The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[Big Sexy]

Taking the family out to magic mountain next saturday and sunday 1/19 & 20th from ohio. Think we will need flash pass both days?

[Canobie Coaster]

^ I'll be there the same weekend and am planning on getting the Regular Flash Pass ($30-40). It's MLKJ weekend and if you don't go there regularly, I'd say it's worth splurging on. You can always wait to buy them the day of if crowds look bad.

 

Usually I go for the Gold, but since X2, Tatsu, and Twisted Colossus are one time only at any level, I don't find the other levels offer much of an advantage.

[Too Fast For Comfort]

^If I was you, I’d go for X2 first. It’s line builds up quickly and it stays long all day due to painfully slow operations, so get there at rope drop and head straight for X2.

Twisted Colossus has the best ride ops in the park, so even if the line is spilling out the front of the queue, you won’t wait for more than an hour.

Also, 2 days is definitely enough to ride everything. You can do it in one day with Flash Pass, but trying to fit everything in one day during the summer without Flash Pass would be tough to do.

 

 

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But if the park is going to be really dead, there can be a benefit to going to TC after ropedrop. If very few people are on, the restraint checkers will still be hauling, and it will increase your odds of a duel. If the ride is running full trains, the odds of a duel drastically are reduced. So if you have two days, maybe ropedrop TC on the less crowded day (probably based off of day of the week and known events or holidays) and rope dropping X2 on the more crowded day.

 

And I actually don't find X2's operations to be that bad. Its 32 people per trains and they usually run both trains. The no loose articles and locker policy keep things moving too.

 

I guess that originally X2 ran with three trains, and they made use of the unload and load stations. While I imagine that they helped capacity, three train ops must be long gone by now.

[Canobie Coaster]

Has X2 returned to multi-train operations? When I visited in December it was only running one train due to maintenance on the other. The last update I saw from mid-December still had X2 running one train.

 

One train X2 is not a line you want to get stuck in.

[Too Fast For Comfort]

Has X2 returned to multi-train operations? When I visited in December it was only running one train due to maintenance on the other. The last update I saw from mid-December still had X2 running one train.

 

One train X2 is not a line you want to get stuck in.

 

I gotcha, that does sound awful. I went back in October, so I don't know anything about its current state. That's an emergency, so you probably need to rope drop that. Can probably even get to TC in time to get some duels in too. I got five in on X2 on my first day ever there, and didn't realize that it would be a coaster that got lines. When I came back it was at 90 minutes. So I got one more in the next day, and wasn't able to get back on it. And that was with single train ops. First day, the park was mostly a ghost town, but the only rides that had lines were X2, Tatsu, and Full Throttle. Day 2 it was mobbed, but I did buy a Flash pass that day.

 

Its funny that they don't make 4-D's in America anymore (other than the free spinning ones) considering what a rockstar X2 is.

[joelwee]

^What Canobie Coaster said. I once waited in a 3-hour line for X2 during one-train ops. (I was with some friends who wanted to ride.) It was a miserable wait, but worth it once we finally got to ride.

I haven't ridden X2 since before Fright Fest, so I don't know if the 2nd train is back up and running yet.

I guess that originally X2 ran with three trains, and they made use of the unload and load stations. While I imagine that they helped capacity, three train ops must be long gone by now.

Original X was designed to run 3 trains, but since there were so many issues with the trains, they typically only ran 1 or 2, so the separate load and unload stations didn't help. When it became X2, the park bought 3 trains, but designed the ride to only run 2 at a time while the 3rd one undergoes maintenance. Right now, the third train's chassis is sitting on the ground next to Viper's lift hill.

[Too Fast For Comfort]

^What Canobie Coaster said. I once waited in a 3-hour line for X2 during one-train ops. (I was with some friends who wanted to ride.) It was a miserable wait, but worth it once we finally got to ride.

I haven't ridden X2 since before Fright Fest, so I don't know if the 2nd train is back up and running yet.

I guess that originally X2 ran with three trains, and they made use of the unload and load stations. While I imagine that they helped capacity, three train ops must be long gone by now.

Original X was designed to run 3 trains, but since there were so many issues with the trains, they typically only ran 1 or 2, so the separate load and unload stations didn't help. When it became X2, the park bought 3 trains, but designed the ride to only run 2 at a time while the 3rd one undergoes maintenance. Right now, the third train's chassis is sitting on the ground next to Viper's lift hill.

 

If Six Flags really cared about maxing capacity, and was willing to spend a little extra on trains, I think that a tandem loading station with four train ops would be a great way to push more people through. They'd had to add another block in front of the lifthill to hold the second train before enough space cleared for it to go without getting stuck at the top of the chain. You'd have to sit stacked for some time, but it would be a way to get 64 people out every time you get people in and out, checked the restraint, and cleared them for dispatch instead of 32. Also, guaranteeing that every empty seat is filled is a must too -- and a single rider line could help with that as well.

 

Short of that, I think its smart to carry a 3rd train for maintenance. It seems like most parks only keep the trains that they're going to run on the coaster at max capacity, and I've always thought that it makes sense to keep a spare -- and not just for parts.

[garminkid]

Thank you for all these great points, and I've pretty much decided I'll go to X2 first (will be my 100th roller coaster). This last question may be stupid, but at rope drop, do people run/sprint or walk? I'm used to doing the Running of the Bulls to Steel Vengeance everytime Cedar Point opens for early entry. I always get the first train of the day. I'm just wondering if I'll have to run to X2 or not.

