Shapiro affirms Six Flags Magic Mountain's future at press conference, promises coaster for 2009

What a teaser! "More his style."

Which is a good thing because the last thing Magic Mountain needs is another roller coaster (although it's been 2 years since Tatsu), let alone another one that goes upside-down. :)

I have a hunch if The Dark Knight coasters at Gurnee, Agawam and Jackson are received well this summer, Magic Mountain may be seeing it's own enclosed mouse next season.

This news may not seen like a big deal to those coaster fans not living on the west coast, but for those of us who do it is fantastic to hear Magic Mountain's future placed in a more positive light. Now I'm just waiting to hear that Colossus has a future as well.

I live 2800+ miles from Magic Mountain but what happens there still matters to me. Problems, warts, and all, I love the place and am pulling for the park to have its best days still ahead. What's good for Magic Mountain is good for roller coasters and amusement parks everywhere. Likewise, I'd expect park and coaster fans from the oppoite side of the country to feel the same about places like Kennywood, Knoebels, Cedar Point, and so on.

Totally agree Seahawk. And no, Magic Mountain is no Kennywood, Knoebels and the Cedar Point comparison is probably going to far. The park simply is not on that level, but as far as the west is concerned it is by far the roller coaster capitol. None come close.

Honestly the thing that has prevented me from trying to go there is the consistently bad reviews from the locals and complaints that X is never running. Granted, I wouldn't visit that area strictly for the park, but it would sure be something I'd like to see.

It's the Wave tonight. You're right, MM isn't any of those parks - but could be just as important in the universe of coasters. People get so wrapped up in the rides, what's running good or what isn't running at al, what's been braked or what lines don't move - and it's lost that the place has such amazing history, how many movies and TV shows have been made there, how many monumental coasters and other rides first appeared there, how many outstanding but less-than-top-rung rides they have (Log Jammer, Gold Rusher to name just two), and what a beautiful park it is. X and Tatsu and Goliath and Riddler and etc are just what they've done to draw the crowds in.

TV and movies have been made there because of its close proximity to Hollywood. It has nothing to do with the park being something special.

The coasters you mentioned in your last sentence have NOT brought in the crowds.

I personally don't mind the park on the one visit I had in Feb. 2005, but that was during the offseason. The park lacks flats, looked somewhat rundown, and I would not touch it during the peak summer season.

Shapiro seems to be on the right track. And with J. Thomas on board now as the president, I foresee good things for this park in the coming years.

"A new thriller will open in 2009, the first coaster since X debuted in 2002"

I'm pretty certain Tatsu debuted later than 2002 :)

Tatsu was 2006, Scream was 2003 the reporter had the facts wrong

Of course the park was used because of its proximity to Hollywood, but the fact that almost 40 years of movies and TV exists with the park in it is what makes it significant - not the other way around.

And it's true, those coasters didn't bring in the crowds like they were meant to, but that's why they were built - it was all the previous management knew to do. Just keep building another coaster and another coaster, and neglect everything else. It's like banging your head against the wall - eventually it will stop hurting.

Good to know! I'm glad to read that he is out there squashing rumors of the park being sold, which has been a mentioned two years running in the local media. Now if he could only get some tv coverage of the statement.

2009 for a new coaster his style. Hmm, I would hope they would look at their ride line-up and pick a coaster that is relevant in the so cal market. Unique enough to be a draw and not redudant of what has been built at the other area parks.

If they can drive out some costs of the Dark Knight coaster installs, that seems like it would be a good all ages style attraction. Personally, I would prefer an El Toro clone, but SFMM's history with Intamin isn't very good. Was SF pleased with how El Toro is performing at SFGADV?

Dark rides cast more. More likely the coaster would be the Tony Hawk. Especially since the likely location is where Flashback(the perpetually broken coaster sat, & is now being dismantled.) 6F is already opening a Tony Hawk spinning on the former site of Zonga at Discovery kingdom in a couple of weeks. Another rectagular slab of concrete identical to the site where Flashback sat. Zonga I never rodebecause it too was forever closed including its opening day. Flashback, would close when you were in line unlesss you were extremely lucky(I think I rode it 3 times). Im sure those Tony Hawks are cookie cutter rides that require little contruction. You could almost travel with em.

^I though one of the reasons MM got rid of Flashback was how close it was to the waterpark.

Flashback was a problem there because the anti-rollbacks were very loud and the noise was a distraction to the lifeguards who were stationed right across the fence. I think that would be a good site for a Tony Hawk spinning coaster, it's a wide appeal kind of ride and it's near a lot of the kid stuff. Good fit there.

Well, that was one of the reasons, but you can just imagine how much noise a ride like that would make. Four-across heavy trains with multiple trains out on the course would be pretty noisy. I've only ridden the former Shockwave (at Gadv.) and then as Batman the Escape. Since they're every bit as loud as a B&M, yeah I'm sure it was hard to hear over that. I highly doubt that a Gerstlauer spinner makes anywhere near that volume.

From what I understand that spot is going to be a new themed childrens area..dun dun dun...Wiggles World! The Tony Hawk coaster is going in the spot where the circus wheel use to sit, the 3 point challenge game will just be in that location for 2008.

2010 is the year us enthusiast mouths will water, cause that is the year Psyclones old spot will be filled in :O)

Something more his style? He lists his favorite coaster as American Eagle at SFGAm...

http://themeparks.about.com/od/sixflagsarticles/a/shapiro2006_2.htm

A boy can dream, can't he?

Ah man... WHAT?! Another coaster for SFMM, what about some more flats, they are in NEED of more flats, not coasters. I can not believe after Scream and Tatsu being 'newer' they are still getting more coasters. What about something like Condor at SFGAm or King Chaos... The park already has 14 coasters and still has yet been able to maintain and run most of the rides. Until the park can prove that they can run the park efficiently why mention the additions in 09'? If they end up getting anything, I see them getting The Dark Knight.

BTW: I can not find where the park is putting the Thomas section, where are they placing that?

The last thing SFMM needs right now is another coaster.They need to focus more on balancing out the flat ride offerings instead.

While I do agree that they do need greater ride diversity, I understand why they have focused on the coaster side - and may continue to do so for big budget attractions. They simply cannot compete with Disney - and they are well aware of the 1 billion makeover of DCA rolling out from 2008 and on. Throwing big money into any kind of dark ride / flat, will be vastly overshadowed by their local competition in any given year for the next few years. So stand out, they have to do what Disney and Universal (SFMM couldn't afford a ride like The Mummy for example) do not, and that's coasters.