The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[pdcon]

I always cracked up about the panda express being put in baja ridge. In regards to the rides, six flags really has no ride themeing, just ride names. Its not that hard to change the names and colors of the rides to match the surrounding areas.

[MrSum1_55]

Although coasters do not make use of the terrain, you do have to appreciate SFMM's abundance of trees. Personally, I think SFMM may be the nicest-landscaped park in the chain; not too bad for a park in the middle of the desert. SFGADV, on the other hand, is a landscape lover's nightmare. That place has little trees, shade, or landscaping. That is especailly odd, considering the whole park is surrounded by forest. SFGAdv should look a lot more like Hersheypark or Knoebels, but I guess SF doesn't believe in nice parks.

 

MrSum1"Would it kill SFGAdv to replant some more trees? Trees grow like weeds in New Jersey!"_55

[willthethrill]

I think this whole conversation topic is old hat. The park is making huge strides addressing every single one of these issues; how quickly we forget that it wasn't too long ago that we weren't even sure there was someone "behind the wheel" at the front office. In regards to comparing MM with other Six Flags properties its apples and oranges. They are mostly all on their own as far as theme park markets. Lets not forget MM had to go in the mega thrill direction to stay competitive and profitable in the so cal market. Its not the same as GrAdv.

 

Need to look ahead people. Most likely were going to have a Colossus makeover, Dr Doom, and another world class coaster installation as well as continued infrastructure improvements all in the next 3 years or so. I'm extremely pleased with the progress the park has made in such a short time frame. I can give the Scream! parking lot thing a pass when I look at 17 other well maintaned, aesthetically pleasing, top notch coaster experiences (with trees and fresh paint).

Edited October 26, 2011 by willthethrill

[John Knotts]

Yeah don't we have these same conversations year after year? SFMM could make all these changes people are suggesting, and we'd still not give them a break. I don't blame them for putting money into thrill machines. Catering to the whims of their critics would be a never ending hole.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^I respectfully disagree. I understand that the park has made tremendous strides in improving the ambiance of the park. However I don't think anyone; (amusement park, person, sports franchise etc.) should be immuned to criticism. The most effective way to improve anything is to criticize it. Now whether the criticism received is constructive or not can be questioned. In recent months of reading this particular thread, The general theme has been civil, constructive, and positive criticism. Of course there have been a few exceptions, but "park bashing" I think we can all agree is as much a thing of the past as rude employees and trash fluttered midways. Now is the park in it's current state anywhere near what it was in say....2003? Fudge no. But is it operating anywhere near the potential we know it could? I'd also have to say no.

 

With that said, I would have to say that very little of Tatsu is in Sammuri Summit. In fact, the only part that is I believe is the overbanked turn. X doesn't really have a definitive theme, so it's placement in Baja Ridge isn't exactly a sore thumb, but there are things like the Panda Express in the Latin themed area, and the Pizzeria in the Asian themed area, and so on. My point being...if the effort is going to be made to have themes, do it the best you can.

[coasterking2981]

Drove by the park today, and from what I could see, most of the left half of the cobra roll on Deja Vu has been taken down.

[John Knotts]

^I respectfully disagree. I understand that the park has made tremendous strides in improving the ambiance of the park. However I don't think anyone; (amusement park, person, sports franchise etc.) should be immuned to criticism. The most effective way to improve anything is to criticize it. Now whether the criticism received is constructive or not can be questioned. In recent months of reading this particular thread, The general theme has been civil, constructive, and positive criticism. Of course there have been a few exceptions, but "park bashing" I think we can all agree is as much a thing of the past as rude employees and trash fluttered midways. Now is the park in it's current state anywhere near what it was in say....2003? Fudge no. But is it operating anywhere near the potential we know it could? I'd also have to say no.

 

With that said, I would have to say that very little of Tatsu is in Sammuri Summit. In fact, the only part that is I believe is the overbanked turn. X doesn't really have a definitive theme, so it's placement in Baja Ridge isn't exactly a sore thumb, but there are things like the Panda Express in the Latin themed area, and the Pizzeria in the Asian themed area, and so on. My point being...if the effort is going to be made to have themes, do it the best you can.

 

Good points, and in all fairness I like what they did with DC Universe, obviously with very little money. And most of the theme around the park is pretty light at best, which is fine for a thrill park. The problem I think, has been the schizo way Six Flags has viewed the park over the years. When you go from "extreme" park, to family friendly, back to thrill park. Some theming here, no theming there, this is what you're going to get. The park is in dire need of a clear identity, and they need to wear it with pride. Whatever you're going to do, be the best at it.

 

You always get the feeling they are one foot in, one foot out all of the time.

 

Also I see no problem with criticising the park. Sometime I just get tired of the same moaning every year about Scream. Scream is a parking lot coaster...the end.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Well the best part is that there's been so many improvements made in so many areas of the park asthetics-wise, and still people focus on the ground under Scream.

