The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[PURE]

We hear about it all the time. There are 3 billboards around Knott's about it (and I saw a Knott's Billboard leaving SFMM the other day) also non-stop radio and tv ads.

 

I'd like to know where the SF billboards are around Knotts advertising for X2, I basically live across the street, and I haven't seen any!

 

Everyone around here knows about the park (although they all just call it "Six Flags" instead of "Magic Mountain," and that's kinda always irked me) but I don't know how many people have been informed that the parks not going to close. I still hear "Isn't MM going to close?" from first time trip buddies.

 

SFMM has never really done a good job of letting the "dumb" public know whats going on with that. I think there was like, 1 commercial announcing it and that was all.

[Team Thriller]

SFMM has never really done a good job of letting the "dumb" public know whats going on with that. I think there was like, 1 commercial announcing it and that was all.

 

Compared to Disney, that could be true. But, my aunt lives in Burbank, LA, and she says there are tons of magizine articls and news paper articles about it.

 

I know for a fact, my aunt as talked about Billboards (Maybe not across the street for knouts though) and radio and television commercials about it.

 

Also, the website. If any of those people really want to know about the park. Just log onto the website and they can find all the info they want out.

 

--James

[Rollerman87]

We hear about it all the time. There are 3 billboards around Knott's about it (and I saw a Knott's Billboard leaving SFMM the other day) also non-stop radio and tv ads.

 

I'd like to know where the SF billboards are around Knotts advertising for X2, I basically live across the street, and I haven't seen any!

 

Everyone around here knows about the park (although they all just call it "Six Flags" instead of "Magic Mountain," and that's kinda always irked me) but I don't know how many people have been informed that the parks not going to close. I still hear "Isn't MM going to close?" from first time trip buddies.

 

SFMM has never really done a good job of letting the "dumb" public know whats going on with that. I think there was like, 1 commercial announcing it and that was all.

 

First, I'd irk you too I love SFMM, but I call it Six Flags. I do it because there is no other park around here to confuse it with. Of course, on the site (and probably around enthusiasts), I use SFMM or Magic Mountain.

 

And SF really isn't any good at the advertsiement of that stuff. I was frantic when I heard they might be selling, and I had to do some digging to find out they switched the list. They need have the stupid, annoying asian idiot say something "More Flags *faster* we're not closing* More fun

[ebl]

Since I've been going there long before it became Six Flags Magic Mountain, I'll always call it "Magic Mountain," and never "Six Flags."

 

"...and I saw a Knott's Billboard leaving SFMM the other day" (winningfreak)

 

It was probably too tall to ride most rides.

 

Eric

[PURE]

I'll always call it "Magic Mountain," and never "Six Flags."

 

Thats what I'm talkin bout!

 

I prefer Magic Mountain because that's the name of the park. Saying "I'm going to Six Flags" could mean you're going to any of the company owned parks around the world. And, well, Magic Mountain just sounds so much better, IMO.

 

Totally making myself out to look like a MM Fanboy here, but I don't care.

[Rollerman87]

I know Magic Mountain is what it should be called, as even my friend corrected me on it. But, I've never been to another SF, and this one is the "home" park, so I just use the general Six Flags. I knida grew up with Six Flags first, Magic Mountain second. Yes, I'm a little bit younger than either of you.

[arrowfanman]

6/26/08 SFMM Update!

 

 

Hey guys!

 

How have you been? What?—I’m not trying to play off the fact that it’s been a long time since the last legitimate SFMM Update! I feel like Robb and friends have been doing a great job at keeping you up to date. And at the same time, there hasn’t been all that much to report on. With the summer season in full swing, there is very little time between breaths to do much other than operate the park.

 

But enough excuses, let’s not delay any longer and actually get to the update…

 

 

 

X2 v. Thomas Town

 

Both of SFMM’s 2008 attractions have arrived and are welcoming guests to ride. On one end of the park, you have X2, the arguably meanest and most-thrilling of the park’s coaster collection. On the other, Thomas Town, the undoubtedly most quaint, peaceful, and family-friendly of the park’s offerings.

 

Welcome to Thomas Town!

 

Thomas Town features two main attractions, the smaller being the coaster formerly known as Goliath Jr. It has since become Percy’s Coaster and looks much nicer than before.

 

I love how top-heavy this thing looks!

 

The larger of the attractions is Thomas the Tank Engine himself!

 

His eyes look like little Pac Mans!

