The Adrenaline High Never Dies at Six Flags Magic Mountain

I ran a red light on my way out of the park. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. City of Santa Clarita? Please don’t be one of those cities that has photo enforced traffic lights. :)

The last time I remember running a red light was about 10 years ago. Unless driving in Detroit counts. But in Detroit traffic lights are suggestions not requirements.

What I’m saying is, my adrenaline high was so great I’m probably going to crash in about 5 minutes and not wake up for 12 hours.

Back it up …

Joy, her two wonderful children Kevin & Kaitlyn, and Raam (who I’ve known online for about 2 years) met me at Six Flags Magic Mountain around 11am.

Six Flags Magic Mountain had more roller coasters on my list than any other park I’m visiting so I knew I had to get there early and possibly stay late. Before my guests got there I was able to squeeze in 4 rides. There were almost no lines right when the park opened at 10am.

It’s difficult to give a good run-down of each coaster because it was a long, adrenalin packed day. I’ve now figured out why this tour is so tiring. It’s not the driving. It’s the adrenalin high and subsequent crash.

Quick run-down of all the rides I went on, followed by highlights/lowlights:

• Goliath
• Colossus
• Scream
• The Riddler’s Revenge
• Apocalypse
• Superman: Escape From Krypton
• Ninja
• Viper (broke my back on the first loop)
• Revolution (supposedly first looping coaster ever built)
• X2
• Tatsu
• Deja Vu
• Gold Rusher

Goliath!

255 foot drop at 85mph. This is how I started my morning. It was a bit chilly, the sky was cloudy, and I added my own tears to the forecast. A lot of people think this type of stuff doesn’t scare me, but it gets me every time. I’m actually kind of afraid of heights, which is one of the reasons I’ve gone canyon swinging, sky diving, bungy jumping, and hang gliding. It wouldn’t be fun if I wasn’t scared.

Superman: Escape From Krypton

Joy, Kevin, Kaitlyn, and Raam had joined me by now. I’ll be honest, I didn’t want to go on Superman alone. It looks like pure terror. You get shot backwards to a height of 415ft and then dropped straight down 328ft, with a top speed of 100mph.

Due to the weather I didn’t get many good photos today (the sun didn’t start shining until late), but this is the stick the Superman car climbs:

I know that doesn’t look like much, but Kevin, Joy, and Raam will testify to my jumping around and trying to keep my anxiety in check as we were waiting to board. :)

Viper

I’ll never learn, will I? I squeezed into this corkscrew and just as we were hitting the first loop something pinched/cracked in my back. There were only 6 more loops to go after that. :)

The Adrenaline High Trifecta

Utilizing a white t-shirt, a frozen lemonade stand, a pen, a smile, and a Nexus One, I MacGyvered my way into us getting front of line access on X2, Tatsu, and Deja Vu.

The normal lines were 90+ minutes for each ride. We went on all three in about one hour. I think there’s a reason they have long lines on intense thrill rides. Your body needs some time to come down from the adrenaline.

First: X2

First up was X2, which I am officially declaring my favorite roller coaster ever, until further notice.

I kind of can’t remember it since I think my brain broke somewhere between Goliath and Deja Vu, but it went something like this:

1) You sit down and strap yourself in with a chest harness that opens and closes in a similar way to how they’d cut you open if you were having open heart surgery.

2) As the ride begins your seat tilts on its back.

3) You go up a hill backwards.

4) Blur.

5) Blur.

6) Blur.

7) Blur.

8) Blur.

9) Blur.

10) Blur.

Lots of going fast and spins and fire and not knowing which way is up or which way is down or which way to the nearest Chipotle or if you remembered to pee before the ride because you’re surely peeing on the ride otherwise.

Second: Tatsu

This ride is similar in riding style to Superman Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Great America. The difference is on Superman Ultimate Flight you don’t feel like all the blood rushing to your head is going to make your head explode.

Basically, on Tatsu, you fly on your stomach into a massive loop at high speeds and it plasters your head to the headrest while attempting as best it can to make you pass out. But that’s only after you’ve already been on the ride for about 30 seconds. All the thrills in the beginning were just a warm up to the blood-letting loop.

Third: Deja Vu

This is similar to V2 and other rides I’ve written about, although it does some more twists and turns than V2. How it works is you get shot backwards up a spear, hang face down, drop straight down, go through a loop, and go up a another spear, only to be dropped backwards to repeat the course. Or maybe it’s the other way around. My brain isn’t working.

In Conclusion

I don’t think there are many thrill-ride parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain. They’ve really packed it in and, while I won’t make a final comparison until tour is over, I think it might be better than Cedar Point. Shhhhhh. No Six Flags didn’t pay me to say that, but if they’d like to my number is (586) 265-4212. Just give me word and I’ll send you my bank details.

Bonus points: really impressed that Magic Mountain has fruit and a salad bar. Actual health food!

More Magic Mountain photos here.

Fun Fact: I’ve driven 5,016 miles and spent $806.65 on gasoline so far. Still 8,000+ miles to go, but when I get to the east coast I’ll be doing a lot less driving between parks. That’ll be cool.

Tomorrow I hit Knott’s Berry Farm. Meet me: (586) 265-4212. Monday I’m taking a day off. :)