 

I just feel sorry for anyone who ruins the great time they could be having riding Scream, or Colossus, or Goliath, or any other coaster that's built on a former parking lot because they see pavement & white stripes below them. How sad is that, really? If it was grass instead of pavement, would they really be yelling, "WOOOOOOOOOOO!!! GRAAAAAAAAAAASSSS!!!!"? I sorta doubt it. So why let the pavement ruin your ride?

 

Maybe it'll change someday, and maybe it won't. It's no reason to complain for years, and years, and years, and years...

[Tmcdllr]

Well the best part is that there's been so many improvements made in so many areas of the park asthetics-wise, and still people focus on the ground under Scream.

 

I just feel sorry for anyone who ruins the great time they could be having riding Scream, or Colossus, or Goliath, or any other coaster that's built on a former parking lot because they see pavement & white stripes below them. How sad is that, really? If it was grass instead of pavement, would they really be yelling, "WOOOOOOOOOOO!!! GRAAAAAAAAAAASSSS!!!!"? I sorta doubt it. So why let the pavement ruin your ride?

 

Maybe it'll change someday, and maybe it won't. It's no reason to complain for years, and years, and years, and years...

 

I feel the same way. If they do something about it then fine, if not then oh well I don't really care, I will still ride and have a great time. Yeah its kind of stupid its that way but...so what doesn't really affect anything so it does not bother me at all. I just think its kind of funny there is no landscaping and this complaint has gone on for, like you say, years and years....its almost comical.

[UniverseHollywood]

Well the best part is that there's been so many improvements made in so many areas of the park asthetics-wise, and still people focus on the ground under Scream.

 

I just feel sorry for anyone who ruins the great time they could be having riding Scream, or Colossus, or Goliath, or any other coaster that's built on a former parking lot because they see pavement & white stripes below them. How sad is that, really? If it was grass instead of pavement, would they really be yelling, "WOOOOOOOOOOO!!! GRAAAAAAAAAAASSSS!!!!"? I sorta doubt it. So why let the pavement ruin your ride?

 

See, that's the thing. It doesn't RUIN anything...I actually love Scream!...its ride area just looks like garbage. And it's not as glaringly obvious on Colossus or Goliath, that's why nobody really cares about those ones. Classy chain link fence is the topper. Mark one down for the grass club.

 

GRASS! GRASS! GRASS! WOOOOOOOO!! GRAAASSSS!!!

[Gigalyte]

I find it funny how I've taken people to SFMM who have never been or been years since they're last visit and they fall absolutely head over heels in love with the place with not one mention of a ride being over the p-lot. Yet an enthusiast will complain year after year after year about the same thing. I also have non=enthusiast friends that swear Tatsu is the most beautiful coaster since the invention of coasters lol they are not going OMFG they ruined Rev, or saying how horrible it looks perched up on the mountain. They are utterly stunned at how huge and beautiful it is sitting high above the park and if they hadn't seen X2 sitting there as you come in Tatsu would be the first ride they want to hop on.

 

Yes SFMM still has work to do on adding flat rides to round out the park, update areas of the park, getting the theme of certain rides and areas in order but even with work needing to be done SFMM is still one amazing looking park with a skyline like no other. I don't see how any suppose to be coaster enthusiast can't look at that skyline, look at all those coasters and then complain about a parking lot. Yes the coasters that are over p-lots could and would look much better with landscaping no one is denying that but to complain about it for years and years and years is insane imo.

[Tmcdllr]

I find it funny how I've taken people to SFMM who have never been or been years since they're last visit and they fall absolutely head over heels in love with the place with not one mention of a ride being over the p-lot. Yet an enthusiast will complain year after year after year about the same thing. I also have non=enthusiast friends that swear Tatsu is the most beautiful coaster since the invention of coasters lol they are not going OMFG they ruined Rev, or saying how horrible it looks perched up on the mountain. They are utterly stunned at how huge and beautiful it is sitting high above the park and if they hadn't seen X2 sitting there as you come in Tatsu would be the first ride they want to hop on.

 

Yes SFMM still has work to do on adding flat rides to round out the park, update areas of the park, getting the theme of certain rides and areas in order but even with work needing to be done SFMM is still one amazing looking park with a skyline like no other. I don't see how any suppose to be coaster enthusiast can't look at that skyline, look at all those coasters and then complain about a parking lot. Yes the coasters that are over p-lots could and would look much better with landscaping no one is denying that but to complain about it for years and years and years is insane imo.

 

Yes!

[DJeXeL]

I'd rather have coasters over a parking lot than no coasters at all.......just saying.

