The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[mr. cockblock]

If I had to "guess" - DROP TOWER!

[Gav]

Quick question, but I'm coming to SFMM on the 10th of August, but will be coming direct from LAX via a train to Santa Clarita and a taxi...Does SFMM have storage for large items...I'm talking a soft travellers backpack 27x12x12 inches. I'm flying out Saturday, so I doubt I'd get a response from guest relations in time.

Would there be any issues taking such a thing into the park anyway?

[MrSum1_55]

^ And why would they? Especially after just opening their lowest capacity coaster ever. The park's next coaster should be a people eater IMO.

 

Well, for that they would need a B&M or Intamin hyper. However, a B&M hyper would look too much like Goliath, so we can pretty much forget that. Tim said we weren't getting a prefab. Actually, the capactiy of a Megalite is surprisingly low, at 810 riders per hour. An Intaimin hyper might work, but people would still conpare it to Goliath. So, I guess that leaves either a giga or a dive machine, assuming they want to spend that much.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ Similarities to Goliath are why the rumors of them taking out Deja Vu and putting it on the opposite end of the park from Goliath make sense.

 

For the amount of $$ they spend on Deja Vu maintenance it probably does make sense to take it out. But the park is ONLY going to take it out if they have another coaster lined up.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Doesn't matter how many coasters SFMM has. Cedar Point will never acknowledge that they don't have the coaster crown anymore.

 

Under the new management at CF they probably won't care so much about a stupid title like that any longer & will instead focus on what the parks really need....don't forget that part of what fueled the arms race was discovery channel airing all those themepark documentaries every year but now that those programs are no longer being produced the parks have lost that means of national advertising so there's less incentive to spend money on huge coasters every other year.

 

Perhaps the annual operating costs on DV are too much & SFI feels that it'll do better in a park that has a decent off-season like SFNE for required rehab/maintenance,this is a vekoma we're talking about after all.

[Tmcdllr]

^ And why would they? Especially after just opening their lowest capacity coaster ever. The park's next coaster should be a people eater IMO.

 

Well, for that they would need a B&M or Intamin hyper. However, a B&M hyper would look too much like Goliath, so we can pretty much forget that. Tim said we weren't getting a prefab. Actually, the capactiy of a Megalite is surprisingly low, at 810 riders per hour. An Intaimin hyper might work, but people would still conpare it to Goliath. So, I guess that leaves either a giga or a dive machine, assuming they want to spend that much.

 

They wont' put in another coaster similar to one they have now.....hmm, like X2/Green Lantern? No they would never do that!

 

And I want some numbers for the maintenance cost for Deja Vu that keeps getting mentioned, how can it be that expensive? There are other rides that are more expensive to maintain I'm sure than that one, especially since it only has 1 train. Last time I checked most if not all the other coasters have at least two trains.

let's see, more trains=more parts=more time spent on maintenance=more money

[JJ728]

And I want some numbers for the maintenance cost for Deja Vu that keeps getting mentioned, how can it be that expensive? There are other rides that are more expensive to maintain I'm sure than that one, especially since it only has 1 train. Last time I checked most if not all the other coasters have at least two trains.

let's see, more trains=more parts=more time spent on maintenance=more money

I think people are referring to how it has to get its lift cable replaced every season, a relatively complex train, new motors, the catch system on the lifts, etc. How often do you see other rides getting completely new lift chains every year? I would assume that its one of the top three most expensive rides in the park to maintain.

[DBJ]

But if a park like Silverwood can operate a GIB, surely SFMM can? Maybe it's time Deja got an X2 makeover. Make the trains lighter if cables, engines, and parts are being burned through that fast. Instead of 4 across, do two across seating. Cuts capacity, but maybe it would load faster thereby making it a wash? I hope SFMM / SF pursues all possible options to keep the ride in the park.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

An Intaimin hyper might work, but people would still conpare it to Goliath.

I can imagine those comparisons now...

"This one over here by Apocolypse is really cool! It's just like that Goliath over there, but it doesn't suck!"

