The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[COASTER FREAK 11]

I believe those were pads for oil drilling.

Oh ok, thanks for the info. It just looked really strange.

 

Ok, so I am trying to plan this trip out a little more seriously now, and I have always had this question but never asked- what is the deal with season passes for Six Flags parks? Since the daily price is nearly the same price as a season pass and I'm planning on going multiple days, should I just get a season pass instead of waiting and buying daily tickets? How can they offer a season pass for the same price as 1 day? Is this the reason the park gets so ridiculously crowded? Does the price go up as the season gets closer? Also WTF is a "membership?" Can anyone point me to somewhere that clearly explains these things for someone who has never been?

Also this is confusing to me:

[attachment=0]pass2.jpg[/attachment]

Which is why I am asking for help. It seems like the website should explain it all, but it's filled with inconsistencies like this.

 

Sorry, lots of questions!

 

It means that Hurricane Harbor is not included. Its not being inconsistent, its a matter of context. There are two "Parks" on the MM property, this pass is for only one of them, Magic Mountain. Its a theme park pass, not a water park or Combo pass.

[Jew]

It's also clearly explained on the website the difference between a membership and a season pass is: membership is a monthly payment option with a minimum 12 month commitment that goes on for as long as you want it to while the season pass is only for 2016

[VegasBaby]

I'm planning on staying at the Hilton Garden Inn right next to the park-it even has Six Flags in its name!-since I can get a very good employee rate. Has anyone been there? Any rooms to avoid? I hate getting stuck in a room with a floodlight outside, or some A/C unit right below your window

edit; by the way, thanks for the rental car lookup, I didn't look at hotwire yet. You also showed me that if I leave on Thursday, it is $8 cheaper per day. Thanks!

edit again; does anyone know what all this weird stuff west of the park is? It looks like a maze of dirt roads with random lots cleared out- sand pits?

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.3907168,-118.6119073,3510a,20y,40.97t/data=!3m1!1e3

 

The Hilton Garden Inn is a very nice property and it's as close as you can get to the park. The free shuttle will save you $$$ on SFMM parking and there is no additional charge for parking at the hotel. There is no free breakfast though and the breakfast buffet is pricey ($15), so keep that in mind. There are many restaurants and fast food choices near the hotel, so you can go grab breakfast before taking the shuttle.

[Guy T. Koepp]

Rent a car... Why not when Hotwire has them as low as $12.30 per day plus taxes. Alamo is onsite at Burbank and makes for easy pick up and drop off. LAX lord have mercy on your soul and your on your own. Shuttle from your local hotel (which one?) sounds great and you will avoid parking fees of $20 at SFMM. As best I know none of the Valencia hotels charge for self parking.

That's what I'm beginning to lean toward, and I don't think I'll be going through LAX since I can pay $20 extra and go to Burbank. I was thinking I would go to LAX to save money on the flight and maybe car, but the extra headache and distance doesn't make sense. I have only been there once when I was very young so luckily I don't remember and am trauma-free, but I have heard it's just a place to avoid at all costs.

I'm planning on staying at the Hilton Garden Inn right next to the park-it even has Six Flags in its name!-since I can get a very good employee rate. Has anyone been there? Any rooms to avoid? I hate getting stuck in a room with a floodlight outside, or some A/C unit right below your window

edit; by the way, thanks for the rental car lookup, I didn't look at hotwire yet. You also showed me that if I leave on Thursday, it is $8 cheaper per day. Thanks!

edit again; does anyone know what all this weird stuff west of the park is? It looks like a maze of dirt roads with random lots cleared out- sand pits?

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.3907168,-118.6119073,3510a,20y,40.97t/data=!3m1!1e3

 

I'm guessing giant ant farm. But the oil platform explanation make sense if you're into those conspiracy theories.

[singemfrc]

It's also clearly explained on the website the difference between a membership and a season pass is: membership is a monthly payment option with a minimum 12 month commitment that goes on for as long as you want it to while the season pass is only for 2016

This. basically membership means that you pay monthly and after your first season the pass will automatically renew on a month to month basis. After the first year you can cancel any time but it will auto renew in perpetuity until you do.

All benefits and features are identical and both passes and memberships come in regular or gold. As someone who would renew every year anyway, I have a membership and I like not having to go get it renewed and processed every year.

[Vonni]

Up until its current renovation, when was the last time Revolution had a repaint?

[disney4me2001]

Up until its current renovation, when was the last time Revolution had a repaint?

 

This is a complete guess on my part, but maybe around the time Tatsu opened? Or it could have been when they repainted one of the trains in the "retro" design, which also may have been around the time Tatsu opened (give or take a year).

