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RandallDuell

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Everything posted by RandallDuell

  1. That seems like a strange thing to worry about, but logic would tell you that the first train out, assuming it's full of riders, would be by itself the first time around -- but they would have the second train ready to duel for the return run of the first. Similarly, the last one of the day would duel the second-to-last train on it's first go round....but be by itself on the return run. So, in a way, assuming they're consistently dueling the halves of the ride, the first and last trains of the day will have the most unique rides. Dying to see some more pictures of the ride - wonder how quick we'll see track on site?
  2. Your source being a guy who publicly posted this info to his blog/twitter, then you scurried over here to post as if it were some top secret stuff from an anonymous source? In that case, good on you dude - you were right, please advise of the Emmy and Grammy winners ahead of time so I can place my wagers, I now have full faith in your impeccable sources. Thanks for the photo update, by the way, am. That was fantastically detailed - appreciate it, though I don't have a great idea of just how many trees were actually cleared (haven't been to the park for awhile, and not sure if I had if I'd realize anyway)!
  3. Are they going to retheme Hustler, or just leave it as is? I could see them doing some sort of Joker theme to it....
  4. Canadian humor has always confused me - is that real, or some Canadian bit?!?! If real, wow. Not sure why they're so sad - it's FOR SALE!!! How often are you able to buy the ride they are removing? Now's the time, Luke! Start a fundanything or kickstarter, STAT! Also, Luke & Laki sounds like a Canadian soap opera. Luke: But I love you so much, Laki, you know that eh? Laki: You get ooooooout of here Luke, just get ooooooooooooooout! (ok, I've gone too far with this post)
  5. Yes, I've been to several Six Flags and Magic Mountain seems to be the worst when it comes to opening/churning through letting guests into the park. An entrance (clearly labelled) as SEASON PASSHOLDERS ONLY would help quite a bit of the mess up front --- there's just too much going on (people coming in the park with/without tickets already purchases/Discover/out of state season passes etc. Plus I think it would be cool and even help to spread out the initial crowds each morning. I don't know how common this is at this point (I'm guessing not very), but with how much things have changed (in terms of how revenue is gained from park entry) it's strange that the parks have not addressed this yet....especially in a place like Valencia, where the main gate is a decent haul from the lot - and whether you wait for the bus in the hot sun or hoof it, you're pretty hot and bothered by the time you actually make it into the park!
  6. Yes, I know - and that's part of the problem. It's such a mess. I know a good amount of people have passes, but every time I've gone it's just a mass of humanity. What I'm saying is, as someone mentioned, what if there were a dedicated, new, entrance - say over by Colossus - that served only season pass holders? Those people don't have any need for a ticket booth, so that would cut down on the people clogging those up. I suppose you could even locate a Discover Cardholder entrance over there (although if they needed to buy a ticket, they'd still need to head to the front). I guess the mention of it just made me wonder why there is only one entrance when the dynamic of how people pay to get in has changed so much? I've read many a trip report where people were bummed that the start to their day was met by a jam at the parking booths, only to be met with a hot walk (or long wait) to get to this PACKED entry plaza.
  7. I guess I just don't know why people can't read through the thread? I know a lot of pages have popped up since the announcement, but it seems incredibly lazy to not spend the time to read through - I'd guess if you were truly interested in the answer, you could spend 5-10 minutes burning through the posts. I'm far from an expert, so I can watch the video/read the release and come to my own conclusion - it's then nice to be able to read through the posts here, where guys like Robb and others, also had some questions and together people made heads/tails out of it. I don't know if it's just entitlement or what, but people not only DON'T read through previous posts (and ask the same question(s)), they actually will post "srry, not reading all that lol, answer this pls"! What gets me is the continued debate (now on it's fifth or sixth start) about the track(s). Even if you skim through the posts, people were excitedly using the term "Möbius" to describe what's happening...and I'd guess that that would at least stick out? I do wonder, sadly, about the interaction of the trains - as has been mentioned. I'm not too familiar with what happened with Dueling Dragons, but I wonder if SFMM will eventually (or even initially) try to install any sort of netting inbetween the tracks at the hi-five or the other interactive moments of the ride? People are dumb, and that's too bad. ALSO: I did find the quick mention of a season pass entrance, that is located away from the main gate, interesting. I've never been to Cedar Point, but that have multiple entrances right? I know the mass of people at the main gate ends up being the crappy way most guests start their day at the park, it would be interesting to hear if they ever considered putting in another entrance (even if it were just in operation from park opening, for just a couple of hours?
