The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[CreditCrazy]

^I have asked, and I've only been offered Water in a soda cup at the soda price, or bottled water.

 

That is weird. I always get free water with ice whenever I go to SFMM. Same with other SF/CF parks I've asked at.

[Calicoasters]

^I've even had people charge me $1 to refill a souvenir bottle with water at SFMM, but most of the time there is no issues with that.

[rawrtotheargh]

When I was at the park about 3 weeks ago I went to several locations and they all gave me water in a cup with ice. For free. No questions asked.

[(Insert Username Here)]

When I was at the park about a month ago, I asked for a cup of ice water during lunch at the Food Etc. food court next to Goliath. The sushi vendors gave me a decent-sized cup of really cold water (which tasted good and was so cold that ice was unnecessary). I'm not sure about other vendors, but I know that at least the sushi vendors in Food Etc. give free ice water.

[packfanlv]

We usually get ice water a couple of times every visit while at SFMM. I have never been charged, although the employees aren't always enthusiastic about it.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Water is available at no charge in designated cups only. This is the park's official policy. Anything else outside of this is the interpretation of the employee.

[metrock]

Yeah, just seems like a general inconstancy in training when it comes to free water. Across the board it should be the same. In this case, I'm assuming that officially the policy is to give out free water to the guests. And, like said above, the employees are not always the most enthusiastic to give you free water. But like, what's it to them? It isn't any money coming out of their pockets; nor would it be money going in their pockets if you were paying for something. They get paid a standard rate to help guests regardless of the amount of money being spent. Heck, sometimes you might need to know how to get somewhere.

 

EDIT - ^ Thank you.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^100% agreed.

[bhslhs]

When I was there about a month ago they had these large orange water bottles that you could buy for like 10 bucks and once you had one you could get refills with them for as long as you had them. I wonder if that deal is still good now. Also when I was there during the hottest hours of the day (1:00 PM till 5:00 PM) My dad and I either went back to the hotel to recharge which probably isn't an option for those who don't have a home close, or go to the movie theater for a long time. That way by the time we got back, the sun started to set and the temp was dropping very quickly and we weren't burning out by the end of the day.

[metrock]

^ Being able to go to a hotel is why I really loved visiting the DLR when I had my AP. I'd always head over to the Grand Californian to relax. Usually it was lunch at Whitewater, dinner at ESPN and a little drinking at the Hearthstone.

 

Even at Knott's you can get away a little.

 

Magic Mountain only has one sit-down restaurant (that's open), but it is usually my place to relax when I go to the park. Food and drinks don't cost any more than they do elsewhere in the park. Yeah, you have to leave a tip. But you also get free refills and air conditioning.

[atem122]

I have also never had a problem with the water at SFMM, hell I swear by getting free water at the Cyber Cafe, it's an SFMM must for me almost every time

[metrock]

^ Let me guess - You are at the Cyber Cafe right now posting this and drinking your free water?

[atem122]

^Not quite.

 

But that does give me an idea for Tuesday!

[dj snow]

Please visit every open food stand during your visit, asking for free water at each, and document your experience with photos. Then post a Free Water Photo TR upon your return. This is Very Important Research!

 

On another note, I've never received (nor asked for) free water at SFMM, but I have received free sushi. Apparently Big Mike's not the only one with charm around here.

[some sort of coaster dude]

Take for instance Tatsu, this is a wonderful wonderful ride, and yet it is far too short. So much more innovation with the terrain could have been done. Some people seem to be complacent with stamping roller coasters here and there just for the sake of it, although the rides are good, sometimes they are missing a certain amount of quality.

 

For instance, how much more amazing Goliath could be with one or two intense airtime hills, and the helix! Or if they KEPT THE LIFT HILL GOING FAST AT THE TOP FOR EJECTOR AIR like it once somewhat had.

 

It's a lot easier said than done. There are limits, parks don't have unlimited resources and money.

 

Tatsu: Keep in mind that Tatsu was $21 million as it is. Any longer and we're talking about a coaster that only Disney or Universal could afford. Probably a $30+ million coaster.

 

Goliath: A lot of rides are slowed down on purpose for maintenance reasons. The faster a ride goes, the more likely things such as welds, bolts, etc. are going to come loose, wheels wear down faster, track needs to be inspected more, etc. And thus, the park has to spend more money to upkeep these rides. Just simply slowing a ride down can solve a ton of future problems waiting to happen.

 

this park can build a new coaster every year, though,

surely for instance, not building scream, would give them $40 million (?) to work on with a really really really really good coaster?

 

I'd rather see them create themselves as being able to have made Tatsu the most incredible ride ever, going through tunnels along the mountain, doing amazing things, than having built it the way it is, very wonderful (much better than superman ultimate flight) and incredibly short.

