Six Flags Magic Mountain Announces RMC Raptor for 2022

To my eyes, this looks IDENTICAL to Jersey Devil. The elements are the same and occur in the same sequence as the SFGAdv coaster. I guess SFMM had their spinning pendulum record stolen by SFGAdv by a few feet, so it's only fair that they get an RMC Raptor that is a couple of feet taller, but more or less a clone of the Jersey Devil.

Hopefully the staff at SFMM are able to run this as efficiently as SFGAdv, because I was pretty impressed when we were at the park a couple of weeks ago and the line was never over 45-60 minutes (we only waited 25 minutes for our it the first time we rode).

SFMM is one of my least favorite parks and for that reason I haven't been there since 2012, but their new additions since then all look really good and its becoming more and more tempting. Can someone report on if the park is still a complete dump or not? lol

There's been lots of justified complaining about Disneyland's "individual lightning lane passes" lately, and Six Flags proves why. To buy a fastpass at Six Flags costs double the ticket price, which is to say it's prohibitively expensive (especially for a junk park like SF), but the idiots who spend that money are given complete deference over everyone else. So you might be only a car or two away from getting on a coaster, but if a big group of fastpass holders arrives, you might have to wait another three or four cars, as they will ALL be allowed to go on before the standby line can move. It's infuriating.

On some rides with shorter lines, you can actually watch the same fastpass fools ride 2 or 3 times while you're stuck in line.

Six Flags is a grimy, aggravating place that I could barely tolerate before, but that line situation put me over the top, I'm not going back.

@thecolonel - Flash Pass at SF parks is unevenly administered, mostly because it's up to ride ops to balance the Flash Pass line against the standby line. I've been to SF parks where ops ensure that Flash Pass users don't occupy entire trains, and others where they could care less, and will let hoards of Flash Pass guests flow unfettered onto the loading platform. It also depends on the attraction and how Flash Pass users access the ride. Some rides are designed where Flash Pass users merge with standby guests before you reach the loading platform, while other rides are designed where Flash Pass users "back door" onto the attraction from the exit side of the loading platform. That can make a HUGE difference in how Flash Pass and standby guests are managed, coupled with the ability of the Flash Pass ride op to strike a balance between guests.

Also, most SF parks offer different tiers of Flash Pass where the more expensive, the more lines are reduced. For instance, SFGAdv offers "Bronze", "Gold", and "Platinum" levels of Flash Pass which range from $90 to $125 to $170 (with variable demand pricing based on projected attendance and sales) to cut 25% to 60% to 90% off the wait times, respectively. Obviously it's a risk/reward situation, because we've seen guests pay for Flash Pass on days where it doesn't really do much good for most of the day, and if ride ops are not accurately updating wait times in their system, guests might not be getting sufficient wait reductions when making ride reservations.

What's worse is that SF sells a season pass version of Flash Pass, and offers 1-time use Flash Passes to their highest tiered members, making the system less valuable to 1-time buyers.

Ugh! While it's good to see Magic Mountain continue to add coaster I'm still waiting for the day when they can get something similar like Fury 325 or Orion. The_Man, the last time I went it was pretty bad. I think it was 2014, but trash every where, running only one train car vs two or three. Bathroom dirty and stinky. It's a damn shame what happened to this park and you would think it's crazy that this park was actually better than Cedar Point sometimes back in the 90's.

I believe AJ is from that part of the state and will probably know more about the condition of the park. I know he has commented in the past to my post about getting a coaster like Fury 325 and Magic Mountain not having the money to spend for one of those rides. I just feel like the past dedicates, they been going the cheap route.

We last visited SFMM in late July 2019, and felt that it was far better maintained and operated than our previous visit in 2013. I'm not going to say it was perfect, but considering our previous experiences and the relative cost of a visit to SFMM, I felt that the experience was acceptable. The park was far from spotless and there were the expected operational issues, but pretty much every attraction was well beyond minimum capacity (La Revolution was the only coaster in single train operation the 2 days we were there). I think we've all had bad visits to SFMM, but I do see a concerted effort from the park to improve their image even though they are stretching their staff and resources to the max in trying to operate 365 days a year.

Unless Goliath is removed, I just don't see SFMM getting a giga. Goliath is a "tweener" that has the airtime of a typical hypercoaster along with the speed and intensity of a gigacoaster. Installing something like Fury 325, Leviathan, or Orion (by far the worst of the 3 B&M gigas) would be duplicative at SFMM with Goliath still operating. Wonder Woman Flight of Courage to me is a replacement for Green Lantern, which was finally put out to pasture (I mean Canada...I mean French Canada), and will be more like a flat ride or shuttle coaster than a traditional full circuit roller coaster. I was highly skeptical that Six Flags could operate these coasters efficiently, but they've proven me wrong. I've heard very few complaints about Wonder Woman at SFFT, and I personally was impressed with the operations at Jersey Devil at SFGAdv (one of the worst operational SF parks I regularly visit). I think it's worth giving SFMM a chance with this coaster, not only because of the recent improvement from this park over the past 3-5 years, but also because these coasters are a lot of fun.

