The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[RCFreak]

At exactly the right speed needed for it to stall upside down? No.

[atem122]

At exactly the right speed needed for it to stall upside down? No.

What if lightening stuck it while going, the rails had extra friction, and coaster god felt like getting people stuck upside down? Haha but in all honestly, if it wasnt an issue wouldnt intamin have already done an inverted top hat by now?

[ebl]

I don't think there's much of a thrill factor in an inverted top hat. Granted, I've never ridden one, but being upside down that high just doesn't seem like as much of a thrill as the view you get on TTD, Kingda Ka, etc. (I haven't ridden those either, but I have ridden Xcelerator.)

 

As for falling out, the OTSR will keep you in. Granted, it wouldn't be very comfy, but you'd stay put. I wonder if anyone thought of putting drive tires on those rides which could give the train a little "push" over the top to get it unstuck?

 

Eric

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

What if lightening stuck it while going, the rails had extra friction, and coaster god felt like getting people stuck upside down?

If all that happens, God just wants you dead, it wouldn't matter what ride in what element you were in.

 

I don't think there's much of a thrill factor in an inverted top hat

 

I've been on Mr. Freeze @ SFoT, and I must say at the very least that one ride is an exception to your rule. If done in the same fashion, it would create a nice floater effect.

[rcroques]

I don't think there's much of a thrill factor in an inverted top hat. Granted, I've never ridden one, but being upside down that high just doesn't seem like as much of a thrill as the view you get on TTD, Kingda Ka, etc. (I haven't ridden those either, but I have ridden Xcelerator.)

 

As for falling out, the OTSR will keep you in. Granted, it wouldn't be very comfy, but you'd stay put. I wonder if anyone thought of putting drive tires on those rides which could give the train a little "push" over the top to get it unstuck?

 

Eric

 

There may not be much of a thrill factor in an inverted tophat, but if you're five hundred feet above the ground with nothing but an OTSR between you and a certain bloody and broken death? I'd be scared out of my mind.

 

Point is, the mountain gives them great leverage on building a ride that not only summits the mountain, it summits the record books as well. A record breaking ride will bring crowds, which we all know that Magic Mountain wants and needs. Crowds mean money and money means a future. So, do I see it as a good investment? Yes. Am I saying it's what will be there? Not at all.

 

As I said before, I'm not an employee at Magic and I can't say what they will and won't do, but I'd really like to see them build a world-class, record-breaking coaster.

 

Oh, and please, don't use fire... I'm seeing some sort of water effect on the next coaster... or lasers... something new. Audio would be cool though.

 

Sincerely,

R.C.

[ebl]

My note of being upside down that high comes from riding through Viper's 140-foot tall loop and having it not feel any different than a loop only 70 or so feet tall. And, true, a top hat would be different. But I still think a regular top hat in the nearly 500-foot tall range would be more thrilling.

 

Eric

[GivenOneChance]

To further elaborate on your point, I think it would be really cool if they reinstated the use of the second track (as well as improved the ride to perhaps go at 100 MPH again)....like a race. From my last experiences, Superman does pick up some attention, a crowd, so I don't think employing the second track would be a significant waste of resources.

I heard they stopped racing it because there were problems with blackouts in the Valley.

 

I heard they stopped racing it because it put too much stress on the tower.

[alexinla]

I heard they stopped racing it because it put too much stress on the tower

 

Nah, on my always reliable cp messageboard they confirmed that Superman would be sinking if they run both sides at the same time

[cooksta77]

I don't think there's much of a thrill factor in an inverted top hat. Granted, I've never ridden one, but being upside down that high just doesn't seem like as much of a thrill as the view you get on TTD, Kingda Ka, etc. (I haven't ridden those either, but I have ridden Xcelerator.)

Eric

I have been on TTD and it's a fun ride but the thing that I don't like about it is, it's too short. If SFMM were to build one of these I would like to see one with more elements than just a launch, top hat and your done.

[ethans_dad06]

I personally like the idea of a 500ft monster, but find it highly unlikely. The cost of those plus adding elements after the ride to increase the length of the ride would just be too much I'm sure, I wouldn't mind seeing a dive machine, but a record breaker with a splashdown. I could see it now!

[atem122]

^Possibly a 500 foot dive machine with the world's largest splash down?

[ethans_dad06]

^Now that's a good idea! But unfortunatly that would probably cost more than a 500 foot intamin launch with over a mile of track after the tophat.

 

Seriously though I hope that Magic Mountain gets a record breaker of some sort, cause they still need that edge to bring the crowds in large numbers in my opinion.

[CreditCrazy]

I really don't think a big new record breaking coaster will do SFMM much at all. Sure it'll bring a lot of people in, but not families which their aiming for, more like the line jumping teens. And with more of them, you're driving the families away...and just adding more big thrills, just like the early 2000's.

 

With a new family ride/family coaster/family flats, you're bringing in the families, and possibly driving away the line jumpers/bad crowd that SFMM used to attract, and if not, hey, you get their money too!...unless they break in somehow.

[atem122]

I honestly think that sfmm transitioning to a family park could drive it bankrupt. Sure the a hole teens are annoying, but they are the ones keeping the park afloat.

 

It'll take many years to change the park's image, hell a couple years ago my parents were afraid to let me go because of the gang problem.

 

If the teens stop going cause the park is too lame, and the families don't go because they still thing the gangs and bad teens are there, then you have yourself a bankrupt park

[kongker]

Seems that an Intamin launch coaster is a highly popular choice for SFMM's next coaster.

