coasters. It used to be KBF is a better park but SFMM has the thrill rides, now KBF has both, SFMM just has more thrill rides.

 

Right. Also, although the SFMM and Knotts don't directly compete, both parks do compete for media coverage and need it to drive season pass sales for the next year.

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From Screamscape...

 

 

- New Attraction - Rumor - (8/21/17) So what's coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain for 2018? I've heard a couple of interesting rumors, though neither are going to make the coaster lovers out there very happy. According to one rumor, which I'm not very sure about myself, this source believes that SFMM might get a special king-sized version of a Larson Super Loop style ride.

The other rumor, which I have to admit sounds a bit more like something SFMM would do, is to install a new world's record breaking ride in the form of the world's tallest Star Flyer. Currently I believe the world's tallest is the Sky Screamer at Six Flags New England which opened in 2014 at a height of just over 400 feet tall, just stealing away the previous record from the Sky Screamer at Six Flags over Texas installed the year before at 400 feet. So if this latest rumor is true, you can expect one just a bit taller to go into Six Flags Magic Mountain for 2018, and while I don't know the exact location where it may go, we did get a rumor claiming that it just might go somewhere up on the park's central mountain, not far from the Sky Tower, which would actually make the ride seem even taller.

 

 

Maybe a new flat, and the park's 20th coaster? Sounds awesome.

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Maybe a new flat, and the park's 20th coaster? Sounds awesome.

 

Obviously, they're saving their 20th Coaster for 2020. It's going to be an Intamin Dive Coaster that's 20 stories high, has 20 vertical drops, 20 inversions, 20 airtime moments, breaks 20 records you've never heard of, and sprawls across 20 acres.

...

Either that or an off-the-shelf ride that doesn't exceed $10 million. It doesn't matter which, as most of us will be there to ride it anyway.

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I was a bit surprised by the Star Flyer rumor, because I had been hearing more about a Giant Frisbee/Giant Discovery flat more. Although I think either one would be cool, it'd be great for SFMM to amp up it's flats collection before a possible coaster in 2020.

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Didn't winds used to shut down the old Observe Tower way back when? For times nobody could guess at, even back then.

 

So, would this/could this happen with a Star Flyer, such as is suggested, is possibly coming?

 

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If the park finally gets a large flat, I would hope it isn't a starflyer. Though I can see why they would, being able to market it as the tallest in the world is a no-brainer marketing wise and would line right up with the whole Six Flags "5 record breakers for 2018" thingy. 10 days y'all

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I was a bit surprised by the Star Flyer rumor, because I had been hearing more about a Giant Frisbee/Giant Discovery flat more. Although I think either one would be cool, it'd be great for SFMM to amp up it's flats collection before a possible coaster in 2020.

 

I'd rather see a Giant Frisbee as they are some of my favorite flat rides. That said, I wouldn't hate a record breaking Star Flyer and it would be a huge hit with the GP.

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I'd definitely prefer a Giant Frisbee as I think they're fantastic rides overall that match thrills against fun, but I could see the draw of a massive Star Flyer too. I've ridden both the Texas and the New Jersey ones, and they're nerve-wracking. Aside from the height, the ride isn't up to much, but they certainly draw attention and set records.

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Sky Tower is transformed into the first Polercoaster west of the Rockies.

 

Hey, a guy can dream.

 

Shoot.......... I'm with you on that one! Would love to see a polercoaster here in the West. Or with a little reinforcement, the sky tower can become a new thrill! !

 

Can you imagine a super star flyer using the tower? Holy crap my pants Batman! That would be AWESOME! SF is always finding a way to revamp the old to a new thrill. Well here you go.... SKY TOWER FLYER!

 

Superman sways when you are on Lex going up. I think that is crazy feeling!

 

This would be crazy scary!

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Sky Tower is transformed into the first Polercoaster west of the Rockies.

 

Hey, a guy can dream.

 

Could have said "first Polercoaster anywhere," since the initial one in Florida is no closer to beginning construction than it was when it was announced 3 years ago.

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Magic Mountain to open daily starting in 2018. LINK

 

Six Flags Magic Mountain to open daily all year in 2018

 

"More flags! More fun!" That's been a tagline for Six Flags advertising across its chain of amusement parks. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif. may want to consider modifying its slogan to "More days! More fun!" Today the park announced that starting January 1, 2018, it would switch to a 365-day operating schedule.

 

Magic Mountain will join other L.A.-area destination attractions, including Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood, and remain open daily all year long. According to Bonnie Weber, the park's president, the expanded schedule reflects both the company's increased presence domestically and internationally and its desire to capture more of the 47 million visitors who pour into the region seeking fun. "We have to be open 365 days a year to tap into that market," she says.

