Six Flags Magic Mountain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Location | Santa Clarita |
|---|---|
| Website | www.sixflags.com /parks/magicmountain/ |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Opened | May 29, 1971 |
| Previous names | Magic Mountain - 1971 to 1979 |
| Operating season | Year-round |
| Area | 260 acres (1.0 km²) |
| Rides | 51 total
|
Six Flags Magic Mountain is an amusement park in the Santa Clarita, California neighborhood of Valencia, north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 29, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the same company who then owned SeaWorld in San Diego. It wasn't until 1979, when the park was purchased by Six Flags, that the name was lengthened to include Six Flags. It is probably the most well-known park in the Six Flags amusement park chain, as it played the part of the fictional park "Walley World" in the 1983 movie National Lampoon's Vacation, was shown during the beginning credits to the sitcom Step by Step, was featured in 1993's True Romance, was the fictional park shown in the movie Encino Man, played a pivotal role in the finale to the 1977 film Rollercoaster, was the amusement park in Space Cowboys, and was the setting of the made-for-TV movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park as well as the final two episodes of the Wonder Woman TV series entitled "Phantom of the Roller Coaster" in 1979.
With the opening of Tatsu on May 13, 2006, Six Flags Magic Mountain broke the tie with Cedar Point for the title of "most roller coasters at one park" with seventeen, although Flashback, one of the seventeen, has been standing but not operating (SBNO) since 2003 and will be dismantled and stored in 2007. Upon its removal along with Psyclone in 2007, the coaster count is back down to fifteen, and with the opening of Maverick in 2007 at Cedar Point, it will be back in the lead by two with seventeen.
Contents |
[edit] Possibility of sale
On June 22, 2006 Six Flags, Inc. announced that it was exploring options for six of its parks, including Magic Mountain and its neighboring water park, Hurricane Harbor, that could involve selling the park with possibility of selling to real estate developers, with an intent to close the park and build housing developments in the area.[1] Park officials cite dwindling attendance and rowdy behavior among some of the park-goers (notably teenagers and young adults, who account for a large percentage of the park's attendance). Recent statistics say the park's attendance has declined by 12 percent from a year ago[citation needed], despite the recent opening of Tatsu, a high-speed roller-coaster at the park. The decrease in attendance may be due in part to the fact that the park raised its ticket prices by $10 to $60 for the 2006 season, as well as increasing the price of parking to $15. [1] Throughout the Six Flags chain, attendance in the second quarter of 2006 was 14 percent lower than it was in the second quarter of 2005. [2] There are now reports that all items that say "Six Flags Magic Mountain" are 50% off, while all "Six Flags" items are still full price.
When the Six Flags announced which parks it was selling in January 2007, Magic Mountain was not one of them.
[edit] Roller coasters
| Ride | Year Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldrusher | 1971 | Arrow Dynamics | A steel "mine train" roller coaster that utilizes the park's unique terrain to its design advantage. |
| Goliath Jr. (Formerly known as Wile E. Coyote Coaster) | 1971 | Bradley & Kaye | Small steel coaster designed specifically for young children. |
| Revolution | 1976 | Anton Schwarzkopf | First roller coaster of modern day to feature a 360-degree loop. |
| Colossus | 1978 | International Amusement Devices | Massive dual-tracked wooden roller coaster was the tallest in the world upon debut. |
| Ninja | 1988 | Arrow Dynamics | Swinging coaches suspended from an overhead track whip around steeply banked turns and curves in and out of the treetops. |
| Viper | 1990 | Arrow Dynamics | Giant seven-inversion steel roller coaster featuring the world's tallest 360-degree loop. |
| Psyclone (DEMOLISHED) | 1991 - 2006 | Dinn Corporation | Wood tracked roller coaster patterned after the Cyclone at Astroland park in Coney Island, NY. Removed for the 2007 season. |
| Flashback (TO BE DEMOLISHED) | 1992 - 2004 | Intamin AG | One-of-a-kind roller coaster featuring a bizarre stacked design and numerous steep rolling track dives. SBNO since 2004, but not removed until the 2007 season. |
| Batman: The Ride | 1994 | B&M | Floorless coaches suspended beneath an overhead track whip around steeply banked turns and five inversions. |
| Superman: The Escape | 1997 | Intamin AG | First amusement park attraction to attain speeds of 100 mph. |
| The Riddler's Revenge | 1998 | B&M | World's tallest, fastest and longest stand-up roller coaster takes riders upside-down six times on 4,370-feet of steel track. |
| Canyon Blaster | 1999 | Miler Coaster Company | Small junior roller coaster for children and pre-teens. |
| Goliath | 2000 | Giovanola | Steel hypercoaster featuring an opening drop of 255-feet into a subterranean tunnel. |
| Déjà Vu | 2001 | Vekoma | Inverted floorless coaches suspended beneath an overhead track traverse an open-circuit track forward and in reverse -- featuring two completely vertical drops and three inversions. |
| X | 2002 | Arrow Dynamics | The worlds first Four Dimentional roller coaster where riders pitch forwards and backwards in seats that lie on a separate axis from the track. |
| Scream! | 2003 | B&M | Floorless coaches riding above the rails traverse seven inversions on 3,985-feet of track. |
| Tatsu | 2006 | B&M | Flying roller coaster with a suspended-track orientation featuring vehicles that recline passengers with their backs against the track. |
[edit] Ride/attraction timeline
- 2007: X reopens; Flashback demolished; Psyclone demolished; Coldstone Limited; Johnny Rockets Express
- 2006: Tatsu ; Arrowhead Splashdown renamed back to Jet Stream; Chinese Acrobats of Hebei show; Paintball Alley shooting gallery; Revolution reopens; Sky Tower reopens; Orient Express reopens; Circus Wheel reopens; Freefall reopens, X becomes SBNO; Papa John's Pizza.