 

If the park does remove Tidal Wave (to make room for the new attraction), they will be short 1 major water ride. Assuming management was indeed collaborating w/ Intamin, I'm wondering if they might want to incorporate 2 in 1 (launch-coaster + water ride = 2010?).

 

This attraction would retain their coaster/water ride count & maintain their family appeal. It could (in theory) also put the old Metro tunnel to use. A new station/launch area, perhaps? From there, it could extend out into the former Freefall/Tidal Wave lagoon area for the course remainder & splashdown. It's closest market competition would be more than 2 Hrs & 152 miles away (Journey to Atlantis - Sea World).

 

Intamin AquaTrax

 

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=atlantis2008_640[/coastertube][/coastertube]

[MagicMountainMan]

Maybe it's just me but I'd rather see a good ride then one that just breaks records. That's why TTD isn't my favorite, it's a launch. That's it.

 

If they were to put an Intamin in I'd rather see something like Blue Fire or iSpeed, neither are record breakers, but both look like really solid and fun rides.

 

Oh and to whoever is curious about why Superman doesn't run both sides at the same time anymore and as to why they don't launch it at full speed anymore is because of power consumption. According to a former ride op that I've talked to, Superman in its second year of operations was still launching side by side. To launch both at the same time takes massive power consumption. Edison has a whole power line dedicated just to Superman. Anyways, on a hot summer day they were racing them side by side, still launching them at 100 mph and (according to the ride op) one of the sheds (that host all of the electrical equipment to power the magnets) overheated and caught on fire. Because of that they don't race anymore, although they have operated both sides at the same time, just not raced. As far as not launching it at 100, it's just a way to save money. They've been doing it for as long as I remember.

 

Edit: I just realized that Blue Fire is a Mack....

[sfmmrules!]

Ah Superman. They won't take it out. It's still a good ride even though it was put in 1997. I remember when I was there in 1999 Superman had ride pictures but I didn't get one. I wish I did now. I have ride pictures from Batman & Riddlers both 1999. When I was there in 2006 I went right to Superman after opening & got to ride in the front 3 times in a row w/out getting off. For the 4th time I had to move to the 2nd row. But why can't they make the cars go higher up the tower to make it even more thrilling? I can just hear the launch of the cars now!

[X2coasterfreak]

Seriously though SFMM needs another Intamin. It only has one and that is Superman. I would like it to be a record breaker with amazing speed and height. Like TTD KK or Xcelr8r. Yet I would love to see a ride like Maverick. Or maybe a Bizzaro or SM:ROS or Goliath. I really hope they get an Intamin that would be incredible if they did.

[ILoveRides]

My vote for SFMM is an intamin megalite like Kawasemi (which I haven't ridden yet, but it looks nice).

 

I do think magic mountain should break the height record, but not until someone steals that record from six flags. No point in six flags stealing it from itself. By leaving magic mountain without the height record, six flags stands ready to steal it back if someone ever takes it.

 

It could be awhile before a non-six-flags park steals the height record though, so in the meantime the second most important record I would like to see them break is the longest steel coaster record. Length goes a really long way in making a ride great in my opinion. I just hate waiting in line and then only getting a 45 second ride.

 

However, more length = more cost. So I think something like Kawasemi is a nice middle ground. A beutiful, twisty, air-time-filled, decent length ride like that is probably something they could do, and would benefit them a lot.

[CreditCrazy]

I honestly think that sfmm transitioning to a family park could drive it bankrupt. Sure the a hole teens are annoying, but they are the ones keeping the park afloat.

 

It'll take many years to change the park's image, hell a couple years ago my parents were afraid to let me go because of the gang problem.

 

If the teens stop going cause the park is too lame, and the families don't go because they still thing the gangs and bad teens are there, then you have yourself a bankrupt park

 

Six Flags wouldn't try to make the park more family-friendly if they thought it'd make them go bankrupt. I'm not saying they'll never add anything thrilling again, or shouldn't ever add anything more thrilling. I just think for a while they should focus on family rides/flat rides.

 

I was just at Disneyland last weekend and of course there is a huge difference in the crowds, but I still notice a big improvement from SFMM. I don't really expect it to ever get like Disneyland, but definitely better than Knott's.

 

Just think. SFMM, with all the amazing thrills they already have, family rides, and a flat rides. A good well-balanced park.

 

Or...

 

SFMM with again, amazing thrills, that keep getting built on top of each other and around each other, a bad crowd, and...small amounts of families.

[Manic Monte]

^ I see no reason why they can't do both at the same time. That's seems to be the strategy anyway. X2/Thomas Town, with Terminator you get both thrilling and Family, 2010 coaster and waterpark addition. 2011? I'd love to see a family ride and a drop tower.

[CreditCrazy]

^ That's true, I'm mainly talking about the "500 ft. tall Intamin coaster/record breaking coaster". I don't think SFMM needs another one (or even wants/is thinking about another one!)

[AllenA07]

Personally I don't see the park adding that huge of a ride. I'm expecting much smaller for the park.

[tanthonyam]

When I was at the park last week, I thought if they took out that extra pay attraction next to the go-carts, the Sky coaster? That would make an excellent location for a giant frisbee, where it would swing out over the midway. Those Sky Coaster things are getting old anyway.

[Manic Monte]

Personally I don't see the park adding that huge of a ride. I'm expecting much smaller for the park.

 

I don't care how small or how big, I really want *SOMETHING* with some good airtime for a change.

 

I know, it's not about what I want. But a coaster with some good ejector air would be the final piece to make SFMM's collection the most special in the US.