The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ Talk about wishful thinking.

[dylanreich]

This news is actually making my parents think about going as a whole family for the first time ever since my Dad and I are coaster freaks but the rest of the family (Mom and two younger siblings) would actually enjoy the growing amount of family/kid-friendly rides. This might actually turn out well enough for the park, but as the parents on here stated it does make sense to have kid rides spread throughout the park... Better than nothing.

[denning]

I am going to take the other side here. I love the nicely set up central kids areas.

 

We have to understand that we are not the general public and we do parks differently. We plan, we strategize, we seek out credits, we travel around the world, we are knowledgable. We find a way to do everything in a park in one day even with kids. For destination parks or first time visitors I get that spreading out attracations makes sense from a "touring" prespective. But from a season pass holding local park presepctive I think the focused kids areas are the way to go. Now a park could have two large kids areas that would be more than fine. But sprinkling of kids around the park intermixed with flats and larger rides would be a parenting nightmare on a regular basis.

 

For the majority of people the kids area at their local park is like the zoo or a musuem. It is activity for, and about, the kids. So our trips to our local park is now about them. We are a bit more selfish at parks we are experiencing for the first time. But a day at our park is about the kids and only the kids.

 

Repacking strollers or moving them great distances around a large park is a major pain. Having everything close together lets parents spilt up easily to take a kid on a ride or get some food and regroup quickly. This is essential when you have kids of different ages. Everyone wants to eat at different times and go on different rides. Adding travel time would be awful. Also when spiltting up for greater lenngths of time, ie. older child wants a a big ride with one parent, it perfect to have a clearly available central waiting area with lots of options for flexability for the other kid and parent. Too much time can be spent trying to move the heard so to speak. It is great to know you can keep taking the kids on smaller rides without standing around waiting because you will never be more than a five minute walk from the meeting place when the other group returns.

 

For us we try and do our kiddie swap activites for the big rides on the way to the kids area or the way home or during nap time. But truthfully the window for the kids being full of energy is low and having them get as many as ride as possible with little walking and hopefully good photo ops and characters is important. So we love a park that is as efficiently organized as possible.

[Jew]

^I think while trying to argue against a central kids area, you explained exactly why having them throughout the park is a better idea---your entire family wants to do different things and eat at different places, so IMO it would be more convenient to have things close by all those different things. That sounds more appealing than having to hike back and forth to the same area to trade off babysitting duties.

 

From my experiences traveling around the world with Robb, Elissa, and KidTums---I can definitely say I prefer having kids rides spread throughout, rather than all the times we had to trade off baby duties or having to hike back to "basecamp" to switch.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Just an FYI, I just got confirmation from the park that the 2 new slides are replacing 2 existing slides. They aren't sure which ones yet but if I had to guess they are the 2 black snake summit twisty slides.

[denning]

From my experiences traveling around the world with Robb, Elissa, and KidTums---I can definitely say I prefer having kids rides spread throughout, rather than all the times we had to trade off baby duties or having to hike back to "basecamp" to switch.

 

The point I was trying to make is when visiting a local park for the umpteeth with the kids there is nothing better than a base camp.

 

Agree 100% when travelling and trying to do everything that a base camp is less than ideal. But remember KidTums is the exception. Not the rule. Most don't travel around the world with parents who made loving theme parks their profession. And who travel in a way that they can do everything with minimal lines.

 

Most kids get to go only one local park, maybe another park a year, and disney maybe once in their entire childhood. So it is really about how the local park is set up. And going to the local park as parents can sometimes feel like a chore. Never undestimate the pain that is the stroller and moving groups of small excitable cute monsters. Base camps make them more managable.

 

I had to grow up and accept then when I visit a themepark for the next while. There will be no ERT. There will be no new credits. I cannot ask my wife to babysit for an hour while I do a ride I have been on before. For us there will kids rides and only kids rides. And in that circumstance basecamps for the win. That is the case for the vast majority of the audience that the new coaster is being marketed too. For those who are bored with the existing kids area another option.

[ernierocker]

^Your example only works if you are a family with only small kids. We are referring to examples of families and groups that have kids of varying ages and heights. The 12 year isn't going to like staying in the kid's area while his 4 and 6 year old siblings ride all of the kiddie rides. If you are wanting to split up so the older siblings can ride the bigger rides, it makes more sense for there to be more "base camps" so you aren't spending the entire trekking back and forth across the park. This is why parks like Busch Gardens, Disney and the Herschend parks are so popular with families. They cater to the average family. SFMM obviously doesn't and this just further proves that they aren't thinking of the family in their operations and planning right now.

Edited August 29, 2013 by ernierocker

[robbalvey]

I am going to take the other side here. I love the nicely set up central kids areas.

 

OMG. Then why does EVERY OTHER DECENT PARK IN THE WORLD THAT CATERS TO FAMILIES *NOT* SET UP THEIR PARK THIS WAY!?!?!?

 

Take a stroll around Dollywood, Silver Dollar City, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Europa Park, Heide Park, Universal, etc, and then come back discuss, because then maybe you'll know what you're talking about.

 

Hell, I think even Fuji-Q had a better selection of "balanced rides" for all ages throughout the entire park.

