The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[PURE]

I'll be there taking some good bye photos of X and you know, illegal backstage photos and whatnot .

 

Perhaps I'll post them if any of them are worthwhile (I'm in no way a photographer).

 

^^I'm not going to explain any further. You win man.

 

I'm excited to see the park. Hopefully crowds will be minimal.

[matteocrepaldi]

Does anyone have pictures of Viper's new paint job?

 

Thanks!

[Xtreme-me]

you really cant notice it from pictures. They have only gotten to the supports so its hard to see from pictures however it would be hard for you to see the difference in pictures. The track is still the same and hasnt gotten attention yet...

[Jew]

And secondly, how would you know the requirements to legally open a ride or not? Maybe you, too, should provide us with some sort of proof as to how you've been informed of such a strong "coaster legality" accusation.

 

You can do the research yourself, but I can say with 100% certainty that if SFMM was not doing the required maintenance as specified by Arrow, the ride would not get certified by the state to operate.

[SharkTums]

We were just at SFMM. Pretty bad visit. I didn't see a difference on Viper at all.

[ginzo]

We were just at SFMM. Pretty bad visit. I didn't see a difference on Viper at all.

 

Why waste money painting it when they could just "taer it down"?

[PURE]

^^^Unless you've worked on the ride, read maintenence standards, been there during state inspections, and know when OSHA is going to be there, you don't have 100% certainty about anything that in depth with the ride.

 

And that's my point. The state isn't there EVERY DAY to make sure the ride is up to Arrows standards. You can think whatever you want, the fact is you don't know what's going on with the rides nearly as much as you'd like to think you do. You can make your own assumptions from that.

 

I thought Viper wasn't getting painted for another couple weeks?

[lapseofreason]

We were just at SFMM. Pretty bad visit. I didn't see a difference on Viper at all.

 

 

I saw some people up on lifts doing something to the track around when the park opened (we ran to X first), but other than that, I didn't see anything either.

 

I took around 30 pictures of X but they didn't turn out too well so I'm not sure if I'll post them or not.

 

SFMM was REALLY crowded today. We got to the gate at 10:20 and the whole entry plaza was filled, seriously (I think I have a picture of that somewhere too.) If I hadn't had the bright idea to wait in front of what is usually the season pass gate instead of with everyone else, I think it would have taken about 45 minutes to get into the park alone. (So much for it being empty).

 

We ran over to X, like I said, and got on it twice. Revolution was broken, so we headed over to Tatsu and the line was already out the entrance, so we used Flash Passes.

The single rider line for Deja Vu was open, but when we tried to go up it, someone got on the PA and said that it was closed (the line for that was out to the entrance too).

Riddler was about out of the station, so we decided to use the other 2 Flash Passes on it, and the employee was cool enough to let us get on about the third train instead of the end of the station.

Scream was empty, as usual.

I didn't bother with anything else because from the lift hill of Scream I could see that the second parking lot was almost full; so we figured it (around 1:30 pm) was a good time to leave.

 

On the subject of "updates", I didn't really see anything. The spot of Psyclone is still empty, Granny Gran Prix was open, and Flashback is still up.

[Jew]

^^^Unless you've worked on the ride, read maintenence standards, been there during state inspections, and know when OSHA is going to be there, you don't have 100% certainty about anything that in depth with the ride.

 

And that's my point. The state isn't there EVERY DAY to make sure the ride is up to Arrows standards. You can think whatever you want, the fact is you don't know what's going on with the rides nearly as much as you'd like to think you do. You can make your own assumptions from that.

 

I thought Viper wasn't getting painted for another couple weeks?

 

I don't need to know exactly what goes on in Viper's day-to-day operation to know what is required of a park under state law. Either you are giving your opinion that the brakes need to be replaced and SFMM is still meeting the operating guidelines, or something would appear to be wrong if "the brakes need to be replaced."

 

Since apparently you know everything about what is going on at Viper (and the laws that govern the amusement industry in CA), please do share your information with us. It's a pretty bold statement to make to say that the "brakes need to be replaced." I am also pretty sure that the members of TPR would like to know that the ride they are going on is safe. So again, share with us these things you know. Or is it that "you don't know what's going on with the rides nearly as much as you'd like to think you do."?

[robbalvey]

^^^Unless you've worked on the ride, read maintenence standards, been there during state inspections, and know when OSHA is going to be there, you don't have 100% certainty about anything that in depth with the ride.