  8. There is some pretty crazy trolling in this thread, and the fact that the thread just keeps on powering through it is something else. And as far as that goes, it may just be a pet peeve of mine but I skim right past posts that declare "this may have been said, but I'm not wasting time and going back to read everything first, lololol hahahaha", as it really grinds my gears. So your post and incredibly insightful take on the latest info is surely worth everyone else reading (even though, by your own admittance, someone else has probably already said it) - but you can't be bothered to catch up on the thread? I guess the only payoff is if you one day actually do back and read through the thread and see that responses to your "takes" were indeed trolling you. As far as the track length, and opportunity lost to have an insanely long (and record holding) ride --- I guess it all comes down to economics, and it's similar to skyscrapers being built that get close, but not eclipse, existing record holders. I'd be horrible at maintaining a budget in either case, as I would constantly be rationalizing "well, we're already this deep into the project...just another $______ and we can grab this title/that title etc! Looks fun to me and I agree that the dark horse in all of this is the refreshing of that area of the park - for years it has been stunning just how neglected it had become.
  9. That'd be interesting to figure out - I know a massive garage/garages, especially in California, can be really expensive. But what I don't know is the calculated lifespan of said garage, and ongoing operating costs of the garage? That's a good chunk of change, EVERY year, to pay to close down the amusement park. Certainly their bean counters have crunched the numbers, but (for some reason) I'd be interested to see where the break even point would be (especially if you factored in a higher parking cost for a garage spot (to fund the existence of the garage) versus a lot spot.
  10. I noticed the tires in that shot, as well, and wondered if they had just removed them ... and, if not, why leave them laying around? Why not just get 'em out of there? I had asked if anyone had a closeup of the old hills, btw, and there we go! Am I the only one curious as to what that former track area actually looks like up close (like I assume they removed the actual track when they modified the ride, right)?
  11. The amount of awesome that would be them ordering up a new age Sky Whirl would be off the charts. I've oft times wondered what Intamin/whomever would do, with today's technology, if asked to build a triple wheel? Glad to hear that those two areas are being spruced up, and that a few of the kiddie rides are coming back (I guess that's what'll be going in the ropes course's old spot...? Will be fun to see just how detailed they get - I have some faith that we'll be surprised with some of the attention to detail.
  12. Can I put in an early vote (nay) on the blue font? Thanks for the pictures and updates, guys, as a guy a long ways away from the park I appreciate it -- I guess I never really spent enough time looking/thinking about how much Goliath really interacts with Colossus. I always just think of the one spot where the supports shoot out from the middle of the old wood structure, but obviously they a fair bit more intertwined....and that's interesting about the picnic tables idea and the "hole" in the structure! Have to say that out of all of the Six Flags parks, it seems like this will be the most watched this year...right?
  13. I agree that it looks like a mashup of old/new logos. Wonder if they're leaning on Steven, the guy who runs greatamericaparks.com, at all for gathering/documenting stuff to celebrate 40? I honestly don't know how good their in-house archiving has been over the years. I must admit that I'm eager to hear what they're going to do. Restoring Hometown Square back to it's original form would be great - and the idea of returning some of the kiddie-type rides to the area is awesome, and thoughts of pulling the old Ameri-Go-Round and getting it running to celebrate 40 are all certainly intriguing! With the removal of the ropes course, you have to assume "something" is going in there...right? Or is this something as simple as an outside vendor's contract running out (I don't know if this upcharge was a Six Flags owned operation or something an outside vendor was running).
  14. Cool event/recognition of 75 million guests. Do we have any idea how the sister park in Gurnee would compare, at this point? Based on all the down years this park has had, I have to assume Gurnee is way ahead...right? Not that it matters, obviously, would just be interesting to see how (what started as) identical parks in two different parts of the country have done over the same 40 year period. Speaking of 40 years - Gurnee looks to be doing something to celebrate their 40th, any news from this park, yet? Definitely seems like a relatively "cheap" way to market something new for the year....
  15. This is all getting to meta at this point - complaints about the complaints about the complaints about the complaints! Anyway, I guess I am just greedy but I, too, am surprised at the lack of photo updates from the park - both here and elsewhere! Seems we saw the pics of the crane working on the lift motor, and that's it! Sounds like more work has been progressing, be fascinating to see/hear an update. Also, anyone hear anything on the Sky Tower? I guess it's elevator issues, but has there actually been anything going on with that - or have they just mothballed it for now?
  16. There is something very creepy about this thread to me...I don't know if it's the old/foggy photos, the strange obsession, or maybe both. The Term Strange Obsession comes out of a brainwashed person who doesn't think outside of a societal box and these people may consider you as strange too. Each interest is considered as Unique in people who comes from many walks of life. However on this thread this seems to talk about that wave machine caisson being bad as a pool drain with strength of suction that probley makes it creepy and the injuries often talked about as result of people messing around at the pool. This is a bit late, but I wanted to note that this post didn't help to change my opinion on this thread LOL
  17. This is great - admittedly I know just about nothing about this park, your pics-commentary-attention to detail are fantastic! Seems very clean, and has quite a few rides (big and small). Thanks again for taking the time.
