Why does anyone like to go to Magic Mountain?

[CaptinEO]

To be fair, it's hard to judge a place you haven't been to in twenty years. For better or worse things change. A lot of things Disney fans complain about at other parks are also true if not worst at Disney parks. They are just overlooked or ignored.

It's true, even if someone is a huge coaster fan they shouldn't pretend the park isn't run down. I agree also that a lot of Disney fans also need to acknowledge the flaws in Disney parks.

This especially applies to the social media influencers who are only positive so as to stay on Disney's media list.

 

[Phroobar]

It's true, even if someone is a huge coaster fan they shouldn't pretend the park isn't run down. I agree also that a lot of Disney fans also need to acknowledge the flaws in Disney parks.

This especially applies to the social media influencers who are only positive so as to stay on Disney's media list.

On the plus side they have over the last five years been remodeling entire areas around the park. When they updated Colossus, the area got a face lift. When they put in Wonder Woman and DC dark ride, the DC area got updated. When they put in street racers ride, the area got updated. They are getting rid of dead areas and trying to improve. They just added solar panels to the parking lot and updated restrooms. They just removed the Grizzly theater for a new ride. Granted there is still work to but I wouldn't call it run down. A lot of the park is brand new.

Of course, the employees are industry standard fast food zombies just like at Disneyland. They are still running one train on most rides and the employees move like slugs and are distracted by their phones but that is what happens when their managers aren't present. At least at Disneyland the managers keep a whip on ride operators.

 

[CaptinEO]

On the plus side they have over the last five years been remodeling entire areas around the park. When they updated Colossus, the area got a face lift. When they put in Wonder Woman and DC dark ride, the DC area got updated. When they put in street racers ride, the area got updated. They are getting rid of dead areas and trying to improve. They just added solar panels to the parking lot and updated restrooms. They just removed the Grizzly theater for a new ride. Granted there is still work to but I wouldn't call it run down. A lot of the park is brand new.

This is all good to hear, I haven't been for 6 or 7 years but have heard bad things from friends who went post covid. One talked about how run down it was and paying 27 dollars for a turkey sandwhich with no sides or drink. But sounds like they are making improvements.

Of course, the employees are industry standard fast food zombies just like at Disneyland. They are still running one train on most rides and the employees move like slugs and are distracted by their phones but that is what happens when their managers aren't present. At least at Disneyland the managers keep a whip on ride operators.

When I worked there the policy was being seen with your phone out was instant termination. Then again this was during the recession so the job market had lots of willing people ready to take these jobs.

 

[Nirya]

For those who are saying that they expect the park will be sold off in the coming years, I can't see it. Magic Mountain was already one of the crown jewels in the Six Flags portfolio thanks to its location and offerings (one of the true coaster capitals of the world located right next to a major population hub). It's got a unique offering compared to everyone else in SoCal, which by itself will let it keep an audience for decades.

This is not to say the park cannot be improved. The Six Flags company really did a "great" job of letting standards slip all over the place as they were acquiring parks and needed to increase profits to compensate. My guess is that MM will receive way more care now that it is part of this new Six Flags/Cedar Fair conglomerate, and that the new company will try to bring it up to the standards they have at Cedar Park and Knotts. I would expect the new company to also try and diversify the attraction offering a bit - they've lost a few of their non-coaster rides in recent years to keep adding coasters in competition with Cedar Park, but I imagine the company will be smarter about adding things now that both parks are under their control.

But the bones of a fantastic park are here. Not many places can claim they have multiple coasters that can plausibly rank as the best coaster in the world (Twisted Colossus, X2) or have historic coasters like Revolution and Gold Rusher still running. The park itself will be fine, and now you just have to hope new management can fix things up along the margins to make it better.

 

[mickEblu]

For those who are saying that they expect the park will be sold off in the coming years, I can't see it. Magic Mountain was already one of the crown jewels in the Six Flags portfolio thanks to its location and offerings (one of the true coaster capitals of the world located right next to a major population hub). It's got a unique offering compared to everyone else in SoCal, which by itself will let it keep an audience for decades.

This is not to say the park cannot be improved. The Six Flags company really did a "great" job of letting standards slip all over the place as they were acquiring parks and needed to increase profits to compensate. My guess is that MM will receive way more care now that it is part of this new Six Flags/Cedar Fair conglomerate, and that the new company will try to bring it up to the standards they have at Cedar Park and Knotts. I would expect the new company to also try and diversify the attraction offering a bit - they've lost a few of their non-coaster rides in recent years to keep adding coasters in competition with Cedar Park, but I imagine the company will be smarter about adding things now that both parks are under their control.

But the bones of a fantastic park are here. Not many places can claim they have multiple coasters that can plausibly rank as the best coaster in the world (Twisted Colossus, X2) or have historic coasters like Revolution and Gold Rusher still running. The park itself will be fine, and now you just have to hope new management can fix things up along the margins to make it better.

I didn’t realize Twisted Colossus is so highly rated. Haven’t been on it yet. Have been to Magic Mountain in like 12-13 years. X2 is No Go for me though. Did it once. Never again. Actually when I did it it may have been just X but either way.

 

[Tysus]

I haven't been since probably 2016 but the reason I went to the park was a mix of it being cheap, since Disney had already priced us out at the time, and having more thrills for a teenager at the time. Disney had theming down no doubt but there is something to be said of the pure adrenaline rush I could get on Six Flags coasters that was not matched at Disney. But even at the time I noticed things like ads in the parks which I thought was strange and how there was just no theming. You would just go there because it was affordable and to get an adrenaline rush.

 

[Phroobar]

I didn’t realize Twisted Colossus is so highly rated. Haven’t been on it yet. Have been to Magic Mountain in like 12-13 years. X2 is No Go for me though. Did it once. Never again. Actually when I did it it may have been just X but either way.