- 2005: Batman Begins stunt show; Circus Wheel closes; Freefall closes; Orient Express and Revolution close for Tatsu construction.
- 2004: Tornado (Hurricane Harbor); Flashback closes.
- 2003: Scream!.
- 2002: X; Scrambler is damaged, closed, and removed; Scrambler (formerly Missile Chaser at Six Flags Over Texas ); Euro-Bungee; Ham-on-Rye; Panda Express.
- 2001: Goliath Jr. fromly Wile E Coyote Coaster; Déjà Vu; Thrill Shot; Jet Stream renamed Arrowhead Splashdown; The Metro closes; Sky Tower closes.
- 2000: Goliath.
- 1999: Canyon Blaster; Bugs Bunny World expansion; Sierra Falls renamed Yosemite Sam Sierra Falls; Wile E, Coyote Coaster storage; Circus Wheel (Trabant) removed; Jolly Roger moved to midway and renamed Circus Wheel.
- 1998: The Movie District themed area (retheme of Monterey Landing); The Riddler's Revenge; Gordon Gearworks renamed Grinder Gearworks.
- 1997: Superman: The Escape; Hurricane Harbor expansion.
- 1996: Dive Devil.
- 1995: Hurricane Harbor water park.
- 1994: Gotham City Backlot themed area (retheme of Backstreet); Batman: The Ride; Himalaya renamed ACME Atom Smasher; Turbo renamed Gordon Gearworks; Eagles Flight-Galaxy Side removed.
- 1993: Sierra Falls; High Sierra Territory themed area; Swiss Twist renamed Sierra Twist; Z-Force removed; Reactor removed; Time Warner purchases Six Flags theme parks.
- 1992: Flashback (formerly Z-Force at Six Flags Over Georgia); Cyclone 500.
- 1991: Psyclone; Cyclone Bay themed area (retheme of Spillikin Corners).
- 1990: Baja Ridge themed area; Viper.
- 1989: Tidal Wave; Condor removed; Crazy Barrels removed.
- 1988: Ninja; Condor; Funicular renamed Orient Express; Baile de las Flores moved to Pirate's Cove and renamed Jolly Roger; La Revolucion renamed Revolution; Shockwave removed.
- 1987: Z-Force; Electric Rainbow renamed Turbo; Himalaya renamed Subway; Enterprise renamed Reactor.
- 1986: Shockwave; Grand Prix changes from gas to electric and renamed Granny Grand Prix; Sarajevo Bobsleds removed.
- 1985: Children's World renamed to be Bugs Bunny World and re-themed; Clown Coaster renamed Wile E. Coyote Coaster; Grand Centennial Excursion Railroad is removed.
- 1984: Sarajevo Bobsleds; Colossus changes the 2nd track to ride in reverse.
- 1983: Swashbuckler.
- 1982: Freefall.
- 1981: Roaring Rapids; Baile de las Flores; The Great American Revolution renamed La Revolucion; midway added; Dragon removed; Mountain Express removed; Jolly Monster removed; 99 Steam Train removed.
- 1980: Buccaneer; Tumble Drum removed; Eagles Flight-El Dorado Side removed.
- 1979: Revamp of Colossus; El Bumpo removed; Galaxy removed.
- 1978: Colossus.
- 1977: Enterprise.
- 1976: The Great American Revolution.
- 1975: Grand Centennial Excursion Railroad.
- 1974: Electric Rainbow; Himalaya; Dragon; Tumble Drum.
- 1973: Mountain Express; Swiss Twist; Jolly Monster; Scrambler; Billy the Squid removed.
- 1972: Jet Stream; Bottoms Up renamed Spin Out.
- 1971: Park opens. Gold Rusher; Billy the Squid; Grand Carousel; Log Jammer; 99 Steam Train; Sky Tower; Eagles Flight-Galaxy Side; Eagles Flight-El Dorado Side; Bottoms Up; Metro; Sandblasters; Circus wheel; Crazy Barrels; Clown Coaster; Funicular; El Bumpo; Galaxy; Grand Prix; Showcase Theatre (Later became The Golden Bear Theatre).
[edit] References
- ^ Business Wire (2006-06-22). Six Flags to Explore Strategic Options for Six Properties - Buffalo, Concord, Denver, Seattle, Houston and Los Angeles; Company Provides Mid-Quarter Update on Operations. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-06-27.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Six Flags Magic Mountain Visitor Guide
| Roller coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain |
|---|
|
Batman: The Ride - Canyon Blaster - Colossus - Déjà Vu - Flashback - Goldrusher - Goliath - Goliath Jr. - Ninja - Psyclone - Revolution - The Riddler's Revenge - Scream! - Superman: The Escape - Tatsu - Viper - X |
| Past Roller Coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain: |
