The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

Except that Riddler is actually a GREAT ride unlike both Green Lantern coasters!

Eh... debatable

I hated both at one point. But ever since I started pushing my shoulders into the OSTR on stand-ups, I've started liking them.

I hated both at one point. But ever since I started pushing my shoulders into the OSTR on stand-ups, I've started liking them.

I'm going to have to do that next time. I've always loved rides on Riddler's but my last visit last year I couldn't stand it. Both my friend and I complained about the head banging and we both have multiple earrings which I probably didn't have on my previous visits. It was pretty painful as we kept getting stabbed by them. I'll have to push my shoulders up like you suggested next time.

Well, Riddler is the best stand up. Saying it's a great coaster is...a bit of a stretch.

Well, Riddler is the best stand up. Saying it's a great coaster is...a bit of a stretch.

It's certainly not top 10, but unless you stand on the seat wrong, it's still a real fun ride. Some floater air, a little force, nice giant loop for some hangtime. That can be great to someone!

Fair. It's a fun coaster for sure.

How's West Coast Racers construction going?

Just needs the station track and station and then the buildings they are making in the area (they are currently working on said buildings). Heading there this friday so should be able to see better from the Apocalypse area.

^In other words, no closer to being done than they were 2-3 weeks ago.

^In other words, no closer to being done than they were 2-3 weeks ago.

Just because they haven't finished all the buildings in the area doesn't mean they aren't any closer. I just gave a general rundown, I haven't said what they finished building as far as buildings in the area.

How's West Coast Racers construction going?

Really good! The track is pretty much complete, and it looks like it'll be a fun ride.

I just got off Viper and there was some guy in the exit area getting looked at by paramedics. It looked like he broke his wrist. This thing is getting way too rough!

^It heard about Vortex and it's lashing out!

I still say Viper's days are extremely numbered. Vortex or no Vortex.

I could see SFMM turning to S&S to build a new looper in that spot.

I still say Viper's days are extremely numbered. Vortex or no Vortex.

Didn't they just some work on it, or was that just lift hill issues? I still think it runs pretty well. It has some super-clunky spots, but for the most part it's not too gnarly. The first drop still holds its own, especially in the back seat.

Viper's day will come eventually. I am just enjoying it as much as I can while it is still here. Same goes for Ninja!

That day will be sad, but I am all about parks evolving and replacing old busted coasters with new ones to last another 30+ years or more. That's the circle of life!

I'm not sure if Vortex being removed is any "hint" that Arrows are reaching the end of their lives. Viper was built 3 years after Vortex, but is also a taller/faster/longer/more intense coaster, so who really knows. Many Arrows from the '70s are still operating, whereas others barely lived long enough to see a decade or two of operation like Shockwave at SFGAm, Steel Phantom, and GASM at SFGAdv.

I still say Viper's days are extremely numbered. Vortex or no Vortex.

 

I could see SFMM turning to S&S to build a new looper in that spot.

You can only weld things so many times before they lose their structural integrity.

Viper just had an entire controls system rehab. The park upgraded almost everything to bring it 'up to date' a year or so ago (when it was down for half a year). Six Flags would not willingly spend money on a backend upgrade if they planned on scrapping Viper 2 years later. Viper will most likely stick around for the foreseeable future unless something unexpected cuts its life short.

In WCR news, they still haven't built the station yet. At this point I would be surprised if it wasn't delayed into 2020 now. The test and adjust period is going to be longer than a non-launched coaster due to the much more complicated controls system, and that test and adjust period doesn't come until they start actually cycling the ride.

Viper just had an entire controls system rehab. The park upgraded almost everything to bring it 'up to date' a year or so ago (when it was down for half a year). Six Flags would not willingly spend money on a backend upgrade if they planned on scrapping Viper 2 years later. Viper will most likely stick around for the foreseeable future unless something unexpected cuts its life short.

 

In WCR news, they still haven't built the station yet. At this point I would be surprised if it wasn't delayed into 2020 now. The test and adjust period is going to be longer than a non-launched coaster due to the much more complicated controls system, and that test and adjust period doesn't come until they start actually cycling the ride.