[disney4me2001]

Up until its current renovation, when was the last time Revolution had a repaint?

 

This is a complete guess on my part, but maybe around the time Tatsu opened? Or it could have been when they repainted one of the trains in the "retro" design, which also may have been around the time Tatsu opened (give or take a year).

 

 

Just looked at the TPR Media Day photos from Tatsu's grand opening...judging by this picture, Revolution did get a repaint at that time (on the loop, at least). Not sure if that was the most recent repaint though.

 

Here's the picture:

 

Link to the page is here: Tatsu Media Day

[Jew]

Magic Mountain has a history of repainting sections of rides because new neighbors moved in: Viper had sections painted for X, Revolutions loop for Tatsu, Colossus for Goliath (and again in certain sections for Scream in 2003). Those are the ones I can recall recently.

[Vonni]

I wonder if they will take this opportunity to repaint Tatsu to go with Revolution?

[MagicMountainMan]

Magic Mountain has a history of repainting sections of rides because new neighbors moved in: Viper had sections painted for X, Revolutions loop for Tatsu, Colossus for Goliath (and again in certain sections for Scream in 2003). Those are the ones I can recall recently.

Scream just this year as well.

 

Revolution last got repainted when Tatsu opened, but even then they only painted the guest facing parts of the ride.

 

Repainting Tatsu is definitely necessary, but if they do end up doing it, it's going to be really really expensive. Most of the track is only accessible by crane and not a simpler or cheaper boom lift or scissor lift since it's on the side of a hill. Crane=expensive. (For reference, Twisted Colossus was constructed almost entirely using various lifts, crane was only used to pull the lift chain through; very cost friendly. Scream was repainted by in park crews using boom lifts, super simple and cost friendly.) Not only are cranes more expensive, but with a job like painting it's much slower. It's too bad that they didn't use better paint on Tatsu the first time around (a capital decision I know).

 

Thus ends my schtick about painting, you now know more than you ever needed to. Needless to say, the ride that is now in the worst (aesthetic) shape is also the one ride in the park that would be the most time consuming and expensive to repaint.

 

TL:DR Tatsu repaint? I'd be surprised.

[LuminousAphid]

The Hilton Garden Inn is a very nice property and it's as close as you can get to the park. The free shuttle will save you $$$ on SFMM parking and there is no additional charge for parking at the hotel. There is no free breakfast though and the breakfast buffet is pricey ($15), so keep that in mind. There are many restaurants and fast food choices near the hotel, so you can go grab breakfast before taking the shuttle.

Thanks sir, I appreciate the tips on the hotel. I'm glad I decided to rent a car and can just park at the hotel, that way if I decide to head to Knotts one day or something I can still get there, or if at SFMM I can just park it for free!

 

Thanks to everyone for the explanations on the pass... No, I have never been to a Six Flags ever, I am pretty much a theme park n00b, that's why I am asking so many annoying questions

 

So, if I plan on going 2 days, should I get the season pass? I don't really know if I will come back or to any other parks within the year, but it seems like even 2 days would be significantly more expensive without a season pass- even at the summer prices for the pass? Are there discounts for single-day tickets that can make it cheaper than the $100 for a season pass?

 

Last question; is there another thread I should be posting these questions in to avoid mucking up this one?

[thrillseeker4552]

I'll be heading to the park tomorrow for the first time since WCB. I know these questions get posted all the time, but what are crowds like on the day before Thanksgiving? I remember Thanksgiving Day being fairly crowded, but I haven't been the days surrounding it.

 

And has TC been running 3 trains? Or did they go down to 2 now that it's the off-season?

[VTown661]

I'll be heading to the park tomorrow for the first time since WCB. I know these questions get posted all the time, but what are crowds like on the day before Thanksgiving? I remember Thanksgiving Day being fairly crowded

 

Million dollar question.

 

Might be crowded as its a Bring A Friend Free day, and its also bring a bag of groceries and get in free. With short hours only open until 6pm 90% of the crowd will arrive prior to 12:02 pm (noon). Temps are schd for mid to low 60's and who knows depends who you watch for poss rain/showers.

 

Also by 2 pm the I-5 both North and South will be severe grid lock.

 

Million dollar question answer: Wed should be doable but unless your living in SCV will the I-5 traffic outway your value?

[coasterlvr]

I'll be heading to the park tomorrow for the first time since WCB. I know these questions get posted all the time, but what are crowds like on the day before Thanksgiving? I remember Thanksgiving Day being fairly crowded, but I haven't been the days surrounding it.

 

And has TC been running 3 trains? Or did they go down to 2 now that it's the off-season?

