The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[Chrisrad]

^ Could not have said it any better myself.

[MrSum1_55]

As much as I love having something to hate in my life:

 

I do not think the park is as bad as it is made out to be. Sometimes, crews do have bad days, but there are (rare) times when I have seen crews haul a$$.

 

On the other hand, I do still think there is a lot of room for improvement. I think operations are overall the weakest for a park of its size, at least from the ones I have visited. Also, on the topic of FT, I think it is like Batman. It's the coaster Magic Mountain deserves, but not the one that it needs. It will be a fun ride, but, right now, it is just not what the park needs. I could reexplain what the park really needs, but that dead horse has been beaten. Do note, that I have a huge bias against the coaster, being that I am a multi-launcher fanboy. I love length, airtime, and "extreme family coasters", and this will not only be the first multi-launcher not to serve all those three, but it will also be the first not to serve any of those three.* But, this is more of a fanboy concern than a ride experience one.

 

*I am not counting Volcano and S:UF as full multi-launchers.

[vertigomkie]

^I don't think any California local will have the ability to understand just how awesome of a park SFMM is to those of us who don't have it in our "backyards," so to speak.

 

You are kidding me right?

 

SFMM has always been my "home park", so to speak. There were years when I went to Disney or Knott's more, but for the most part, SFMM is the park I've visited the most on a year-in year-out basis, and is without question the park I've visited the most.

 

Here's my problem with the park:

I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!

That's it. It's not rocket science, it's not a conspiracy, it's not because it's "fun and easy to make fun of the park".

 

The park lost it's way a LONG time ago, it tried to get it back under Jay (and I give them all the credit in the world for trying), but by that time it was too little too late. The damage had been done under Premier and there is no going back.

 

The park realizes this, which is why they must go after the "thrill" GP.

 

So before you make assumptions that we can't appreciate the park, step back and think of those of us who have lived near and loved the park for 30+ years (in my case) and imagine if your local favorite park just abandoned everything that made them once great.

 

Wouldn't you be kind of pissed and not willing to give them the benefit of the doubt?

 

end rant ...

 

[DJeXeL]

You are kidding me right?

 

SFMM has always been my "home park", so to speak. There were years when I went to Disney or Knott's more, but for the most part, SFMM is the park I've visited the most on a year-in year-out basis, and is without question the park I've visited the most.

 

Here's my problem with the park:

I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!

That's it. It's not rocket science, it's not a conspiracy, it's not because it's "fun and easy to make fun of the park".

 

The park lost it's way a LONG time ago, it tried to get it back under Jay (and I give them all the credit in the world for trying), but by that time it was too little too late. The damage had been done under Premier and there is no going back.

 

The park realizes this, which is why they must go after the "thrill" GP.

 

So before you make assumptions that we can't appreciate the park, step back and think of those of us who have lived near and loved the park for 30+ years (in my case) and imagine if your local favorite park just abandoned everything that made them once great.

 

Wouldn't you be kind of pissed and not willing to give them the benefit of the doubt?

 

end rant ...

 

[TommyG663]

Whenever someone says "I remember when it was awesome" I instantly think NOSTALGIA.

 

At the end of the day, it's just amusement parks. They don't make them for us they make them to make money.

 

Valleyfair is my home park and then I have Mall of America and Nickelodeon Universe nearby. The only Intamin rides in the state are Avatar Airbender at NU and Steel Venom at Valleyfair. There are no B&M rides in the state. The closest would be at SFGAm.

 

I have few complaints about my home parks and enjoy them for what they are. I'm hopeful that Valleyfair can be more thrilling 10+ years from now and I've made peace with the fact that I'll have to travel for thrills until then.

 

I wouldn't say the LA area has the best amusement parks in the world, but they are certainly pretty good. SFMM in particular has the most coasters in the world. I understand bad ops and an unruly crowd can take away from that experience a bit, but I figure it still has to be better than what I have in MN.

 

Again, I've never been to SFMM so I may be talking a little too far out of my...

I have been to Disneyland and Knotts so I can partially attest to the bit about LA crowds being more abrasive than others.

[robbalvey]

Whenever someone says "I remember when it was awesome" I instantly think NOSTALGIA.

Bullshit. I remember a Six Flags Magic Mountain when you didn't feel more disgusting walking into a bathroom. When the majority of the employees were friendly and seemed like they WANTED to work there. When ride operations were actually a priority. When the park had more rides than just roller coasters, and rides all over the park that families could enjoy, and was overall a more balanced park.

 

Guess, what, they could still be doing this today!

 

It's not "nostalgia" it's just many of us want Magic Mountain to be a GREAT park again. I don't think that's asking too much.

 

--Robb

[MrSum1_55]

And, replacing their best family ride with a gimmicky launch coaster proves that they are making little to no effort to restore it to that status.

[DJeXeL]

^Not to mention a water ride! With as hot as it gets out there, they needed all of the water attractions they had.

[XYZ]

I'm not old enough to remember the good ol' days for SFMM, though my father used to go to SFMM often in the 70s and early 80s and remembered when it was just Magic Mountain. He told me that back then, he preferred MM/SFMM over Disneyland and of how it was a FAMILY park not a thrill park.

[cooksta77]

Being 18, I'm not old enough to know the good old times of Magic Mountain but what I do know is that today my friends think it's a joke. Don't get me wrong we love the coasters and everything but the park has become a one trick pony. And on top of that the employees don't seem to care about their job, being on cell phones and whatnot, as well as the upkeep of the rides or the experience for the guest is just nothing compared to the parks in the greater LA area. So to me I think people have a right to be upset that the park is a shell of what it once was, not because of nostalgia but because I think we'd all love to see it be a great park again.

