Six Flags Magic Mountain gets Justice League for 2017

Consider me underwhelmed. Between these disappointing announcements and the ones from Cedar Fair last week, the only thing half way interesting coming to the regional parks is Mystic Timbers at Kings Island. 2017 is definitely shaping up to be a year the regional parks have set aside to save money AND creative juices.

Eh, maybe I wasn't that impressed with Justice League at Six Flags Great America.

I am curious on how they are going to fit the Joker in the space they keep hinting. It is going to be very close to Batman: the Ride if I am reading between the lines correctly. That moves East River Crawler to where the Orbit now stands. The Orbit looks like it is gone and that makes me very sad. It was one of the original rides that opened with the park in 1976.

Justice League at Six Flags Magic Mountain will replace the former Batman stunt show arena, which has already been demolished -- no huge loss there. I never saw the show (it was never open on my visits) but by all accounts it was not good. An interactive dark ride is a smart addition for the park in 2017 when Disney and Universal don't have much in the way of new things planned in SoCal -- not to mention, you'll be in an air-conditioned building, a huge plus as it's always unbearably hot in that park when I'm there.

Not sure if I'll renew my Great Adventure pass next year as El Diablo, The Joker and Holiday in The Park are not good enough for "USA TODAY's #2 Park". I have hope for Jusitce League but I'm considering a Cedar Fair pass.

Even if it's not the greatest dark ride ever built it's still a welcome addition to SFMM, which currently has little to offer besides thrill rides and sees summer temperatures often above 100 degrees.

No offence but that ride looks pretty crappy. I'm sure being there and seeing the action in 3D would improve things but this is really their best ride?

I'm pleased that it will be added to Six Flags over Georgia. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I believe that will make SFOG the only park in the chain with two dark rides, Monster Mansion being the other. I just think it's such a let down that the Six Flags parks drop in so many clones and recycle names. Yawn.

So Six Flags makes one semi decent ride and decides to make clones of it in every park? Color me unimpressed

For all of those complaining about the additions or the way Six Flags goes about their business, they should take a look at the company's stock price. It was hovering below $20/share near the end of 2012, but has steadily climbed year over year to $59.46 earlier this summer. That's impressive growth from a company that isn't spread across multiple sectors like Disney or Universal. SF has taken a bit of a downturn over the past couple of months to @$48/share today, but what they've been doing the past 3-5 years has been working. The use of clones and off-the-shelf attractions upsets hard core enthusiasts, but to the GP, it's still a new ride that will make them want to visit their local park again. Most SF Season Pass Holders do not use their passes to visit other parks in the chain, so as long as their local park gets something new, they're happy, even if it's just a lame carnival-style ride. Six Flags continues to provide capital investment for every single park in the chain each and every year, and leverages that announcement to encourage guests to purchase season passes, which creates an influx of cash at the time that the new attractions need funding.

I do think we're seeing some belt tightening from all of the parks right now as the growth over the past 3-5 years has leveled off and we're back to pre-Great Recession spending. Parks are smartly pulling back on investments to see if the growth can be maintained through the long haul or if the recent trends show a market near saturation. While far less spectacular from previous year's announcements, these additions from Six Flags show that the company is still invested in making improvements to every single park in the chain.

I hope they add Margot Robbie instead of an animated Harley Quinn :)

I regretted not visiting Great America during my last Chicago week. It seems I have no choice but to visit next year.

Something I think some people often forget about with Six Flags is that they mostly target people within a 2-3 hour drive one of their parks. Outside that range, they mostly couldn't care less. As a result, with the exception of the north east (and perhaps Texas), most people have one Six Flags they go to and don't even think about visiting other parks in the chain. As a result, cloning is a non-issue because the number of people who will experience multiple installations of the attraction is less than 10%.

When I look at this year's additions, I see a very good line-up for a regional park chain. Every single park is getting something, and with the exception of St. Louis (which I think should have gone with a refurbished kids area similar to what Over Georgia did last year) every park is getting something that's a good fit for the property. Yes, they are all clones and/or stock attractions, and therefore it is underwhelming for enthusiasts, but for the general public who make up 99% of the visitors these should all be winners. Also worth noting is that Six Flags is building a whole new waterpark in Mexico next year, which likely consumed half of their capital expenditure budget for 2017, so the fact that they were able to install a quality addition at almost all of their parks for probably 1/3 what a single modern E-ticket at Disney costs is impressive.

Personally, as a SFMM local I am very much looking forward to Justice League. In fact, I'd say that's my most anticipated 2017 project in So Cal (yes, I'm more hyped about it than Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld's projects). Is it likely to be a travel-worthy dark ride all by itself? No, but based on reviews from other installations it is quite possibly the best dark ride to be found at any regional park in the US.

Rob, SF Over Texas has two dark rides as well: Justice League and Yosemitie Sam. And the latter is, imho, a vastly underrated Sally Dark Ride.

I thought it was interesting that no parks got a DC Superfriends area

So is RMC taking a break in 2017 or what?

While I do like the Justice League BFM ride, I am still disappointed SF Over Georgia could not do something unique or special for the park's 50th Anniversary. Getting a copy of a ride (albeit a good one) half the other chain parks have or are getting is just blowing off that half-century anniversary. SF Magic Mountain is getting an enhanced second generation version of JL:BFM. What anniversary is that park celebrating? Why is the Georgia park in the very least not getting this newer version? Has this park's 50 years not been enough to earn something at least semi-unique?

I probably won't live to see the park's 100 year celebration but at least I don't think I will be missing much.

I agree with Russell & AJ,

SIX FLAGS is a regional/seasonal amusement park chain not a year round destination theme park like Disney or Universal so they do things differently.

Six Flags has a history of purchasing rides in bulk, whether they be arrow dynamics mine rides or B&M inverted coasters (batman) so this is nothing new.

But unlike Disney, six flags, cedar fair, legoland & Seaworld Parks haven't forgotten the saying "build it and they will come".

Now it will be interesting to see if these announcements from Six Flags will speed up the roll out of triotech dark rides at cedar fair.

By the way Six Flags CEO John Duffy should consider dressing up at lex Luthor or Mr Freeze this Halloween =)