 

tomorrow is also food drive. bring a bag of food and get a free ticket. so might be more crowded than the past couple days.

 

[disney4me2001]

So, if I plan on going 2 days, should I get the season pass? I don't really know if I will come back or to any other parks within the year, but it seems like even 2 days would be significantly more expensive without a season pass- even at the summer prices for the pass? Are there discounts for single-day tickets that can make it cheaper than the $100 for a season pass?

 

Last question; is there another thread I should be posting these questions in to avoid mucking up this one?

 

Yes, I would get the season pass. You can find discounts on 1-day tickets online (buying directly from SixFlags.com is already cheaper than buying at the gate), or through local coupons and Coke can promos, but unless it's at least 50% off the regular price, it will be cheaper to buy the season pass to cover both days you're going since the pass is roughly the same price as a 1-day ticket! It will save you the trouble of having to hunt down a coupon or promo code, plus you'll save time by already having your ticket when you get to Six Flags (buying the pass online will generate a voucher that you can print out and take directly to the front gate).

 

There's also the added benefit of discounts with the season pass! A lot of them are for small things like buy 1, get 1 free on games of skills, pieces of fudge, etc., but if you're someone who will use those, they will help you save a few dollars here and there. In addition you also get 15% off any merchandise purchases of $15 or more. I know the merch discounts are a big selling point for me with any theme park pass (not just Six Flags), because I buy a lot of souvenirs! I'd imagine with it being your first visit to SFMM that you might want a t-shirt or a mug or something to take home with you, so having the pass will help you save at least a couple of extra dollars on that alone!

 

So bottom line- yes, get a pass! And to answer your last question, I don't see why you can't keep posting them here...it definitely pertains to SFMM! Seems like there's already at least one "will it be crowded?" question each week, so planning questions are definitely part of the norm here!

[fpsphil]

At the park right now. Seems pretty crowded but not as crowded as I thought it would be. The twisted colossus maintance shed is real and does exist. No green train tho? I thought they had already put that on the track or it had been spotted somewhere.

[coasterlvr]

At the park right now. Seems pretty crowded but not as crowded as I thought it would be. The twisted colossus maintance shed is real and does exist. No green train tho? I thought they had already put that on the track or it had been spotted somewhere.

 

i've only seen two cars of the green train. both not on track. both with some seat pads removed which i assume were used to replace ones on the current trains.

[coasterlvr]

So, if I plan on going 2 days, should I get the season pass? I don't really know if I will come back or to any other parks within the year, but it seems like even 2 days would be significantly more expensive without a season pass- even at the summer prices for the pass? Are there discounts for single-day tickets that can make it cheaper than the $100 for a season pass?

 

:

 

just noticed there is a sale going on. looks like for $76.99 plus online fees, you can get your pass. won't come with parking though.

 

https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/store/season-passes

[moviemansig]

Does anyone know how long the $76.99 season pass sale will be going on for? Thanks.

[MagicAngel94]

Is water included in the Sport Bottle free refill?

[scottiemon]

Yes, they will fill it with Valencia tap. You don't even need the sport bottle to get tap. If you were thinking they would give you bottle water, that would be a no.

[singemfrc]

At the park right now. Seems pretty crowded but not as crowded as I thought it would be. The twisted colossus maintance shed is real and does exist. No green train tho? I thought they had already put that on the track or it had been spotted somewhere.

And has TC been running 3 trains? Or did they go down to 2 now that it's the off-season?

They have no plans to run 2 trains ever. The fourth train is so that when one goes out for maintenance they can still run 3. When the first one is due, we'll see the green train sub in for it. The green train is currently backstage off track, I don't think they'll bother installing it until it's needed.

[coasterlvr]

Is water included in the Sport Bottle free refill?

 

 

like scottie said, tap water and you can get flavored water in the coke multi machines, but not just plain water in them.

[coasternut]

I was at the Mountain today, and during the first day of Holiday in the Park which started at 5. I was there at opening and they had several Chinese folks with 6 Flags silver badges (management) with their names in English and Chinese. I'm wondering if 6 Flags is planning an expansion into China soon?

 

Back to Holiday in the park. They've really added many lights to their display. I came down the walk from Tatsu to Viper. Very nice, but the snow machines weren't working or turned on yet. The main plaza by YOLO looks real nice. This year they're also projecting animated images on the FT bar building which is new and entertaining. I even had an "Ice Queen" sighting at FT plaza. She was looking at the images on the FT bar too. She too seemed impressed. There were also carolers in the main plaza that sounded good. All things considered, the place looks great, and better than last year. I'll be back tomorrow night to see it all!