SFMM...6-21-06...SLOW! SLOW! SLOW!

I went to the park on tuseday and over half of the coasters had one train operation!

X,Goliath, Pysclone, Viper, Superman, Ninja, and Batman.

X was amazing as it was my first time riding, but I waited 3 hrs. But it was worth the wait. It was out of control and I had no clue what to expect. I wouldnt mind a 4-D in Ohio!

Tatsu is by far the best flyer out there without a doubt..The pretzel loop is huge and you get a great view of the coaster from X's station. The coaster is situated very nicely. It had and Hour wait with two train op!

Overall the park was good(almost better than my 04 visit..since I got to ride Tatsu, Scream and X for the first time.( but waiting in line was a Biotch, especially since there was no need for it, since they should of had two trains on all coasters). Great coaster Selection, but sometimes its Quality over Quantity!

SFMM is no CP..Not even close.

I was in las vegas the week before and Got to Ride X-Scream and Insanity and they were both intense. I was so scared on them both. They are just so high and its a lot to take in at once!...Great rides though

My TR would be longer and more detailed but I wrote like a novel last time and my login time expired or somethng like that. So i didnt feel like writing it all over! Next time I'll copy and paste..HAHAHA!

Also Im new hear(as a memeber) but have been coming to the site for years. So..yea..that's it!

3. 2. 1. Sold.

I was just there a couple of Tuesdays ago. All the coasters that you listed ran 1 train operation as well, with the exception of Viper, which ran 2 when I rode. Add Revoltion to the list, which didn't make me happy.

They did add a second train to Goliath while I was in line, though. SFMM has an impressive coaster selection, but they still have a ways to go with their ops and maintenance.

BTW, none of the coasters that could run 3 trains did; 2 was the max on any coaster that day. Ninja and Psyclone made do fine with 1 train, and Viper could have possibly gotten away with 1, though 2 made for a nice walk-on. X, Goliath, and Batman should have had 2, though. *** Edited 6/23/2006 3:38:01 PM UTC by rablat5***

It's so funny how Magic Mountain has had sh*tty ride operations for so long, yet they never realize that with single train operation (or even two train operation during the summertime) means longer wait times, and longer wait times translates into three things:

1) People get pissed off and fed up. When people get pissed off or annoyed, they are less likely to feel casual and open to spend money on souvenirs, games, snack food items, etc.

2) People that are waiting longer than they should be in line could potentially be on the midway spending money at games, arcades, upcharge attractions, buying food and drink items, etc. The more time you detract away from a patron's "midway" time, you decrease the maximum potential of their in-park spending.

3) There is only so much certain guests will take when it comes to queing. Using most Six Flags' operations as an example, most guests will feel annoyed, somewhat cheated, frustrated and exhausted after a round of some 5 rides, but at an expense of waiting in a line for an average of 5 hours. These feelings then occasionally sour over the course of the day, potentially leading to anger, and eventually these final negative emotions are paired with the guests' perception of the park (and the kind of time they have there) and are less likely to make repeat visits.

And Six Flags parks don't see the importance of consistant efficient park/ride operations...why? Oh that's right. Because running one train rather than three means there's less staff to recruit, meaning less people they'd have to pay --- and less maintenance is required. Just to save money...all while they're losing more than they're gaining or "saving" by doing so.

[/rant]

1 train ops on major coasters at a park like Magic Mountain during the summer is inexcusible, especially when other Six Flags parks do better on crowd-free days. During the winter season, it's fine, but summer? You'd think they'd get it by now... I want to visit this park soon, but reading reports like this baffles me.

I was there on the 25th and it was horible (see my TR) The worst crew was Tatsu

And so many people want this park to be kept in the Six Flags chain why ???

Seems to me this park could use some independence and spirit of its own. Every report about SFMM tells me there's a morale issue. Like, the issue being, there is none.

Do the employees believe in the park? Do the employees who work there, care about this park? Does the community care about this park? One train operation, slothlike service, lethargic operations - sounds like bottoming out morale.

- J *** Edited 6/30/2006 11:28:25 PM UTC by ErinGoBraugh***

People want the park to stay open because it has history, and a pretty awesome collection of rides. People want it to stay open so things can get better. It is like how people are willing to go to resturants with poor service, and bad presentation, but the food is good, and it is something they are used to and familiar with (I would argue McDonalds as an example of that)

I think if SF poured a huge amount of money into MM, it could easily give CP a run for thier money, with better upkeep, and better operations, SFMM could be an amazingly good park.

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CoasterCameron said:
I think if SF poured a huge amount of money into MM, it could easily give CP a run for thier money, with better upkeep, and better operations, SFMM could be an amazingly good park.

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Well, obviously. The only thing missing from that list that makes a great park is the coasters... which SFMM already has.

WELCOME TO SFSMM!

Six Flags Scrap Metal Mountain.

Those of you living in Denver have SFSMG

Six Flags Scrap Metal Gardens.

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CoasterCameron said: I think if SF poured a huge amount of money into MM, it could easily give CP a run for thier money, with better upkeep, and better operations, SFMM could be an amazingly good park.

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Which is something SF doesn't have at the moment. With the one train operations and slow ride ops no wonder the park has the reputation it has.

"Going once...going twice...SOLD to the developer who wants to build the Magic Mountain Mega Mall."

X Factor

SFMM's customer service is plagued by competition by other best-in-class parks, low wages offered, and hot working conditions.

The park's customer base is weakened by a lack of family draw--not enough low- to mid-range thrill rides and attractions.

The park lacks "community." There is no sense of building the "story" or "mystique" behind Magic Mountain. There is no "celebrity" feeling. There is no "voice" or "figurehead" for the park. There's no theme or sense of history. There's no self-identity or "experience". There's no music. No passion. I feel like I'm deaf when I visit. Just a lot of screaming and the roar of the Superman trains.

Is MM's lack of identity intentional? Has SF has given up on investing in MM's identity because of cash flow problems and potential sale of the property?

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The lack of identity and family draw, or the cash flow problem?

People want the park to stay open because it has history

Seems to me the people who want SFMM to stay are those who have not been able to add the park's 17 credits to their coaster count ;)

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Bill said:There is no "voice" or "figurehead" for the park.

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Well it's not like there's anyone occupying that *position* in the park... ;)

I've been really tough on the park's GM for lo these many years. I'd love to say I was wrong....but I don't think I was...and that makes me really sad, cause better management over the past 10-15 years, I *honestly* believe, would have been enough to make the park profitable, more than sufficient to ensure its continued operation... :(

While I too place some [a lot?] of the blame for SFMM's downfall on DH's head one has to admit there is only so much a park can do with shrinking budgets from corporate. For example I was shocked to hear Shapiro say on the investor webcast that they were dumping monies into each park's maintenance budget effectively bringing them BACK UP to what the budgets were in 1997!

Hard to give good customer service when you have to keep more rides operating with less and less money.