Freefall got a controls overhaul (and at the time had one of the few allen bradley panelviews when that was high tech and not standard in every control system) and within 10 years it was still gone. I want to say it was 2000 it received a full overhaul and was gone in 2008 (with a year of SBNO thrown in as well). The control system was re-purposed at Jet Stream. All that equipment can just be reprogrammed and re-used.

They can also have the code completely ready to go and even begin testing of components offsite. Ride just needs to pass whatever guidelines Six Flags and Premier rides say in their SOP for "acceptance testing." Depending on how that goes, test & adjust doesn't necessarily have to take more than a few weeks.

Freefall got a controls overhaul (and at the time had one of the few allen bradley panelviews when that was high tech and not standard in every control system) and within 10 years it was still gone. I want to say it was 2000 it received a full overhaul and was gone in 2008 (with a year of SBNO thrown in as well). The control system was re-purposed at Jet Stream. All that equipment can just be reprogrammed and re-used.

 

They can also have the code completely ready to go and even begin testing of components offsite. Ride just needs to pass whatever guidelines Six Flags and Premier rides say in their SOP for "acceptance testing." Depending on how that goes, test & adjust doesn't necessarily have to take more than a few weeks.

10 years is a completely fair amount of time to have a new system installed for. My point is that Six Flags, especially the current management, hold the purse strings very tight and they would not have invested in the large systems and labor cost associated with redoing Viper's control system unless it was sticking around for more than two or three years.

Also, the controls engineers and subcontractors have absolutely done offsite systems integration, that's standard for the industry. However based on recent controls installations at the park I don't see test and adjust/ride training being any shorter than two or three months. This is just speaking from experience on the last four or five projects that the park has completed so it could absolutely be faster, but I would be very surprised as this is Six Flags after all...

^Or conversely, they made the decision to do the overhaul knowing the parts would be used elsewhere in the future and had to do it to keep it operating when they weren't ready to get rid of it...yet. Given that the ride sat SBNO for a year in 2005 (just 5 years after the overhaul), I'm guessing they knew it was on borrowed time when they did the overhaul.

I'm still sticking to my theory that the ride is gone in 5 years tops. Those older large Arrow coasters were certainly not designed with the highest structural engineering standards (hello coat hangers!), so at some point enough will be enough.

I think they're just buying time for a worthy replacement to it's hilltop placement...perhaps a 50th anniversary addition?

I just got off Viper and there was some guy in the exit area getting looked at by paramedics. It looked like he broke his wrist. This thing is getting way too rough!

Rode it twice today, was smoother than it has been in the last 3 months.

In WCR news, they still haven't built the station yet. At this point I would be surprised if it wasn't delayed into 2020 now. The test and adjust period is going to be longer than a non-launched coaster due to the much more complicated controls system, and that test and adjust period doesn't come until they start actually cycling the ride.

Looked like they were just about done with the rest of the buildings in the area, I am guessing the station for WCR is going to be the last building. They already long built the side area for all the ride "guts", it just needs the station itself and the panels in there to connect to said "guts" and then testing should be good to go. I could easily see this meeting their supposed Nov timeline.

On another note, most rides earlier in the day seemed to not be trimming as much speed off as usual but that went back to normal later in the day. Apocalypse was super smooth and just got faster and faster and faster as the day went on. Got a night ride on it and holy crap it was flying.

I find it hilarious that there are people saying “all they need to do is build the station and start testing, then WCR is good to open!” Those are literally the two most time consuming and difficult parts of the whole construction process. My bets are on a December opening, simply because SF could run into some trouble for advertising a New For 2019 ride... that never opens in 2019.

I find it hilarious that there are people saying “all they need to do is build the station and start testing, then WCR is good to open!” Those are literally the two most time consuming and difficult parts of the whole construction process. My bets are on a December opening, simply because SF could run into some trouble for advertising a New For 2019 ride... that never opens in 2019.

Batman & Robin: The Chiller says hi.

Though technically it did open for a few days/one week in '97 before being reintroduced as the "New for '98" ride next year.

My prediction has remained the same since the delay. The weekend before Thanksgiving. That's if there are no further delays.