USA 01/19 – Six Flags Magic Mountain

Day 13 – Six Flags Magic Mountain (Round 2)

I said I’d be back, so here we are. An attempt at a more relaxed day at Magic Mountain.
Priorities: Still need X2 and the kids creds, TC til I bleed.

All started very familiar. The long walk, the security scan, the staring intently at X2 not running while waiting for the gates to open.

Took exactly the same route to find it still wasn’t running. But “it should be open later.” Ok.

Tatsu while we’re up here then? Nope, not open.

Oh good, Ninja again then. S’alright.

Superman is closed for the ‘weather.’
Well isn’t this a strong start. Yes it was a lot quieter, but what good is that when nothing is running?

Gold Rusher – Closed.

Riddler’s Revenge – Closed. Well I’ve achieved nothing but leg pain in the first hour, let’s get some +1s.

#1 Road Runner Express

+1.

#2 Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers

+2.

Canyon Blaster – Closed.

Tried my luck on Magic Flyer – Denied.

Scream! – Closed.

Had a couple of laps on the magnificent beast that is Twisted Colossus to lighten the mood.

Was equal parts pleasant and depressing to walk straight onto Goliath after that 2 hour queue last time. Only ever sat near the back of the train for that drop, think it’s best to keep it that way.

And Full Throttle completes my mostly unsuccessful lap of the park.
Wait a minute. I see a 4D coaster going up the lift hill while I’m stuck on the brake run for this. Yes!
Let’s go let’s go.

Ran all the way back up the damn hill to hear on approaching the entrance: “X2 is currently experiencing a delay in operations, not sure how long but we recommend you stick around.”

What a tease. Joined the queue anyway, waiting about half an hour at the splitting point with a handful of other guests who all eventually gave up. It could have been some sort of incident rather than technical problems because people came out of the station much, much later, one girl in tears and being consoled by her friends. Then the queue (just me) was cleared – “come back later.” Not the best of signs.

Tatsuuuuuuuuuw was open now and seemed more intense in the front row, so that’s a plus.

This was better on a middle seat and knowing how to prepare a little. Still not great, though I admire the scale of it and how long the layout goes on for.

Preshows were no better knowing how to prepare a little. Stand closer to the door? Everyone else was doing that as well. They clearly all feel the same way.

After that little detour X2 was now open. Again.

#3 X2

Is everybody in? I’m going to stop saying that now. I’d built up that soundtrack way too much in my head and instead the station was in complete silence with zero atmosphere.
All I got was confused. Where can I put my glasses? Oh too late now I’m sitting on the ride. Well that’s worrying. Bloke next to me has them on too:
“You sure about that?” I ask.
“I just bend them round ma head.”
“Yeah but these are like the most intense rides ever.” I say with concern.
No reply.

To be kind – it’s not very good. The glasses stayed on fine. It lacks the sheer insanity of the other S&S 4D coasters somehow.

Never thought there’d be a deadspot on a ride of this nature but it really crawls through that corner over the station, in the upright position with no rotation, giving you time to think. And I’m not comfortable with that time to think.
The best thing about these models usually is having absolutely no idea what’s happening to you from the moment you hit the bottom of the first drop until the brake run. What else in the world can do that to you? And if this can’t, what’s the point?

It’s rough in a different way to what I’d experienced before, repeatedly slamming your calves into the seat towards the end (legs are taking such a battering in this place), instead of throwing you up and out of it in a playful/terrifying manner.
The back row of one of the trains was completely closed off, with engineers and perhaps even someone who had been externally called in scratching their heads and lingering between the brake run and the station, taking the brief window of opportunity to have a quick look at the seats and play with the restraints (which were taped down) between dispatches.
I said it wasn’t a good sign.

The fire is cool. Can’t help but think it would have been nicer to turn the layout around and have something like that as a spectator moment for offride guests too, rather than in the middle of nowhere.
Shame, but set complete.

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnope.

Noooooo.

No no no.

There we go.

Spent the rest of the day seeing how much more bruising my legs could handle. Only downside to this RMC is a lack of picture opportunities.

And so ends the trip really. Was gonna do Universal but ran out of steam by the last day and couldn’t justify the cost of ~£110 per head for a whopping TWO ‘new to me’ attractions and nothing else exciting.
There’s always next time. Cheers for reading.

Summary

New creds – 53
Total parks – 12
B&Ms – 8 (don’t know what else is typically American)
Current savings on car parking costs – $221
Best coaster – Twisted Colossus
Spites – 8/61 (13.1%)



USA 01/19 – Disneyland
Denmark 06/17 – Hansa Park?!

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