 

Thomas is pretty much your average diesel-powered amusement park train that occupies the space where Granny Gran Prix used to be. To be honest, it feels even less like a “ride” than Gran Prix used to, but it does add modernity and atmosphere, two things that Magic Mountain really lacks. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Thomas Town is the nicest “atmosphere” in the entire park!

 

…Knapford Station really felt like a cute little train station.

 

The tour itself is “cute” and enjoyable.

 

More set pieces creating a setting along the track.

 

An exit through the most “blue” gift shop I have ever seen!

 

And towards the Cranky the Crane water-play area.

 

More set pieces underneath Cranky.

 

 

 

There is also Thomas “Storytime” entertainment, at select times, for the little ones.

 

I *love* the little chairs! I can fit like, one butt-cheek on them! Obviously designed for the little ones.

 

 

I’m going to be perfectly honest, despite all of the atmosphere and scenery to see, the attraction did lack in some areas. It didn’t quite feel like a “ride”. More like a tram-tour around the “Island of Sodor”. But some parts of “Sodor” were rather bland and boring.

 

…Yeah. Not much going on over here.

 

Oooooh…and lovely speaker-tree forest over here.

 

 

…Sodor is a whacky place.

 

That all being said, the ride is still cute. But I haven’t even mentioned the biggest problem with Thomas Town yet. It’s something visible in each and every one of the photos I just posted. Here…let me help you…

 

 

 

Where IS everybody?

 

 

That’s right—there’s nobody IN Thomas Town! One of the nicest new areas Magic Mountain has created in the last decade and there’s nobody enjoying it! Where did everybody go?

 

Despite it being both a new attraction and a pleasant family experience, Thomas Town is more like a Ghost Town throughout most of the day. And this is how it has been every day! In the morning, there is a “rush” and the line will fill up to about one-train’s worth. But it will soon cycle out and by an hour after park opening, that is what you see—a completely deserted land. Perhaps guests don’t like a quiet little train ride. It would seem that more guests prefer…

 

FIREEEEEE!

 

…Looks like I found all of the missing guests!

 

 

X2 has instantly become the most popular attraction in the park. One Saturday in June, Tatsu’s line never left the station for the first 45 minutes of park-operation due to everybody running to X2 instead! Running 2 trains on weekdays and 3 trains on weekends, the line reaches from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the time of day.

 

People wait forever for this ride and walk off happy that they did!

 

The entrance sign is still going up (and is nearly complete). The line is also visible, almost to the ride entrance—this is with full switchbacks.

 

 

 

Part of me wants to say, “Well, people just like X2 more than Thomas!” And I have to argue, X2 is a far better “ride”. But I do hold a fair bit of hesitation in just saying that because, let’s face it, have you seen a commercial for Thomas Town? A billboard? Paper ad? The park is virtually ignoring the existence of Thomas Town while X2 gets a commercial spot every time So You Think You Can Dance cuts to commercial break!

 

Frankly, I don’t even know if the general public is aware that the ride exists.

 

So why isn’t the park advertising it? Is it not large enough to advertise? Is it some sort of licensing issue with the Thomas brand? Or is X2 just what the park is trying to focus on right now?

 

I don’t know. I understand that X2 is the crown jewel of the park’s coaster collection. But part of me thought that wanting to appeal to a family-crowd meant not just building family-friendly attractions, but letting the families know that it’s there. The park-maps now list the “family-friendly attractions” and there is a sign identifying them at the rides. The park IS making an effort to step away from their “teenage”-oriented past and promote good, clean, family fun.

 

So where’s that message? The only message you see on TV is “Come to Six Flags Magic Mountian if you’re bada$$ enough to ride the ALL-NEW X2.”

 

This was my metaphorical, “What happened to Thomas Town?” picture!

 

 

I only hope that a completely deserted Thomas Town gives the message that unless there is a transition to market the park as a family park, the park can never become a family park. Jay made it clear at West Coast Bash that Disney’s image as a great, family park allows it to remain king of family parks, despite whatever the truth actually is. Well, Six Flags Magic Mountain needs to reshape its public image to become a family-oriented park before it can every pretend to be, no matter how many family-friendly attractions it builds.

 

At the very least, find a happy medium. No more of this, Our rides are so thrilling, “You should check your pants for deposits”, as they spiel on the TV’s in the X2 queue line.

 

 

 

 

My rant is over.

 

 

 

 

You Know It’s Going To Be…All Right

 

A beautiful day at Revolution.

