The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[AllenA07]

Does the park still offer free parking after 6? A few years ago when I live near the park, I enjoyed going at night and taking advantage of the free parking.

[DATman]

^We wish. Sadly, everything that made the park unique seems to have vanished or at least been drawn all over.

[kraxleRIDAH]

Oh Jahan, where art thou update?

[arrowfanman]

^

 

Sorry! I made my trip, but I'm going to be honest...my picture's aren't really that informative. Just a ton of pictures of Psyclone and Flashback not working!

 

 

Maybe I'll put them together soon, but I've just been busy the past two days. If all else fails, I'll update my update this weekend and shoot for a cumulative report.

 

Sorry to dissapoint!

 

-Jahan

[jerryd]

Another SFMM question, what hours is the season pass center have? And is it in the entrance plaza or where is it?

 

Jerry

[lapseofreason]

Another SFMM question, what hours is the season pass center have? And is it in the entrance plaza or where is it?

 

Jerry

 

I'm not sure what the hours are, but the processing center is located right next to Flashback...or if you're talking about starting from the beginning, you can get the voucher at the ticket booths or there's a little building next to the restrooms in the entrance plaza that is sometimes open for processing.

 

hope that helps.

 

-amanda

[Reggie_Ray]

Six Flags put a diclaimer up on the site right under the X disclaimer:

"The Flashback and Psyclone roller coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain will not be operational in 2007.

 

The Park is in the process of long-term planning and these two sites have been designated as a starting point for planning purposes.

 

Six Flags Magic Mountain is exploring opportunities for these two areas of the Park for future Park expansion."

 

Seems like they won't be removed anytime soon....sigh....

[arrowfanman]

^ The frankness of it is both confusing and welcomed!

 

 

 

Anyway, that was my thoughts as well...sure, they're closed. But it could be a while before we see them come down. And when the do come down, I'm almost certain that it will be a "deconstruction" rather than a demolition. Remember how they had all the "spare" wood layed out behind Psyclone in my last update? Well, I wouldn't be suprised if that's there so they can easily remove and organize different size woods, for resale.

 

 

 

Elissa...how do you like the idea of "Psyclone Hampster Bedding"?!

 

-Jahan

[thomas2]

I love it how everyone is bashing Psyclone. It must suck really really hard (haven't rode it so I don't know).

 

Anyway I'm glad Six Flags is shaping up. The park seems like it has alot of potential (again haven't been there). This is definitely a good step in the right direction. Go SF!

[kraxleRIDAH]

Seems like they won't be removed anytime soon....sigh....

 

Hardly! Psyclone will be removed within four weeks.

 

http://www.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_5065349

 

However, it's interesting that Flashback is only going into storage after being taken down and the park is exploring the idea to MAYBE re-install it somewhere in the park again in the future (but not this year).

[CP_RULES]

a re-install it somewhere in the park again in the future (but not this year).

 

Sounds like a good idea to me, The ride actually looks pretty fun! I guess HH really is the reason they left it SBNO fo so long.

[mcjaco]

Interesting. I was amazed at the difference in ridership numbers.

 

I hope they reopen Flashback after some TLC. It was my favorite back when it was Z-Force at SFGAm. Of course, that was years ago....

[kraxleRIDAH]

^ You do have to keep in mind that Flashback last operated in 2003...while Psyclone had 3 additional seasons to pick up turnstile numbers...and Magic Mountain draws approximately 2.7 - 3 million guests a year.

 

Even so, those turnstile numbers for those two coasters are about right considering how relatively unpopular they are. By comparison, Goliath had its 1 millionth rider within 5 months of its opening!!

 

link

 

MOD EDIT: fixed annoying link

[christianscoasters]

Seems like they won't be removed anytime soon....sigh....

 

Hardly! Psyclone will be removed within four weeks.

 

http://www.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_5065349

 

However, it's interesting that Flashback is only going into storage after being taken down and the park is exploring the idea to MAYBE re-install it somewhere in the park again in the future (but not this year).

I checked out the link. I thought X was going to open in January. Not February. Where in the park can they move Flashback to?

But X, which spins riders backward and forward in their seats even as it completes chilling drops, is also closed. The ride is undergoing routine maintenance and is set to re-open Feb. 3, Carpenter said.

Since when was X's rehab routine maintenance?

[kraxleRIDAH]

EDIT: Sue Carpenter has confirmed that the information below in this post is purely speculation and not true.

 

Something new I heard...Thrill Shot, Cyclone 500 and Freefall will also be removed this season. It's unknown whether or not they will be dismantled during the same time as Psyclone (early to mid-March).

