The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[dylanreich]

Tatsu is most likely going to always run with two trains max (minus when the ride opened) because one train is usually always in rehab. I just want the ride running more efficiently, I don't understand why the park doesn't put better ride ops on such a popular and standout ride for the park.

[simaticable]

^I thought it was because this park is the definition of cheap.

[SFMMGeek27]

Well then they can put the good ops on Tatsu and the bad ones in Whistlestop Park, Bugs Bunny World, and Gold Rusher.

 

X2 crew is amazing nowadays! The line moves so quickly!

[SoCalCoasters]

While people keep pointing fingers here and saying SFMM is "cheap", I find that hard to believe with all the work they put into Fright Fest and the investment of a brand new coaster for next year.

 

I mean, we have to keep in mind that the park's maintenance division has the immense task of keeping track of parts and maintenance schedules for 17 different roller coasters and various other rides and attractions. That can get incredibly expensive and very complicated for SFMM I'm sure. With how much a ride vehicle costs to keep up and the crowds that the park generally appeals to, it doesn't surprise me that they only run 2 trains on rides during busy days or run one train while the other is in rehab.

 

When you think about it logically from a park's perspective, a one train operation on a coaster where the other train is in rehab is much better than having the ride down completely while rehabbing 2 trains. Before anyone counters this with either "I'm a fanboy blahblahblah" or "Full Throttle's layout is wasteful", yes I know it's not perfect, and I know that their crews are not the best dispatch wise. I do think adding the dispatch timers has helped a bit on some of the larger rides, but crews are generally lackluster. You can attribute this to poor management, but I think it's more the mentality of the staff they have. Sure there's always room for improvement, but without properly addressing the concerns in a logical way, it's just a bunch of useless garble. We've been hearing the same complaints out of this thread for years about SFMM, so people magically believing the mentality of the park going to somehow going to instantly change are grasping at straws...

 

My two cents.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ I don't think by asking why "operations" on a certain coaster (Tatsu) are notoriously bad and have been talked about on multiple websites for YEARS that would mean that's criticizing maintenance. Yes, the park Maintenance crew has a lot on it's plate and I think most people understand why the ride can't really run 2 trains. That still doesn't explain the consistently horrid operations.

[A.J.]

There's a huge difference between a three-train crew that really couldn't care less and a two- or one-train crew doing their best and making due with what they have.

[MrSum1_55]

It should be basic knowledge that if you double stack every single train for an hour when running three trains, you have achieved very little to no extra people over running two trains. Some corporate parks handle this well, while other parks seem to have no clue. Unfortunately, it seems that most of the parks in the latter category happen to be Six Flags parks.

 

On the opposite extreme, running three trains can significantly improve a ride's capacity, and is best done on rides with double stations. *Hint* *Hint*

[Crazy4Coasters!]

Any new updates on Full Throttle???

[JonnyRCT3]

Any new updates on Full Throttle???

 

well, its still a gimmick

 

I do think that construction will start until December/January. The actual coaster won't take much time to build (1/2 the ride is in one section)

[Jew]

While people keep pointing fingers here and saying SFMM is "cheap", I find that hard to believe with all the work they put into Fright Fest and the investment of a brand new coaster for next year.

 

Capital budgets and Operating budgets are two entirely different things.

 

Speak to just about anyone who has worked at SFMM and they will tell you that SFMM most definitely does not put enough into its operating budget. They don't pay as well as other parks and they certainly don't provide as many resources to their employees as the other parks. There is a reason so many talented people (especially in the maintenance department) leave for other theme parks the first opportunity they get.

 

But on the flip side, that's not what their business model is. The crappy operations bother us, but the majority of their clientele just go "OMGz! Coasters! Yay!" and they still make money.

[singemfrc]

It should be basic knowledge that if you double stack every single train for an hour when running three trains, you have achieved very little to no extra people over running two trains. Some corporate parks handle this well, while other parks seem to have no clue. Unfortunately, it seems that most of the parks in the latter category happen to be Six Flags parks.