 

And that's my point. The state isn't there EVERY DAY to make sure the ride is up to Arrows standards. You can think whatever you want, the fact is you don't know what's going on with the rides nearly as much as you'd like to think you do. You can make your own assumptions from that.

 

I thought Viper wasn't getting painted for another couple weeks?

Dude your obnoxious attitude is really wearing thin on me and the mods here. It's great that you were a ride op. Yay! But you know what? Ride ops don't know everything. In fact, in my experience they know very little.

 

Stop acting like you're Mr. Know-it-all of parks because you pushed a button to make the ride go. You can still say what you're trying to say, just don't be such an ass about it.

 

Next annyoing post and you'll get a 24 hr ban to remind you of this.

 

--Robb

[Airtime&Gravity]

So just to make sure I understand, Viper is receiving new paint and brakes? Is that all or am I missing something, since I'm confused as to what is going on after reading back a few pages?

 

Too bad it was crowded, I thought it would be empty since Six Flags doesn't seem like a place to be on Thanksgiving IMO, and I know what it is like when crowds are that bad. However, was the staff trying to keep thing under control, or did they not care?

[SharkTums]

^There was very little staff to care!

 

For example, there was no grouper at X which resulted in the 'straight up the ramp' side having a 4 hour line, and the 'stairs to the right' having a 45 minute line!

 

Tatsu Staff was doing their typical 7 minute dispatches resulting in a 2.5 hour line.

 

Deja Staff was rude and yelling over the PA about the single rider line not being open and having a 2 hour line.

 

At 11:30 Revolution, Gold Rusher, and Superman still hadn't opened (of course Viper and Ninja were down). X had a 20 minute break down. And the sign out front looked like the old days with 6 rides listed as closed (including sky tower and several flats).

 

Oh and Batman was broken at noon and we were told to get out of line.

 

The giant plus was Riddler! That crew should get an award! I've never seen a riddler crew so good (sorry Jew and Jahan!) Two train operation flawlessly, never stacked or anything. GREAT JOB!

 

Back on the negative, I got some really stale nachos after waiting 10 minutes for them with one person in front of me at Food Etc.

[RIP Psyclone]

I had the pleasure of visiting the park the day before Halloween and the park was deader than dead. Every single ride was a walk on. We got flash passes and they went to waste, except I think for our 2nd ride on Tatsu later in the day when the line was 10 min, maybe. By around 3 we had done everything and couldn't find a way to pass the time until the evening (Colossus backwards and other Fright Fest stuff) so we just left.

 

When is the park usually that empty?

[Sunfire]

^^That sounds like an awful day, Elissa. I don't think I want to go to SFMM, if their staff operations are that pitiful. I'd rather go to Disney or something, where they have operating rides and such down to a science. Still, I'd like to try their roller coasters, just to see how thrilling they are.

[SharkTums]

^I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt since it was Thanksgiving and obviously a lot of staff didn't come in, but it was still pretty bad.

 

Heck even Disney has bad staffing days like that. Jahan was at DCA and the person at the control tower for Screamin' was assigning people rows over the loud speaker cause they didn't have a grouper!

[lapseofreason]

Just to reinforce my point really quick, here's a shot of the entrance at 10:20 am yesterday.

Yes, the line is ALL the way back to the metal detectors.

[sfmmrules!]

Viper is a SFMM CLASSIC. They wouldn't even THINK about tearing it down! Viper is staying put. Its a pretty kick ass coaster. Superman is no waste of space. Its one of the best freefall experiences you can get! SFMM is still the EXTREME Park!!!

[AllenA07]

1st. As far as Viper viability in the park, I've throught for a long time that it's days are numbered. Not right away by any means, I think as of right now Viper has many (i.e. Don't lose sleep over them taking Viper out someday) more years. However looking at the history of the Arrow Loopers from that period, I wouldn't at all be surprised if Viper eventually was removed.

 

2nd. That crowd looks crazy. The one year I worked on Thanksgiving the park was abandon.

[arrowfanman]

In my opinion, I disagree. Viper still has one of the highest thoroughputs of ANY roller coaster in the park due to its high capacity and early-morning rush crowds.

 

Rides that don't require a lot of staff to operate + Cycle through more guests than the vast majority of attractions = will be around for a good while.

 

 

 

-Jahan

[Xtreme-me]

I would have to say that I agree with Jahan. I still love the ride and even though its no where near to the top of my list, I know that the public in general still loves the ride even though it may be a little jerky or rough in some parts.

