The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

Got a call from SFMM Human Resources about 90mins ago. I will soon be working backstage at SFMM. My year-long unemployment odyssey is over.

^ Congratulations! Please send some of that "employment dust" my way.

Eric

Got a call from SFMM Human Resources about 90mins ago. I will soon be working backstage at SFMM. My year-long unemployment odyssey is over.

What's your role?

Hi,

I hope my specific questions regarding SFMM and our planned visit fits to this thread. I do not want to open a new topic for that.

Unfortunately, we are too late for the West Coast Bash on Sunday, March 22nd, because be will arrive at LAX on the next Tuesday. The next day, we will pick up an RV for our trip in Arizona. But before we leave Greater LA, it is essential to visit SFMM.

We are a couple with a 2-years old daughter. I think she will get her first credit at SFMM

My questions are:

Is parent swap/baby switch available at Magic Mountain? Last year we experienced parent swap at SFGAd, and it was very easy for us to do all the rides. But first we have to pick up a "parent card" at the guest relations. Is it the same at MM?

Do you think, that the Thursday, March 26th is that crowded that we cannot ride all mayor rides? If yes, we can visit the park the day before, after picking up the RV. For two days it seems to be the cheapest to buy a season pass, or do you know other possibilities? And are there any other discounts than the SFMM-online offer of 39$ for a day-admission?

Parking with a RV is quite expensive (I fear it is 25$ at the booth). Is the online parking ticket (15$) good for a RV?

Is there a calm corner in the park for having a nap for our little girl? If not, we can go to our RV and have a break there.

Is flash pass necessary on the 26th? We bought a regular one last April at SFGad, but is was not necessary, because the regular lines were never (or only a little bit) longer than the merge point. What does "X2: additional fee, limited availability" mean exactly?

Touring in the park: I think it is always a good choice to go to X2 after opening. Than Tatsu or would you recommend something else? Well, this question comes up here every second day.

Thanks for the answers!

-Marc

^I don't think you will need Flash Pass on a Thursday. You should be able to get it all done within good timing.

A lot of people like to Lay down on the grass by Deja Vu. Right now might not be the best time though with Terminator constructiuon going on.

for all of your other questions, I would call guest relations

(661) 255-4103

mc_g ,

Hey! Six Flags Magic Mountain doesn't have a parent swap card. You can do it for all the attractions too. Just alert the ride operators that your doing a baby swap when the first one jumps on the ride and the other heads towards the exit. You should be fine.

As far as quiet areas go, the Sky Tower area always remains fairly quiet, with the exception of Tatsu flying by every now and then. Another quiet area is near Scream, there's a bunch of vending machines and grassy areas. This area is also a lot shadier then near Sky Tower.

I'd guess the crowds wouldn't be too big. Though it is near the beginning of peak season, its still March and all.

I'll tell you what I tell every guests who comes to me with the question of, "Should I get the flashpass for today?" On these days that are in the grey area. Just feel the park out first! No need to spend your money on something and then not need it. There is a no refund policy at Magic Mountain, so whatever you choose to spend your money on your stuck with. Whether you use it or not. So its always a good idea to do a walk around the park and just get a good idea on how the crowds are going to be.

Hope this helped!

EDIT : Oh and to answer your question about which ticket to purchase I'd definitely say pay full price at the gate for $59.99. Its the same thing as a season pass! If you but any discounted ticket , enter the park and THEN want to upgrade its a flat $40.00 fee for the upgrade. No matter what ticket price it was.

When you buy the full priced ticket your get a long receipt. ( Which is actually your ticket ) . Just fill out all the information and go to the Season Pass processing center inside the park, and they can get you in and out with a season pass.

Marc, as someone who goes to SFMM and other parks with a two year old A LOT let me warn you that SFMM is not that toddler or baby swap friendly. I really wish they would implement sfgad's baby swap policy.

If Magic Mountain management was making good business decisions it would be a more profitable amusement park, so I think it's fair to say all of these decisions have hurt the park, not helped.

Something tells me the Six Flags management team knows a tad bit more about making 'profitable choices' than you do. As they are able to see every situation at EVERY angle. Something that is impossible to do if you are in fact not them. And that goes for ALL management teams for every corporations.

 

And its "only fair to say these choices have hurt the park"? Based on what? Your unbacked assumption? Because the numbers speak in a different direction.

 

Not trying to call you out or anything. But I'd like to see some facts.