Over the last decade, Six Flags Magic Mountain has done a ton of deferred maintenance, refurbishment, and upkeep work, and while it's never going to rival Disney or Universal for the quality of its landscaping or the efficiency of its operations, the park is leaps and bounds better now than it was in the early 2010s. There are still a few areas that still need to be updated (mainly Baja Ridge and Samurai Summit), but if your last visit was before the mid 2010s it's well worth giving the park another chance next time you're in the region. Also, thecolonel, Flash Pass may be expensive, but a Gold Flash Pass plus a ticket to Six Flags Magic Mountain still costs less than a ticket to Disneyland on a majority of days, so it is by no means prohibitive.

As for the coaster itself, this is almost identical to Jersey Devil, with the only real difference being the station and modifications to account for that. Assuming it rides similarly to Jersey Devil, I wouldn't expect it to be the best coaster at the park, but it should still be in the top tier of SFMM's offerings. I still think it was a questionable choice for SFMM as there are many other parks that would benefit more from this ride (LR, SFA, SFGAm, SFM, SFNE, SFOG, SFStL) and SFMM doesn't really need a new coaster until Six Flags is ready to spring for a giga (unlikely, but not impossible), but it will still be a fun ride.

I had a season pass this past year (including a season flash pass — I'm sorry) and enjoyed going quite a bit. The crowds were a handful and I felt tremendously bad for the burden put upon the operations staff (which Russell described). Much is asked with far less support than is given at parks like Disneyland. It's just not a good place to work and that is (unsurprisingly) why it can be a not-so-great place to visit.

That being said, it's inexpensive and the coasters are good so it's fun to go for the handful of rides I really enjoy. I also really like the walk. I bring my water, do the five or six coasters I love (Full Throttle, West Coast Racers, Batman, Tatsu, Goliath, Colossus) and then roll out. I *love* the RMC at Great America, it's one of my favorite coasters and am stoked to add this to the list of "must-dos" going forward.

I get it, no discerning park goer is hyped about a semi-annual trip to Six Flags. But if you buy a flash pass and plan your day, it's fine with the right frame of mind.

Preach on AJ! I agree I’m waiting for that Giga. It sounds like from AJ and Russell that the park has been cleaned up a bit since I last went. My son is 6.5 years old now, and I am planning to take him hopefully next year. My only concern for these type of rides is the pace of the line. I’ve yet to get on one because every time I go to Santa Clara Great America, the line is long and moves at a snail pace. I once stood 1.5 hours and had to leave as my family and son were tired of waiting for me. I asked somebody in line if they knew how much longer I had to the station and was told another 30 mins!!

Yea these posts are making me really not want to go haha. My home park growing up was SFGAm when it was an amazing park, and I worked for Six Flags and seen the ups and downs over the years, and i've been to almost all of the SF parks several times. The last time I went to any SF parks was in 2018 and I spent the entire time at SFNE so pissed off because the rides were going down so much and got so mad at SFGADV over the infuriating locker situation. I understand they basically give season passes away but if you buy a ticket riding the coasters should not be an upcharge. The way they did/(do?) lockers at some of the most popular coasters was that you literally could not have anything on you at all, even if it was in a zipped pocket. Ok if safety and efficiency are that important than make the lockers free while you go on the ride like Universal does, while CF and Sea World/Busch have mandatory paid lockers (which I don't agree with) at least you can go on the ride with your wallet or phone in your pocket. At SFGADV they would literally stand there and shake you down like TSA style and if you had anything on you at all you had to rent a locker for a fee.

I've always found it weird how Six Flags biggest market parks are their trashiest parks. I know the clientele can be rough but you think they would want to take care of what most people consider to be the crown jewels.

Madvaz, I wouldn't worry too much about capacity on the newer Raptors. While RailBlazer has serious capacity issues (I'd estimate it does about 300 riders per hour), that's mainly because CGA opted out of a continuous loading station like all the other installations utilize. While I waited an hour for RailBlazer on my visit last weekend, I've only had waits of about 20 minutes for the other Raptor installations, and I actually waited longer for several other coasters at SFGAdv than Jersey Devil when I visited in June. Assuming SFMM uses the same setup (four 12-passenger trains with a continuous loading station), I expect this ride to have an actual capacity on par with the other big coasters at the park (which typically get around 800 riders per hour), and should be far better capacity than the park's last installation, West Coast Racers (a ride that struggles to hit 500).

Also, the_man, the TSA-style locker policy at SFGAdv is due to a New Jersey state law and is something I've experienced at every park I've visited in the state. I'm not 100% certain exactly what the specifics are, but I believe it is something to the effect that riders can't have anything on their person if the path of a lost object may cause it to land on an uncovered pathway. It's fair to criticize the lack of free storage (though TBH if $1 lockers are going to ruin your day you'll probably never be satisfied by Six Flags), but the rule is not something the park has any control over.

My last visit to SFMM was in June of 2017. I had a blast! Some rides had long waits, others did not but I got to ride nearly all the coasters (including the infamous Green Lantern) in one visit...without a Flash Pass. The park was clean and the staff seemed friendly. I did visit on a weekday.

