Magic Mountain Versus Great Adventure

[PURE]

These types of arguments come up all the time.

 

It's really a conflict of interest, there really is no "King".

 

So in the scope of things, there's really no way to judge or gauge which park is better, so why get all bent outta shape about it?

 

In the meantime, I'll keep going to Magic Mountain.

[sfmmrules!]

Deffinately SFMM! Its been known as the Xtreme Park & has the most kick ass coasters & been known as the top park in the chain. Coming in next would be SFOG then SFGA. I'll count SFOT in the list too - seems to have a great selection as well. You can't get any better than these parks! Oh I'll count SFSL too oh & SFGA.

[BRTeller]

Deffinately SFMM! Its been known as the Xtreme Park & has the most kick a$$ coasters & been known as the top park in the chain. Coming in next would be SFOG then SFGA. I'll count SFOT in the list too - seems to have a great selection as well. You can't get any better than these parks! Oh I'll count SFSL too oh & SFGA.

It's not all about the coasters! If you had to wait 4 hours for each coaster would you consider it real good or would you post a topic about how bad that park is. Its also about theming, Staff, and other rides (not just coasters).

 

Im just pointing this out, and reminding the people that forget this.

[texcoaster]

Great Adventure's lack of a stand up coaster is a plus in my book.

 

OMG, we actually agree on something. I'll mark the calendar.

 

More local bias!

 

Bite me. SFOT isn't my home park. Hell, it's not even my home SF park. SFFT is the closest SF to me.

[airforcekid]

I'd say Six Flags Over Texas. It's the best run Six Flags park in the chain.

Yes! Of course it isi!

[map2]

Hey, You guys... If you want to analyze both parks, look at whats happening now for both and what they look like now. Taking a trip last January in no way qualifies you to make a statement such as "Great adventure is better than Magic Mountain." I actually went there the day before thanksgiving and had one of the best times of my life. Minimal crowds, NO trash, NO sticky things, EXTREMELY kind staff and decent food (however, some is definitely not so good). Every ride except Viper was open but that was because it was getting painted. So please, dont look a year back, look now and see what its like.

 

Personally, I've never been to Great Adventure but I'm not really interested in going either. Why? it looks even worse than MM! trashy terrain, unreliable coasters (Yes I am pointing at the Intamin i-Sore), grumpy staff. I havent heard anything better about Great Adventure than whats happening at Magic Mountain.

 

This is one of the most irrational posts I've read on here in a while. First the poster says that visiting two parks on the same calendar year is not a valid comparison. Then he goes on to say that he has no interest in visiting Great Adventure even though he's never been there because "it looks worse even worse than MM".

 

Actually I think he made a valid point (well until he started bashing SFGADV). Time makes a difference in a park experience because I went in October 2006, and it was horrible. The nly rides they had open were the coasters, and not even all of those were open (X was the main thing that killed my fun there). When I went last month, it was actually very enjoyable; a majority of the rides were opened and it just seemed to be cleaner.

 

Overallits a tough call. X is one of the most in sane coasters ever, and IMO beats El Toro any day. As for coaster variety, I would definately give it to SFMM, but SFMM has practically no flat rides which is a big minus. Although I think in a few years, SFGADV will be the next SFMM where it will be the "overrated crown jewel."

[larrygator]

As for coaster variety, I would definately give it to SFMM, but SFMM has practically no flat rides which is a big minus.

 

SFGAdv is pretty weak on flats also.

[ginzo]

Actually I think he made a valid point (well until he started bashing SFGADV). Time makes a difference in a park experience because I went in October 2006, and it was horrible.

 

Time does make a difference. My first visit to Great Adventure was in 1995, and I thought it was a dump. My second visit was this year, and I think they now have the most solid coaster collection I've ever seen. And the park is in pretty damn good shape all things considered.

 

However, when you try to tell me that attending two parks in the same calendar year isn't valid, that's when I call bullshit. Things don't change that fast. And when you're talking two parks that are on opposite coasts, visiting them in the same year is about as good of a comparison as most people are going to get.

[saxman47]

Actually I think he made a valid point (well until he started bashing SFGADV). Time makes a difference in a park experience because I went in October 2006, and it was horrible.

 

Time does make a difference. My first visit to Great Adventure was in 1995, and I thought it was a dump. My second visit was this year, and I think they now have the most solid coaster collection I've ever seen. And the park is in pretty damn good shape all things considered.

 

However, when you try to tell me that attending two parks in the same calendar year isn't valid, that's when I call bull$#!%. Things don't change that fast. And when you're talking two parks that are on opposite coasts, riding them in the same year is about as good of a comparison as most people are going to get.

 

I agree. I went to both Gadv and MM within about 3 weeks of eachother back in 2005, and honestly, they were both in pretty sad shape. At MM the lines werent bad and I rode almost everything there in one day, but the place was dirty and just basically looked neglected. My visit to Gadv wasn't much better, since I only got on 3 rides all day. Gadv was more visually appealing and was clean, etc, but the horrendous operations killed my fun.

 

Having said that, I can honestly say that Great Adventure is a different park now then it was 2 years ago. Operations have been excellent, the landscaping is beautiful, and they have really been turning the place around. I can't compare the "new" Gadv to MM since I haven't been back since Shapiro has taken over. I think visiting both in the same year is a valid comparison though, since, as you said, things don't change overnight.

 

I must say though, in terms of a "flagship park", Gadv has been getting a lot more love in recent years from corporate than any other Six Flags park.

[mindvirus]

Of all Six Flags Parks, I have only been to SFDK and SFMM. From the looks of it(to me) there is a lot more to do than just roller coasters at SFGADv, and plus, Magic Mountain has bad food & the employees are always on their cell phones instead of working. I also do not trust some of the employees at SFMM, when I rode Goliath in Summer '07, they were just racing down the train checking the restraints, I know they weren't really checking, just racing...

[airforcekid]

So we can all agree SFOT is the best of the best. Right?

[DATman]

Well, for me, SFMM is the better park as of now (I've been to SFMM countless times, whereas I've only been to SFGAdv once), because I've had some truly amazing days there. My biggest problem with SFGAdv is that it's crowded and operations were absolutely terrible on the day I went. El Toro had a 3 hour wait that should have been one (this was its opening year), and Nitro was a 2 hour wait that should have been one. The park was dirty, and most of the theming had its paint fading and was just plain ugly (see the ice cream building and the cheap, ugly tents).

 

I know that SFGAdv has improved a lot over this and is probably the better park by now, but SFMM has the better selection of coasters and I've had much better experiences there.

[Jayjay719]

While I have never been to Magic Mountain, Great Advanture is the best Six Flags park I have been to. Keep in mind I have only been to four. 500th Post!

[alpengeist04]

Until SFMM gets a pre-fab woodie, it's not even worth discussing.

[Manic Monte]

^ Sorry, as much as I LOVE El Toro (and I LOVE it), it takes A LOT more than a great woodie to be a great park. Because after El Toro and Nitro, the rest of the park doesn't offer much in the way of good coasters IMO.

 

However, I have notice a lot of improvement from SFGadv and as long as the park continues to improve, I can see myself visiting again.

 

SFMM just needs a lot of work. Just about everything needs an upgrading in that park. The coasters are great (for the most part), but the park is so run down that it will take several years to become the world class thrill park we all know it can be.