[ryder]

There's a few sprinters, but probably not as many as there would be for SV at CP. You should be fine power walking. Do keep in mind some memberships get let into the park 10 minutes early.

 

But if you're making X2 your first ride of the day, be warned very often it is not ready to open with the park. You may walk up there right at park opening and find the gates close and be told it isn't open yet. It's fairly typical for it to take an extra 30-45 minutes longer to open.

[Big Sexy]

Typically is x2 the only ride that does not open with the park? Also does all rides except x2 have bins for a small bag and drink cups? One last thing for flash pass even if we buy online do we have to wait in the flash pass line to get it or is there a seperate entrance for those that prepaid to puck up your flash pass.

[Too Fast For Comfort]

Remember, ropedrop isn't the same at SFMM compared to other parks like Cedar Point or a Disney park. If you're below a certain membership level, you must use the regular gates, and then they pretty much start taking tickets and letting those people in right at the advertised opening time, maybe a little before. You only get in early (with almost no line) if you're above a certain membership level. And as is the case with the main attraction, if you're not in the initial wave ropedrop, there's not much of a line savings, because everybody else will go there before you.

[joelwee]

Also does all rides except x2 have bins for a small bag and drink cups?

Yes, all rides besides X2 have a place to put your stuff - and by that, I mean they let you put your stuff on the floor somewhere in the station. Some rides (TC, Viper, Tatsu, Revolution, Superman, Full Throttle) have bins, and TC has zipper pouches on the trains where you can put your phone.

[CrazedZooChimp]

Hasn't been mentioned, but I'd also consider Tatsu for a "ropedrop" ride. It tends to have the second longest/slowest line in my experience (behind X2). As mentioned before, other than increased chance of dueling early in the day, the TC line is never that bad since it has the best ops and three trains.

[SFMMFan76]

Does anyone happen to know if Diamond Elite membership holders can still get unlimted friends in with 50% off tickets. I remember you could last year, but the only thing I can find under My Rewards / Coupons is a one time use get a friend in for 50% off until the end of January. Can anyone confirm this change?

[Twistedtatsu805]

The park is closed for today. Man they are jumping on every little bit of rain they can to keep people from coming to use their dining pass!

[VegasBaby]

The park is closed for today. Man they are jumping on every little bit of rain they can to keep people from coming to use their dining pass!

 

Knott's is closed today too, so it's not just SFMM. There's a pretty big storm in SoCal and it may last a few days, so I wouldn't recommend anyone planning on going to the park until Friday.

[joelwee]

The park is closed for today. Man they are jumping on every little bit of rain they can to keep people from coming to use their dining pass!

SFMM usually doesn't shut down unless it's a significant amount of rain. It's been dumping rain here all morning and it's supposed to continue until about 7:00 PM. Also, Santa Clarita schools just started back up today, so crowds would've been light anyway. Shutting down the park today was a no-brainer.

[Apollo von Sol]

The park is closed for today. Man they are jumping on every little bit of rain they can to keep people from coming to use their dining pass!

 

TIL theme parks make decisions on closing the park to prevent people from taking advantage of the dining pass... Who knew!? /s

[ESRLoop]

With the amount of rain coming down in So Cal it's not surprising. They have a lot of rides that don't run in the rain and going back to when I worked there almost 20 years ago if there was heavy rain prior to park open that forecast to continue throughout the day they wouldn't open. As others have mentioned KBF has done the same for decades as well.

[Twistedtatsu805]

SFMM just posted on their Twitter the park is closed again today. I'm guessing it's gonna stay closed till Friday.

[Ron101]

Anyone know what’s going on with West Coast Racers? They better not open the ride and area unfinished like they did with Full Throttle.

[coasterlvr]

Anyone know what’s going on with West Coast Racers? They better not open the ride and area unfinished like they did with YOLOcoaster.

 

it was kind of fun standing in the 105 degree sun without cover.

[SFMMFan76]

Does anyone happen to know if Diamond Elite membership holders can still get unlimited friends in with 50% off tickets. I remember you could last year, but the only thing I can find under My Rewards / Coupons is a one time use get a friend in for 50% off until the end of January. Can anyone confirm this change?

 

Just looking for an update on this? No one responded when I asked last week. Thanks in advance.

[coasterbill]

They better not open the ride and area unfinished like they did with YOLOcoaster.

 

What was unfinished about Full Throttle? Was the only issue that the shade canopy wasn't in place? If you don't want to stand in the sun then don't ride it that day but wouldn't you rather the park give you the option rather than keeping a ride that's otherwise ready to operate closed over something so trivial?

[Twistedtatsu805]

Does anyone happen to know if Diamond Elite membership holders can still get unlimited friends in with 50% off tickets. I remember you could last year, but the only thing I can find under My Rewards / Coupons is a one time use get a friend in for 50% off until the end of January. Can anyone confirm this change?

 

Just looking for an update on this? No one responded when I asked last week. Thanks in advance.

 

Not sure since I am only Diamond. Download the app and add your pass and you will be able to see all of your benefits.

 

Also, the sun is out and I'm off work so I'm heading to the mountain for 3-4 hours this morning, then heading down to Knott's for the afternoon!