With all of the dedicated Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom updates I’ve been doing, it’s been a few weeks since I posted a regular trip report from Six Flags Magic Mountain. Here is what is going on at the park besides construction as of 25 May 2012.
The first thing you see when you walk into the park is a bunch of light scaffolding. We’re right in the heart of the 2012 Grad Nite season and you can’t miss it. Each Grad Nite event occurs after the park closes to the public on Thursday evening, usually from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am. The lighting setup is for one of the dance areas:
CORRECTION: After I initially posted this, I was informed that each Grad Nite event actually runs from 11:30 pm to 5:30 am. The remaining 2012 events are scheduled for 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, and 6/21.
Lots of 2012 Grad Nite merchandise for sale:
Here’s another dance area in front of DC Universe:
And another in front of the Golden Bear Theatre:
And another in front of The Riddler’s Revenge. They’re all over the park:
The What The Fried? sign that disappeared earlier has returned, except now it has some depth to it. It’s not just a flat, painted sign as it was before:
A new sign for Loaded Dogs has also been installed over one of the other entrances:
Here you can see the two signs in relation to each other, each over a different entrance:
I took some basic marketing courses in college and I work closely with the marketing department in my company, so I like to think I know a little bit about marketing, but I don’t understand their logic here. First of all, having two different names for what is essentially the same restaurant is a bad idea to begin with. Second, as people approach from the main entrance, they don’t even see one of the new signs. They see this:
Why do they even still have this sign? They don’t sell shakes and you can only get fries with a hot dog. The Loaded Dogs sign can only be seen when approaching from the High Sierra Territory area and the What The Fried sign is actually on the side as people walk by, so they or may not even see it. In my opinion, they need to come up with a single name for this location and place it above the entrance on both sides. The way it is now is very confusing for people.
As I was walking down the Goliath exit ramp, I saw three cars sitting off to the side. Based on the wheels, it looks as if at least one of them has just been refurbished:
There was a lot of cleaning going on when I was there. I saw tables being cleaned, trash being picked up, and I even saw a kid spraying and wiping down trash cans:
Anyone know what this is for? It’s a small stage setup in front of Gold Rusher with a sign that says Rehearsal in Progress:
Hmmm…Transformer knock-offs in a Six Flags? Doesn’t look right to me:
I have never seen the park advertise by having someone wear a sandwich board and walk around. However, if you’re going to do it and advertise the Flash Pass, wouldn’t it make sense to have them cruise by the long lines at Tatsu and X2 as opposed to walking in front of another giant board advertising the exact same thing? She needs to go where people are waiting in long lines and hand out Flash Pass flyers:
This advertisement caught my eye as I was walking past Apocalypse. I didn’t see the TNT half at first and thought it was some sort of new graffiti-type theming for the ride:
When I looked around, it was everywhere:
I’m not sure how I’d feel if I was Magic Mountain and was told by corporate that I had to place this next advertisement in my park. Magic Mountain is one of the few Six Flags parks that is not a part of the Clearasil Summer Concert Series. It’s really a shame, too, because Magic Mountain probably has more access to top name entertainment talent than any other Six Flags park given its location. I know what happened in the past to put an end to concerts at Magic Mountain, but I think it’s time they come back:
They must really getting ready for summer because there are a lot of new ads popping up all over the park. This next one is across the back wall of the Batman Action Theatre. It’s about the same size of that giant black tarp that was hanging there a few weeks ago. I wonder if that was a test to see how big it would be and what it would look like there:
I doubt this has any significance, but I noticed it in front of the Flags store in the Plaza:
Looks like the Hometown Trolley is making its seasonal trips to the park again:
After seeing all the Grad Nite stuff inside, this Chaperone sign makes sense now:
I’m really on the fence about what I saw going on at the main gate while I was there. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) had setup camp at the main gate where the buses enter the park and informed the drivers that they would be going through a vehicle inspection in the parking lot. If they didn’t want to do it there, they had the option of turning around and being inspected in the Hilton Garden Inn parking lot at the bottom of the hill:
Once they proceeded into the park, they were channeled down this lane:
At the end of the lane, they got in line and waited their turn to be inspected. The passengers were let off the buses and walked to the nearest tram pick-up. There were multiple CHP cars and trucks on hand to do the inspections. I was surprised to see that even the school buses had to take part in these inspections:
The reason I’m on the fence is because on one hand, I want the buses to be in compliance and a safety check is a good thing. If they’re in compliance, which they should be, then they have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, it’s a very sneaky way to perform the checks. It’s almost like entrapment. There’s no warning that it’s going to occur and it all takes place on public property. I’m guessing this bus already passed inspection:
I was wondering why you hadn’t done one of these in a while and was thinking of e-mailing you, asking, “OMG WHY NOE PARK UPDATE?! PLZ POST!”, but I figured you’d get to it when you felt like it. It was worth the wait, especially for that shot of the Golden Bear Theatre, one of my favorite areas.
I have a feeling that marker may be for Full Throttle….. :d
I was thinking the same thing! I hope it is
Not a fan of all the ads, but at least the falling skies ad fits with the roller coaster theme.
Agreed
The stage in front of Gold Rusher is for Perfect 6, the resident a cappella singing group. And I’m going to be nitpicky and point out that the ‘Batman Action Theater’ is the ‘Sports Action Theater’ officially, though the only show there for the foreseeable future is ‘The Aftermath’ maze during Fright Fest.
If you’re curious, the most popular Grad Nite Stage is the one in Riddler’s Plaza, so much that it had to be moved from X2 plaza after the first week for safety reasons.
