Your home for information on our 4 chosen parks.
SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN PRIMER
Magic Mountain is Six Flags’ flagship park, located in Santa Clarita, CA. It famously boasts the most roller coasters of any park worldwide – 19. Coasters have been the park’s focus since it opened in 1971, even before Six Flags acquired the park in 1979 from Newhall Land. Many coaster records have occurred here. Presently the park’s mascots are the Looney Tunes and the DC superheroes. Before that, the park had in-house troll characters led by the fearless King Blop; these were discontinued in 1985.
Magic Mountain is laid out in a circuit around its titular “mountain.” To fully tour the park you have to climb up this mountain, meaning about half the park is found on sloping terrain and the other half is on flat land. With the exception of a funicular ascending the mountain, every ride in Magic Mountain (even the kiddie spinners) has a height requirement. The focus here is exclusively on thrills, moreso than maybe any other park in the world. This sets Magic Mountain apart from its regional competitors such as Disneyland Resort, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Legoland California and more, all of which have fewer pure thrills and more family-friendly offerings.
Because it’s close to Hollywood, Magic Mountain often appears in the movies. Mosty famously perhaps is National Lampoon’s Vacation, where the park stood-in for Walley World. It also featured in the silly 1970s disaster flick Rollercoaster, about a terrorist trying to explode the Revolution coaster.
Magic Mountain’s coaster collection includes:
X2: A 4-D coaster, the only one of its type in the world! Features seats which somersault on an axis independent of the trains and track. The original “X” bankrupted developer Arrow Dynamics. The new X2 version fixed most original problems. Features a vertical 215’ drop! Ride video.
Tatsu: B&M flying coaster. The longest, tallest and fastest of its genre upon opening. Remains an exceptional ride, nearly the best in its genre, and a Magic Mountain highlight! Ride video.
Twisted Colossus: The original Colossus was a classic boardwalk wooden coaster. In 2015, RMC converted it into a steel-wood hybrid with wilder maneuvers. Uniquely, you get to ride it twice every time – after a second lift hill you race the next train along the same course. My favorite ride in the park! Ride video.
Full Throttle: A multi-launch coaster. Noteworthy for featuring the world’s tallest vertical loop. Also the only coaster with track on both sides of a loop. Beyond those highlights, it feels like an incomplete ride; too short. So much more could’ve been done. Ride video.
Goliath: A hyper coaster by obscure developer Giovanola. 225’ tall. Compared to triumphs like Millennium Force, a mediocre example of its genre (though locals love it), with a poor first drop and a mid-course brake run which slows trains to a literal halt. The highlight is a climactic helix which makes me grey out. Ride video.
Scream!: B&M floorless coaster. A literal parking lot coaster. Actually a really good ride, full of fun inversions, often overlooked because it’s not particularly record-breaking or unique. Ride video.
Batman: The Ride: B&M suspended coaster. A common Six Flags clone found in many of their parks, but a good, quick and intense ride nonetheless. The same ride type as Universal’s former Dragon Challenge. Ride video.
The Riddler’s Revenge: B&M standing coaster. Yes, you’re standing while you ride it. Arguably the best of its rather odd coaster genre. Ride video.
Green Lantern: First Flight: An Intamin ZacSpin model. Cars spin freely and randomly on a compact all-vertical layout. It’s a really unpleasant ride! I won’t do this one. Ride video.
Gold Rusher: A classic mine train coaster (albeit unthemed) which opened with the park. On par with Big Thunder, thrills-wise. Ride video.
Apocalypse: The Ride: GCI wooden coaster. Featured GCI’s classic twisty “spaghetti bowl” layout. Themed to a post-apocalyptic wasteland because that was easier for Six Flags than doing landscaping. Originally featured a Terminator Salvation tie-in. Ride video.
Ninja: One of the few remaining Arrow Dynamics inverted coasters. A fun mid-level ride where the greatest thrill comes from the swinging cars narrowly missing trees. Ride video.
Superman: Escape from Krypton: The first coaster to go over 100mph! First use of LIM on a launch! World’s tallest upon opening, at 400’. It is not a full circuit ride (like the otherwise similar Top Thrill Dragster or Kingda-Ka), but an out-and-back. Ride video.
Viper: Multi-looping Arrow Dynamics coaster. A classic 1990 model, tall for its era at 188’. In its day this was my favorite ride at Magic Mountain, but sadly the ravages of time mean it’s so rough now that it's among the park’s worst. Arguably could be in need of replacement. Ride video.
Revolution: A true classic Schwarzkopf 1976 model, the world’s first modern looping coaster! Recently they’ve plussed this aging ride with VR, though after a few seasons that gimmick grew tired and has been largely retired. Ride video.
Four Interchangeable Kiddie Coasters: All found in Bugs Bunny World
Other noteworthy rides include the Justice League: Battle for Metropolis dark ride which opened only last year (ride video). It’s a screen-based shooter on a motion base (like a hybrid of Toy Story Mania and Uni’s Spider-Man) done at nearly DisneyVersal quality. It still sees moderate wait times, but nothing compared to the headliner coasters. Is a clone seen in many Six Flags parks.
There’s also a log flume, a rafts ride, a Lex Luthor drop tower, assorted flat rides (fewer than you’d expect actually), various kiddie rides in Bugs Bunny World, and upcharge things like a go-cart track and one of those terrifying human slingshots. Numerically, the coasters nearly outnumber all these rides.