 

Well, as it has been previously reported, Revolution has received some new paint…Not on the track this time, but on the trains themselves! There’s also a rumor that one of the trains is new or has new mechanical components, which is believable. One of the trains has a mighty-freshened up version of the teal/silver scheme that the ride has been utilizing since the ‘90s.

 

Not a great shot at all, but you can tell that there’s a certain “freshness” to the coaches, even down to the wheels.

 

 

What caught my eyes more while approaching the ride, was the other train. Red. White. Blue.

 

The Great American Revolution…once again.

 

The train has both a patriotic feel, with a retro 70’s throwback. All without feeling “old”, but rather looking new and fresh!

 

The front coach has the retro-“Magic Mountain” lettering, a great throwback to the days that people so reminisce about Revolution.

 

Little details are found everywhere, including my favorite, the bumpers!

 

I have to be honest, the very first time I saw this new Revolution train, I was walking out of the Tatsu exit. I was soooo mesmerized by it, that I actually ran into a bench while staring at it!—I even have bruises to prove it.

 

At least the nearby guests thought it was funny.

 

 

 

The ride is even slightly improved. I rode in the patriot-train and noticed that the vibrations were nonexistent! The train seemed to glide over the track. That being said, the jolts that throw your head into the ungodly restraint were there. I’m convinced that the trains are as good as they will ever be. Therefore, if Revolution is to ever be perfectly comfortable again, the park will have to reprofile those terrible over the shoulder restraints.

 

May I recommend the soft-harness OTSRs, like on Tatsu or the new family SLC’s? Look into it.

 

 

 

A beautiful train, riding off into the distance.

 

*cues background music*

 

 

 

 

Entertainment, Advertisements, and Randomness, Oh My!

 

We’ve now arrived at that “end of the update” part of the update, where I throw together all of the things that weren’t big enough to have their own part of the update.

 

First up, the entertainment team at SFMM are working in full swing and to bring entertainment to the guests. Right at the entrance, you can find the “DDR Challenge”, where guests can compete against each other, in front of an audience, to see who is the Dance Dance Revolution master. Simple, but it’s actually quite entertaining.

 

Bow bow….chicka chicaaaaaa. Bow bow… Oh yeah!

 

 

Up next, is Kid Karaoke, which has replaced the bird show in the Carrot Club Theater. It isn’t uncommon to be walking through Bugs Bunny World and here scratchy girl’s voices attempting to belt-out their favorite Hannah Montanna songs.

 

I should be arrested for taking this photo.

 

Both of these offerings seem more focused on allowing the guests to entertain each other, than be entertained by the park. It’s partially clever, for what it is. As far as park entertainment, there’s the awesome Batman Begins stunt show, the daily parade, and then there’s CSI: LIVE.

 

This is CSI: LIVE. It’s in Magic Moments.

 

Though I have yet to see the show myself, a few of my friends weren’t entirely too thrilled by the show. I still will watch it and find out for myself though. If anything, for the air conditioning! (Last weekend, it was 110 degrees F at the park!)

 

 

There has also been a vast array of advertisements to pop up throughout the park. They don’t obstruct the park experience at all, but are very noticeable.

 

You have high-tech ad signs…

 

…Car showcase displays…

 

…High tech ad signs AND car showcase displays, and my personal favorite…

 

Trash can imprints advertising for the Consumer Products division of a company that also happens to have a Parks and Resorts division in indirect competition with Six Flags Inc.!

 

 

 

More lockers are being installed at Tatsu.

 

 

Here, let me save you the effort—

 

*bitch* *moan* *outcry* *rant* *groan* *protest* *snarl* *complain*

 

…there! I just saved us all 15 pages of complaining!

 

 

 

In other news, the Magic of the Mountain Museum at the SkyTower has received a few more upgrades, proving that the it will never be complete, so as long as there is imagination left in the world….I mean…erm…Just look at the pictures…

 

The models are no longer hanging around wherever they feel like, but have been properly placed on stands as they deserve.

 

“Dead space” in the center of the floor has been filled with some very neat photo-collages.

 

There’s even a test seat up here!

 

Which is actually really disappointing to me, as now that the test seat is in the park, there’s no real excuse to why the others can’t be used at their respective rides.

 

 

Yes, the Goliath Jr. sign HAS been removed. In fact, it’s currently sitting behind Psyclone’s footprint.