 

We all know Freefall was sold a month or two ago, confirmed by http://irmpri.com/product.htm, but I don't see why they would remove their only Go-Karts attraction. Thrill Shot, I'm not so sure. With a little money to fully refurbish it, it could operate well again.

 

Take it all with a grain of salt. So everything in this post is all rumor, until confirmed by a reliable source.

[ParkTrips]

Maybe because the go karts just take up space and don't make all that much money to begin with?

[kraxleRIDAH]

That's probably a good reason, although I do see a lot of people paying to use the Cyclone 500.

 

I think Magic Mountain should just eliminate any extra-pay attractions except for Dive Devil (which is quite popular -- and profitable, from what I'm told). Though the idea is to charge a hefty price for a single ride to bring about a big profit, a closed or unpopular extra-charge ride will only go into the red once patronage declines and all they do is take up space in the park -- ala Thrill Shot.

 

My guess is that with the rumor of Cyclone 500 and Thrill Shot leaving, the entire back area of the park will be completely redeveloped in the next three years. I can see them renaming Cyclone Bay to something else, considering Psyclone nor Cyclone 500 will no longer be there to anchor the area's name. It's like Colossus County Fair without Colossus. Or there could be a possibility of splitting the current Cyclone Bay area into two separate parts with a different name and theme.

 

I'd be happy to see a Thomas & Friends and Wiggles World area at the back of the park.

[Astat]

Flashback, a steel coaster that opened in 1992, has been closed the last couple of years because it's right next to Hurricane Harbor, and the noise it generates interfered with lifeguards, Carpenter said.

 

You'd think after 4+ years of the damn thing sitting there rusting, they'd have come up with a better excuse by now. Or they could just be honest and admit that it's as big of a lemon as that '98 Saturn I tried out at the dealership yesterday.

[robbalvey]

Interesting.....

 

After it's dismantled, Flashback may be re-assembled somewhere else at Magic Mountain, but it won't be operating this year, Carpenter said. Psyclone will be smashed and scrapped within four weeks, she said.

 

Psyclone opened at Magic Mountain in March 1991, and it has a wooden frame with 11 hills. The structure is made up of Southern pine, unpainted to make it look more natural. Workers spent a combined 40,000 hours building the ride, ridden by 17.1 million people before it closed, Carpenter said.

[kraxleRIDAH]

Flashback, a steel coaster that opened in 1992, has been closed the last couple of years because it's right next to Hurricane Harbor, and the noise it generates interfered with lifeguards, Carpenter said.

 

You'd think after 4+ years of the damn thing sitting there rusting, they'd have come up with a better excuse by now. Or they could just be honest and admit that it's as big of a lemon as that '98 Saturn I tried out at the dealership yesterday.

 

4+ years? Flashback last operated April of 2004. That's not even three full years. Although I do get your point.

 

My guess is that Hurricane Harbor was a legitimate reason at first, which would account for the ride going down for long periods of time between operating -- but they just decided to stop operating it figuring they could save a little bit on their allocated budget rather than use it to keep a very unpopular ride running.

[waterviper]

Interesting.....

 

After it's dismantled, Flashback may be re-assembled somewhere else at Magic Mountain, but it won't be operating this year, Carpenter said.

 

Yes very interesting and now this will raise speculation that maybe Flashback will be moved back where they are tearing all that back part out! If this is true I say that Flashback could be moved to where Cyclone 500 is now. But I really dont understand their logic in moving it though. Flashback turned extremely unpopular and no one rode it anymore when it was still opened the last years before it went SBNO! I guess maybe being closed so long it will draw the crowds back to it. But they for sure need to give it a lot of tender loving care and refurbish the crap out of it first! Before reasembling it.

[ebl]

"Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:42 pm...You do have to keep in mind that Flashback last operated in 2003..." (KraxleRIDAH)

 

I've always heard that about April 2003 was when Flashback last operated.

 

Now, I don't know if I didn't look hard enough, but where can I read the original notice about Psyclone and Flashback biting the dust?

 

Eric

[b&mforever]

If they relocate Flashback i say get it some b&m hyper trains and it would be 10 times better.

[Jayjay719]

I've never been to Magic Mountain, but what I hear Flashback isnt all that great. Why dismantle it only to put it back in the near future? It doesn't even look good.

[kraxleRIDAH]

I think a good reason as to why it had such low ridership in the first place was because of its horrible location. The ride itself isn't very tall to begin with and is tucked away in a nearly hidden corner of the park away from the main pathway. The area the ride was placed in hardly ever sees any foot-traffic. To get to the attraction's queue entry, you'd have to wander up one of two deserted looking alley ways.

 

I've been to the park many many times with the same group of friends that are pretty familiar with all the park's rides and everytime I mention Flashback, they say "what's that?"