Six Flags Magic Mountain new rides
Also, with a park like SFMM that is built-out coaster wise, new installs border on redudant. Outside of a 2nd wood coaster, there really isn't a major type of coaster that they are missing that is significantly different that what is standing right now.
It's good that they are looking at how to make the existing rides into themed attractions, more reliable, and an overall better experience.
RIDE ON!
Those 4D coaster trains are not cheap -- and with the reconfiguration of the loading area, new paint job, audio and visual effects, and a tunnel...I can definitely see how that adds up.
So this brings some to think. $10 million could've bought a slew of new flat-rides. It could have also bought a large modern free-fall tower. It could have also bought an El Toro-sized plug-n-play wood coaster.
But you know what? I'm glad it's not another new coaster. The company is finally realizing that they need to fix what's broken first and with the removal of Psyclone, Deja Vu, and Flashback, they are certainly on the way to taking care of that.
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And I sure wouldn't want 10k to be used on re-theming a ride. I would rather have it be used for new flats or something. I mean I guess it would be fine for a ride that was already themed, but not one that had no theming at all in the first place. *** Edited 11/1/2007 9:45:32 PM UTC by Parker17***
RIDE ON!
Parker17 said:
^^But the question is, can Six Flags maintain this new theming they are doing to "X"? I just find this re-theming thing rather pointless, especially since the ride never even had theming in the first place.And I sure wouldn't want 10k to be used on re-theming a ride. I would rather have it be used for new flats or something. I mean I guess it would be fine for a ride that was already themed, but not one that had no theming at all in the first place.
Did you even read any of the information the park put out?
It's not a $10 million dollar retheme.
It's $10 million dollars gone to improving ride capacity, the purchase a set of completely new ride vehicles, and add new visual and audio effects to improve the experience. With this money spent, the park is hoping the ride's reliability will increase as well as reducing queue wait times as a result of better capacity.
And since they were spending a buttload of cash to fix the ride anyway, why not change the name and market it as a new ride? It was a move by Six Flags. One of the smarter things they've done in awhile.
Why don't they just add two workers at the unloading dock that stay at the unloading dock? This is like Space Mountain at WDW. When I was there, the employees unloading the train where the same employees that loaded the train.
Six Flags is kind of stupid for doing this. People that have already rode X are probably still going to think the same thing about it. Oh wow, they added some sound, and effects. I really think they should have just bought one more train instead of adding another three trains to replace the old ones. Swap the worst train for the other three, or keep all 4 trains, and do what you have been doing. Always run the new one, and maybe the other 2 old trains if they could. In years later, they could buy another new train.
Basically, the park isn't really getting much for next year, and people will pretty much figure that out. They aren't stupid. You can't full them it's the same ride with some effects, and painting. They probably had to paint the ride anyway.
I think X will be exiting SF pretty soon also. If Deja Vu, and Chiller have gone, I don't see how X is going to stay. They said they were going to fix Chiller, and gave up on that also. Just because they add trains doesn't mean they will keep it. Next after that, SF will probably go after Kingda Ka, and than will probably not buy anymore different types of rides.
I won't be surprised if they take out Mr. Freeze, Superman The Escape, and even V2. Why not yank out Superman: Ride of Steel at SFNE because that ride was having trouble along with that Huss ride over there? How about Two-Face going away at SFA? They were having trouble with that ride too. How about just taking out every non-B&M roller coaster that SF owns because they are bound to have problems, and cost them money.
Batwing must be removed also. We know how bad Vekoma is. Mind Bender, and Shockwave (Shrawtkopf rides) are maintenance nightmares. They can't get new parts for them because they are so old. The Whizzer is another ride that should go because it's so old. Look at El Toro. That's down a lot at SFGAdv in which I hear. They might as well tear that down.
Basically, if Mr. Shapiro is smart, there shouldn't be a SF anymore because all the roller coasters are problematic. *sarcasm* You need to substitute uniqueness for problems. Who cares if Mr. Freeze is open everyday? The fact is that when it is open, I think it's a great ride. Rides go down for extended periods of time, and that's how it's going to happen. You just can't expect rides to be open all the time. They take a lot of beating out of them.
I couldn't imagine SFMM without X, and definitely without Deja Vu. One day is it just going to be kids rides, Ninja, Viper (Ha Ha), and Flashback will still be SBNO? *** Edited 11/1/2007 11:59:32 PM UTC by Spinout***
Spinout said:
Six Flags is kind of stupid for doing this.
Maybe, maybe not. This is the one coaster that people consistently talk about who've been to Magic Mountain who aren't enthusiasts.
People that have already rode X are probably still going to think the same thing about it. Oh wow, they added some sound, and effects.
Uhmm...that's the whole intention.
I really think they should have just bought one more train instead of adding another three trains to replace the old ones. Swap the worst train for the other three, or keep all 4 trains, and do what you have been doing. Always run the new one, and maybe the other 2 old trains if they could. In years later, they could buy another new train.
That sounds like a really bad plan. You can't have one good train and two bad ones.
Basically, the park isn't really getting much for next year, and people will pretty much figure that out. They aren't stupid. You can't full them it's the same ride with some effects, and painting. They probably had to paint the ride anyway.
Well, you can "fool" them with a new kids area, which I'm sure will be well appreciated.
