Six Flags Magic Mountain is a popular amusement park located in Valencia, California. One of the main attractions at the park is the variety of thrilling rides and roller coasters available to visitors. However, one common concern among guests is the wait times for these rides. Ride wait times can vary greatly depending on factors such as the time of year, day of the week, and even the weather. During peak summer months and weekends, the park can be crowded, leading to longer wait times for popular rides. On the other hand, visiting on weekdays or during less busy seasons can often result in shorter wait times.
A touring plan to minimize your wait times:
Wait times on a recent weekday ranged from 5 minutes for Viper, Riddler s Revenge, New Revolution and Scream to 30 minutes for West Coast Racers, 45 minutes for Ninja and 90 minutes for X2 and Tatsu, according to Theme Park ERT. The wait screens are located near X2, West Coast Racers, Superman Escape from Krypton, Goliath, Riddler s Revenge, New Revolution, Gold Rusher, Justice League Battle for Metropolis, Pacific Speedway Go-Karts, Screampunk District and the Main Gate Plaza.
On the other hand, visiting on weekdays or during less busy seasons can often result in shorter wait times. To address this issue, Six Flags Magic Mountain provides guests with various tools to help manage their time and minimize wait times. One such tool is the Six Flags mobile app, which allows visitors to check real-time wait times for rides and plan their day accordingly.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
If you’re a coaster lover or adrenaline junkie, this massive theme park, located in Valencia, California, will satisfy your thrill craving. The 262 acre park, boasts 19 rollercoasters as well as a host of other attractions and an attached (separate admission) water park. The park is a short 40 minute drive from Hollywood. If you aren’t a rollercoaster junkie and prefer milder attractions (and or you have young children), head to Knott’s Berry Farm Instead.
If you’ve been to a Six Flags park before, there should be no surprise here that the park is loaded with superfluous advertising, apathetic employees and is plagued by slow operations. This seems to be consistent with all the other Six Flags we’ve visited. In other words - bring your patience. However, if you manage to hit the park on a slow day, your planning will result in a day of non-stop thrill machines ranging from a rare 1980’s swinging suspended rollercoaster to a 400 foot tall freefall drop.
Here’s what not to miss:
X2 - This is without a doubt one of the most intense coaster experiences in the world. A 195 foot tall steel coaster features a vertical drop and multiple inversions. The gimmick here is that you’re sitting on the outside of the tracks, in two car vehicles that independly flip as you’re hurled along the track. Heavy metal music blasts into the ride speakers.
Tatsu - This coaster flies on top of a large hill and you’re suspended in a flying position below the track. The coaster flips you upside down four times and features a 124 foot tall pretzel loop that will literally squish your guts.
Superman - This shuttle launch coaster was the first coaster in the world to reach 100 miles per hour. It launches riders backwards down a straight away before ascending up a 400 foot tower. You’ll be propelled skyward only to face a 400 foot vertical plunge. You’re in for some serious air time.
Twisted Colossus - Opened in 2014, this steel, wooden coaster hybrid coaster features one of the longest track cycles out of any coaster. This unique coaster is a one of a kind and was built using the structure of the parks 1970’s racing wooden coaster, Colossus. The coaster features an incredibly steep 80 degree, 116 foot first drop (which you’ll do twice), outward banked turns, a high five turn and two unique inversions. The ride can be timed so that trains race each other..
Other rides of note:
Lex Luthor's Drop of Doom - At 400 feet tall, this is one of the world's highest free fall drop towers. You’ll drop like a rock from the top of the tower until a series of magnetic brakes slows your fall.
West Coast Racers - The newest attraction in the park, added in 2020, is a launch coaster with two tracks that make you feel like you’re racing the adjacent train.
Riddlers Revenge - One of the last remaining stand up coasters in the U.S. It boasts six inversions including a 45 degree tilted loop.
Full Throttle - A unique but short launch coaster sends you rocketing through the tallest loop in North America. You’ll launch forward and backwards, eventually rushing over the outside of the loop before you plunge back into the station.
Revolution - The world's first modern looping rollercoaster is located at the front of the park. Built in 1971, it’s by no means the tallest or the fastest, but it’s a great ride for thrill seekers in training.
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis - A unique dark ride made specifically for Six Flags, this interactive, shooting style (video game) ride boasts multiple 4-D special effects and impressive animatronics. Surprisingly fun, it’s in the same league as many Disney or Universal attractions.
Goliath - This monster coaster has a 255 foot first drop and a dizzying array of helixes. The G-forces are enough to cause a grey out. If you’re prone to dizziness, this one is skippable.
Apocalypse - This fun wooden coaster is in the back of the park. It twists in and out of it’s self. We have no idea what the hell the theming is about, but try to just go with it.
Ninja - A classic suspended coaster that hangs from the track. It’s one of the few left in the country. It’s by no means thrilling, but it’s great for a breather.
There’s a bunch of other rollercoasters as well as a few water rides as well. You can check out a full list at www.sixflags.com/magicmountain.