 

the same with Goliath, 2-3-4 airtime hills, the super helix still there, would make this the best hyper coaster ever, if they make the first drop have airtime.

 

if you can't afford to keep your rides amazing, why build them? its a suicidal park plan. Goliath was so much better when it had air on the first drop!

 

I'm sure the vast majority of the GP thinks Goliath and Tatsu are world-class coasters, and that's all that matters considering they are the ones that spend most of the money, not coaster enthusiasts. Why build a $40 million coaster that caters to a select handful of enthusiasts, when you can build a $10-$20 million coaster that the GP will think is just as good and eat right up? Also, keep in mind that they don't notice the things we do about coasters and rides, such as Goliath slowing down over the years, Tatsu being a tad bit short, etc. For most people, their local park is the only park they go to (not counting Disney and Universal).

 

because any operation that is run only for money falls to pieces in a very slow death

 

look at how incredible Ghostrider is (to me at least ! ) that's better th an all and everything at the mountain.

 

besides you're one of the most "extreme" parks in the world, you're going to cut corners and build something less than perfect, when you can spend $20 million a YEAR (often) adding ride after ride? why not build the absolute best you can?

 

all this money talk is absurd

 

but yes Goliath and Tatsu are "world class"

(and i love them both, but only Tatsu's pretzel roll is particularly stellar)

 

even if the GP seem to not be as in the know, they can still tell the difference between something tremendously wonderful, and something good,

and it is the gp that comes back year after year, don't exploit their ignorance, build for the sake of building what is perfect,

 

is this not how disney succeeded? or islands of adventure? that's an incredible park even though it has only 2 coasters, they are brilliant!

 

and this matters,

 

this isn't Krusty-Land.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

...even if the GP seem to not be as in the know, they can still tell the difference between something tremendously wonderful, and something good,

and it is the gp that comes back year after year, don't exploit their ignorance, build for the sake of building what is perfect,is this not how disney succeeded?*

 

*Disney succeeds and remains head, neck, shoulders, and upper torso above the rest because they spare no expense when it comes to guest quality. Most enthusiasts will give parks breaks by saying, "it's not Disney" so they can't do something. Disney is in the position it's in because they invest the most into their product, far more than their competitors. It is these investments that make Disney the name it is in the amusement industry. If the GP "settle" so much, why is it that the 2008 attendance show that over 17 million** people visited the Magic Kingdom Orlando, and over 14 million people visited the Magic Kingdom Anaheim, yet this as a combined number of over 31 million visited just two U.S. properties. Why is it that they're not "settling" for the much more "affordable" Six Flags with more of a geographical edge being regional. I don't think it's fair to say that the GP can't detect quality, seeing as the same report showed that only 3 Six Flags parks averaged over two million visitors. People care about quality, and it's that quality that has gone non-existant in so many Six Flags parks, (and in most Cedar Fair parks, too...I didn't forget about you) that keep them in the state they're in. Not the fact that Disney just has a ridiculous surplus of money that they got anonymously.

 

 

**see these numbers for yourself

[PeoplemoverMatt]

all this money talk is absurd

 

I'm going to guess that you don't know too much about how theme parks manage their finances.

[metrock]

On another note, I've never received (nor asked for) free water at SFMM, but I have received free sushi.

 

Sushi at Magic Mountain? No Thanks. I can see why it is free.

[robbalvey]

^ The sushi at Magic is actually quite good! It's made by an outside vendor and it's fresh every day.

 

Please visit every open food stand during your visit, asking for free water at each, and document your experience with photos. Then post a Free Water Photo TR upon your return. This is Very Important Research!

Yes, someone please do this! It would make for a great TR. The first person to do this will receive a TPR Bag-O-Crap!

 

--Robb

[metrock]

^ LOL! That would be a very cool trip report indeed. And even though I wanted answers, I don't think I'd have the balls to conduct that research myself. I have a feeling that someone here is quickly going to take you up on that challenge. I mean, it's a TPR Bag-O-Crap!

 

Or perhaps we should all e-mail Dan and see what he thinks about the free water issue?

[PAL]

I've never thought to ask for free ice water. I can understand why the park wouldn't advertise it, but this should be easy to deal with park-wide using designated courtesy cups. The only 'hard' part should be keeping them stocked at every food venue.

 

How have peak hour crowds been on Tues and Thurs? Going to make the trip from SD this week.

[X2coasterfreak]

I am going Friday and I am going to see if I can get free water. I probably won't be the first though to document it but I can try!

[jamesdillaman]

It is in every parks best interest to keep guests sufficiently hydrated during the hot summer months.

