SpectralN

Why do almost all B&M coasters seem to have the same type of first drop? They never go up and then straight down, they always seem to curve and then drop. Is it just a B&M signature or is there a reason for this? I love big first vertical drops at steep angles, I never find this on B&M coasters. I appreciate B&M coasters I am just confused why I never seem to find my favorite type of first drop element on them.

$100,000! Not bad, I wonder how much it would cost to move and reassemble? I would love to put one up in the backyard! I love that ride for some reason!

Registration required: www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sixflags11nov11,1,5859222.story?coll=la-headlines-business

I want to offer a differing opinion regarding Halloween 10-31-06 at MM. The park was EMPTY, bad for the bean counters and GREAT for the public! I spent most of the day at Tatsu for over 10 front row rides (daytime and nighttime) and a few back row rides thrown in for good measure, I just could not stop re-riding especially when there were only 5-7 minute wait times per ride and that was just due to slower dispatches. Had loads of fun on Colossus backwards which in my opinion is AMAZING and one of the highlights of fright fest for me (I do wish the old days at MM when this used to be a regular standard feature at the mountain) true there were slow dispatches with only one train running but the park was empty so there was only a two train wait for the back row, which really makes that ride special, watching the track go by while in reverse! Amazing at night with the fog everywhere. It is just very very fun and that’s what it's all about in my opinion, having fun! I tried out the mazes this year for the first time and would have to say I was very surprised that even after just recently visiting Knotts Haunt for the first time MM has some really good mazes, I actually may have had more fun on a couple of the MM mazes, The Jokers maze (near flashback) was loads of fun that rotating room (old trick I know) is just 10 times more awesome at MM because the wall at the end of the hallway rotates as well, it really felt like I was spinning out of control! The Brutal Planet in Gotham City was good as was the Haunted Theatre maze. Overall I would have to say this was one of the funniest days of the year I have had at MM. I spent the day re riding all the rides I really love at Magic Mountain (minus X of course which I missed terribly as well as freefall which understandably was closed due to lack of any crowds Tatsu,Collossus backwards, Goliath, DejaVu back row. Guest relations are now saying the part for X will be installed in January (hopefully it will not be any later) we must have a welcome back X party when it reopens! Thanks Magic Mountain for hosting a fun fright fest! I know I had a great time! Looking forward to riding X and Freefall again soon! Summarizing: Great day, No crowds at all, barely any people (empty parking lot) The people that were there were all getting along and having a good time. We all had Many re-rides, enjoyed fun mazes, rode colossus backwards, great fun. What else more could we ask for? (Besides X being back) Two thumbs up!

Corporations are a strange beast. Shapiro gets raises while the company is tanking. Very very strange, but that is how it works when you are a big wig, do nothing make lots of money. Mess up and make even more money. The business executive world is a very strange one.

At this point there is no money to even staff the second loading platform of a brand new signature attraction (Tatsu), There is no money to replace a lift hill motor gear on the always popular X. Suffice to say there is no spare money to spend on demolishing Flashback. Plus the way things are looking at this point some housing developer will probably do all the demolishing. Lets hope that is not the case, but at this point I see Management doing nothing to stem the spiraling out of control decay of employee moral and attraction operation (I.E. Running brand new signature ride with half empty trains and only using one station with very long load and dispatches etc.)

Clueless management, unfortunately along with Poor staffing, low morale, low pay. Which all goes back to the clueless management issue. Sad. Very sad.

Is that a reliable rumor source? My sources seem to be pointing to beginning of Fiscal year 2007, (Jan-Feb time). I hope your sources are wrong about Summer 07!

The crazy thing is, why on earth would so many attractions be closed on a big deal media day? My guess is they just do not have the trained staff to run those attractions and the mazes, due to very low pay and only very part time work there is only so many employees willing to work there on a Friday. I just cannot understand how on earth the current MM manager is still running this park? He might be a nice guy but I have never in my life seen a business run so poorly for so long. It just does not make any sense.

Sorry to hear things are still in such bad shape for MM, I would have hoped that the GM of Magic Mountain would really have tried to solve some of the problems that the park faces especially at such a time when the company is thinking of getting rid of the park, Oh well. Sad that they could not get the park running at least properly for the Friday the 13th media day no less! Geeez. I tried calling the park and after about 5 rings someone picked up the phone and then just hung it up, this happened three times. Sad. Very very sad. On that note is there any unconfirmed inside information on if/when X will be back in service? I sure would like to have at least one last season of Tatsu and X rides before we find out what the future holds for the park.

kraxleRIDAH, your right I am extremely paranoid (as stated in first line of original post), although I still have gone on the ride over 30 times. I would like to really understand how this locking mechanism works, you did do a good job although I would like some more data on what makes that latching mechanism stay latched so as the pin does not pop out as when the ride returns to upright position at station.

I am sure it is safe, but I need to tell that to my brain. Hence the reason that I am posting asking for more solid physical evidence to prove that it is safe. At this point, I am trusting more than any other attraction since almost all other attractions that are more dangerous they generally have more than one safety restraint. While in the flying position I would imagine that if any ride warranted a secondary restraint, it would be this ride! I mean come on, does Revolution really need two restraints!? How about Dejavu's three restraints! (Seat Belt, OTR and then secondary seatbelt connecting OTR to chassis). I would think that a flyer should have two! Then again it might take away some of the extra thrill that goes into making you think that perhaps you just might fall flat on your face from 180+ feet above a hill

Thanks so much for the info, the vest is the least of my worries I do not have any fear of the vest failing it is the Pin lock system that you discuss in the second paragraph that I worry about, since this seems to be really the only thing holding the restraint together. If that pin failed it really would not make any difference how strong the vest it. I wonder what type of backup the pin could have because it does seem like a simple latch (which I am sure it is not), The patent does show a good breakdown of the mechanism although the text is not in English and I have misplaced the link to the patent at this point. Now at the end of the day I am sure it is very safe although I need to tell my brain that, it still does not believe me. It needs scientific proof.

Thanks for the reply, although I need some scientific proof! Does the weight of the rider pushing down on the restraint while in the flying position physically prevent that latching mechanism from popping open? The little metal bar on the restraint that latches into the seat? I could imagine if there is weight pushed down on the metal bard that it would be physically impossible for the bar to become unlatched while weighted. That is my theory at this point which is why I still ride the attraction, but I am still scared crap less on that lift hill and at the moment when you do a flying move that puts lots of pressure on the restraint (right over Valencia falls)

OK, I am probably paranoid and all but no matter how many times I have been on Tatsu (over 30) I still get super freaked out going up the lift hill looking at the concrete down below and thinking to myself this is it, the restraint could just open and there is no secondary little seat belt (Ala: Deja vu, X or Riddlers) to make me feel safer. I mean come on, revolution has two restraints for Gosh sakes. I have tried looking up the patents ( for Tatsu's restraint system to try and prove to myself that there is no way on earth the restraint could pop open but I have been unable to find the piece that describes the locking mechanism. Does anyone have any information or knowledge regarding that locking mechanism that would alleviate some of my fears? I love the ride and I know fear is part of the fun but I really don't ever want to fall out on the lift hill! That would really suck! Please answer first and then check the Patent URL just because otherwise you will get stuck looking up all the patents and forget about this post, I know all about ADD www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/v/a/vac3/nonus.html