-Cookie

[pdcon]

See when it comes to employees not caring about there job, what are 80 percent of the employees? High school teens. i hate to say it but that just the way these kids where brought up this age of society, not caring, rude, lazy. Its horrible but there nothing we can really do about it.

[skydye]

I went to the park yesterday. I went on X2 first and they said it was only running one train. From a view from Viper later in the day I could see the line was too long for X2 to go on again. Apocalypse was one train and the wait was 50 min. Ninja was one train but there were no lines. Goldrusher was one train but no lines and Revolution was one train but no lines. They were working on the new ride site on both the east side as well as the west side on the hill. Most rides lines were little wait to no wait. I may go again next week as I got a gold pass and they are saying they are having an early entry for gold season pass holders beginning next year.

 

I enjoy Disneyland for what it is. I enjoy Knott's berry farm for what it is. But I love thrill rides and that what I love about Magic Mountain.

[Wes]

See when it comes to employees not caring about there job, what are 80 percent of the employees? High school teens. i hate to say it but that just the way these kids where brought up this age of society, not caring, rude, lazy. Its horrible but there nothing we can really do about it.

 

Well they could pay more which would attract better workers (unlikely with the current economy) or management could make an effort to care. It's not impossible, but the climate at the park doesn't really foster those concepts.

[mykolbeta]

I went to the park yesterday. Most of the roller coasters were on 1-train operations, except for Colossus and Scream. I was with a big group of friends so I didn't get lost in the 'waiting' really. Despite no secondary train on most rides, lines were short. Well, way shorter than your typical Summer/Fall lines. Tatsu broke down in line but was up and running in 10 minutes, and was overall a 40 minute wait. LL:DOD was also a 40 minute wait. Everything else, except X2 and LL:DOD, were 30 minutes or less (plus a few walk-on rides on Revolution and Viper). X2, which we rode last near closing time, was a 1 hr+ wait since they were only running 1 train.

 

Also, me and my friend got on the Slingshot. We split it since we used my season pass to get the better deal. We were eyeing it before heading to Apocalypse, we didn't see a single person get on it...even though you regularly see plenty of people getting on the dive devil (which is also an up-charge and costs more). Not having Deja-Vu there to lure people into that corner might see it not last very long (which is what most of you have been saying I think). After they secured us back into the magnetic lock, the supervisor (who seemed to be training the younger ops) asked us if we wanted a free ride, of course we said yes.

 

Overall a fun day at SFMM.

[gisco]

See when it comes to employees not caring about there job, what are 80 percent of the employees? High school teens. i hate to say it but that just the way these kids where brought up this age of society, not caring, rude, lazy. Its horrible but there nothing we can really do about it.

 

Really it is a lack of work ethic of kids today. I have hired a number of teens and young adults and they think working is a time to socialize.

[Meteornotes]

bull$#!%. I remember a Six Flags Magic Mountain when you didn't feel more disgusting walking into a bathroom. When the majority of the employees were friendly and seemed like they WANTED to work there. When ride operations were actually a priority. When the park had more rides than just roller coasters, and rides all over the park that families could enjoy, and was overall a more balanced park.

 

Guess, what, they could still be doing this today!

 

It's not "nostalgia" it's just many of us want Magic Mountain to be a GREAT park again. I don't think that's asking too much.

 

--Robb

 

This. A thousand times this. SFMM could be so much better, but they put zero effort into the place. And it really comes down to management.

 

Honestly, anyone that thinks SFMM is amazing either doesn't travel, or fits into their YOLO marketing demographic.

 

dt

[Manic Monte]

This thread is reaching bi-polar proportions lol

[WFChris]

The critical moment was everything after Batman The Ride. It's the last attraction I can remember that came with a fully immersive environment.

[azza29]

Also, me and my friend got on the Slingshot. We split it since we used my season pass to get the better deal.

 

How much is it with the season pass discount?

[Chrisrad]

The critical moment was everything after Batman The Ride. It's the last attraction I can remember that came with a fully immersive environment.

 

I appreciate the effort they put into Terminator.. especially when it had audio. That was definitely a step in the right direction in terms of theming/experience. The same goes for Green Lantern - the queue is pretty neat.

 

Going back to Batman, what 'used to work' in the queue that is missing today? (My first visit to SFMM was 2009 so..)

[Wes]

The critical moment was everything after Batman The Ride. It's the last attraction I can remember that came with a fully immersive environment.

 

The park never got into current habits until after Goliath. Superman had an attempt at theme, we got a rethemed area from Riddler's installation, Goliath also had okay decorations and such. Hurricane Harbor was added post-Batman too.

[Double0Kevin]

^I have to agree with this. Goliath kind of marked the end for me, then they decided to go "Xtreme" and get X and Deja Vu at the same time and then suddenly the focus was how can we add thrill ride after thrill ride with nothing more than the ride itself going for it. No attempt at theme or story, just a coaster. They aren't the only park to do this of course, but it comes out more here because they used to really try and then just kind of gave up.

[Wes]

And the blame shouldn't really fall directly on SFMM, as I'm assuming "giving up" on theming was in part due the Premier Parks spending habits coming around to bite the company in the ass once the 90's economic boom stumbled.

[Manic Monte]

And in fairness to the park currently, I do like the fact that Full Throttle is opening with an update to the area, something I hope they do again when adding something new. I think that's the best idea they've had in years.

[Double0Kevin]

^ What are they doing to the area? I haven't heard anything about that.