The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[Saber]

Get rid of Goliath and put in a good giga.

 

And lose one of the best rides in the park? There's good room for a Giga, but I HIGHLY doubt they'll give up Goliath to put it in.

 

I would love to see a Giant Frisbee! That would be a wonderful addition! It may not please the thrill-seekers as much but hell they're unique and fun enough.

[harper83087]

^the frisbees are so much fun, so are the screamin swings. I make it a point to ride both MaxAir and Skyhawk at CP. I also enjoyed the half ride I got on Tomb Raider (I guess it's called the crypt now? Havent been since CF bought the Paramount parks) at KI. The year it was put in we got through half of the program and then it broke, the lights came on and we swung to a stop for about 15-20 minutes.

[John Knotts]

Even with flats like giant frisbees or scream swings, we're still basically talking about thrill rides which are mostly going to attract teens and thrill seekers. I think we all agree that this is the park's permanent market and that isn't going to change, ever really.

 

So bring on the coaster!

[Calicoasters]

I would love to see a Zamperla Disk'O Coaster at SFMM, but sure more coasters is okay too.

[Gurglemuf]

[Tmcdllr wrote:

Get rid of Goliath and put in a good giga.][/saber wrote: And lose one of the best rides in the park? There's good room for a Giga, but I HIGHLY doubt they'll give up Goliath to put it in.]

Getting rid of Goliath would be a big mistake since it is one of the better rides. And regarding sprucing up the park, I've always believed the park could "use a fresh coat of paint" so to speak.

[Gurglemuf]

Getting rid of Goliath would be a big mistake since it is one of the better rides. And regarding sprucing up the park, I've always believed the park could "use a fresh coat of paint" so to speak.

[DBJ]

I would hope at the least that SF takes a look at what has been connecting with the gp, not only at their parks, but at their competition. What has worked to increase attendance, and what has not. Did the refurb of Monster Plantation help? Do 4D movies work at the SF parks? Did drop towers and star flyers pay off? In SFMM's case, was the coaster record helping the park's attendance or did the gp not really care?

 

Also, I think the marketing in general is way off. In SFMM's case, it is beyond rare to see them do an advertising campaign focused on the family side of the park. This year, it has been 100 MPH backwards for Superman, the Go Big logo, and GL. I don't think i've seen a single shot of BBW in a commercial in a decade, despite it being one of the better looking areas of the park. RRE squeaked into one set of commercials briefly. If they don't advertise that aspect of the park ever, why would families show up?

[gforce532]

The problem that they have with marketing to families is that families in southern California don't look at it is as a park with family rides so they won't go there, even if there is BBW and three small coasters. Instead they would rather pay more money to go to that other park that is an hour south on I-5.

 

SFMM figured it out years ago that being in the southern California market, they need to offer a product to the other parks in the area like Disney, Universal, and Knott's (back before Cedar Fair) didn't offer which was big nasty thrill rides. Granted the thrill seeking crowd isn't as profitable or as large as a more family base crowd or a tourist base crowd that you get at Universal or Disney. But it was a way for them to distinguish themselves from their competition with a different product and experience.

[John Knotts]

Yeah, Neal Thurman even said it at WCB. "We consider Hurricane Harbor our family park".

[willthethrill]

First, while I'm in the camp that Deja Vu is an outstanding ride and will be missed because it seems like it just 'belongs' at this park, we’re going to be better off in the long run. It's a resource hog; while it does run fairly dependably these days, I'm sure it takes a lot more man-hours to keep it that way than most of the other rides in the park.

 

We all complained about the park not running rides to capacity this year due to rehab schedules and what not, and I'd put money on Deja Vu being the main contributing factor. (single train, extensive and frequent rehabs) Also, now that Superman has been updated (currently now one of my favorite rides in the park) Deja Vu seems redundant as it is now just a Batman/Superman hybrid experience. In the end, though disappointing, probably a good move all around and will complement the East park nicely.

 

Second, we can with a fair amount of certainty expect another coaster for 2012. After all the marketing for most coasters on the planet it just wouldn't make sense not to. My money is on (at least) the coaster from up north. It's close (low transport cost), its footprint is similar to what‘s being removed, it’s cheap, and it’s a unique ride for this park which is lacking a mouse-type coaster. With 18 coasters, capacity becomes less of an issue and it will still move more people than DV. We can agree that diversifying the coaster line-up is a good thing. I’m also looking forward to the “all but confirmed” drop tower. Hope it’s put up on the hill. Couldn’t hurt to tear down some of those old buildings up there.