[MrSum1_55]

^Like how pretty much everyone thinks GL is the "tamer version of X2." If two rides are the same type of coaster, they are thus the same thing to the GP. However, building a hyper might work, because X2 is a pretty difficult ride to top. However, with Goliath, the GP already eat up this thing, despite that it is very easy to top. I can easily see why Giovanola built only two hypers; Goliath and Titan negate their big budgets with bulky trains, dissapointing 1st drops, and little airtime. While the helices never dissapoint, it is still remarkable that Intamin can make a ride 150 feet shorter that packs 10x more of a punch. However, I say the park should go Giga to top Goliath, because height and speed seem to be the only two things that matter, and people will think that if it is shorter than Goliath, Goliath is better.

 

Although, I think any park in America should get a Magelite, to show us what good design really is. These things make the most of their small heights. There is no excuse for a 250 foot drop to be inferior to a 100 foot one.

[ANJLOVER14]

And I want some numbers for the maintenance cost for Deja Vu that keeps getting mentioned, how can it be that expensive? There are other rides that are more expensive to maintain I'm sure than that one, especially since it only has 1 train. Last time I checked most if not all the other coasters have at least two trains.

let's see, more trains=more parts=more time spent on maintenance=more money

 

Also, Vekoma is still in buisness and can provide extra parts. Ninja, on the other hand, has multiple trains, its manufacturer is out of buisness, and has to rely on a spare train as a spare parts donor. It seems Ninja is more likely to be removed or become SBNO than Deja Vu.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Ninja just got a very extensive refurbishment, where the entire control was system replaced. It isn't going anywhere any time soon.

[fpsphil]

The amount of moving parts involved in Deja Vu is immense. The lift mechanism matches the trains speed then catches it and pulls it up further. The sensors, mechanical parts and computers involved in this means the likelihood of something going wrong is high and the cost of the system is just as high. The cost of keeping a coaster up is not dependent on the number of trains its the complexity of the ride mechanisms. For example, id be willing to bet the cost to keep Xcelerator running (with a complicated launch mechanism) with 2 trains is more than California Screaming which has 5 trains.

[eddie200330]

If the cost of maintenance would be the reason for removal, why in the hell would they send it to another park in the same chain? Now they not only have the cost of removal/reassembly, but they still are going to have to maintain it....although in a different location. Still the same pockets the money comes out of????02

[Gigalyte]

What I don't understand is if Deja Vu cost so much to maintain and operate, why send it to a park (SFNE) that's probably not getting as many customers nor bringing in as much revenue as SFMM. Wouldn't be better to send a money hog as Vu is claimed to be to a park like SFOT, SFGADv, SFFT, SFGAM even though they didn't want the one they had lol. I just don't see see this happening unless SFMM is planning on announcing a new coaster for 2012, which so far the rumors are saying no coaster it's a thrill ride/ drop tower.

 

I also agree 100% with Eddie!

[Tmcdllr]

The amount of moving parts involved in Deja Vu is immense. The lift mechanism matches the trains speed then catches it and pulls it up further. The sensors, mechanical parts and computers involved in this means the likelihood of something going wrong is high and the cost of the system is just as high. The cost of keeping a coaster up is not dependent on the number of trains its the complexity of the ride mechanisms. For example, id be willing to bet the cost to keep Xcelerator running (with a complicated launch mechanism) with 2 trains is more than California Screaming which has 5 trains.

 

Superman has an elaborate, computer controlled launch system, and all of the coasters in the park have many, many sensors, all over the place as well as brakes, drive systems for the trains, lift gearboxes and motors, etc,. Okay so let's not count the brakes as mostly those require minimal maintenance as well as the sensors, but you still have the complicated launch system of Superman...is that cheaper to maintain?

[BlueFireCoaster]

...(Deja Vu) has to get its lift cable replaced every season...new motors, the catch system on the lifts...I would assume that its one of the top three most expensive rides in the park to maintain.

 

I'm sorry to say, but none of this is true. The train and catch cars are refurbished seasonally due to the wear and tear caused by the intensity of the elements of the ride. However, the cables are not replaced every season, nor is the catch system, nor the motors.