Tips:
Avoid the park during the summer. It’s crowded and hot with minimal shade. If you must go on a weekend, skip Saturday and do Sunday instead. The park operates year round. During the off-season, it’s only open during the weekends. Always go on a Sunday. Early September during the week as well as spring time is also a great time to visit. Just be sure to avoid spring break.
The park will give you free water at any concession stand that has a fountain soda. Just ask for a cup of ice water.
There’s a number of ways to get substantial discounts to the park. Check the website before visiting for discounted ticket prices. Often times, Coca Cola will run a promotion where you get $25 off adult admission. If you pay full price, well, you’ve been swindled. If you are planning on visiting more than once, buy the season pass. It pays for itself in just two visits.
Do some research beforehand and make sure you’re not going on a “Bring A Friend” for free day. (Occasionally they’ll run a special promotion where park season pass holders can bring a friend for free.) The park is always slammed on these days. If you are the friend that got in for free, be a good friend and pay for flash passess for your group.
No outside food or drinks is allowed in the park. There are metal detectors as well as a bag check. They’ll throw your food out.
If you plan on visiting more than once, the season pass is well worth it. Also, if you think you’ll be visiting more than twice, it might be wise to price out the season dining pass. We visit often so the dining pass has probably saved us hundreds of dollars in food costs. You won’t get away with buying a full lunch anywhere for less than twelve dollars.
It’s called Magic Mountain because it’s on a BIG ASS HILL. Bring your walking shoes. The park is not flat. It’s one big loop. One big up and down loop.
If you do buy food:
Twisted Sandwiches is decent and you get a good size sandwich for your buck.
Ace of Clubs is also a decent option for a high protein lunch. They have steak salads, sandwiches and other BBQ options.
This can be your best friend on a busy day. There are three levels with varying degrees of instant access (skip the line) opportunities. The price depends on the day you go and the level Flash Pass you select. The individual rides on Flash Pass change from time to time so it’s best to check the website to see what’s available.
A touring plan to minimize your wait times:
- Get there before park opening. Once the park opens, head straight to Superman. The ride is low capacity and the park usually is only running it a half capacity.
- After Superman, head partially down the hill and hit Tatsu. Despite having three trains (and usually only two are operating), the loading procedure is slow and arduous.
- If it’s a hot day, now’s a good time to do Roaring Rapids. The line in the afternoon is unshaded and it crawls.
- Head back down the hill towards the back of the park. Ride Battle for Metropolis, Riddler’s Revenge and Green Lantern.
- Next on your hit list should be Twisted Colossus.
- In the afternoon, enjoy some of the B level attractions including Batman, Apocalypse, Ninja, Revolution, Jet Stream, Scream and Full Throttle.
- The sweet spot to hit X2 is generally about 3:45 in the afternoon. By then, most of the crowd has dispersed to the back of the park.
Out of the big five theme parks in So Cal (Disney, Universal, Knott’s, SeaWorld, Magic Mountain) I’m gonna go ahead and declare this one the bottom of the bunch. The tradeoff being that the coaster collection here is stellar. Go in knowing that you’re probably not going to encounter the nicest employees. You may encounter single train operations and some parts of the park have seen finer days. The newer parts of the park that have been refreshed in recent years don’t look bad, but in no way rival Disney’s level of detail. The crowd is mainly teenagers and young adults. If you want to impress your lover, they sell poop emoji hats.
Alas, we find ourselves coming back here time and time again to satisfy that sweet coaster craving. I’d imagine you might too.
Next feel free to check out our visit to Six Flags Mexico!
This enables guests to make informed decisions about which rides to prioritize based on wait times and optimize their overall park experience. In addition to the mobile app, Six Flags Magic Mountain also offers a Fast Lane pass for purchase. This pass gives holders priority access to select rides, allowing them to bypass the regular line and significantly reduce their wait times. While this option comes at an additional cost, it can be worth it for those looking to maximize their ride experience and minimize wait times. It's important to note that even with these tools and options, wait times can still be unpredictable, especially during peak periods. However, the park's efforts to provide real-time information and offer Fast Lane passes are aimed at improving the overall guest experience and ensuring a fun and enjoyable visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain..
Reviews for "The Economics of Ride Wait Times: How Demand and Capacity Affect Your Experience at Six Flags Magic Mountain"
1. John - 1 star - The wait times at Six Flags Magic Mountain were absolutely ridiculous. I understand that amusement parks can get busy, but this was next level. We spent more time standing in lines than actually enjoying the rides. It was extremely frustrating and took away from the overall experience. I would not recommend going here if you're not a fan of long wait times.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - As much as I love amusement parks, the wait times at Six Flags Magic Mountain were a major disappointment. It seemed like no matter what time of day we went, the lines were always ridiculously long. Even with a FastPass, we still had to wait longer than expected. It really took away from the thrill and excitement of the rides. I hope they can find a way to improve their queue management system in the future.
3. Alex - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to visiting Six Flags Magic Mountain, but the ride wait times left a lot to be desired. We waited in line for over an hour for some of the popular rides, and it was simply exhausting. The park was overcrowded and it felt like they didn't have enough staff to handle the crowds efficiently. I would recommend visiting on a less busy day, if possible, to avoid the frustration of long wait times.