The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[rawrtotheargh]

Yesterday a couple people were smoking behind the main Johnny Rockets. And there were like 2 families down wind from them and I felt so bad. I've smelt a couple times before that. It definitely does happen.

[ebl]

Sometimes I think people should speak up and gave the potheads a little unwanted attention. They're sort of like cockroaches when you turn on the lights...they don't want to be discovered, so they stop or leave.

 

Eric

[SuperMikeo]

I find the smell of pot much less upsetting than the group of Flatbillers using horrific language in front of a family in line that I just endured on my last visit.

 

Flatbillers are a sub-culture of tattooed white males that generally wear shirts related to "extreme" sports that they have no direct involvement in (most commonly dirt bike riding and lately UFC.) Oh yeah, they also wear hats with really flat bills. Often tilted to the side. Dickies shorts. Socks pulled up. Yeah, you've seen them. They are a plague in Southern California.

 

And yeah, recently at SFMM, they seem to be breeding. I watched a frustrated family walk outta of line because a group of these clowns were saying "F***!" as many times as they were using the word "bro." We're talking hundreds of times, at the top of their lungs.

 

Speak how you want, but at the top of your lungs with a bunch of kids around???

 

If you're a flatbiller and I offended you, I don't care. Take off your metal mulisha shirt and put a friggin' bend in your brim. You don't look tough. And your lifted truck sucks.

 

[ebl]

^ I liked that post.

 

As with any such group, the more negative attention they bring onto themselves, the more likely they'll have to find somewhere else to go because sooner or later, management/security will catch up. And that's a good thing for SFMM because it will just drive the park even closer to the family friendly place that it should be.

 

Eric

[ghost007jas]

^^ If there was a way to favorite posts, I'd do so to that one. Well said.

 

Security really needs to crack down on these sorts of things, people have the right to say what they want, but yelling it with families around? I dunno, just seems to be in poor taste to me.

[SuperMikeo]

^ and ^^: Agreed. Dealing with annoying people at parks brings this whole coaster hobby into the world of reality. I guess I forget that total losers enjoy going to theme parks too. Boo!

 

From the Six Flags site regarding language: Guests using profanity or abusive language, symbols or gestures may be ejected from the Park without refund.

 

Has anyone ever seen them enforce this? Speaking freely among friends and being audibly offensive are two different things, and I really think it is tough to bring your family to a place where there is so much brazen foulness going on.

 

I mean, these guys were like "F*** Bro! I'll F*** you up! Nah Bro, I F***ing got your back, Bro. F***!" Really loud. Shoving each other, talking about all the "hoes" they were gonna get. The whole bit. I would have LOVED to have seen them removed by the park.

 

Maybe the Yosemite Sam mascot with some handcuffs? Or Bugs Bunny holding a bar of soap?

[Mr.Six]

From the Six Flags site regarding language: Guests using profanity or abusive language, symbols or gestures may be ejected from the Park without refund.

Has anyone ever seen them enforce this?

 

I've thrown out a fair share of these so called humans that were better fitted to be discarded in a tissue 18-25 years ago. Problem is the other guests have to be the park's eyes and ears in most of the situations and act immediately if they want something taken care of. Doesn't always work, but its better than not doing anything.

[Guest]

From the Six Flags site regarding language: Guests using profanity or abusive language, symbols or gestures may be ejected from the Park without refund.

 

Has anyone ever seen them enforce this? Speaking freely among friends and being audibly offensive are two different things, and I really think it is tough to bring your family to a place where there is so much brazen foulness going on.

 

I mean, these guys were like "F*** Bro! I'll F*** you up! Nah Bro, I F***ing got your back, Bro. F***!" Really loud. Shoving each other, talking about all the "hoes" they were gonna get. The whole bit. I would have LOVED to have seen them removed by the park.

They do have spiels at the front of the park saying profanity is not allowed. Ive seen things like that plenty of times at parks, but oddly enough never at SFMM (Great Adventure in 2005 was horrible with people like that, didnt see any in 08).

[PeoplemoverMatt]

You're assuming these people care about rules. Mr. Six's assessment of these people is an accurate one. If don't want them in our park, then we, all of us, guests, employees, everyone, needs to do our parts in cleaning them out. Send the message loud & clear that we will not tolerate them anymore. Guests need to report these people as SFMM enforces their code of conduct policies.

[rawrtotheargh]

^ I think that most guests under estimate the employees and assume that they probably wouldn't or can't do anything about it. I tell someone about people that are being disruptive if I notice that other guests are being bothered. And the employee has always had a "talk" with the rude guest or guests.

[dino]

I've thrown out a fair share of these so called humans that were better fitted to be discarded in a tissue 18-25 years ago.

LOL, I love that quote!

[gavt1976]

I am looking for track layouts of flashback because my friend is building one in RCT3 and we can not find anything of it.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^You might want to ask this question also in the games forum. People in there are more likely to have layouts of rides.

[netdvn]

^^

http://www.rcttown.com/downloads2bpg5.htm

Here's a website I found that features a Z-Force/Flashback download.

 

Just scroll down to the Z section and you'll find it.

If you want to make the coaster on your own, here's a promotional picture of the ride when it ran at SFGAm. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

[Jew]

You're assuming these people care about rules. Mr. Six's assessment of these people is an accurate one. If don't want them in our park, then we, all of us, guests, employees, everyone, needs to do our parts in cleaning them out. Send the message loud & clear that we will not tolerate them anymore. Guests need to report these people as SFMM enforces their code of conduct policies.