  18. Who knows how much validity there is to the Twisted Colossus thing, but holy smokes does that sound like a spur of the moment name that the kid from those in-park gel ads might have come up with! Woah, dude, gnarly! So twisted. That's it, Twisted Colossus!
  19. I'd say it's real - although I don't know, seems like Fiesta likes to play around a bit more than other parks..... Interesting that there was a report that ride ops were saying that both Motorama and Hustler were closing....wonder if that was intentional? And, boy, don't they love moving that balloon around?!?!
  20. Seems they've been doing some work, huh? Am I losing my mind, or did I not see the one remaining rollercoaster in the aerial video? This is incredibly sad to me. I know many scoff at how romantic some get over closed places like this, but as a guy with zero attachment to this place (I've never been anywhere even near the park) I really do feel for those that had a strong attachment and relationship with the place. I've paid attention to this place since the multiple ownership changes/ride removals/sudden shuttering, but I'm still unclear - was it really "one guy" that decided to bullet the place? I know economies change, and the proof is in the bottom line, but it's amazing how a park with this kind of history is so quickly wiped off the map. This seems to be a similar, yet much larger scale, of the loss of Kiddieland in Chicago. Though that land turning into a Costco was a result of a split in the family heirs, with the distribution of funds from the sale being the only way to settle the estate....not a calculated acquisition/closure like what happened here.
  21. The amount of trolling, both intentional unintentional, in this thread is incredible. It's too bad that Hustler is going away - unique ride, and it seemed like they took care of it well. I'm also never too excited about the car rides going away (I get why they do, but in so many cases the ridership of these rides (at time of removal) is still solid). As far as the teasing and the fakeouts etc, I'm kind of over it myself. When it's done really well, like Holiday World, it can be fun - but the strange ways that the Six Flags parks (specifically) choose to spend their time "teasing" upcoming ride announcements seem more frustrating than fun. I may be in the minority here, obviously just my opinion. Interested to see what they end up doing at this park!
  22. Don't know if this has been posted here, but once I caught in the wormhole of searching for old Magic Mountain videos -- I found this: it's 39 minutes of raw footage from the cast of The Real Live Brady Bunch stage show visiting Magic Mountain back in '91-'92. I've never come across this before, but it's (at least) interesting! Here's the YT video description: Circa 1991-92, I was fortunate enough to help out the cast of The Real Live Brady Bunch stage show when they were performing in Los Angeles. They were re-creating the episode "The Cincinnati Kids" where Mike brings the family to Kings Island amusement park to deliver architecture plans. At the park, Mike's plans get switched with a Yogi Bear poster that Jan won and they race through the park looking for them before Mike's meeting. For the stage show of this episode, all the dialogue was performed live on stage, and peppered throughout the episode they cut to pre-taped footage of the cast having fun and running through Magic Mountain in Los Angeles (doppelganger for Kings Island). It was hilarious. Well, I was the friend with the video camera and I recently found this VHS tape of raw footage from the Magic Mountain "shoot" (if you can call it that). Look for Glee's Jane Lynch as Carol and Conan's Andy Richter as Mike. Melanie Hutsell (Jan) also went on to reprise that role many times on SNL a few years later. Remember, this is just raw footage, so you'll see several takes of scenes that are in no particular order. Enjoy!
  23. I know at some point where was a walkback of Colossus, right *Robb posted a pic from it earlier in this thread*? I couldn't find it, but I'm really curious to see fairly up close pictures of the old hills (that are still visible in the structure) ... I assume the removed the track there, right? And it's just the old supports that help highlight what used to be? While I'm busy making requests for pictures, does anyone have a 1992 or 1993 aerial picture of the Colossus corner of the park? Specifically, I'm curious to see what that area looked like prior to Hurricane Harbor going in. It's been so long, now, that all I recall was the lake/pond that used to be there - and even that memory is faint at this point. I've found plenty of old aerials from the 70's and even 80's, but I'm curious to see what the "more filled in park" of the '90's looked like without Hurricane Harbor. (Crazy to think that there are now adults that ONLY know the park with Hurricane Harbor there!)
  24. In 1979 the park was sold to Six Flags and became known as Six Flags Magic Mountain in 1980. Great pictures, fatdaddy -- that had to be a pretty surreal thing to do. I can imagine that you must have had several "why the hell am I doing this?" moments, right? Not that it's not cool, but I'm sure your brain started doing some funky stuff after awhile!
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