 

This is what I think needs to happen if Shapiro really wants to do whats best for this park. He needs to experience a day at the park like a normal person. No exit entrance, no special perks in order to see what's truely happening at parks like SFMM. From my view point of the day I had this last wendsday, everyone was loving the park. I didnt hear one complaint the entire day or a breakdown of any rides. I was unhappy with how many trains they were running on certain rides (see my uber-superduper quick report a few pages before... I think is 195) but other than that I loved it! I think Shapiro needs to think popularity (Viper, Scream, Ninja) as well as importantance and size (X, Tatsu, Goliath, Riddlers, Etc)

[AllenA07]

Again I don't think Viper is going anywhere for a long time, I just think as the park fills up that ride is one of the ones that I could see being removed. For example, I can't really see Revolution or Gold Rusher, or Colossus (even though there are some floating rumors now) or a few other coasters ever getting removed, Viper on the other hand has just never had that kind of staying power in my mind. However Jahan is right, Viper is a very high capacity ride, and does put through a lot of riders, which will, without any doubt, ensure its safety for a considerable amount of time.

[PURE]

^^^Unless you've worked on the ride, read maintenence standards, been there during state inspections, and know when OSHA is going to be there, you don't have 100% certainty about anything that in depth with the ride.

 

And that's my point. The state isn't there EVERY DAY to make sure the ride is up to Arrows standards. You can think whatever you want, the fact is you don't know what's going on with the rides nearly as much as you'd like to think you do. You can make your own assumptions from that.

 

I thought Viper wasn't getting painted for another couple weeks?

Dude your obnoxious attitude is really wearing thin on me and the mods here. It's great that you were a ride op. Yay! But you know what? Ride ops don't know everything. In fact, in my experience they know very little.

 

Stop acting like you're Mr. Know-it-all of parks because you pushed a button to make the ride go. You can still say what you're trying to say, just don't be such an a$$ about it.

 

Next annyoing post and you'll get a 24 hr ban to remind you of this.

 

--Robb

 

Robb I was a ride mechanic for the roller coasters at Magic Mountain. Not a ride op. I'm not acting like I'm Mr. Know it all, I'm simply stating what I've experienced from the job and what I've seen.

 

Just because brakes need to be replaced doesn't mean they won't run fine for weeks or months. It's not a safety measure, 10 sets of brakes won't go out at 1 time. If one goes the rest are there for a reason.

 

Thats all I was trying to say.

 

Although it hasn't really aged well, I still like Viper. I love the first drop all the way to the brake run, then its bad track design really makes for a rough ending. Which is why when riding I typically hear people getting off saying, "wow my noggin bouncing against that hard restraint really hurt."

 

Which is what I think, even though it has awesome capacity, will end Viper as well. Too rough and too many guest complaints like Psyclone.

[ebl]

My own experience with Viper is that it is rather rough, but, strangely, my last ride on it was almost glass smooth. That was just over a year ago.

 

One thing I remember about Viper is that during its first season, as the train rounded the wide turn after the first loop, that track shook like crazy. That's why the extra cross supports were added to it.

 

Also, it was repainted a deep orange (its original color) a few years back. Being in the red family, it will fade quickly. But nowadays, paint just doesn't hold up regardless of the color because it is formulated to be more environmentally friendly (less or no lead and other changes from what I understand).

 

Brakes? I can't comment on any of that. I will say, though, that large Arrow rides don't age well, given my experience with Viper and Desperado. SFGAm took out their Shockwave, and I've heard that SFGAd's Great American Scream Machine has gotten rough as well.

 

Heck, Viper's pushing 20 years old, believe it or not, so even though it may still draw a crowd, I think SFMM may call it a day with that ride at some point.

 

Eric

[wrs28330]

Here are a few pictures from the front of the park for the holidays. Apparently the trees with the lights look nice at night. The lights may stay up year round.

 

Enjoy.

And finally the lights in the trees. Most of the trees in the plaza have these lights, and apparently look nice when they are all plugged in.

...and people actually buying the photos!

Kodak pictures are available for sale at the gazebo.

Santa and Mrs. Claus

The decorations on the gazebo.

[arrowfanman]

^ Thanks for the update! I have to admit I'm still not sure what to think of it. I think I like the idea, I dont know! Lol!

 

 

 

Also, in my opinion I'd expect the park to move forward on Thomas Town very soon. The Psyclone footprint, while not going to be the location of the attractions, is currently being used to paint what appears to be baby-blue construction walls. At least that's my interpretation of the soft-blue rectangles. We'll see.

 

-Jahan