The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[Tmcdllr]

The discussion was never (or shouldn't have been) about how many trains they will run. That answer is clear; no more than 2 (which makes sense for this ride). But I cannot fathom the rational behind building a multi-million dollar ride and not buying a third train when you KNOW for. a. fact. from past experience (RRv, Apocalypse) that you should have three at your disposal if you're marketing yourself as a world class roller coaster destination. Screw the damn buses - buy a few new roller coaster trains for your rides and I'd bet 3/4 of your complaints from park goers vanish overnight! (not to mention taking a lot of stress off you're maintenance and operations crews)

 

Yes but that would make sense.

[bostonlva]

How do we know that SFMM did NOT buy three trains? All I remember them saying is that they would RUN two... RUN is not the same as HAVE/Buy

[Mechanic]

How do we know that SFMM did NOT buy three trains? All I remember them saying is that they would RUN two... RUN is not the same as HAVE/Buy

 

How do we know? It's SFMM, that's how.

[jray21]

^

[MylesG4L]

Ok so I have a "trip planning question"

 

I'd like to know how the crowds will be. I'm planning on going to the mountain for my birthday on a Friday at the end of April. I know that's beyond spring break, but I've never been to SFMMon a Friday around this time.

[Randomman295]

Ok so I have a "trip planning question"

 

I'd like to know how the crowds will be. I'm planning on going to the mountain for my birthday on a Friday at the end of April. I know that's beyond spring break, but I've never been to SFMMon a Friday around this time.

Almost vacant. Trust me.

[MylesG4L]

Ok so I have a "trip planning question"

 

I'd like to know how the crowds will be. I'm planning on going to the mountain for my birthday on a Friday at the end of April. I know that's beyond spring break, but I've never been to SFMMon a Friday around this time.

Almost vacant. Trust me.

 

Awesome! Thanks!

[vacoaster09]

That's with Superman not running at full capacity though... Which is not its full capability... Yolo at its full capability will be worst (especially if you anticipate stacking... Superman can't stack).

 

I guess this will give you plenty of time to gulp down your coke freestyle drink in line while you eat your "Yolo"Wings and your "Cray Cray" Burgers, and Sweet Brown "Ain't nobody got time fo' dat" fries.

 

I'm speaking in terms of daily operations. Since YOLOcoaster is new, for at least the summer, the crew will most likely be at the top of their game to accommodate crowds.

Thank you for alerting me to another version to add to the word filter!

 

My pleasure

[GayCoasterGuy]

But I cannot fathom the rational behind building a multi-million dollar ride and not buying a third train when you KNOW for. a. fact. from past experience (RRv, Apocalypse) that you should have three at your disposal if you're marketing yourself as a world class roller coaster destination.

 

Correct! Revoluiton had 6, Psyclone had 3, Ninja had 3 (does it still?), Viper had 4 - I even remember (but have never seen in print) that Colossus had 8 IAD (International Amusement Devices) trains when it was new. But things are different now... they can capitalize on poor operations with flash pass without losing money in the short run.

 

I like to think that parks operate on a continuum. You have SERVICE at one end and PROFIT at the other. There is an adjustable range in the middle where you can operate while keeping your customers. Six Flags has pushed it so far to the PROFIT end they have unfortunately lost a big chunk of their "family" customer base. I'm not a business minded person (and I'm sure it's much more complicated than my layman explanation), just my rough guess of how things have panned out over the years.

 

Take a place like Holiday World. They can clearly make more money (pop, parking, pay-to-cut, etc.), but service is an important value to them that they never want to lose in the long run.

Edited March 22, 2013 by GayCoasterGuy

[XYZ]

Ninja had 3 (does it still?)

 

Ninja still has 3 trains. When I was at SFMM a few weeks ago, I went on Ninja with the normal two train operation and saw the third one on the transfer track.

[Jew]

Ninja used to have 4. Two have been cannibalized for parts.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Posted on the Premier Rides FB page ... coming out of the loop.

 

[RCT3Bross]

I must say this ride looks very good love the black and white very much. Kinda look forward to see them work on the loop.

[sxexaxn]

From that picture above, there doesn't seem to be as much of an elevation change going up that hill as I had initially thought. Maybe it's just the angle and perception in the picture? But if that's true, considering this will be after a 160 foot loop, It seems like it's going to haul-ass over Superman's plaza!

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ Considering how high up the loop is going to be you are probably right. Should get some pretty good positive G's on that turn.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^ Considering how high up the loop is going to be you are probably right. Should get some pretty good positive G's on that turn.

 

...I smell trims.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^That isn't trims. I had chili for dinner last night.

[SharkTums]

Just got an interesting survey email from Six Flags about kids areas in parks. I was very honest and provided some very good feedback since I believe I'm the most educated person on the planet in this area!!!

 

Hoping to see some improvements!