 

 

 

The 2009 Coaster

 

I do not have information on the 2009 coaster for you. I very much enjoy my job and would like to continue doing it. So why dedicate a section of the update to it? For two thoughts:

 

One, be careful guys. I don’t know what Shapiro “slipped” last week. What I do know is there is still very little information about this project out there. I’ve been reading through the nearly 10-pages of gossip already produced about the coaster and can’t help but notice a bunch of fallacies in logic. People are drawing conclusions far too soon and filling in information that hasn’t been confirmed. And that’s human nature, I understand. The brain is able to merge two planes of vision (one for each eye) into a single image by essentially “guessing” what goes between the two! We are designed to fill in the gaps.

 

That being said, be careful. People are already jumping to conclusions that are remarkably wrong. And I don’t want anyone to be disappointed by an element of this coaster that was never on the drawing board to begin with!

 

Secondly, show some patience. After all, it was late-June of 2005 that I began doing updates for Tatsu, which opened in Spring of 2006. If it’s safe to use that same construction timeline, then it would be safe to say that markers/markings may begin appearing within the next few months! So patience. The ride will begin to come together soon enough and before you know it, you’ll be on the thing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well folks, that should do it for today! Hope you enjoyed the update. A bit short, but as I said, not all that much is going on right now! Check back over the next few months as more updates on what will be happening at the park occur!

 

I couldn’t resist!

 

 

-Jahan (arrowfanman@yahoo.com)

[knottslover77]

Nice update, park is looking really good.

 

--Jay

[Manic Monte]

Wow! Great update!

 

Thomas Town looks great! I haven't been to the park since it opened, but I hope the park can get the word out about this. For some reason it looks more appealling at SFMM than it does squished into SFDK.

 

And I hear ya on the 2009 thing. Someone e-mailed me yesterday and expalined some things that I did not know (as well as to "shut the hell up" lol). I'm keeping quiet until at least construction begins (if not the annoucement itself). But I'm excited!

[alawhat]

Nice Beatles reference, arrowfanman

[ebl]

Great report, Jahan! Thomas Town looks really nice. Methinks there needs to be more there to do to keep people there longer. A "blue" gift shop ain't gonna do it.

 

I like the Revolution train. However, some of the little touches aren't true to the 1976 color scheme. The stars on the rear bumpers, for instance, and the paint detail on the sides of the cars below the door openings. Back then, it was just black with some rainbow tape dots. I do like the fact that they gave the front of the cars the old lettering style, though. And it does look funny to see trains with those colors with the tall headrests!

 

Eric

[Xtreme-me]

to tell you the truth, I was actually rather let down by X2. Some people thought it was amazing but I was somewhat disappointed with the whole thing. I only took one ride on it (I went the same weekend it opened) and, while the line wasn't too bad (an hour and a half wait after a breakdown), The only thing that was really that great was the fire. The sound was a bummer because it didn't really work very much and the sound was barely distinguishable while the ride was going and the new trains were not any smoother than the older ones. (actually, come to think of it, they were rougher than the last ride I had on the old trains) I think the red paint is a nice touch, but its really not that great. Would have rather had them use some of the money for the ride (say, about half of it) and save the rest for other things, like the new 2009 ride or to make improvements on other coasters.

 

Nice to see revolution get some love! are the trains any smoother or do they just look sexy?

[Team Thriller]

Magic Mountain was my favorite park two years ago. Now, I can't believe how much I would like it.

It is looking so nice. The atmosphere is amazing now.

I love Six Flags Magic Mountain! The old looks new!

 

Thanks Jahan. Your the greatest.

 

--James

[SFjunkie2010]

that is a fantastic update!!! Thanks for the pictures of Revolution, that ride deserves some love.

 

I also think that this is a pattern with Thomas Towns because the one here at SFNE is always dead as well... hmm....

[nagro5]

Does anybody know what is going on with Laughing Dragons? I remember someone saying that they were working on it quite a few pages back.

 

Oh, and thanks for the update Jahan!

[VivaLaVibora]

X has had the long line for awhile now. Part of it just has to do with the slow loading, and unloading procedures, plus broken trains. Who is to say that X2 is doing so much better than X was, and that the people say a 3 hour line is really worth it. The line is longer because the park is acting like it's a new ride, and people want to see what the heck they did to the ride.

 

Thus, it's going to be long for the first year as every ride is long for the first year. It's the years after that we know how long they are going to be. Screamscape says that they aren't going to put in anymore Dark Knights because the other ones were failures. However, if you were to go on the Dark Knight this year, you might be waiting 1 hour to 2 hours. That's because it's broke down some of the times, and there are tons of people that have never ridden it before because it is the new ride.

 

So, long lines in the first year doesn't really mean much to me because it's new to everyone.