And based on what they did with Superman and the Gotham Backlot, we can expect a nice facelift to the entire corner area I'm sure. Over the past few WCBs management has stressed that infrastructure is a priority for them now, and though the goings will be slow, they've stuck to their word so far.

I also wouldn't be surprised if we saw the Colossus transformation announced as well if the coaster installation for '12 is on the smaller order. It’s inevitable at this point given the success of the Texas coaster and the direction this park has taken with its older rides. After all, why wait till the anniversary?

 

Anyone know what happened with the LogJammer removal rumor? Seems to have come and gone...

Edited August 24, 2011 by willthethrill

[Ejectorbater]

^Lmao!!! High hopes eh?

 

Also, how is adding a cheap transported coaster improving infrastructure?

[willthethrill]

They added First flight and improved that entire area along with it. The two are not mutually exclusive. My "hopes" aren't any higher than a relocated mouse and a drop tower. Unless you were making a pun in me saying I "hope" the drop tower goes on the hill which would then make my hopes, aptly high.

 

If I'm really hoping high then give me a launched intamin with a buttload of airtime. And a monorail.

[willthethrill]

... and a holding brake on the top of Superman

[JJ728]

... and a holding brake on the top of Superman

[pdcon]

i think a giant disk would be pretty cool at the top of the mountain, maybe they could figure out a place to put where i would swing over the side of the mountain to make it look like you higher.

[Tmcdllr]

Ok so if DV consumed resources that could be used to rehab other rides, would not another coaster basically do the same thing? With so many coasters there removing one would not really make a difference in the rehab schedule but more staffing would.

[WFChris]

even if there is BBW and three small coasters. Instead they would rather pay more money to go to that other park that is an hour south on I-5.

 

BBW? Did I miss something?

[deathbydinn]

^ Bugs Bunny World..

Edited August 24, 2011 by deathbydinn

[acq10uaz]

^^Lmao. I thought the same thing.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Ok so if DV consumed resources that could be used to rehab other rides, would not another coaster basically do the same thing? With so many coasters there removing one would not really make a difference in the rehab schedule but more staffing would.

 

When you consider that Deja Vu needs so much attention & so much work that it hasn't been running for nearly 40% of every year, and has had major problems basically ever since it opened including one or more completely lost years, no, another coaster would not basically do the same thing. Far from it in fact. It makes much more sense to have a seasonally operating coaster like Deja Vu in a seasonally operating park like SFNE instead of a park that's open year-round.

 

It would be almost impossible to build another coaster that would even come close to requiring as much refurb attention as what Deja Vu's commanded basically since it opened.

[John Knotts]

So it looks like Six Flags will be announcing all of the new additions on Sept 1st. I do find it interesting that most of the parks are hinting at what is coming, yet SFMM has been completely silent. I don't know if this signals something big on the way, or if it's just a difference in PR styles. With a few of the "mid" range parks receiving used or relocated coasters, and at least one of the "major" parks looking like they will build a spanking new B&M, I'm very curious where this leaves SFMM. Especially having just opening Green Lantern, about to remove a very popular coaster, and about to have some pretty blazing competition from the other So-Cal parks.

[chickenbowl]

^I'm with you there. I've heard a lot of different things about what could possibly come next year, if anything. I have my hopes, but I'm sure most of us will be surprised. Six Flags as a whole has been doing some pretty whacky things lately!

[Zeppelinfreak]

^You've got that right.

[snoflake15]

My view - you want a family park go to Disney. Keep SFMM with lots of coasters. I personally prefer coasters to flat rides but that's just me.

 

Very sad to see Deja Vu go as I will probably never get to ride it now.

 

Surely with 2 boomerangs SFNE will have an Australian theme for that area?

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^What about the Tilt a Whirl!!! BRING BACK THE TILT A WHIRL!!!!!

 

 

Better yet, since SFNE will have 2 boomerangs next to each other, then Magic Mountain needs to recover whats left of the Batman/Shockwave Stand Up coaster that use to be at SFMM and return it to its rightful spot.....Two Stand Ups is what the park needs!

 

No,you guys can have IW as a consolation prize.