[TyRush]

I bet that they wont add anything where they have dug area for Yolo. The new terrain at MM went from parking lot to dirt. At least they are improving in that category

[coasternut]

^^ I got that survey too. I didn't respond since I have no opinion on that subject. I don't have any young children, and all I want is more coasters!

[HBpiper]

This ride is starting to look pretty good! Love the curviness

[bostonlva]

nice article by the LA times on Tim Burkhart

 

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-burkhart-20130324,0,2949092.story

 

 

The gig: Tim Burkhart, 54, is corporate vice president of maintenance and construction for Six Flags Entertainment Corp. , the parent company of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia and 17 other parks in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

 

Burkhart's resume is pretty short. He has spent his entire career at Six Flags, starting in 1977 when he was in high school and worked as a ride operator on Revolution, the first looping roller coaster. It was meant to be a temporary job to raise money for some senior-year fun. Instead, Burkhart said, he fell in love with the park and its employees.

 

"I've never left," he said. "I've been here since March 21, 1977."

 

Although he doesn't have an engineering degree, Burkhart has led the team that designed and built nine of the park's 17 roller coasters. A few months ago, he was promoted from director of maintenance and construction for Six Flags Magic Mountain to overseeing maintenance and construction at all Six Flags parks.

 

"I walk through this park and I look at all this iron standing in the air, and I think, 'I put it up,'" he said.

 

The biggest perk: After each ride is built, Burkhart is the first to ride it. On most roller coasters, the experience has been thrilling. But Burkhart said that when he first rode the $10-million roller coaster X, a thrill ride with seats that rotate 360 degrees, he told his bosses that the ride was too rough. The opening of the ride was delayed six months for further work. It has since been redesigned with special effects and lighter vehicles and was redubbed X2 in 2008.

 

A rock 'n' roll nerd: Burkhart doesn't exactly fit the profile of a corporate suit. He has a degree in psychology from Cal State Northridge, and the ring tone on his smartphone blasts Volbeat, a Danish band that plays a fusion of rock, heavy metal, punk and rockabilly. The father of two daughters, he attends heavy metal rock concerts and enjoys riding in 100-mile bicycle road races.

 

Battle for the title: Six Flags Magic Mountain has long battled Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, for the title of "Roller Coaster Capital of the World." Six Flags currently holds the title with 17 coasters, while Cedar Point has 16. Burkhart calls it a friendly competition and said he is cordial when he meets Cedar Point executives at industry conferences. "What's cool is that we trade the title back and forth," he said.

 

Bad times: Six Flag's most recent fatal accident was on April 4, 2004, when an employee was struck and killed by a train of cars on the Scream roller coaster during a test run before the park opened. Burkhart, who was director of park operations and maintenance at the time, said he takes maintenance and safety very seriously. "Any time someone gets injured, it's a bad day," he said.

 

Getting a reaction: Burkhart likes to hang around the park to see the reaction of visitors as they get off a new ride. He said parkgoers have hugged him and shaken his hand after surviving one of his thrill rides. Burkhart loves seeing the emotion. "Best day of the year is opening day," he said. "I am there to watch the first trainload of people get off that ride, and I have not been let down yet."

 

Getting creative with maintenance: When the park needed to replace the seats on the Superman roller coaster because of wear and tear, Burkhart said, he wondered whether it was an opportunity to upgrade the ride. Instead of simply replacing the seats, he said, he and his team designed new symmetrical seats, made of lighter material. Because of the change made two years ago, the seats were flipped around so that passengers can ride the coaster facing backward. "What a remarkable ride that turned out to be," he said.

 

The flying beast: Burkhart said his toughest challenge so far has been the construction of the thrill ride Tatsu, the park's longest steel coaster, at 3,603 feet long. Its cars travel up to 62 miles per hour and simulate the sensation of flying by being below their tracks. What made the job an ordeal was the size of the coaster, the weight of the vehicles, the rotation of the seats and the torrential rain that fell in 2006 during construction. The park lost four acres of parking because of erosion that year. "Of all the rides I've put up, Tatsu is my favorite," he said. "It was without a doubt the most challenging construction project I've been involved in."

 

And when Burkhart rode Tatsu for the first time, he admits, he "screamed like a girl."

[Tmcdllr]

Nice article about him but why include that accident?

[Jew]

A few months ago, he was promoted from director of maintenance and construction for Six Flags Magic Mountain to overseeing maintenance and construction at all Six Flags parks.

 

"I walk through this park and I look at all this iron standing in the air, and I think, 'I put it up,'" he said.

 

This sums up perfectly why Tim is such a polarizing figure. Everything is always about him, instead of all the guys working their ass off so "his" rides can actually operate.

[sursumd]

Question for some regulars of the park. I will be going to MM on Tuesday April 9th and Wednesday April 10th. Is it usually busy around that time of year? I'm considering buying a flash pass so any info would be helpful.