Go Coaster Crazy at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California (2024)

Originally, the park's theme had something to do with cute gnomes that lived in a Magic Mountain. After Six Flags came on the scene in 1979, it threw out the gnomes, pumped up the testosterone, and created what it has dubbed the "Xtreme" park. With 19 thrill machines, Six Flags Magic Mountain now claimsthe world's largest arsenal of coasters.

Here's a bit of theme park trivia you can use to amaze and impress your friends: The SeaWorld folks, fresh from successfully developing theirbeautiful San Diegomarine park, originally built Magic Mountain. But some Shamu-sized problems led them to sell the theme park soon after it opened. (And George Millay, the visionary behind SeaWorld and Magic Mountain, also developed Wet 'n’ Wild and was a pioneer in the water park industry.) There are still cadences of the original whimsical themeing here and there, but when Six Flags banished the gnomes, it also sucked a lot of the whimsy out of the park.

Today, like most Six Flags properties, Magic Mountain is really more an "iron park," anamusem*nt parkfilled with a hodgepodge of rides, than a cohesive theme park. But what a collection of coasters.

Magic Mountain transformed the famous Colossus (which was featured in the original Chevy Chase film, Vacation) intoTwisted Colossus. It now ranks among the best hybrid wooden and steel coasters.

The park's X2, the world's first "fourth-dimension" coaster, has cars that sit alongside the track and independently spin 360 degrees forwards and backwards. Talk about disorienting! And terrifying. The scream-tastic ride makes the cut for the list of the scariest roller coasters.

Also on the crazy-scary coaster list is Superman: The Escape. It climbs a 415-foot tower, reaches 100 mph, and subjects its riders to 6.5 seconds of weightlessness (all world records when the ride debuted. It still ranks highly among the world's fastest coasters and the tallest coasters).

The floorless coaster, Scream- Ride Out Loud,is one of the best of its kind.Goliath, on the other hand, just may be one of parkdom's worst hypercoasters. Its intense positive G forces can induce harrowing grayouts.

Among other coaster standouts: Full Throttle, a triple-launch coaster that includes a 160-foot loop; The New Revolution, the first coaster to include a 360-degree vertical loop (and also featured in Vacation); and Viper, a 70-mph, multi-looping coaster. Stand-up, inverted, flying, kiddie, suspended: Name the coaster, and chances are you can find it here.

More than Coasters

Magic Mountain is loaded with all kinds of other rides as well. Justice League: Battle for Metropolis is a high-tech, interactive, roving motion base ride that rivals E-ticket attractions at Disney and Universal.

Using the same tower as Superman: The Escape, Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom is one of the world’s tallest and fastest drop tower rides. It climbs 400 feet and hits a potent 85 mph.

Thrills are the park’s raison d'etre, but it does offer some rides and attractions for young children and wary adults. These include the Grand American Carousel, the Whistlestop Train, and the Canyon Blaster mine train coaster. Magic Mountain doesn’t offer a lot of entertainment, but the Justice League and Looney Tunes characters are available for meetings and photos.

What’s New at Six Flags Magic Mountain?

• For the 2019 season, Magic Mountain was supposed to open West Coast Racers, a launched coaster. it actually didn’t open to the general public until January of 2020. The Mobius-like layout (which features one, continuous track, but behaves like a twin-track coaster) sends trainloads of passengers screeching out of the station twice to race against opposing trains. Riders experience two magnetic launches and two magnetic boosts that accelerate the trains to a top speed of 55 mph.
• In 2018, the park introduced Crazanity. At 170 feet and 75 mph, it is among the world’s tallest and fastest pendulum rides. Also in 2018, Magic Mountain switched from a seasonal park that was open on weekends and select days in the off-season to a year-round schedule. It is now open daily all year long.

Getting Around the Park

It is an enormous park, so be prepared for lots of walking. Magic Mountain has a confusing layout. Many of the paths lead to dead ends, and it can be bewildering to try and navigate from one section of the park to another. Oddly, many of the park's signature roller coasters are set back from the midway and are partially, or nearly totally, hidden from view. I guess this helps create a sense of suspense, but most parks showcase their coasters for maximumvisibility.

To reach the "Magic Mountain" at the park's center, you could take the Orient Express cable car or trudge up one of the steep paths. The Ninja suspended coaster at the top is a fun ride that uses the natural topography to send its pivoting cars careening down the hill. A small lift hill starts the coaster, while a larger lift hill delivers the train back up to the station at the ride's end.

Also at the top of the hill is Samurai Summit, a Japanese garden with lovely flowers, a babbling brook, and some stunning panoramic views of the park and surrounding hills. Stressed-out parents take note: Amid Magic Mountain's hyper-adrenalized, scream-filled atmosphere, this is probably the park's lone peaceful spot.

Magic Mountain doesn't do a great job with crowd control. The queues for the major roller coasters, even on relatively low visitation days, can quickly swell. If long waits are an issue, you might want to consider paying extra for Flash Pass, Six Flags' go-to-the-front-of-the-lines program.

Adjacent to the theme park is Hurricane Harbor, a large water park. It requires a separate admission.

Location,Admission, Operating Calendar and Dining

Six Flags Magic Mountain is located just off I-5 in Valencia,California. It is about 30 miles north of Los Angeles. The address is 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway.

Reduced price tickets are available forchildren (under 48"). 2 and under are free. Discounted tickets are often available online. Season pass tickets include admission to all Six Flags parks.Discounted tickets are generally available online from Six Flags Magic Mountain. In 2018, Six Flags began offering a membership program. It's similar to traditional season passes (which are still offered), but participants pay monthly on an ongoing basis and receive additional benefits including a points-based loyalty program.

Like most Six Flags parks (and most theme parks for that matter), food is not a strong point. In general, Magic Mountain offers the usual suspects of overpriced, bland fast food and sweets. The park used to include more chains, but has taken most of its food service in house. The hamburger and shake chain, Johnny Rockets, remains. Service can be agonizingly slow at the food stands and restaurants.