Six Flags Magic Mountain Trip Report 2/5-2/6 2005

Following a rather disappointing day at Knott's Berry Farm, and a rather long 2 hour LA traffic filled drive to Valencia, Chitown and I headed to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Saturday Feb 5th:

The day started off pretty crappy, waiting for Chitown to get his playpass processed, it was a pretty long wait and after about 30 minutes we where inside.

Our first ride of the Day was Revolution, this classic ride was awesome! the ride however doesnt need OTSRs at all, but the loop is sweet on this ride.

Following Revy, we headed for Goliath, and we much anticipated this ride and where seated and had our labbars down when the ride broke down and the second train on the end brake run, had to be evacuated. The ride never opperated again on Sat.

Following that we headed for SCREAM! and sat in the rear, because after about 1 hr 45 minutes we had only been on Revy. And wanted to pick up the pace a little. SCREAM! the first floorless i have ever been on and it rocked!

i am now on board for SFGAM getting a floorless, even after saying whats the infactuation with them, i can see that now.

Following Scream, we headed for Batman the ride, Just as intense and just as fast as Great America's and after riding Silver Bullet yesterday we needed to be reminded how a B&M invert should be.

Freefall tower was next and all i can say is ouch, i hurt my shoulder on the ride and this was after riding Demon Drop at CP.

Following Freefall Tower, it was on too Riddlers Revenge. This ride was amazing, the airtime, the speed everything was kickass!

We next ate lunch at this mexican booth which serves burritos and tacos etc. horrible.

We skipped Psyclone and Deja Vu for the time being and headed to S:TE the line was rather long and we skipped that one as well, So we next took Orient Express down to Six Flags Plaza and headed for X.

We noticed that X's line was pretty good since it was running two trains, and we decided we better ride it now.

After 45 minutes, and the ride going down to a one train op, we sat in the 2nd row of X.

X is by far the most incredible experience you will ever get on a Rollercoaster period. Nothing is like it and for now nothing will ever be like it. The skydive drop is amazing, combine that with the speed and the rush you get its completely disorintating and you dont know whats next.

Following the rush we got on X we followed it up by another amazing ride on SCREAM! this time in the front row. Scream up front is sick, it delivers awesome air and speed as well as some great hangtime.

After Scream we hit Psuckclone. It was running one train and the wait for this horrible ride was about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, watching Deja Vu's dispatch times, i can say this with good confidence that SFGAM's Deja Vu crew is alot better with the dispatches then SFMM. At one point there was 10 minutes between dispatches and form what i could tell there was no technical issues with DV.

Anyway, Psuckclone lived up to its terrible reputation and is by far the worst woodie i have ever had the unfortuante experience of riding.

After Psuckclone, it was on to Ninja, the wait was rather long for the ride id say about 25 minutes since it was running one train. This wait though was capped off by a rather funny incident in which the ride ops called out a kid who was sitting on the silver handrail but annoucing "Everyone, including the kid who is in row one with the grey sweatshirt on please step down off the silver hand rail."

Anyway Ninja, was a very smooth very nice ride. and im not a fan of these type of rides having ridden them at CP and PKI.

With it getting late, we tried to ride X again, not going to happen, so we headed for Deja Vu to end out Day one at SFMM.

Deja Vu's single rider line while a good idea, needs to have someone monitor it, because there was some line jumping going on and it was rather annoying.

Anyway we sat in the last row, on SFMM's Deja Vu' they number each row so what we'd called Row 8B they call 16. Anyway great ride, as always and even better thinking that we are riding Deja in Febuary while SFGAM's was dormant.

anyway day one had come to a close. alot better then KBF clearly.

Sunday Feb 6th:

We started out the day heading straight for S:TE, figuring the line would be long all day just like the day prior. We where greated by a surprise. it was a walk on. But just like the day before with Goliath, we sat down and the ride had a break down.

So we hit Goliath next. after about 5 minutes and noticing that S:TE was running now, we sat in Goliath, the ride was great. Not as great as Raging Bull but deffinately better then most Hyper's i have been on. The back half of the ride had some serious positive G's and overall the ride was awesome.

So awesome we rode it again, with a reride beause no one was in our row.

Following Goliath, we hit Collsuck, this ride like Psuckclone the day before was terrible.

The rest of the day pretty much when the same as Saturday, except we did ride S:TE and hit X once more.

Magic Mountain Notes:

It appears that SFMM is in the process of removing Flashback, the ride is all boarded up and they have signs saying "pardon our mess"

Viper didnt run our whole trip, pretty sad considering we wanted to ride it.

Shockwave's trains are sitting next to Scream.

S:TE was only going about 1/2 way up the tower

Ride Ratings:
X: 12/10 Best coaster i have ever been on.

Scream: 10/10 also an awesome ride that needs to be installed at SFGAM

Riddler's Revenge: 10/10 best stand-up i have been on narrowly beating out Iron Wolf

Goliath: 9.5/10 great air time, sick second half, not as good as our beloved Raging Bull.