Isn't it true that Magic Mountain is one of the least profitable parks in the Six Flags chain? Didn't they come pretty close to being sold to a home developer recently? Isn't the business model change from "extreme park", to a "family park" enough to realize their current model isn't working?

I've read they essentially break even making little, if any profit off of this park. That doesn't sound like a success story to me, it sounds like a park on the verge of collapse. Thank god most of the rides are steel coasters haha

Isn't it true that Magic Mountain is one of the least profitable parks in the Six Flags chain? Didn't they come pretty close to being sold to a home developer recently? Isn't the business model change from "extreme park", to a "family park" enough to realize their current model isn't working?

 

I've read they essentially break even making little, if any profit off of this park. That doesn't sound like a success story to me, it sounds like a park on the verge of collapse. Thank god most of the rides are steel coasters haha

This gets a nod for one of the dumber posts in TPR history.

^ I second that. Completely asinine post.

I dont see whats dumb about it, most of it is true.

Do you guys honestly SF, Inc. would invest money they do into SFMM if it WASNT one of the most visited and popular parks in their chain? I THINK NOT!

They know exactly which parks are profitable and which ones aren't. I think they ones that were the least valuable are gone now. These aren't kids playing RCT here....

SFMM isnt nearly as popular or profitable as it should be. Mainly because of years of bonehead descisions where they got rides like STE/X that are expensive as hell to maintain (hence why they spent $10mil on X2, it desperatly needed a differently designed train because the old ones were flat out poorly designed and too expensive to maintain). Plus because all they have is rollercoasters their clientele is all teenagers/young adults so there isnt nearly as much in park spending as there should be.

Thats all obvious though, they have done a pretty good job cleaning up the park recently so it is not a flat out embarresment anymore like it was back in 03-04, when most of the coasters were 1 train op all summer and nothing was being mantained. With what theyve done recently it just looks theyre trying to gain respect in the area for being a niche park.

SFMM may not be pulling in the huge numbers of families they want or raking in Disney Money but they are not hurting as a park either. If they were, there would be no X2 or new X2 trains, there would be no Terminator that's 20 mill in two years on a park that's not making anything worth anything all the painting that's gone on and cleaing up around the place nor would there be a 2010 project even spoken about if this park was not making any ROI.

IF SFMM was able to keep all of the money it made for it's self then the park would most likely be 10x better but it doesn't. The money made goes into the SF INC pot and then the big wigs gives each park something like an allowance. The new SF is more concered now with spending the money they give each park on making it a better place and not just adding 20+ million dollar coaster after coaster. They see that you can add a smallish thrilling coaster or even revamp a coaster and still have upkeep of the park too.

SFMM wasn't sold b/c for one other chains or interested parties felt it was to expensive 2. Real estate would of been too difficult to get approved and very expensive to develop the land with all the zoning and health/enviroment issues, SFMM is not the Real estate goldmine that you may think it is, far as building homes there.

Imo SF had no intention on selling the park anyway I think they threw it out there for a number of reasons, like getting people interested in the park and getting peoples attention letting it be known they are under new management and things have changed for the GOOD! For the longest time nothing but horror stories was comming out of the place they had to do something drastic to get people to realize something good was happening and it wasn't just another SFMM horror story. So what better way to get tons people to the park(in there head for one last time) to see the changes was to tellem the parks closing down being sold and IMO this has worked, the parks is getting high numbers and people are moticing the many changes and loving it.

SFMM isnt nearly as popular or profitable as it should be. Mainly because of years of bonehead descisions where they got rides like STE/X that are expensive as hell to maintain (hence why they spent $10mil on X2, it desperatly needed a differently designed train because the old ones were flat out poorly designed and too expensive to maintain). Plus because all they have is rollercoasters their clientele is all teenagers/young adults so there isnt nearly as much in park spending as there should be.

 

Thats all obvious though, they have done a pretty good job cleaning up the park recently so it is not a flat out embarresment anymore like it was back in 03-04, when most of the coasters were 1 train op all summer and nothing was being mantained. With what theyve done recently it just looks theyre trying to gain respect in the area for being a niche park.

No one is debating this so you're preaching to the choir. The reason it was a dumb post is because it is ass-backwards thinking. The reason Q-bot is coming to SFMM is because it *is* so profittable. They'd be stupid not to add it. And I highly doubt Jay Thomas has any interest in "making the lines longer" because it completely defeats the purpose of the improvements he's making at park level.