 

On the opposite extreme, running three trains can significantly improve a ride's capacity, and is best done on rides with double stations. *Hint* *Hint*

Yeah I don't think there's hardly ever a point in running 3 trains on any ride other than Tatsu because without the second station they would just stack ridiculously. Most rides would do fine with 2 trains with ops doing a decent job. Tatsu could really benefit from that second station being used with or without the third train. Even if they just used it to unload one train at the same time as the other one is being loaded it would drastically improve efficiency.

 

The only rides running one train were Revolution and Riddler's, everything else was running 2. Colossus was only running the backwards side, but had 2 trains on it.

 

For the record the crew I saw working Tatsu last weekend I thought were doing a fine job for the most part, only outdone by the X2 crew. The LLOD crew was also doing a great job. The only bad crew I saw was Riddler's, they just didn't seem like they cared in the slightest. I got the impression that they were the newest employees and this was the bottom rung of the ride-op ladder.

[Manic Monte]

Any new updates on Full Throttle??Site. uote]

 

well, its still a gimmick

 

I do think that construction will start until December/January. The actual coaster won't take much time to build (1/2 the ride is in one section)

 

From what I saw today, construction has already begun on the Full Throttle site

[jray21]

While people keep pointing fingers here and saying SFMM is "cheap", I find that hard to believe with all the work they put into Fright Fest and the investment of a brand new coaster for next year.

 

Capital budgets and Operating budgets are two entirely different things.

 

Speak to just about anyone who has worked at SFMM and they will tell you that SFMM most definitely does not put enough into its operating budget. They don't pay as well as other parks and they certainly don't provide as many resources to their employees as the other parks. There is a reason so many talented people (especially in the maintenance department) leave for other theme parks the first opportunity they get.

 

But on the flip side, that's not what their business model is. The crappy operations bother us, but the majority of their clientele just go "OMGz! Coasters! Yay!" and they still make money.

 

I was just about to post the same thing! This is exactly it. Count me as one of those who have worked for Six Flags in a management position. You get what you pay for, or in this case, what you don't pay for.

[Crazy4Coasters!]

Any new updates on Full Throttle??Site. uote]

 

well, its still a gimmick

 

I do think that construction will start until December/January. The actual coaster won't take much time to build (1/2 the ride is in one section)

 

From what I saw today, construction has already begun on the Full Throttle site

 

 

Thank you for that! Can't wait to see the progress!

[A.J.]

Am I crazy, or has Magic Mountain cleared off a whole lot more land than they appear to need for Full Throttle?

[thestripedtaco]

^ For one I think this ride takes up more space than we realize. Second, I have a feeling that this coaster will not be the only thing occupying this whole site, it's just going to be the center piece of it.

[singemfrc]

^ For one I think this ride takes up more space than we realize. Second, I have a feeling that this coaster will not be the only thing occupying this whole site, it's just going to be the center piece of it.

That is true..they said they're creating a whole new "section" of the park, FT is only part of it.

[skydye]

Any new updates on Full Throttle???

They have heavy equipment leveling the landscape.

[skydye]

Am I crazy, or has Magic Mountain cleared off a whole lot more land than they appear to need for Full Throttle?

They are also making a new theme area with a light show.

[Mechanic]

^ World of gang colors?

[jray21]

^ I'm hoping, but not holding my breath, that Full Throttle is just a medium ride for the area and that they will be introducing a major ride like everyone thought. It's such a massive area to clear for a few smaller rides. Of course this is SFMM so this may be all we get.

[CoasterKings908]

World of gang colors?

If we're lucky, I think this new themed area will be nothing more than Full Throttle and a few mediocre flat rides with slightly decent lighting effects.

[Sir Clinksalot]

My guess is the Slingshot will also go there. It's "Extreme" you know.

[skydye]

My guess is the Slingshot will also go there. It's "Extreme" you know.

They appear to be clearing a space where they where going to put road runner before they decided to put road runner in the kids area. Slingshot is not even a permanent ride. They bought a mobile version of the ride.

 

They never announced other rides for the new area. Just Full Throttle and a new theme area with a light show.

[Wes]

^ Probably trying to keep the announcement for the area as vague as possible so no one can be disappointed.