 

--Robb "Really wish people that didn't know what they were talking about would just not talk." Alvey

Edited August 29, 2013 by robbalvey

[Wes]

A few years ago, my wife and I took her nephews (5 and 7) to MM...the 7 year old would ride anything if he was tall enough for it, but the 5 year old was obviously only able to do the stuff in Bugs Bunny World. We stayed in Bugs Bunny World the entire time. The 7 year old would have probably ridden Gold Rusher, Ninja, Revolution, etc if there was also stuff in the area for a younger kid to do. You can have a central kids area, but not EVERY single thing needs to be there.

[805Andrew]

I like the SFMM announcement for 2014 for the most part. Colossus backwards is a lot of fun and Batman should be too. Interesting that they are emphasizing the backwards part in the Spring, will they be some type of announcement next summer? Maybe there should be a Backwards Bash event next Spring with ERT on Colossus and Batman (just throwing an idea out there). I liked SFMM's promo video a lot better than CP's, a lot less cheesy, shorter, and more on point. I don't really care about the new kiddie coaster, but I hope it will be more for "all of the family" and not "adults with a kid only". I feel the DeJaVu spot would have made more sense for the location as the kids rides should be more spread out among the adult rides as opposed to being bunched in one location.

[cal1br3tto]

I don't really care about the new kiddie coaster, but I hope it will be more for "all of the family" and not "adults with a kid only".

Same, just didn't want to be the first to mention that. I hope it'll be in the "family ride" category, because credits.

[FreeFaller]

^Credits Credits Credits!

[Mrlittle]

I don't really care about the new kiddie coaster, but I hope it will be more for "all of the family" and not "adults with a kid only".

Same, just didn't want to be the first to mention that. I hope it'll be in the "family ride" category, because credits.

 

Of course you would be worried about the credit..why do I love thee..

[coasterlvr]

as much as I'd like an awesome ride each year, I really wouldn't mind if the announcement was something like...we are going to refresh everything! we are going to paint the rides, clean all the gum, redo the walkways, hire employees that are fun with good attitudes, run all rides at full capacity, etc. etc.

 

every time i go to MM, i receive the email survey. every time i answer the same way. dirty, line jumping, most employees uninterested besides the "whoop whoop". but always end it with, i'll keep coming back for some of the great rides, so you have me there. lol

[simaticable]

You know the management doesn't even care about the ride when they don't even have a name for it yet!

 

At least they acknowledged that it won't be open until next summer.

Edited August 29, 2013 by simaticable

[Blue Fire Guy]

I don't really care about the new kiddie coaster, but I hope it will be more for "all of the family" and not "adults with a kid only".

Same, just didn't want to be the first to mention that. I hope it'll be in the "family ride" category, because credits.

^Credits Credits Credits!

Hoping it'll be that way too, lol! Definitely an excuse for me to go to SFMM again next year (WCB will be my first) and X2 and Apocalypse will be back open then...maybe...they could have problems again, you never know!

[Jew]

There will be no new credits. I cannot ask my wife to babysit for an hour while I do a ride I have been on before. For us there will kids rides and only kids rides.

 

...And that is exactly why even parks like Hard Rock Park (who couldn't do anything else right) managed to figure out no one likes being chained to a single area all day (except for you apparently).

[Sir Clinksalot]

You know the management doesn't even care about the ride when they don't even have a name for it yet!

 

At least they acknowledged that it won't be open until next summer.

 

I'm calling it now ... Full Throttle Jr.

[chickenbowl]

^ Lil' YOLO

[willh51]

A refresher year would be a wonderful announcement but I doubt it would go over so well with the GP. Is Scream! still running one train?

 

That said, those new slides look pretty awesome.

[cmullin]

If they had put it near Goldrusher, or in DC Universe, it would be much better, because there are a few rides in those areas that younger kids can go on. Obviously it doesn't really matter to me because I never go in the kids areas except to get my credits.

[IronWolfman]

If SFMM was going in the direction we all dream of, the next 2 years would hopefully look something like:

 

2015:

3 new flats - A giant frisbee and 2 family flats.

Viper, Scream, Goliath, Tatsu, and Riddler's repaints.

Building rehabs and repaints.

 

2016:

Iron Colossus.

New family coaster, something Gold Rusher sized. Maybe Zierer?

Remaining needed ride and roller coaster repaints and rehabs, including new trains for Viper and Revolution.

 

2017:

More new flats.

Hurricane Harbor expansion.

 

These would be really nice additions, if SFMM would go for them.

[darklingscribe]

Just an FYI, I just got confirmation from the park that the 2 new slides are replacing 2 existing slides. They aren't sure which ones yet but if I had to guess they are the 2 black snake summit twisty slides.

 

Thanks, that answers the one real question I had.

 

I'm not going to really mourn the loss of those two body slides, especially because they really scraped up my back last time I was there. But really, only two? Almost all of the new complexes Six Flags installs with the trap door type launch have four slides. I wonder if these will be the kind that drop into a twist or will they be the ones that go straight down?

 

Come to think of it could these be replacing their straight speed slide, Venom drop, after that kid fell off some time last year? The trap door launch certainly would keep that kind of stupidity in check.

[Woodie Warrior]

One will go straight down, one will coil. It is like they cut SFGAm's 2011 slide complex in half.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ That's my thought too which likely means we will be trading 3 slides for 2 as I can't see them removing Venom Drop and just one of the twisty black slides. Sucks because they could easily fit 4 slides on the existing tower. I just don't think the Taboo Tower is tall enough for these.