I think X will be exiting SF pretty soon also. If Deja Vu, and Chiller have gone, I don't see how X is going to stay.
Well, if they're pouring this much money into a single ride, there must be some intention of keeping it for a few more years. Chiller only got replacement track pieces, and the ride is being saved for other buyers.
The Deja Vu's have been a mess from the word "Go," with late openings (SFOG opened last), lots and lots of downtime. When you talk to experienced enthusiasts who travel extensively year after year and never got the credit, that's not a good thing.
If they keep the one at MM, that'll be their last chance until they pull the plug (if and when that happens).
Next after that, SF will probably go after Kingda Ka, and than will probably not buy anymore different types of rides.
They're not that stupid. You don't give up a record-breaking ride that'll probably never got topped. I don't think anyone would take that chance again. And besides, KK has been running pretty well this year, from all accounts.
I won't be surprised if they take out Mr. Freeze, Superman The Escape, and even V2.
Both Freeze's are back up and running, and the two Vertical Velocity's are doing fine. Look over at Screamscape and you'll see in today's headlines a paint-sample test on the bottom of S:TE. Look's like a certain launched ride won't be white anymore.
Why not yank out Superman: Ride of Steel at SFNE because that ride was having trouble along with that Huss ride over there?
Again, you don't rip our a coaster that has consistently been rated #1 or #2 steel coaster. Why rip the Breakdance out? Well, if it's anything like SFA's Rodeo, they have a lot of downtime issues.
As much as I love Huss rides, the excessive downtime has been really bad for some of their products, particularly the Giants. Delirium was down for both days of our midwest excursion, and word has it that MaxAir went down for the count before the end of the season.
How about Two-Face going away at SFA? They were having trouble with that ride too.
Now, there's one you might have hit the nail on the head with. People getting stuck once in 03' and making CNN, not good. People getting stuck two and three times for extended periods, including the spraying of hydraulic fluid on the passengers, really not good.
How about just taking out every non-B&M roller coaster that SF owns because they are bound to have problems, and cost them money.
How about that S:UF at Great Adventure that always breaksdown and frequently closes?
Batwing must be removed also. We know how bad Vekoma is.
Now you're talking. Just think, it would save us the long walk back to "nowhere" because they've never built any kind of loop around the park. We would no longer have to worry about our bladder's bursting because of a lack of a bathroom.
Seriously though, Batwing is still a GP favorite, and I enjoyed my one ride on it as well this year. The solution would be to come up with better trains, and an easier operating panel, because as far as I can tell, the trains are causing all the problems with their mounted electronics.
Ah, first off, that would be Schwarzkopf. Whizzer almost did get removed back in 02'. It was either that or Shockwave, and due to GP protest, Whizzer was saved.
Mind Bender, and Shockwave (Shrawtkopf rides) are maintenance nightmares. They can't get new parts for them because they are so old.The Whizzer is another ride that should go because it's so old.
Actually, they fixed the cable lift problem. It ran flawlessly the day we were there, whereas last year, it definitely had issues. It's a huge hit with the GP and enthusiasts alike, plus it's the anchor of a new themed area.
Look at El Toro. That's down a lot at SFGAdv in which I hear.
Basically, if Mr. Shapiro is smart, there shouldn't be a SF anymore because all the roller coasters are problematic. *sarcasm* You need to substitute uniqueness for problems. Who cares if Mr. Freeze is open everyday?
Oh, anyone who has ridden Mr. Freeze with lapbars, or makes a 2,000 mile journey to SFSTL (it wasn't the only park), and my friend doesn't get to ride it (I've ridden the TX version) because of the lightning strike? How about the family for whom that's their only themepark trip for the year?
You just can't expect rides to be open all the time. They take a lot of beating out of them.
Should they put that at the entrance to every themepark? Yes, things happen, and some of those are unseen. Sometimes you have excessive downtime due to waiting on a part, but the goal of any park operator is to keep every ride running, at least the majority of the day.
I couldn't imagine SFMM without X, and definitely without Deja Vu. One day is it just going to be kids rides, Ninja, Viper (Ha Ha), and Flashback will still be SBNO?
You've already figured out the solution to the problem. The bigger you go, the more problems you tend to encounter, and the more unique it is, that can add to the problems as well. Staying smaller and more "safe" keeps customers happy, and that's what you want people to remember at the end of the day.
halltd said:
But, the general public isn't going to care if the ride's capacity went up,
Please tell me you aren't serious. I think the general public WILL care because a high capacity means a shorter wait time (slightly but it;s better than nothing, right?)...
You can easily market "theme" and "new experience" to the masses. It's really hard to market "increased capacity". What if guests show up on a really busy day? Then they're pissed because there was no "increased capacity".
X is the most marketable ride not only at SFMM, but possibly at any park. They would be idiots not to continue to take advantage of that fact. The new trains aren't recent news. Most of us have known about this change for over a year now. The ride as it stands now is nearly un-ridable, both in terms of capacity and ride experience. Was there really any other choice other than to invest in the most potentially profitable coaster sitting in the park?
The fact that they've tacked on a new marketing strategy on top of that, just shows me that *someone* is finally awake at the switch.
And I love it when enthusiasts try and guess at what the GP is going to think sometime in the future. Thanks for the laugh. ;)
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