The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[AmyUD06]

1 hour ago, coasternut said:

Well it's official!

Something is "brewing at Magic Mountain. They've filed a permit to demolish the Golden Bear Theater on 12/5 with the city. Something big is going to happen. I'm guessing after Holiday in the park. I'm hoping for coaster #21! That would be a good Christmas present!...

Was that their last remaining show venue, or is it like Great Adventure where they have a bunch that haven't been used in a decade?

I know they don't use them now, but they're going to need proper show venues in the post-merger era.

[thepoint4life23]

Didnt they also just do a bunch of work on the ticket booths?

[tndank]

37 minutes ago, thepoint4life23 said:

Didnt they also just do a bunch of work on the ticket booths?

Many Six Flags parks have demo'ed old ticket booths.  SFoT, Fiesta, Georgia, MM

[coasternut]

^^^ All but 2 ticket booths have been demolished. That happened in November. It's now concrete. They have an additional inside show venue near Twisted Colossus. It hasn't been used in years. In the summer they used to have magic shows & amazing trampoline performances. It was air conditioned, so in the summer you could cool off and be entertained.

This clearing has got to be something big - I hope. Nothing new was announced for the park for the 2024 season. Come on Santa bring us a giga!

[thrillseeker4552]

Perhaps I am in the minority but I really think the park should focus on maintaining their current 20 coasters and, dare I say, have a portion of the year where they are all open at once - as well as fix up a bunch of the severely outdated infrastructure throughout the park before they open up coaster #21.

With that being said, coaster #21 will bring them attendance and $$$ versus fixing up operations and infrastructure which doesn't have an ROI so, what do I know lol.

[coasternut]

^ Lately, (the past several months) ride ops have been good. Recently, they've closed Samurai summit which means Supe and Ninja are closed (18 other rides running). Without the wind issues, other rides have been open reliably.

Now I hope I didn't just jinx myself. I'll be heading back to the Mountain later this week for some rides and HIP action.

[JT325]

I vote for Magic Mountain and all the SF parks to focus on taking care of and improving what they have.  All those rides are used at a fraction of the capacity they can handle; many have old rough spots, add more quality family rides .... like a monorail and open the Tower.  Improve flow to and from rides - I'm talking about the 1/2-mile long not-wide-enough-for-a-wheelchair exit ramps from many popular coasters - at ALL big six flags parks... that crap creates fights.

I just checked out the google map of the park, as you guys were talking about the homes moving closer at the back of the park.  I'm not sure how old the google map is, but there is still space that looks like its being cleared... isn't Socal oversaturated with everything already?  The homes look like prisons, made me think of Clockwork Orange.  Probably just eco-housing, I hope they are nice inside (pure bright white with lots of sharp edges, class and steel?)

Dang I gotta get back to get on X2, Revo and Ninja... some of my favorites!  But the park has gotten so not fun in the past few years.  I hope they make it what it could be, sure deserves it.

[bostonlva]

Seems like the first "teaser" for whatever they are building for 2025 is up

[SoCalJasonland]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:09 AM, AmyUD06 said:

Was that their last remaining show venue, or is it like Great Adventure where they have a bunch that haven't been used in a decade?

I know they don't use them now, but they're going to need proper show venues in the post-merger era.

I believe it is the last stage or show area unless there is a group area backstage somewhere.

[ryder]

No, they still have the Gearworks Theater, near the entrance to the Steampunk area.  All the dance/cheer competitions the park hosts throughout the year will be moving there (actually, they already have moved there, some events have already happened in that location)

[SoCalJasonland]

2 hours ago, ryder said:

No, they still have the Gearworks Theater, near the entrance to the Steampunk area.  All the dance/cheer competitions the park hosts throughout the year will be moving there (actually, they already have moved there, some events have already happened in that location)

Sorry, I forgot about that indoor place. I have been going to the park since 1976 and never been inside that building.  I have walked by it but never gone in.

[SoCalJasonland]

On 12/10/2023 at 7:04 AM, thrillseeker4552 said:

Perhaps I am in the minority but I really think the park should focus on maintaining their current 20 coasters and, dare I say, have a portion of the year where they are all open at once - as well as fix up a bunch of the severely outdated infrastructure throughout the park before they open up coaster #21.

With that being said, coaster #21 will bring them attendance and $$$ versus fixing up operations and infrastructure which doesn't have an ROI so, what do I know lol.

I agree with what you say but how much would you spend to make a the mine train, Ninja. Superman, X2, or Riddler's Revenge reliable or rideable?  Ninja is a long ride with not enough trains to keep the minimal line moving.  The mine train is old and not as fun as Big Thunder Mountain so when that track wears out, it is probably gone.  Superman already barely runs but could make a great makeover with new LSMs or a complete circuit coaster with a top hat. X2 has had way too much money spent on it so far and Sansei is about as reliable as S&S was. Riddler's Revenge would just be another stand up to floorless conversion that would duplicate Scream.  And much of any infrastructure improvments will be immediately vandalized by our local LA crowd of upstanding citizens.  They might be better off with the park of 15 good / running coasters and add something air conditioned for the family to enjoy or perhaps another water ride.