 

While I agree with everything you say, I really hope that the park isn't operating under the premise that it is up to the guests to report everything. The park should also be increasing staff levels, so there can be a security gaurd or mobile employee at the front and/or inside each major ride queue. The only rides I remember constantly seeing that at during my visits last summer were X2 and Tatsu (I could be wrong about that---those are just the two I remember), which is an improvement over past practices and something I hope they keep up! Way back when the major rides had security cameras and a gaurd in a booth in the queues watching over them!

 

Even if an incident gets reported to an employee on the load platform and it does get dealt with appropriately...that guest is still going to be extremely pissed they had to put up with whatever the problem was until they could find an employee.

[ghost007jas]

While that is a good idea, and certainly sounds nice.. That's a very expensive proposition! You're talking paying someone eight dollars an hour (more if it's a real security guard) for at least five major rides, every operating day... I don't know if Magic Mountain has the cash to throw around to get this done, hell even Disneyland doesn't hire employees to "roam the lines".

 

Although I do think they could stand to have a few employees that roam around the park to help answer guest's questions and the like, so they're useful in a wider area than just one queue.

[Mr.Six]

I'm not saying its the practice of a decent theme park to rely on their guests to alert them of certain security situations that arise throughout the day. However at Magic for right now I believe it to be the best resource; and its unfortunate.

 

I don't see it possible for magic to be hiring on extra security / park & safety guards. If anything, they'd have to transfer already hired employees to perform these actions. Which would be a process all in itself.

 

The best option now is to teach line employees to take a proactive and initiative stance with 0 tolerance for any situation that might come their way when alerted by a guest.

 

The issue with that however is that most Magic Mountain employees , esp. in rides is that they are already performing the duties of 2-4 theme park employees. They honestly might not be able to leave their area to assist in a non-emergency situation.

 

So that being said, its clear that the least expensive option ( That being training and coaching of the above ) only has a slight chance of working. Because here is the clear and simple formula that won't work.

 

*$8.00 p/h Ride Op

 

+Poor Training

 

+Must conduct the jobs of 2-4 other theme park workers at the same time.

 

+Understands there are no rewards for going above and behind.

 

And now your asking them to play the part of security and safety. And telling them they must now step away from doing their 2-4 extra jobs to assist in this matter.

 

It just will not work. Maybe 1/10 ride ops at Magic Mountain will have good enough moral standards to attempt to do this, but the majority will certainly not.

 

This is why for Magic's current well being, the best option is that the guests be the eyes and the ears of the park. Its far beyond what a park guest should ever have to do, but it will be the most effective.

[ethans_dad06]

Maybe in the future if any of us hear or see somthing of this sort, we can get on our cell phones and make a call to guest relations. If your quick enough maybe they can send someone to that area and investigate. It may or may not work, but it's worth a shot. And if we all do it enough then the park might see its a problem and be more proactive about it in the hfuture.

[ebl]

In that Z-Force/Flashback picture, I noticed that the cars appear to have two rows of two riders each (of course anyone who rode knows that the each car sat four riders in one row). Also, the final upward helix is missing.

 

This was, of course, a promotional picture, so there will be differences, but from what I can see, the overall layout is pretty close. Just as a reference for you, gavt1976, the track made a 180-degree left turn right out of the station and took a little dip to engage the lift track. And as I mentioned, there was a 540-degree upward, left-hand helix at the end before the last turn back into the station. I hope that helps a bit.

 

Eric

[ZeroG001]

I also agree that guests should help the park out by pointing people out in queues that are disobeying park policy. While I was at Knott's last weekend, we were in line for the front row on Xcelerator. One guy was in line, and he was "saving" a spot for about 8-10 other people! My group and other people in line complained to the ride op, and he said to point the group out when it was their turn to ride. We told him who they were, and instead of letting them on the ride, he made them walk across the station, through the train, and leave. They began to sit down and refused to get up, but they had a few security guards who also told them to leave. If no one had said anything, these line jumpers would've gotten away with it. So when there aren't any employees around to see what's going on, I think that guests should let them know.

[ebl]

The only concern I have for people pointing out troublemakers is that those troublemakers could make things bad for the ones who told on them if they know who they were.

 

Having as many visible security officers as possible is a good deterrent to trouble.

 

Eric

[ZeroG001]

^I agree. The people we got kicked out of line where getting a little defensive, which is why I think they called in the security. After they got kicked out, they waited by the exit for a while, even while our ride cycled. But when we got off, they were gone.

[Jew]

... I don't know if Magic Mountain has the cash to throw around to get this done, hell even Disneyland doesn't hire employees to "roam the lines".

 

Disney still has greeters and mobile leads. And I believe on certain attractions they do staff queue attendants.

[Mr.Six]

Joey is right, also keep in mind you don't need to post an employee in the line to "watch" the line. Just an employee is line accessible . Even X2 has an employee at what's called split , which is when you either proceed to stair side or ramp side.

 

Something that has always bothered me about Magic Mountain too is the lack of radios used between employees. Only supervisors and security have them. Which means even if you are roaming the line as a lead and you notice something that calls for instant action, your pretty much on your own!

[ebl]

^ Leads could use a cell phone, but someone might mistake them for a ride op!

 

Seriously, these are the things that should be brought up. I would think that better communication between leads would help to "police" the park better.

 

Eric