X's Reliability

I've read some trip reports recently from Magic Mountain, and a bunch of them seem to say X is closed in the morning and then opens with one train operation later in the day. Is this what is pretty much happening every day? Would you suggest trying to ride it first, or going to Tatsu and hope to catch X later as it opens?

Any other SFMM advice is appreciated, too.

Anyone got any reports on how the new 4-D in Japan is running? X is a prototype & is in an SF park so what can you expect?

X's operation status varies from a day-to-day basis. Some days it will open with the park in the morning, other days it opens a few hours later. Before the summer season, X ran two trains frequently, but unlike most coasters, the trains need to be taken out of service on a more frquent basis for maintenance and repairs due to the complex nature of the ride.

I don't know to much on the topic, but you have one (if not the) biggest mechanical nightmares in an amusement park with the one of the worst operation departments in the industry.

The ride has three trains, but from what I know one isn't even at the park, the other is in pieces under the ride, and the last one is operational. Their most popular ride is running one train in the middle of summer. Smart moves they made.

Why do I have this feeling that the third was scrapped for parts because 3-train operation was impossible?

Because you would be right. X was designed to run 3 trains but:

1)The faulty computer design won't allow it.

2)3 trains would not help capacity in the least. You'd have one train on the lift, with the other two in the first and second stations. By the time the train in station one was loaded and ready to dispatch, the train on the lift would have completed the course and would be sitting outside station two. Double that dispatch time because of SFMM's horrible operations, and yeah, they learned real quick that 3 trains would not work.

The plan for riding X right at the start depends on whether one arrives right as the park opens, or later during the day.

If one has to wait until later on during the day, then save the ride on X for last.

Please note: the line for X closes one hour before the park closes. Keep this in mind if planning on riding X later during the day. The signs will indicate the closing time for X. When the line for X closes, this means that they put gates up near the entrance to X, and a security guard will also be there ensuring no one enters the line after it has closed.

So, if one can be sure that they will not miss the line closure time, it is my own opinon that a ride on X as the last ride of the night is an excellent way to finish a visit to SFMM. *** Edited 7/22/2006 6:05:03 AM UTC by RideSafety***