 

[swfan1988]

That bird gives me Dr. Diabolical vibes, not super familiar with SFMM is the site kinda near their DC Universe or Screampunk areas? I wonder if the response from the theme at SFFT has been positive enough for them to want to use it here.

[CedarFlags]

As much as I'm excited for the possibility of a new coaster... the park can't maintain the 20 coasters it already has.  SFMM needs to build another cycle shop and hire like 20 more people in Maintenance before even thinking about building a new coaster.  How does the park with the biggest coaster collection in the world have so little maintenance infrastructure and staffing?

It's harder to market guest experience, but it keeps people coming back.  It gets them to buy passes.

[SoCalJasonland]

On 3/26/2024 at 2:53 PM, CedarFlags said:

As much as I'm excited for the possibility of a new coaster... the park can't maintain the 20 coasters it already has.  SFMM needs to build another cycle shop and hire like 20 more people in Maintenance before even thinking about building a new coaster.  How does the park with the biggest coaster collection in the world have so little maintenance infrastructure and staffing?

It's harder to market guest experience, but it keeps people coming back.  It gets them to buy passes.

I was hoping that Cedar Fair would fix up Magic Mountain, but my visit to Knott's on Monday, March 25th was the worst visit I have experienced.  Even if two coaster trains were operating, the second train was stacked on the brake run for 5 - 7 minutes.  I looked up several times throughout the day and it looked like every ride was closed or broken since nothing was moving.  This is going to be one giant cluster eff merger solely designed to sell Fastlanes to pay off both companies' giant debt loads.  Neither park has any hustle to load or run coaters efficiently.  You would swear the employees were asked to help pay for the electric bills.

[prozach626]

Sounds like a business model geared toward lower-middle class 13-17 year olds. Build more marketable shit, and let everything else fall apart. You can make a lot of money from that demographic.

[SoCalJasonland]

2 hours ago, prozach626 said:

Sounds like a business model geared toward lower-middle class 13-17 year olds. Build more marketable shit, and let everything else fall apart. You can make a lot of money from that demographic.

[SoCalJasonland]

3 hours ago, prozach626 said:

Sounds like a business model geared toward lower-middle class 13-17 year olds. Build more marketable shit, and let everything else fall apart. You can make a lot of money from that demographic.

This sounds so painful as I live in Canyon Crest, 11 miles from Castle Park in Riverside California.  It was a nice park that was ruined by, well..... People not caring any more, investing any more, wanting to pay any more, let the teens and gangs take over, neighborhood is drug central, ect... Little Oakland Jr.  Castle is just Palace Entertainment riding a "cash cow" ride to the bottom.  Castle Park still tries but they no longer can afford propper maintenance or general upkeep.  I hope I am not foreshadowing.  Six Flags + Cedar Fair + high interstest rates + a lot of debt + ???????? = Profit?

From 2018:

[prozach626]

You're foreshadowing a lot more than the amusement park industry.

[SoCalJasonland]

On 4/5/2024 at 6:24 PM, prozach626 said:

You're foreshadowing a lot more than the amusement park industry.

If you live in So Cal and watch the news, it is just bad news every day.  I don't like to go into LA any more and don't even think about going down to Venice / anta Monica to ride bikes like we used to.  Most friends and family I know carry a concealed firearms everywhere you go.  I would call it more fact than projecting.

[prozach626]

I would get out of CA as soon as possible. A lot of people are, but they're taking the same mindsets and habits with them that wrecked the state. It's mighty suspicious.

Regardless, MM seemed like a place with great attractions, but was generally a shithole in 2012 when we went. From the outside looking in, it seems to have grown equally in both areas. There's a slim to none chance of us ever returning.

[bostonlva]

It may just be me, but it feels like this new trademark (the name  for a future ride fits) fits with that  Screampunk/steampunk-style bird on the construction wall

 

 

 

https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=98483547&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch

[prozach626]

I didn't know there was a DC character named Quantum Accelerator. 

[bert425]

12 hours ago, prozach626 said:

I didn't know there was a DC character named Quantum Accelerator. 

S.T.A.R. labs (a big part of the DC universe - in particular the Superman family corner of it), has a "Particle Accelerator".

and the Character "Captain Atom" - who has been associated with Star Labs in the past, does have "Quantum Powers"

so it wouldn't be out of the question, if they decided to do something Star Labs/Captain Atom and use this name.

I doubt it. . .seems a stretch. . . but you never know!

[KBrylczyk]

If that's the name, I'm betting on another Vekoma Super Boomerang.