Magic Mountain’s theming is fairly minimal. Most of the park features standard lush landscaping, nice buildings, pavement and fences. Light décor can suggest land themes, but it’s easy to miss. Still, for our purposes these themed areas can be the inspiration for our fully-themed creations! Lands include:
Bugs Bunny World: All the kiddie rides, with a vague Looney Tunes overlay.
DC Universe / Metropolis: Home of Batman, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman and the Riddler. Superman, strangely, is in Japan. This land and Bugs Bunny World both have fantastic potential to be upgraded to a Disney-level experience.
Screampunk District: Steampunk area.
Baja Ridge: Desert Mexican Revolution area.
Samurai Summit: Feudal Japan land found on the top of the park’s mountain.
Rapids Camp Crossing: North American forest wilderness.
There are other “lands” like Full Throttle Plaza and Six Flags Plaza which are basically unthemed. Everywhere you’ll find pay-to-play carnival games, banners with random advertisements, speakers playing Top 40 pop music, and random movie tie-ins. This is very common to coaster parks.
Lastly, Magic Mountain’s clientele is there entirely for the thrills. There are highly-themed parks under an hour away. Anything we add must keep in mind Magic Mountain’s place in the SoCal market. Still I think there’s a lot we can do while retaining the thrill appeal, and there are plenty of underdeveloped areas throughout the park where a new attraction could easily fit!
SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN PRIMER
Magic Mountain is Six Flags’ flagship park, located in Santa Clarita, CA. It famously boasts the most roller coasters of any park worldwide – 19. Coasters have been the park’s focus since it opened in 1971, even before Six Flags acquired the park in 1979 from Newhall Land. Many coaster records have occurred here. Presently the park’s mascots are the Looney Tunes and the DC superheroes. Before that, the park had in-house troll characters led by the fearless King Blop; these were discontinued in 1985.
Because it’s close to Hollywood, Magic Mountain often appears in the movies. Mosty famously perhaps is National Lampoon’s Vacation, where the park stood-in for Walley World. It also featured in the silly 1970s disaster flick Rollercoaster, about a terrorist trying to explode the Revolution coaster.
Magic Mountain’s coaster collection includes:
Batman: The Ride: B&M suspended coaster. A common Six Flags clone found in many of their parks, but a good, quick and intense ride nonetheless. The same ride type as Universal’s former Dragon Challenge. Ride video.
The Riddler’s Revenge: B&M standing coaster. Yes, you’re standing while you ride it. Arguably the best of its rather odd coaster genre. Ride video.
Gold Rusher: A classic mine train coaster (albeit unthemed) which opened with the park. On par with Big Thunder, thrills-wise. Ride video.
Apocalypse: The Ride: GCI wooden coaster. Featured GCI’s classic twisty “spaghetti bowl” layout. Themed to a post-apocalyptic wasteland because that was easier for Six Flags than doing landscaping. Originally featured a Terminator Salvation tie-in. Ride video.
Ninja: One of the few remaining Arrow Dynamics inverted coasters. A fun mid-level ride where the greatest thrill comes from the swinging cars narrowly missing trees. Ride video.
Four Interchangeable Kiddie Coasters: All found in Bugs Bunny World
Other noteworthy rides include the Justice League: Battle for Metropolis dark ride which opened only last year (ride video). It’s a screen-based shooter on a motion base (like a hybrid of Toy Story Mania and Uni’s Spider-Man) done at nearly DisneyVersal quality. It still sees moderate wait times, but nothing compared to the headliner coasters. Is a clone seen in many Six Flags parks.
There’s also a log flume, a rafts ride, a Lex Luthor drop tower, assorted flat rides (fewer than you’d expect actually), various kiddie rides in Bugs Bunny World, and upcharge things like a go-cart track and one of those terrifying human slingshots. Numerically, the coasters nearly outnumber all these rides.
Magic Mountain’s theming is fairly minimal. Most of the park features standard lush landscaping, nice buildings, pavement and fences. Light décor can suggest land themes, but it’s easy to miss. Still, for our purposes these themed areas can be the inspiration for our fully-themed creations! Lands include:
Bugs Bunny World: All the kiddie rides, with a vague Looney Tunes overlay.
DC Universe / Metropolis: Home of Batman, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman and the Riddler. Superman, strangely, is in Japan. This land and Bugs Bunny World both have fantastic potential to be upgraded to a Disney-level experience.
Screampunk District: Steampunk area.
Baja Ridge: Desert Mexican Revolution area.
Samurai Summit: Feudal Japan land found on the top of the park’s mountain.
Rapids Camp Crossing: North American forest wilderness.
There are other “lands” like Full Throttle Plaza and Six Flags Plaza which are basically unthemed. Everywhere you’ll find pay-to-play carnival games, banners with random advertisements, speakers playing Top 40 pop music, and random movie tie-ins. This is very common to coaster parks.
Lastly, Magic Mountain’s clientele is there entirely for the thrills. There are highly-themed parks under an hour away. Anything we add must keep in mind Magic Mountain’s place in the SoCal market. Still I think there’s a lot we can do while retaining the thrill appeal, and there are plenty of underdeveloped areas throughout the park where a new attraction could easily fit!
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