The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[SFMMGeek27]

So, anyone ride apocolypse yet? Good? No good? Somewhere in the middle?

 

Pretty good! I was on one of the last few trains of the night tonight. They definitely did a lot of work on it and it's nowhere near as jackhammery. They especially did a ton of work from the station fly-through to the end of the ride. That part is super smooth now when it used to be the roughest section of the ride. The first part up to the station flythrough is a little shaky but definitely miles better than what it was before it closed. Probably good enough to marathon now!!

[laqueefa]

That's awesome news. This WCB we get to take the tunnel!

[jarmor]

So, anyone ride apocolypse yet? Good? No good? Somewhere in the middle?

I have a friend who was there today and said it was jackhammering. Mind you, it's his first time there. So it may be smoother than before but still not that great.

[JeromyL]

That's awesome news. This WCB we get to take the tunnel!

 

HIGHFIVE!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[SFMMGeek27]

I should also mention that SFMM is publicly honoring their ride crews now! Over in the TC station they had a banner up that said "Crew of the Month" and some of the ride ops got special shirts for being part of the best crew in the park. I think that's really awesome and maybe that will encourage operations to get better all around the park.

 

Also, shortly after I got in line for TC, the ride stopped operating. But it wasn't because there were any issues with the ride itself. The entire station platform was infested with bees! It was seriously unsafe. It's probably from all the liquids in the souvenir bottles left in the bins and on the station floor. I'm glad they didn't let that issue persist and they stopped the ride for something like that. They were spraying down the area and it wasn't getting any better so they made everyone leave the queue. The ride came back up again about an hour later, and they had all the loose article item bins taped closed and were telling people specific locations to put their loose articles. There were still some bees, but it was much better than before. Even with all this, they were still racing over half the time!

 

So, anyone ride apocolypse yet? Good? No good? Somewhere in the middle?

I have a friend who was there today and said it was jackhammering. Mind you, it's his first time there. So it may be smoother than before but still not that great.

 

It's still jackhammering a bit in the first half but it's seriously so much better. Not like how it was when it first opened but definitely better than it has been in years. Definitely bearable. And then after the fly through, it doesn't jackhammer at all.

[Freestyle23]

When I went on the 24th, I had bees on my bottle several times. The most were at TC. There was 15 around the bin including 5 on my bottle alone. I had to wait a few seconds to be able to actually stick my hand into the bin, nudge my bottle while removing my hand so the bees moved then quickly grabbed the bottle so avoid being stung.

[Arthur_Seaton]

Pretty good! I was on one of the last few trains of the night tonight. They definitely did a lot of work on it and it's nowhere near as jackhammery. They especially did a ton of work from the station fly-through to the end of the ride. That part is super smooth now when it used to be the roughest section of the ride. The first part up to the station flythrough is a little shaky but definitely miles better than what it was before it closed. Probably good enough to marathon now!!

 

That's great news! Roughness from the first drop up to the station fly-through is pretty much to be expected as the train is hauling äss at that point. It was that post fly-through section that was the most brutal by far. I'm glad that saw most of the rehabbing.

[Superbatboy]

Save the bees!!!

[coasterlvr]

maybe if they cleaned the station once in a great while with a pressure washer they wouldn't have a bee problem. lol

 

sounds like they replaced the square wheels on apocalypse, that's great news.

 

BTW, is there not a season photo pass thing anymore? i haven't gotten it since they had the USB sticks, but was hoping it might be on sale as well. i only see the day pass thing for 29.99

[mark549]

When I went on the 24th, I had bees on my bottle several times. The most were at TC. There was 15 around the bin including 5 on my bottle alone. I had to wait a few seconds to be able to actually stick my hand into the bin, nudge my bottle while removing my hand so the bees moved then quickly grabbed the bottle so avoid being stung.

 

 

Likely yellow jackets, not bees.

 

Yellow jackets are meaner, don't make honey (and attack honey bees).

 

A partial solution to the problem would be is if SF used returnable cups instead of use once cups that are tossed into a trash can (and then trucked into the desert to be dumped somewhere), but that would be a cultural shift. Having a big pile of thrown out cups with high fructose corn syrup in them guarantees a yellow jacket problem in late summer ...

[SFMMGeek27]

^It's not as much the disposable soda cups but moreso the souvenir/sports bottles that are still sitting there half (or more) full.

 

Which by the way they have already started giving the 2017 cups to dining pass holders, and they are yellow.

[Gnome]

So, anyone ride apocolypse yet? Good? No good? Somewhere in the middle?

I have a friend who was there today and said it was jackhammering. Mind you, it's his first time there. So it may be smoother than before but still not that great.

 

I rode a couple weeks ago. It's not "painful" but it's not particularly enjoyable either. The ride shakes violently throughout and provides what I would consider to be an uncomfortable experience. It sucks they really just let this thing go to waste. It was at one time a pretty good ride. Now it's almost as bad as Psyclone was at its worst.

[E. Robert Pugh]

Just got off Apocalyse. They retracked the last turn over the queue and it's wicked smooth now. The rest of the is still pretty rough so it's nothing that'll change anyone's mind. I still dig the ride though.

[DILinator]

I enjoyed Apocalypse so much last time I was there (a few years ago now), that it's a shame to hear it's gotten so rough to most people! Hopefully, they continue to retrack here and there bit by bit, so it's running a lot smoother by the time I can make it back there!