Batman The Ride: 9.5/10 same as the original, awesome ride!

Deja Vu: 9.5/10 same as at Gurnee

Revolution: 7.5/10 No need for OTSRs on this ride

S:TE: 7/10 Decent ride, i wouldnt wait more then 15 minutes for it though.

Ninja: 6.5/10 pretty good, better then the rides like it at PKI and CP

Goldrusher: 6/10 decent ride, cool headchopper action under S:TE

Collosus: 5/10 The ride is mediocore

Pysclone: 3/10 The ride is terrible. worse then Mean Streak, how the hell does that happen?

Final Thoughts and Ratings:

Six Flags Magic Mountain doesnt get enough positive feedback. It is clearly evident that they are working very hard to fix things at that park. All too often people give that park a bad rep and i beleive that it doesnt deserve all that negitivity surrounding it. I infact told Guest relations this, and that i truely enjoyed my stay at the mountain. Reguardless of one train ops or not working rides. Its clear they are working on things.

I will deffinately go back to Magic Mountain and hopefully by then when ever that next trip is the "issues" surrounding that park will be fixed.

Six Flags doesnt get enough limelight in the amusement park industy. It seems that no matter what website i visit and there are a few that i use, Six Flags is always put down, "Dont go there" "ugh, one train ops" and i think this isnt always a fair assumption.

Cleanliness: 9/10
Food: 4/10 --> AVOID Mexican Taco stand by Go-Karts
Atmosphere: 10/10
Employees: 8/10
Ride package: 10/10 ---> 6/10 if your not a huge Coaster Fan
Overall: 9/10

Blew away Knotts Berry Farm hands down.

Shockwave's trains as in SFGAm Shockwave? If that's so, at least something survives of the old beast. Probably being used for parts for Viper. Speaking of Viper, too bad you missed it. Viper really is everything Shockwave should have been. I went into brace position when I first rode it, expecting Shockwave treatment and it had absolutely no headbanging and was very smooth, fast, and forceful. It's one of my favorite coasters at the Mountain.

Yes, thats SFGAM Shockwave trains.

Sorry i have recycled my TR, and used it on another SFGAM website.

I agree with pretty much everything you said there, except the airtime on Goliath, which I thought was lacking a bit. Forceful? Yes. Airtime gem? Eh...

First-timers and those from out of state who do not frequent the park almost always enjoy SFMM and I'm glad you had a good time there. The reason the park gets such low marks from us locals is that we know how great the park USED to be.

I think you hit our biggest gripe on the nose when you said:

Ride package: 10/10 ---> 6/10 if your not a huge Coaster Fan

That's the problem: not enough non-coaster activities to take the crowds away from the coasters.

There has been rumors of a ride getting the axe at SFMM and flashback has seen better days. So maybe they'll get rid of it and expand HH, since no unenclosed ride can go in that spot anyway.

Far as one train op on some coasters it's not that bad it's febuary if it was June i'd be pissed. Not saying you were complaining or anything.

Yes SFMM doesn't have any flats really, Im still waiting on the huss giants here. Wasn't the last flat SFMM installed Zforce?

Anyways Great TR very very glad to read a positive one about SFMM thanks:O)

Your Trip Report was exsuckellent.

I agree with revolution's OTSRs. What a shame, it's actually my fav Schwarzkopf...or at least it would be.

Aren't B+M floorless' great. My favorite at MM, despite it's position over concrete when i went.

Still IS over concrete.

Galvan316 said:

This wait though was capped off by a rather funny incident in which the ride ops called out a kid who was sitting on the silver handrail but annoucing "Everyone, including the kid who is in row one with the grey sweatshirt on please step down off the silver hand rail."

When my wife and I were there, that happened on X, they had to repeat it like 10 times as the kid wasn't listening.

All the "negitivity" (it's negativity, BTW :)) surrounding Six Flags is based on previous years, and their track record from running the parks into the ground. Your trip report was within the past week - the negativity of others' posts was not. A reputation is based on the past, not on current events. Don't be so critical of everyone else's past experiences. I'll admit that 2004 was a markedly better year for the SF park in my neck of the woods (GAdv), and 2005 looks to be even better with their plans.

My point is, don't be so quick to judge other people's negative experiences - it seems to me like Six Flags is trying their hardest to improve, and while they have a long way to go, they are making progress. I'll be there Solace weekend and will finally get to see for myself.

I was at SFMM in 2001 and loved the place...even though X was sitting there mocking me. :(

I'm with you there, George, although that should be remedied in 2 weeks time, as Moosh, and I, amongst others, enjoy our day (or try to) hitting X, and Scream. Those are the only 2 at the park I've yet to ride. It's annoying, really.............

;)

nasai, when are you guys going to the Mountain? My wife and I are going to be out to the left coast in a couple weeks. We plan to hit SFMM on Saturday the 26th.

Gonna be at the Mountain on March 5th. :( I listed that and KBF in the meeting calendar on the right.

Oh, well. I'll be cold and at home by then.

Thanks for asking, though. It would have been nice to meet. :)