 

1. People are more likely to get sick to their stomach when dehydrated.

2. News of heat exhaustion or heat stroke at a park is bad press.

3. By law you must have water available at a themepark (at least in Ohio). They don't have to offer it everywhere, but it does have to be an option.

4. Unhappy guests on hot day are more likely to leave early and not stay until closing, buying food and other souvenirs which is how the park makes most of its money.

 

I have been to more than 40 themeparks and get free icewater at all of them. I've been denied getting it in the larger "soda" cups, but have always gotten a little cup with little to no hassle.

 

-James Dillaman

[NYTrojan]

Mini Trip Report:

 

Took a spin around the mountain for the first time in several months (Since Termination Day actually) Some positives and negatives

 

I'll start with the negatives so I can end on a high note

 

1. I'm sure this has been covered before, but I absolutely hate what they did to poor viper and the hair glue ads. I am fine with ads on banners, television sets , in stations, in the queues... but keep it off the rides. It makes the park feel like a European 2nd tier hockey team. Cheap, tawdry, and 100% sold out. For those that don't know, they've put huge decals on one of the viper trains, turning the whole train into an advertisement for hair glue.

 

2. The line operator for Terminator wouldn't let us even wear a fanny pack on the ride. Fanny Packs had to be stored in (I guess I'm not allowed to say the word, but in high school you kept your books in them) before they let you get on the ride. I get the purses, stuffed animals... heck I even get the cups (esp on this ride where it isn't fully enclosed)... but a fanny pack is attached to you! I might as well not be allowed a belt too. What is the point of that? The only argument that makes even the smallest amount of sense is that the ride has a shared belt, but it's not like you can't position a belt such that a fanny pack isn't in the way. Nonsense! As I was exiting this head of the line operator was getting an earful from a number of very upset mothers. I felt bad for him, but really you have to wonder of this kind of policy is worth the animosity you are developing in your customers.

 

3. While I applaud the line ops in Terminator, there was one incident that was rather unpleasant. A line op held people back in line by the 2nd set of misters but before the doors to the preshow. One preshow's worth of people was allowed to queue in front of the doors (by the cow catcher truck) at a time. This was great because it kept us in the misted shade instead of the hot sun by the preshow. When we were sent to the preshow doors, we waited a little bit, and then a group was taken into the preshow. We didn't make it in. No big deal, small miscalculation in the number of people who goes into the preshow. Instead of waiting right by the doors in the hot sun, the folks ahead of us had the idea to go back under the track (but not all the way back to the mist) to stand in the shade. Great idea! Until a ride op told us we had to stand by the doors. 'We have to make room for more people'. Note that when they sent 'more people' they only sent about a dozen or so. All of us, including the extras they sent, could have stood in the shade under the track. All could have been comfortable, instead none were.

 

This is a minor quibble to be sure, but I figure it is worth noting.

 

4. Q-bot. You are now only eligible to purchase a flashpass for X2 and Terminator if you buy the gold version of Q-bot. Neither version was really needed Sunday, but this feels like another 'let's squeeze them for all they're worth' move to me.

 

5. Everybody knows about the bathrooms so I won't dwell on it, but I feel they need to be brought up in every 'negatives' list made until corrected.

 

Okay, let's wash that bad taste out with some good news!

 

1. 3 train 2 station operation of Tatsu. Absolutely fantastic. At least during the time I was in there, relatively good speedy operations (for Tatsu) as well. Can't say how nice it was not to hang in the stacking area for minutes.

 

2. With the exception of the person manning the line for Terminator (the no fanny-pack guy) the service was very very very friendly. Everybody and I mean Everybody we encountered, from the young ride ops working Riddler to the little old lady in the candy store were full of energy, smiles, and really seemed to care. Absolutely zero monotone mumbling 'keep your hands and arms...' types of people. No cell phone conversations. Everybody moved quickly, with purpose, and with a smile.

 

3. Terminator was FLYING. Absolutely tearing around the track. That ride gets better and better.

 

4. More families than I ever remember at the park.

 

5. Clean clean clean. The park was darn near spotless. The rides (outside of Viper) looked good, the trees well kept, the leaves swept, the gum picked up, the trash, in trash cans. Just like the bathrooms, I know people know that the park is clean now, but I think this too belongs in every 'positives' list because they really deserve to be commended on fixing what was very very very badly broken.

[AllenA07]

I can tell you that while working up on Samurai Summit, I used to direct people that they could get free water by asking at any food establishment in the park. Mind you however, up on Samurai Summit people are not always looking so chipper after walking up the hill in the middle of the summer. I can recall more than a few times when we had to call for medical help for people up there.