 

Opened in 1971 and long recognized for its impressive collection of roller coasters – with 19 of them, it boasts more than any park in the world – Magic Mountain is already on the radar of tourists, convention attendees, and other visitors. With the planned rollout of Six Flags parks in Dubai, China, and other locations beyond the USA, the company is growing its brand and awareness across the globe. "If you come to Southern California and you want thrills, you come to Six Flags, hands down," says Weber.

 

But you can't experience marquee rides such as the wooden-steel hybrid coaster, Twisted Colossus, or the 415-foot-tall, 100-mph launched coaster, Superman: Escape from Krypton, if you go to the gate only to find a sign that reads, "Sorry folks, park's closed." (Fun fact: Magic Mountain stood in for Walley World, the fictional amusement park in the original Vacation movie.)

 

With its prime location and its sunny California weather, Magic Mountain has long remained open all year long. When school was in session, however, it would only be open weekends and holidays.

 

Weber says this will mark the first time that Six Flags is jumping into the destination market. But all of the company's parks have been extending their operating calendars for a number of years, and the chain has tested the vacation destination waters.

 

Like other seasonal parks, Six Flags locations used to focus on the window between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That remains the peak period. But with the successful introduction of Halloween events, Christmas celebrations, spring break promotions, and other festivals, the shoulder seasons have become increasingly important for Six Flags and its regional park competitors. One of the chain's smallest properties, The Great Escape in Lake George, N.Y., opened Six Flags Great Escape Lodge, an indoor water park hotel that is open year round.

 

The Legoland parks in California and Florida, are open all year long, but, like Magic Mountain, close some midweek days in the slower seasons. Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. closes for a few weeks in the winter, but is otherwise open virtually year round. All three of the parks have added on-property hotels. With Magic Mountain's bid for destination park status, might a hotel be in its future? As part of its long-range plans, Weber says the park is looking at a number of options. There is available land on-site to build a hotel and other resort amenities. The company might also try to develop Six Flags-branded accommodations at a nearby off-site location with a third-party hotel partner.

 

Magic Mountain has been upping its game in anticipation of its schedule expansion. "We've been developing 'wow zones,' " says Weber, pointing to the Screampunk District the park built a couple of years ago and the DC Comics-themed Metropolis land it opened this year. Nobody would equate them with Disney's highly immersive Cars Land or Universal's impeccably rendered Harry Potter world, but they are a step up from the more generic lands of most regional parks. And the 4D, interactive, roving motion-based Justice League ride that Magic Mountain debuted in Metropolis this season is on par with the attractions at the established destination parks in Southern California.

 

With the transition of Six Flags Magic Mountain into a destination park in its own right, Weber says that visitors should expect additional wow-worthy attractions, an increased focus on stories, new events, and more attention to detail. "We want to give people a great, compelling reason to visit the area."

Edited by larrygator
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This is huge news! I was looking through their calendar and there are a few things to note:

 

- The park's hours will be 10:30 to 6:00 on most of those new operating days (sorry to all of you cheap asses locals that wanted to run over their with a dining pass and get free meals on weeknights after work ).

 

- During Fright Fest, the park will close at 6PM on weekdays which implies that the event will only run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in addition to October 29th, 30th and 31st (Halloween)

 

- The same goes for Holiday in the Park. The event will begin on November 17th and park will close at 6PM midweek from November 26th to December 14th. This includes Fridays for now, but I sort of expect them to re-think that. The event seems to end on December 30th, I expect them to re-think that too.

 

- The park will be open on all major holidays.

 

I'm really interested to see if this works out for them. Obviously the other parks in the area have been open daily for years but Magic Mountain is a decent drive from the downtime LA / Anaheim area. The success of this will depend heavily on whether or not they can convince tourists to make the drive. In that regard this is actually a very similar situation to the one that Busch Gardens Tampa is in (though Tampa is much more of a tourist destination in it's own right than Valencia) and clearly this model works for them.

 

I'm interested to see how this plays out. Hopefully it works for them and now it's almost a guarantee that they can brag about dramatically increased attendance on their 2018 Q1, Q2 and Q4 conference calls.

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Considering they can't staff the park in the middle of summer on peak days, don't be surprised when 75% of the rides are closed.

 

I really think staffing was a major factor in this decision. Now that they're offering consistent, year round work they'll probably have a much easier time staffing the park.

 

Before this change they needed people to work weekends only in the offseason but occasionally work mid-week during school recesses so these people couldn't find part time weekday jobs even if they wanted to. Then they needed people to work a ridiculous amount of hours every day in the summer. That's tough to work around. Now the hours would be a lot more consistent. This should really help them in that regard, not hurt them. It's also very likely that they'll start getting some older employees who are out of college.

Edited by coasterbill
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it's going to be so dead during those off season days. i was looking forward to just september. back when they used to open during september 20 years ago, it was a ghost town. i expect it to be like knott's is during the off season, dead. it's much more fun to marathon TC than Xcelerator.

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