The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[WFChris]

The other reason it probably wouldn't work is because I believe the tower bulges a little bit where the track meets the vertical section of the tower. In other words it is not straight up and down from the ground to the top.

[atem122]

^You're totally right about that actually. And it'd probably be hard to build an entrance down by the base of the tower anyway, but I bet they could make it work.

^^SFKK's drop tower isnt dead!...it's just in a farm upstate where it can roam freely with other failed drop towers

[Brandon4579]

well i thought it was taken down, but then some people swore to me that it was still standing, and i never really cared to look.

[Serial_Thriller]

The height requirement issue is a little more complex then you give it credit for; Rider requirements are set by the manufacture in agreement with the original owner and sometimes the insurance company or state regulator.

 

Once a ride is branded a height requirement on its title, to change it you must go threw the process of establishing a new height requirement. This process requires a new engineering report, modification (maybe), testing, regulatory approval and finally the insurance company will say yes or no. It can be done, but sometimes its not worth the time or money.

 

 

While I cannot speak for Six Flags, I know of a few parks who make it company policy to establish higher then recommended height requirements because they get decent discounts on the insurance premiums.

[WFChris]

^This thread established a few pages ago that it really has nothing to do with insurance. But it's an awesome theory

[Serial_Thriller]

Well who has the picture of the rides branded certificate; Then we can find out if its regulatory, insurance, or Six Flags.

[SharkTums]

FYI, Park is not opening today due to the weather.

[radiohead8989]

I need to learn my lesson, and stop trying to ride X2. I called the park on Wednesday, and they said that weather wouldn't be a problem this weekend. I called again on Friday, and they said the park would be open. It's not even raining right now, and I'm right across the street from the park. They didn't close the park due to weather. They closed the park, because there was almost no one in line. They should have made this decision yesterday. Weather reports haven't really changed much in the last few days.

The winds are going to pick up tomorrow, so I wouldn't be surprised if X2 is down due to high winds. I've come all the way from Chicago again, and it looks like it will be for nothing. I came out here on January 16, and X2 was down. They told me it would be back up the following weekend. I almost extened my trip, but I decided not to risk it. It was a good idea, because X2 was still down. I was here for WCB 2009, when high winds took X2 down for half the day. I guess I need to find a new favorite coaster.

[Calicoasters]

I guess I need to find a new favorite coaster.

 

May I suggest Xcelerator?

[atem122]

^It's probably harder to find Xcelerator working than X2

[SharkTums]

^^^That's really a bummer that the park told you yesterday that they would open today. Looking at the forecast *I* could have told you there was no way in hell they would open today.

 

I hate it when parks do stuff like that.

[Calicoasters]

^It sucks, and I've seen it happen many times this year. It sucks for those who travel long distances, it sucks for those who came to work there that day, it just plain old sucks. Right now there are a lot of people in California on vacation from Brazil and Australia and this is not the weather we are know for...

[SharkTums]

^Well in California's defense (oh god I feel dirty typing that!!) this is our 'wet season' and we do get most of our rain January - March.

 

What I just find terrible is that less than 24 hours ago the park told someone from out of town they would be open, only to not open this morning. There is no excuse for that. I mean, this isn't the Knott's Discussion Thread!! I would expect that kind of behavior from Knotts! (Although I would have also known that they would close due to any drops of rain within a week!)

[Jew]

Well who has the picture of the rides branded certificate; Then we can find out if its regulatory, insurance, or Six Flags.

 

It's already been established the ride ran at SFNO with a 36" height requirement.

[radiohead8989]

SFMM was selling tickets, until 10 minutes before opening. There were around 50 people lined up at the gates, waiting to get in. So they didn't make the decision until the last minute. That's the only reason I'm angry. I knew there would be some downtime due to rain. But I hoped I could get some rides when it wasn't raining. I don't think the decision was based on the weather. I think it was based on the empty parking lot. Based on the weather forecast, they had to know that would happen.

[Dietcokevan]

So, not sure if SFMM is opening tomorrow...Since they closed today and its not even raining, only cloudy.

 

But weather.com shows only AM showers so MAYBE they will

[AWill961]

Is anyone going to try to hit up the park tomorrow?

 

I've been keeping my eye on the weather reports. I'm going to arrive a little later in the day (probably around noon).

 

I wonder if the park will pull what they did today again tomorrow at the last minute. I really only care to go to get my and my brother's season passes processed.

[Dietcokevan]

^I'm still going, I mean I have nothing to lose, except a 10 minute drive.

 

EDIT: Weather.com shows 30% chance of rain in the day 0% at night. MSN says 0% pretty much all day long, so I am hoping MSN is right

[Serial_Thriller]

If the ride came from New Orleans, it would be subject to meeting regulatory requirements again. Just about everything at New Orleans is considered insurance salvage. However so long as no modifications were made beyond restoring it to operational condition then I don't see why it would get a "new" height requirement. Does anybody know if anything has changed on it since its move?

[PeoplemoverMatt]

As Elissa said, this is our rainy season. It sucks, but it happens, and thankfully our rainy season is incredibly short.

[radiohead8989]

The worst part is, it really didn't rain much today. I can see the park from my hotel, and there has been very little rain. If the park had actually opened, I might have had my best day every with X2. My local park, Six Flags Great America, would never have closed on a day like this. The sun even tried to come out for a little while.

[SharkTums]

^You're totally right, but Californians are VERY different than people in the rest of the country. This 'storm' we've had for the last two days is considered a bad storm and shuts stuff down. Whereas the rest of the country gets snow and ice and life goes on.

 

I'm not excusing it (trust me, I'm REALLY not), but I'm just letting you know that California is very different. Knotts and Magic used to stay open in weather like this, but recently with both companies in financial 'difficulty' we've all noticed them closing more and more in 'so-so' weather.

[ebl]

Yeah, a lot of Californians can be sort of wussy when it comes to rain. (Take it from a native---who's NOT wussy about rain.)

 

I do hope the park is open tomorrow, as I've planned to take a trip over there. Hopefully the season pass coupon books are in because they weren't in at the time I renewed my pass.

 

Eric

[PeoplemoverMatt]

The weather also caused the Grapevine to be shut down. That doesn't happen in just any rain storm.

 

It rained really hard overnight last night, then tapered off a little bit as the sun came up, but still rained up until and through when the call to close it down was made. While Knott's does close at even a threat of drizzle, to lump SFMM into that category because of today is, IMO, a hair towards the unfair side. Believe me, no one likes it when the park is closed. It sucks. Fortunately the weather should be better tomorrow.

 

What was it that NFL rep said the other day? "You don't make money by closing your business."? No one's having a fun time when this happens.

[Jew]

^You're right, Knott's doesn't waver in their cost cutting decisions. I don't think they try to hide the fact they will be closed if there is constant rain in the forecast. I find it hard to believe that SFMM ever intended to operate for the full day (if at all) given the forecast and their recent history with rain. No need to make the decision so late.