Long story short...if you visit looking for bad things, you can find them. I was not looking and I had a great time.

I know the locker situation really irks people, but it's not unique to any park chain. Cedar Fair, Six Flags, and Sea World are ALL cracking down on loose items brought into coaster queues. Some parks are more judicious at screening for loose articles (even within the same chain), but it's something guests just need to get used to. I do like Cedar Fair's solution for coasters where riders cannot bring ANYTHING (like Steel Vengeance and Twisted Timbers), which is to offer small lockers capable of storing wallets, keys, and cell phones, but too small for bags free of charge for guests while they're riding (and only accessible to guests riding the coaster). I do think it's an issue that Six Flags forces guests to empty their pockets BEFORE entering queue (regardless of its length), which eliminates an important time wasting tool and device for guests to communicate with the rest of their party while they're stuck in a massive line (Cedar Fair doesn't force guests to put their phones in lockers until just before the load platform).

Yeah, the combination of Security Theater (which, if you're a sports fan or fly frequently -- you're very familiar with) and uneven operation standards can be extremely frustrating. But I haven't found it terribly difficult to pack light and plan ahead to sidestep some of these inconveniences.

I prefer spending a day at Epcot and Islands of Adventure because it feels like a lot of those headaches either don't exist or are easier to manage. I can't imagine anyone is going to try to sell you too hard on the virtues of Six Flags Magic Mountain or Valleyfair! or whatever so-so corporate theme park comes to mind; but there are ways to make your day manageable (and even pretty darn fun!) with some planning and a good attitude in my opinion.

If that's not for you, no sweat. I'm not on payroll.

I pay about $25 bucks a month for my SFMM Diamond Elite VIP Membership (and that includes the Deluxe Meal Pass!). Included in that $25 is lunch/dinner & a snack every day. 50% off merch and additional food. Admission and Preferred Parking (if I choose to use it). Otherwise I'm happy with the general free parking. I get 4 free FOTL passes every visit, unlimited-fill yearly soda bottle and free tickets for friends. The ride lockers are gone now (YAY!) and you just place your items in wooden cubbies just before boarding the trains. No charge. I always hated how they'd give you a yearly soda bottle and then charge you to put it in a locker every time you'd ride. I ended up throwing my bottle away as those locker fees really added up. I am welcomed at any other SF park and parking is included there as well. Yes, this park ain't no Disneyland but it doesn't need to be. I can go there, unreserved, and have a great day without Disney's mouse-in-a-maze bureaucracy and stringent mobile ordering and ride planning that has made an affordable, stress free, ENJOYABLE visit to Disney a thing of the past. Disney has commoditized "Magic" as though it were just another item on it's shelves instead of something that grows inside one's heart, over time. Disney is too expensive, there are no trams (which I feel is a slap in the face), and anything green (other than the Go-Away Green paint slapped on everything) is behind wrought iron fencing. Magic Mountain (and Sea World) have little areas where you can actually sit down on the grass(!) and just relax or have a picnic(!!). Where Disney doesn't have fencing, they have tape on the ground indicating that you will now be zig-zagging anyway. I feel less and less like a "guest" at Disney and more like a "rube". I appreciate what Disney has to offer BUT it just isn't fun anymore. A day at Disney is an endurance test while a visit to some of the other large parks can be surprisingly refreshing when it comes to a "guests" freedom. SF is offering an amazing value for what they offer. Disney is offering less and less every day but the price keeps shooting skyward. Support some of these other parks living in Disney's shadow. They really are progressing in areas where Disney is dropping the ball. Admission to SFMM right now (on less crowded days) is only $45! Or, get a membership and see what customer appreciation really feels like. Like I said, SF ain't Disney, however, I don't have to take out a 2nd mortgage in order to do a day at SF with the family like I do at Disney.

Nobody said anything about Disney, this has nothing to do with Disney. The point being SFMM is cheap but its a dump. And SFGADV is cheap but it has an annoying locker policy (and is a dump in many areas).

I think bringing Disney and other theme parks into the conversation is relevant the_man. Six Flags has always positioned itself on the value end of the theme park spectrum, and those lower admission costs result in the chain having to cut corners in their operations. Disney and other more expensive parks have to be pristine, because they have set that bar incredibly high not only in their reputation but in the price guests pay to walk through their gates. Six Flags' guests know what they're getting and are more accepting of substandard cleanliness because of that lower admission cost.

Frankly I think it's pretty sad that SF cannot keep their parks clean (a lot of that has to do more with the type of guests they attract than staff negligence or an unwillingness to keep the parks tidy), but I think it's widely known that you get what you pay for with most of their parks (some are better than others and many toggle through periods where the parks are spotless followed by periods where those same parks are dumps). I think if SF doubled their admission price tomorrow, the parks would be spotless virtually overnight, but then SF would be wondering where all their guests went. It's a very delicate balance, but I do see SF at least making efforts to try to strike a balance between being affordable (compared to competitors) while still devoting the needed resources to create a positive experience.