Not nitpicky at all….please keep me honest at what I call things. The last show I saw there was the Batman stunt show, so it’s still stuck in my head. Plus, I like the acronym BAT better than SAT. Although, unless they get something new in there soon, they may as well call it the No Action Theatre. I was wondering what had happened to the X2 plaza stage I saw being setup a few weeks ago.
When did the batman show end? Does it still run at other parks? I think I remember seeing it in mexico.
why no concerts at magic mountain?
wath happend in the past?
In April 1993, a perfect storm of events led to a riot that originated at Magic Mountain. An over crowded park, inadequate event planning and security, popular rap artists Paperboy and TLC, and gang-like crowd mentality all contributed one of the park’s darkest hours. The park reached maximum capacity and had to close the gates just after noon. Things went rapidly downhill from there and the violence began. By the time it was all over, windows had been smashed, the park had been looted, and many people were injured. The violence even continued down the hill where rioters severely damaged local businesses, such as the Wendy’s. That was 19 years ago and ended all live performances at the park. I honestly feel the park should attempt to bring some sort of live concerts back, but maybe be a little more selective on the genre of the artists. They should also charge a slight premium for the tickets, over the top of the park admission.
We have live performances, they’re just few and far between (and Christian Rock during Hallelujah Jubilee counts).
I was referring to bands that were more mainstream, that the majority of park guests would actually have heard of. For example, here are some of the concerts occurring at other Six Flags parks this summer: Pat Benatar, Colbie Caillat, The Wanted, Chris Young, Flo Rida, Gavin DeGraw, and Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band. This covers pop, rock, country, and hip hop. There is absolutely no reason SFMM couldn’t book top name talent and host safe, successful, and profitable events like the other parks do other than the fact they choose not to.
I was working at the park the day they had the riot. We knew it was going to be a bad day when they called paramedics to to the front gate for an alcohol overdose 30 mins before the park opened. Three things that happend caused the riot. First the artist Paperboy was a no show so the concert started about an hour late. At the same time the dance club after hours was having fights break out and ride operations was having problems with line cutters and unruly guests.
All three of these things happend at once so show ops dumped the crowd while security shut down after hours and dumped that crowd on the midway then ride ops was told the park was closing early sotell the guests the ride broke down and to dump the queue. With midway flooded with upset guests (especially near the contempo pavillion) the rioting began in two directions one going toward the front gate and the other heading towards the back of the park. My old boss was passing out boarding passes at viper when she heard the calls for a riiot and its location. She was passing out these passes along the midway with a coworker and as the riot is getting closer she told her coworker “when I say jump! go over the fence and into the cactus.” She said jump and 5 seconds later the crowd comes rollong down the hill towards six flags plaza.
All the ride ops staff were told to e-stop the ride and to get the staff to the back of the park. This happend around 9pm and the staff had to wait until 2am before the sheriff dept was able to clear the employee lot. Most of the shops were looted and one called the sports wearhouse was completely looted. The park had every glass shop in the valley at thek replacing the broken and they were actually able to open on time the next day.
I was at the park on Friday too. The sign that said rehearsal in progress was for a group of a few guys and girls who do covers of songs and other musical things. I passed by and they were singing the song “tonight” the same song used in the sonic commercial that was filmed at sfmm
I like that song. It’s actually called “We Are Young” and it’s by a band called Fun..
I was at the park the other day and the stage in front of Gold Rusher is for an a cappella group that sings there. I was walking by at about 6:15 and they were performing.
did they say why they had car inspections?
I’m guessing it’s because they had a captive audience, in a location with lots of buses, and the park gave them permission. Personally, I don’t think that’s going to build goodwill between the park and the charter companies that bring lots of guests to the park. If they know their drivers are going to be inconvenienced, the charters may start planning trips to other parks instead.
The Hometown Trolly is a great deal… park at off site location and get dropped off less then 50 feet from ticket booths all for free! Pretty much park at mall or Hyatt and in less then 6 minutes you are entering Six Flags all with no charge for parking.
Don’t know how I missed reading this update, but at least I’m all caught up now.
I couldn’t agree more about the Loaded Dogs/What the Fried? signage. Somehow, some way, they need to bring the two names together on one sign, or they need to choose one name or the other. But regardless, they need to have the signs where they can be read by guests walking past in either direction—that is, if they want people to stop there and eat.
Agreed about the concerts, too. It isn’t the concerts themselves that cause trouble, it’s the choice of act. Some artists promote and attract the “thug” element; others don’t. And it’s pretty obvious which ones do.
I was there too. I was nine and I remember my father letting my sisters go see tlc after they begged him for hours. I remember we were sitting waiting for like 40 min waiting for my sister. I had my head on my mothers lap because I felt nauseated from a earlier ride when all of a sudden my mOther picks me up and rushes towards the bath rooms outer wall where we stoop flat on our backs against the wall because there was a
Swarm of people running past us. If it wasn’t for my mother, I would of been trampled to death. Then my father told my mother and i to stay put while he went to go find my two sisters while my mother and I waited. I remember it was chaos, I remember seeing mostly young black people. People yelling and banging on trash cans making beets while other people rymed words. My father never came back and the swat team came and made everyone move toward the parks exit. I remember being worried for my father and sisters. I vividly remember getting away from my mothers right grip to go talk to a swat team member. I remember I ran up to a swat member and touched his leg and asked him if he knew where my father was and he wouldn’t even look at me, then my mother grabbed me. He finally met up with my father and two sisters and they told what they went through. Keep in mind that they were 13 and 15 years old at the time. I remember them saying that they were looting stores with the hundreds of other people. My older sister said she stole a big jumbo bugs bunny and my father told her to leave on the ground when he finally saw them.