[arrowfanman]

^ Disregarding that I know for a fact that guests are generally very happy with X2, my point was just that--both X2 and Thomas are new. Therefore, how come X2 was pushed by the park and not Thomas?

 

What I was saying was regardless of whether or not it will stay that way--X2 IS the most popular ride in the park right now! You cant argue that.

 

I like the Revolution train. However, some of the little touches aren't true to the 1976 color scheme. The stars on the rear bumpers, for instance, and the paint detail on the sides of the cars below the door openings. Back then, it was just black with some rainbow tape dots. I do like the fact that they gave the front of the cars the old lettering style, though. And it does look funny to see trains with those colors with the tall headrests!

 

Eric

 

 

 

I don't think that the intent was ever to "copy" the 1976 trains, but rather create a train inspired by that design. I personally think the stars are an improvement over the dots.

 

 

Nice to see revolution get some love! are the trains any smoother or do they just look sexy?

 

As I said, the vibrations have been eliminated. The trains "glide" around. But the main "jolts" that throw your head into the restraint is still there. Those will never go away.

 

 

Does anybody know what is going on with Laughing Dragons? I remember someone saying that they were working on it quite a few pages back.

 

The sign atop the restraunt recieved a repainting (it desperately needed it) and it's open on weekends this summer.

[alexinla]

Thanks Jahan, always like your updates and the little "inside information" here and there

 

Saw you once at the restroom by Goliath but thought it would be kinda wierd to say "hi" while you doing your thing,lol

[laqueefa]

Thanks Jahan, always like your updates and the little "inside information" here and there

 

Saw you once at the restroom by Goliath but thought it would be kinda wierd to say "hi" while you doing your thing,lol

 

Dont feel bad, I took the creepy path when he walked up and started talking to the person helping me. I was like, "I know you..."

"I sees you on teh interwebz..."

[Mr.Wood]

New (rehab) trains on Revolution!!!! they were so nice and the ride is great again. Plus train #3 on Goldrusher is also redone. Now please clean the bathrooms. Thomas is sweet and once more families start going to SFMM again business will pick up in that area.

[Rollerman87]

Great update. I was at SFMM this past weekend, and it was hot. My friend has the thermometer in his car, and it hit 118 in the praking lot at one point. I got to ride Revolution and did notice it was a smooth ride. And I also rode X2 Saturday night at 10:30 and it fun. But yeah, audio wasn't that great, and the flames weren't working.

 

And as for the line thing, if X was any indication of X2's line, it will be a good two to three hour line way after it's not "new." On any day I came (for X), the line was quite long. And we're talking 4-5 years after it opened. People ride it for the thrill, but also for the experience.

[RIP Psyclone]

Still, it's a shame Revolution is not the ride it was when it opened in 1976. I think adding first the car-style over-the-shoulder seatbelts was a slippery slope, since it led to over-the-shoulder pull-down restraints. Six Flags should have never caved to whomever it was. Glad it's smoother now, though, it was very painful and not fun at all before this refurb.

[almightyfire]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Six Flags is a THRILL PARK and thats it point blank. NO one gets in the car to pay 60 dollars to ride flats or go to Thomas Town. Six Flags stick to what u know and that is to compete with Cedar Point and make some kiss arse coasters. I have never heard of Thomas Town until Six Flags. I dont see kids saying hey mommie i want to go to Thomas Town.

 

Big waste of money

[TheRapidsNerd]

I dig Revolution's new paint and updates.

 

The first special on coasters I ever saw, there was a scene with Rev racing along the tracks to Ozzy's Crazy Train. Thought that was the coolest thing and love that song as a result. Plus I just dig 70's era coasters.

 

Whenever I do get to Magic Mountian, it'll be great to chill by Valencia falls and watch Rev and Tatsu cycle while the water flows. Awesome.

 

Jahan, great update!

[Jew]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Six Flags is a THRILL PARK and thats it point blank. NO one gets in the car to pay 60 dollars to ride flats or go to Thomas Town. Six Flags stick to what u know and that is to compete with Cedar Point and make some kiss arse coasters. I have never heard of Thomas Town until Six Flags. I dont see kids saying hey mommie i want to go to Thomas Town.

 

Big waste of money

 

Thrill seekers spend $60 on a pass and never a penny more in the park. Families on the other hand? They are where the money is at.

 

I agree with Jahan...why aren't they marketing Thomas Town? I know there isn't much to market, but the brand is a strong brand and kids will probably still eat it up.