Twisted Colossus is really fantastic. X2 and Tatsu are really scary and I won't do them. My stomach can't take those two. The Battle for Metropolis is a Buzz Lighter shooter with lots of AA figures. It beats Buzz.

This is not to say the park cannot be improved. The Six Flags company really did a "great" job of letting standards slip all over the place as they were acquiring parks and needed to increase profits to compensate. My guess is that MM will receive way more care now that it is part of this new Six Flags/Cedar Fair conglomerate, and that the new company will try to bring it up to the standards they have at Cedar Park and Knotts. I would expect the new company to also try and diversify the attraction offering a bit - they've lost a few of their non-coaster rides in recent years to keep adding coasters in competition with Cedar Park, but I imagine the company will be smarter about adding things now that both parks are under their control.

The main theme of Knott's Hanging show at Haunt was Mr. Six turning Knotts into MM with billboards and up charges on restrooms. A dollar for #1 and two dollars for #2. He said it works great for Disney.

 

[Nirya]

I didn’t realize Twisted Colossus is so highly rated. Haven’t been on it yet. Have been to Magic Mountain in like 12-13 years. X2 is No Go for me though. Did it once. Never again. Actually when I did it it may have been just X but either way.

Yeah, Twisted Colossus always seems to rank highly as a coaster and is considered one of the best RMC coasters in the world, and X2 is so unique it will always rank high (I also think X2 is a significant improvement from X but that's just me.)

 

[DavidDL]

I like going every once every couple years to get my Tatsu and Twisted Colossus fix.

But, if you can point me in the direction of another park with flying and hybrid roller coasters within a reasonable driving distance of the greater SoCal area, I am open to suggestions.

 

[Phroobar]

I like going every once every couple years to get my Tatsu and Twisted Colossus fix.

But, if you can point me in the direction of another park with flying and hybrid roller coasters within a reasonable driving distance of the greater SoCal area, I am open to suggestions.

It's the same kind of problem @mickEblu has. What park do you spend family time with teenagers? For little kids, it is Disneyland. For teenagers it's MM. However, smart/artee teenages prefer Universal.

 

[Too Many Hats]

LOL @ the thread name. Most humans over the age of 17 do not actually like to go to Magic Mountain.

It's got some fun coasters. Otherwise, it's deficient in every way -- and I say this as someone who loves coaster parks and is fully aware they are a different beast than Disney/Universal.

I'd love to see the park turn around in my lifetime.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Hot take: Twisted Colossus is good, but far from the best RMC. Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point is a life-changing coaster.

Okay, I'm still salty about having waited 2.5 hours for Twisted Colossus. Viper was a walk-on that day, and probably just as fun in a "so bad it's good" kind of way.

 

[MK-fan]

The last time I went to MM, I did go on Twisted Colossus. It’s an fun insane coaster but I remember my legs hurting so much after from the restraints.

 

[Tysus]

The last time I went to MM, I did go on Twisted Colossus. It’s an fun insane coaster but I remember my legs hurting so much after from the restrain

That's how I feel with a lot of over the shoulder since I'm skinny they have to press them into me more and my shoulders wind up sore after many of the rides. I've even had the issue on California Screamin and I'm not even tall!

 

[Too Many Hats]

The last time I went to MM, I did go on Twisted Colossus. It’s an fun insane coaster but I remember my legs hurting so much after from the restraints.

That’s funny, I actually love RMC restraints (though admittedly I’m only 5’10” and never have leg discomfort on coasters).

Did it race/duel when you rode? My beef with Twisted Colossus is that I haven’t been able to experience the racing.

 

[Too Many Hats]

That's how I feel with a lot of over the shoulder since I'm skinny they have to press them into me more and my shoulders wind up sore after many of the rides. I've even had the issue on California Screamin and I'm not even tall!

California Screamin’/Incredicoaster would be enormously improved by the removal of its OTSRs.

 

[PiratesMansion]

RMC restraints are the exact wrong thing for my body type and I hate them immensely. The Gerstlauer trains that run on the first two in Texas actually work much better for me, but apparently everyone at RMC believes that nobody is tall or needs legroom, hence their own monstrosities. Also, their trains have killed my enjoyment of the new Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City. It's not quite SLOP at USH bad, but it's close.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

And don't underestimate the willingness of coaster dorks to make excuses for an overall sub-par park experience if a park has, and keeps building, coaster after coaster after coaster. That's why so many coaster simps will keep going to SeaWorld and Busch Gardens even as the park experience keeps declining-they keep building coasters, so from their perspective, who cares?

I consider myself a big coaster person and am coming from Maryland to SoCal next week to do Disneyland along with a couple of other parks in SoCal.

Guess which park did not make the cut?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

LOL @ the thread name. Most humans over the age of 17 do not actually like to go to Magic Mountain.

It's got some fun coasters. Otherwise, it's deficient in every way -- and I say this as someone who loves coaster parks and is fully aware they are a different beast than Disney/Universal.

I'd love to see the park turn around in my lifetime.

I agree. Six Flags in general just doesn't have a particularly good reputation. The coasters at Magic Mountain look amazing and the location looks great, but knowing Six Flag's reputation? No thanks. There is a reason why I live in Maryland and have never been to the Six Flags park here but have a season pass to Hersheypark in Pennsylvania.

I'm hoping Cedar Fair rubs off on Six Flags and not the other way around.

 

[Andrew25]

I don't go into regional parks with the same mindset as a Dis/Uni park. With that said, it doesn't justify some of the poor maintenance/upkeep of their parks... especially SeaWorld. Just because you primarily become a "coaster thrill park", doesn't justify decreasing the guest experience.