[DirkFunk]

As someone who isn't a local and doesn't go with regularity, I can appreciate that for you guys, Magic Mountain is a greatly improved park in terms of aesthetics. What I would say from an outsider point of view from someone who's been to the park twice in the last 10 years (most recently in August) is this: However improved you may deem the park, and certainly it has a very good collection of roller coasters right now, there is a lot of work left to go. My wife liked many parts of the park, but aside from the parking lot under Scream, she was more bothered by the decrepit and seemingly abandoned buildings atop Samurai Summit, the rotting monorail track, and the waterfront "wharf" area in the back of the park. To whatever extent things have changed at Magic Mountain that have been for the best - addition of rides, subtraction of things that never worked, updated paint/themes for various attractions, the reopening of the Sky Tower, et al - there is a lot of work yet to go.

 

As for suggestions about Scream and how to make the aesthetics better...why not take lead from Great Adventure on this one? Green Lantern is basically a parking lot coaster. They hide that with gravel. Use some of the ideas from the Bizarro overlay on Medusa while you're at it, rename it, and re-market it. They've already done that with X and Superman to some effect. Might as well do it again.

[bostonlva]

screamscape screamscape

RT @Seth_Taferner some of my friends who are working FF at SFMM, said in their breakroom there's a sign counting down the days of log jammer

 

Seth_Taferner Seth Taferner

by screamscape

@

@screamscape they said it had 7-8 days left, but I'm not sure if that was true.

 

[gforce532]

^It could also mean when Log Jammer is going to be closed for the winter months, not nessesary forever. I think or hope they would give us a good month or two notice that it is closing forever.

[deathbydinn]

^ Wouldn't there be signs for all the water rides then, or do they not all close at the same time?

[gforce532]

Yeah there would be. But of course this is a guy reporting on what his friend says, so I don't know.

[jdcoffeytime]

Id get a ride on it if your going to miss it...

[Jew]

^It could also mean when Log Jammer is going to be closed for the winter months, not nessesary forever. I think or hope they would give us a good month or two notice that it is closing forever.

 

Log Jammer typically stays open year-round. Jet Stream gets reduced hours and Roaring Rapids closes during off-peak.

[MrSum1_55]

I think chainwide problems for all SF parks come from the Premier parks administration.

 

For example, in the early 90's, Marine World was among the most beautiful parks anyone could imagine.

 

Then, Premier Parks took over. They added a Boomerang and an SLC in 1995. Boomerang was still in the nice part of the park, but the SLC felt a bit out of place, in what I believe used to be the parking lot. Then came a wood coaster, in a newly paved and treeless area by the front gate. A couple years followed, resulting in a B&M floorless and an Intamin impulse. By this point, SFMW was nothing more than another SF park with some animal shows.

 

When SFMM left the Premier Parks administration, operations improved. However, at SFDK, operations took quite a while to recover. Up until the 2011 season, operations were just about the same as they were during the Premier Parks days. Although, SFMM has their own problems. under PP, the park fell into such a state of disrepair, that work still needs to be done to fix it. Jay Thomas tried to address most of these problems, but some went unnoticed.

 

Although, nearly everyone I know agrees that SFMM is far nicer than SFGAdv, which is generally not criticised as much.

 

And, about the abandonment of Metro, at least SFMM is the only Southern California park with an abondoned ride residing in the skyline, right? RIGHT?

Edited October 28, 2011 by MrSum1_55

[WFChris]

^Sounds like a good thread idea! "SBNO for WAY too long!"

[daveydo5172]

Several other sites are also reporting the end of Log Jammer after Halloween....guess we will find out in SIX days!

[gforce532]

^It could also mean when Log Jammer is going to be closed for the winter months, not nessesary forever. I think or hope they would give us a good month or two notice that it is closing forever.

 

Log Jammer typically stays open year-round. Jet Stream gets reduced hours and Roaring Rapids closes during off-peak.

 

Really, I knew that they close Roaring rapids for a good part of the year. But I thought they closed Log Jammer for a few months there. I guess I never really paid that much attention when I visited the park in the winter or it might have been some rehab they were doing one time.

 

Anyway, I don't like the idea that they would close the ride without telling us first.

[DirkFunk]

I think chainwide problems for all SF parks come from the Premier parks administration.

 

I think pretty much everyone would agree with this.

 

Although, nearly everyone I know agrees that SFMM is far nicer than SFGAdv, which is generally not criticised as much.

 

It has more interesting topography, but as a matter of taste....I personally prefer Great Adventure. YMMV.

 

And, about the abandonment of Metro, at least SFMM is the only Southern California park with an abondoned ride residing in the skyline, right? RIGHT?

 

Absolutely true. But then again, the other park that has such an object sitting in view has almost weekly blogs beleaguering the continued existence of said track. If Magic Mountain had an Al Lutzesque character covering the park, he probably would have eaten a .45 round somewhere in the late 90s before he could complain about it today.