This person is completely out of touch with what's happening at the park now. Trying to continually throw past management mistakes in the face of Jay doesn't cut it. Because we all know the good that's happening at the park now.

This person is a prime example of someone who needs to go to this years's WCB.

I'm at the park right now and the Q-Bots are active. Here is the pricing:

Regular:

1 person $34

2 person 53

3p 72

4p 91

5p 110

6p 129

Gold:

1p $62

2p 101

3p 140

4p 179

5p 218

6p 257

There is NO discount for extreme passholders! There is no rental fee. Just a 250 fee for losing/breaking. I asked 3 people including the person at the register.

X2 add-on is $10

I have pictures but can't figure out how to post them with my Instinct.

The park is not real crowded except X2. I won't wait for anything I can ride over and over again in two weeks. Tatsu was a walk on at 10:45 Mr. Six is dancing out side the cyber cafe. The weather is great. I'm heading up the tower and I'll post some pics when I get home to Phoenix tomorrow.

This keyboard is disgusting.

There is NO discount for extreme passholders! There is no rental fee. Just a 250 fee for losing/breaking. I asked 3 people including the person at the register. X2 add-on is $10

I hope all 3 of the people you asked have no idea what they are talking about, or SFMM is going to end up with a lot of angry Xtreme pass holders this summer! What rides are added on Gold? I thought X2 would be apart of that pass!

Wasnt the x2 add on only 5 dollars last week?

Wasnt the x2 add on only 5 dollars last week?

Weren't there a ton of posts (including from Robb and Elissa) that said the prices shown were not necessarily the final prices and it may change by the time it opened?

Wasnt the x2 add on only 5 dollars last week?

 

Weren't there a ton of posts (including from Robb and Elissa) that said the prices shown were not necessarily the final prices and it may change by the time it opened?

Yeah still way too much for me though

I'm at the park right now and the Q-Bots are active. Here is the pricing:

Regular:

1 person $34

2 person 53

3p 72

4p 91

5p 110

6p 129

 

Gold:

1p $62

2p 101

3p 140

4p 179

5p 218

6p 257

 

There is NO discount for extreme passholders! There is no rental fee. Just a 250 fee for losing/breaking. I asked 3 people including the person at the register.

 

X2 add-on is $10

 

I have pictures but can't figure out how to post them with my Instinct.

 

 

The park is not real crowded except X2. I won't wait for anything I can ride over and over again in two weeks. Tatsu was a walk on at 10:45 Mr. Six is dancing out side the cyber cafe. The weather is great. I'm heading up the tower and I'll post some pics when I get home to Phoenix tomorrow.

 

This keyboard is disgusting.

Thanks for that. I just received a fact sheet to review before I go into for pre-employment "learn all about SFMM" class aka "Discovery" and the old Flash Pass system info/pricing is on there. I know they can't get new fact sheets out overnight, so good to have the new info.

In case anyone's curious, I'll be working backstage in Cash Control. I might not even be issued a uniform since 99% of the time I won't be in the park during operating hours, but we'll see.

I hope all 3 of the people you asked have no idea what they are talking about, or SFMM is going to end up with a lot of angry Xtreme pass holders this summer! What rides are added on Gold? I thought X2 would be apart of that pass!

Well since I asked all three people in the sales center, I think that they better know. The last person asked was a tie wearing guy behind the FP registers. "Not at this time" were his exact words.

No add on rides for Gold at this time.

^"Not At This Time" makes me feel a lot better than no. I hope they make changes for the Xtreme Passholder's benefit, especially when they are still advertising a Flash Pass discount as a feature.

If Gold is just going to cut line time, it doesn't seem worth it to me. But the X2 add on is totally worth it! I wish you could purchase just an X2 pass because most of the year X2 is the only real line.

IF SFMM was able to keep all of the money it made for it's self then the park would most likely be 10x better but it doesn't

That statement is very questionable. Actually the highest earning SF park in 2008 was the one open the least (SFGAM) and I believe SFOT was 2nd. Not sure about right now, but in recent history these parks were carrying SFMM.

I might be going on a limb here, but does anybody else think it would be a good idea to still offer the flashpass option? That would keep the passholders happy, and provide a more affordable 'one time' option for those looking to just cut in line a few times (or a group once).

At least for the year anyway, while they adjust the passholder advertising...

Just a thought...

chris.