 

On top of seasonal downtime which allows for thorough refurbishment, these parts are inspected and are also maintained daily like they every other ride in the park. Well maintained coasters (which believe it or not, SFMM maintenance prides itself on) including cables and motors which are taken care of daily throughout their operation, extend their longevity (which diminishes ride maintenance costs), avoids hazard, and prevents costly major component replacement in the future.

[Tmcdllr]

^Exactly! I totally agree, it completely makes sense and maintaining it that way does not make it the most expensive ride in the park to keep up, so I don't get where all of that comes from. Lift motors do not get replaced every season, only when they fail or need to be replaced...could you imagine how expensive that would be? And the cables probably aren't replaced unless they either show signs they need to be or when it falls within the replacement schedule. And even refurbishing/rehabbing the lifts, catch cars, train, brakes, etc, still does not make it the most expensive, I just find that hard to believe.

[DJeXeL]

Superman has an elaborate, computer controlled launch system, and all of the coasters in the park have many, many sensors, all over the place as well as brakes, drive systems for the trains, lift gearboxes and motors, etc,. Okay so let's not count the brakes as mostly those require minimal maintenance as well as the sensors, but you still have the complicated launch system of Superman...is that cheaper to maintain?

 

 

To be fair, Superman has minimal mechanical parts compared to other coasters at the park. Most of Superman's issues stem from electrical problems of some sort.

[MrSum1_55]

^^^Which may explain why SFMM, a year around park, got to keep their Deja Vu. I will say, SFMM's Vu does not have the crazy breakdowns the others had, of which they are at seasonal parks, meaning they have the entire off-season for rapairs. However, being a year-around park means the ride can remain closed for long periods of time. Personally, I have never seen the ride break down, but I have seen it down for the day too many times to count.

 

On park of which I have been a bit skeptical lately is Disneyland (and, well Ca Adventure too). Maybe I am just REALLY unlucky, but all of my more recent visits have been filled with late openings, early closings, and consistant breakdowns throughout the day. Judging from the last two-day trip, SFMM's rides actually seem more realiable than Disney's, but that may have just been a fluke day.

[DJeXeL]

^Exactly. For the most part, Deja Vu at SFMM was clearly the most reliable and every time I visit it's open. More so than X2 sometimes.

[John Knotts]

Assuming this rumor is true, I wonder if the loss of Deja Vu will alter the park's plans for 2012, or if they are basically being forced to give up the "coaster capitol" title just a few months after declaring it.

[ABW]

^It's not like they didn't do that before. Remember 2006?

[wesrg]

Hi Everyone,

 

First Apologies if some of this is a repeat, I ahve been reading through these forums, trying to answer most of my questions (many of which I have!) but there are a few things I was hoping toconfirm as I have read conflicting posts.

 

First my Wife and I will be visiting SFMM on Saturday Aug 6th. I know visiting on a Saturday is not the best idea, but we are on a tigh vacation schedule and this was really the only day that would work. So I have pre bought online tickets parking, and a Platinum Flashpass for 2. This was a no brainer for us, we know that SFMM is going to be super busy on a saturday and this will be a one of deal, so want to make the most of the visit.

 

Anyways here is my plan and a few questions. Park opens at 10am, so we are planning to arrive at parking around 9:15. Do people line up at the entrance? Any tips for this? Once we are in we are going to head straight to X2. My wife is not likely going to want run full out, I am guessing a speed walk will be the best I get. So given that what sort of line are we looking at for X2?

 

After X2 we are going to head over to the FP place and pick it up. I am a bit worried about the line for these things (I love the irony of a long line for a line hopping device). I have read up to an hour wait for one? Is this true?

 

My last question is regarding the FP lines. How do these generally work? Do they merge into the regular line before the ride, or does it put you right on the ride?

 

Ok I lied one last questions, the website does not say you can use FP on Superman, but I have read on here you can? Anyone know for sure?

 

Thanks for any help/answer anyone can provide.

[John Knotts]

^It's not like they didn't do that before. Remember 2006?

 

Right, but we're talking just a few months after telling the world they have the most coasters.