[mykolbeta]

Question for Gold membership/pass holders:

 

I just upgraded from a regular membership to the Gold membership that comes with season parking, how exactly does that work, will I be able to just use my membership card whenever I roll up to the parking gates? also, will I have to pay for parking the first time I go back to SFMM to get my Gold membership processed/new card? (I figure I will, but I'd rather know now to avoid an awkward moment with the parking gate attendant )

[Arthur_Seaton]

Question for Gold membership/pass holders:

 

I just upgraded from a regular membership to the Gold membership that comes with season parking, how exactly does that work, will I be able to just use my membership card whenever I roll up to the parking gates? also, will I have to pay for parking the first time I go back to SFMM to get my Gold membership processed/new card? (I figure I will, but I'd rather know now to avoid an awkward moment with the parking gate attendant )

 

Yeah, you just flash your pass at the gate and you're in. For the first visit before you process your pass, just show the parking attendant your confirmation — preferably with barcode (on phone or paper) and they'll let you through.

[Arthur_Seaton]

Took a quick run up to the park to process seasons passes and get a ride on the semi-fixed Apocalypse. That "Is It Packed?" site is way off today (it's usually pretty good I find). I figured it would be pretty busy today but several queues are spilling out of their entry ways and a few rides are listed at 2 hours or so. The Apocalypse queue has filled the switchbacks in the newly retracked area and it seems that they're only running a single train as it's a solid 5 minutes between trains passing. The last few trains that have passed by have also had several empty seats, so I'm guessing they're only letting a small amount of people into the station at a time, but not enough to fill the seats.

 

Edit: Second train added now. The train that was running appeared to have several seats that weren't operational as they were empty every time.

 

Edit 2: Queue took 50 mins (longest I've waited for that ride since it first opened). The turn out of the station into the lift and parts of the final figure eight (not all of it) are moderately smoother (although nothing like its opening years). Bottom of the first drop, the rise up into the first turnaround, and the hill up into the station fly-through are very rough still. It's still a great woodie, but it's also still in rough shape. And yes, all the queuing is done outside. They let about 15-20 people at a time and the entire pre-show area is a walk-through and the station is completely empty. I assume this is because if you leave the GP in those pre-show rooms too long, they'll have the screens unbolted, props tipped over, and the place destroyed in under a day.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Arthur_Seaton

[coasterlvr]

I enjoyed Apocalypse so much last time I was there (a few years ago now), that it's a shame to hear it's gotten so rough to most people! Hopefully, they continue to retrack here and there bit by bit, so it's running a lot smoother by the time I can make it back there!

 

it used to be one of my favorites. for me, it seemed like over night it went to crap.

[Arthur_Seaton]

Standing in line for TC (line is out of the station and down toward Scream). One of the custodial staff opened a trash can to clean it and released a biblical amount of bees. Minutes later we got the "Twisted Colossus is experiencing a delay. We don't know how long etc. Please see closest team member with questions." Closest team member is busy trying to fight off a swarm though.

 

TC line, from just outside the ride entrance, took 75 mins. The ops were as fantastic as ever but are just no match for the GP who, when told to enter the train will stand and stare at it unsure of how such moves work. Ride was as great as ever though. Got a perfect duel on lap two. Missed duel on lap one because a couple decided to unpack their bags before riding. Ride op actually called them out (as everyone was staring at them) and said "this train will no longer be racing." Clearly the crew is very aware of the time envelope and do their best, but until the park bans luggage, infants, stuffed toys, and basketballs from entering the line, racing will be precarious.

 

Went to grab a single-rider ride on Lex before leaving only to be told that they no longer offer single rider in the hour prior to closing. They told me this as a gondola with two empty seats was prepped to start, no less.

 

Anyhow, I expected it to be busy today -- but it was still busier than I and, I assume the park, had guessed it would be.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Arthur_Seaton

[DILinator]

I enjoyed Apocalypse so much last time I was there (a few years ago now), that it's a shame to hear it's gotten so rough to most people! Hopefully, they continue to retrack here and there bit by bit, so it's running a lot smoother by the time I can make it back there!

 

it used to be one of my favorites. for me, it seemed like over night it went to crap.

 

indeed...

[SFMMGeek27]

They really need to put in lockers at TC. And make them mandatory. The line would move much faster, they'd actually duel, and the bees would be controlled.

[laqueefa]

They really need to put in fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo at TC. And make them mandatory. The line would move much faster, they'd actually duel, and the bees would be controlled.

 

Never underestimate the GP.

[fpsphil]

Got a question regarding the Flash Sale. I signed up for the membership last year at the sale rate with the free gold upgrade, do i need to cancel and restart a new membership to keep the low price I've been paying per month. Trying to figure it exactly

[Arthur_Seaton]

They really need to put in fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo at TC. And make them mandatory. The line would move much faster, they'd actually duel, and the bees would be controlled.

 

Never underestimate the GP.

 

They'd probably put all their junk in the löcker and then try to drag the löcker system onto the ride with them. While station ops were good -- on TC at least -- they would also benefit from dropping a few more employees (I know, I know . . . budget) into the queue areas as there was usually just one attendant but lots of flash pass holders, people who weren't sure if they were flash pass holders or not, and incredible amounts of line jumping. It was fairly obvious that people were trying to take advantage of there not being sufficient coverage.

 

Even though I only rode three rides in three hours (a record low for me), it was still fun to go walk around. I rarely ever go to the park on days that pull big crowds, so it was somewhat fun to see the place packed. I was going to take one for the team and report back on how X2s maintenance helped the ride, but even that had a 45-minute wait, which is about 35 minutes more than what it usually has and about 40 minutes more than I think it's worth. I did, however, take Robb's advice on Viper. Well, at least I intended to. I got in line for the magic seat but ended up switching at last minute with a group who wanted to ride together. I ended up riding in the very back which was better than where I usually ride it (front-ish). Great pull down the first drop and slightly less pummeling in the inversions. Still rough because of the RCT3-style track, but if I ride it again, I'll aim for that special spot and stick to the back.

[SFMMGeek27]

^X2 was over an hour yesterday mid-afternoon. My friend rode it yesterday morning and said it was smoother.