Good to know in these poor economic times, Magic Mountain is actually doing alright in terms of raking in the green. Shapiro said the park is coming off one of its best performing seasons in years.

Couple of notes about Magic Mountain:

- A brand new roller coaster (will bring the park back up to 17 coasters) and an expansion to the adjacent Hurricane Harbor water park are planned for the 2010 season.

- Wiggles World children's area will make it to the park for 2011.

Other notes:

- Plans to increase spending in hiring and expanding in the maintenance department at all parks. (GREAT NEWS!)

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal...-...#more-4258

Making money or not there are parks in teh chain that need a coaster in 2010 much more then SFMM. I'm Sure CP has something up their sleeves to stay ahead no matter what. The water park needs an expansion. I rather see a flat package then a 4-10 million coaster.

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Michael C

At least a Topspin for SFMM.

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Thrillnetwork Moderator - Sophomore Original sn: CHILLERLC1
2008 & 2009 TN Coaster Draft Champion
You knew I wanted the other repeat too

While I agree the decision to keep adding more to SFMM has to do with the market it is in (lots of competition) and if they don't continually improve the experience it will be taken over by Disney/Universal/Knott's. Shapiro also stated in the conference call Monday that they will be adding new rides to all the parks in 2011 for the chain's 50th, so I would hang tight to see what they will be adding to other places.

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It helps if the hitter thinks you're a little crazy.
-Nolan Ryan
CoasterNews.Net

It's more the level of investment. SFMM has coaster another one is just another one. If a person in the area that's a rounded park not a coaster park they will look to other parks. I love coasters but if the park doesn't have other rides and attractions I hit it once and move on. SFMM has coasters and nothing else. They would be much bigger competition if they had more to offer.

5 million in flats would be much more in my mind towards accomplish that then a 7-10 million coaster. and they would have 2-5 million to reinvest in other properties.

2010 might be a bigger year for additions throughout the chain but a few parks are very neglected and could use an addition now.

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Michael C

Wasn't this the same information that was released months ago?

Coaster for 2010, and a Wiggles World to follow has been known for a while now.

Wow, it's great to see that all the work being put into SFMM is paying off. X2 was also clearly a great decision. While the park is coaster heavy, two things are never mentioned. First off, they smartly removed all of the rides that don't work (Flashback), and are methodically replacing them with higher quality rides.

Secondly, the park does have non-coaster things to do. They recently opened an internet cafe, Thomas Town and a SFMM history museum atop Sky Tower. I assume flats can't be too far behind as they are finally adding a well needed water attraction to HH.

One thing the park really lacked were coasters the family can ride together! It was either huge coaster or kiddy coaster. Terminator (and I'm assuming the 2010 coaster) will give the park now 4 coasters the family can ride together, in addition to Ninja and Goldrusher.

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"X is DEATH!.....to every other coaster, that is".

I'd bet you that the Hurricane Harbor Addition will be A Zip Coaster and where Flashback was.

I count a Couple Family Coasters
- Canyon Blaster
- Terminator
- Gold Rusher
- Ninja
- Colossus

You know Mack was working on some LIM Bobsled Coaster awhile ago. Hmmm

^ I guess Colossus (in it's current state) could be seen as a family coaster. However, Canyon Blaster isn't a coaster I can ride with my nephew. I'd have to watch from the sidelines.

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"X is DEATH!.....to every other coaster, that is".

I agree to that. IMO, between 2011 and 2013, SFKK and SFA are in desperate need for something major. Come on, don't keep them in the trash heap like the old SFI did...

You say that like SFMM was in trouble at some point. SFMM has always been one of the highest attended parks. The comments about the park being in the green is an attempt to make the company sound stronger then it is.

The park wants to add it's 17th coaster and you only name 1 real attraction, the museum. An internet cafe? why don't you just stay home. A Thomas area means little to nothing if your more then 6. how many family and thrill rides do they have? then compare it to the competing parks. I know they removed flats recently like their Tilt-a-whirl.

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Michael C

^ SFMM was in trouble at some point- it was nearly put up for sale to the highest bidder who would have probably been a real estate developer- in which scenario would have made this discussion a moot point.

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2008 - Tennessee Tornado Crew

Happy 10th Anniversary to the coaster that started it all- Tennessee Tornado!

Your confusing the facts a bit. Yes SFMM was being offered up for sale. This was to pay down debt. The option to try and sell SFMM was not to to the park not performing, but the fact that the park especially the parks land was worth a lot. In fact the park and it's land is worth more the half a billion. Look at SFAW! The park was pulling 1.3 million when it was operating. But SFI felt it could get a lot of money for the land.

Performance has nothing to do with a park being sold.

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Michael C

I don't think Either a Tony Hawks Big Spin or Dark Knight would work.


Tony Hawk is too similar to Sierra Sidewinder.
Dark Knight is basically Mullholland Madness/ Goofy's Sky School at Disney California's Adventure.

^^ It can definately be argued however that SFMM was in some of the worst years of its existance at about this same time?

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2008 - Tennessee Tornado Crew

Happy 10th Anniversary to the coaster that started it all- Tennessee Tornado!

While it's been argued to death that this park could use a serious infusion of modern non-coaster attractions (flat/carnival type rides), it's just good to see management slowly replacing the massive amount of rides that were lost in 2007 with higher quality capital expenditures. In just 2007 alone, the park removed:

1. Flashback (a roller coaster)
2. Psyclone (a roller coaster)
3. Circus Wheel
4. Freefall
5. Sierra Twist
6. Granny Gran Prix
7. Spin Out

So while it seems like Magic Mountain continues to "get more" each season, they've actually lost more rides overall in recent years than they've added.

Not completely true at all. SFMM had seen a steady decline between 2001-2006. SFMM also had skyrocketing operating and maintainance costs due to the original X, Deja Vu and the two lawn ornaments Flashback and Psyclone. All of these problems have been fixed, but they didn't come cheaply. So while SFMM may have been a top earner compared to some of the smaller parks, for SFMM standards the park wasn't doing well at all. And any profit the park may have made was being sucked up by too many maintainance headaches.

In speaking with Jay Thomas last year he did say that flatrides and other non-coaster attractions were on his to do list, but several other problems were of MUCH higher priority.

The park is now clean, the lawn ornaments are gone, the employees are nicer, attandance is up, and now a decent wooden coaster to boot. Every market is different. SFMM is in a market where marquee attractions are needed every few year to compete with Knotts, Disney, Legoland and Universal. No other market outside Florida is as competitive.

The park did pretty well last year without flatrides and these so-called attractions you mention, so clearly they do not NEED them at this point. While it will be nice when the park does add a dark ride and some flats, I'll take Termimator over them right now.

Finally, coasters I can take my nephew on that don't go upside down a zillion times!

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"X is DEATH!.....to every other coaster, that is".

tntornadox - that was a company wide problem. I can remember a trip in 2003 were I visited SFNE to find 9 rides down. Dirty parks, poor staff quality, among other things were not just a SFMM problem.

Chris L - Flashback should have been removed a long time ago. having it sit SBNO seemed more of a crutch to claim the coaster count then anything else. While they lost a lot over one year. parks like SFNE and SFGAdv have seen a much higher ride count lost. Some parks like LA Ronda and SFAm have seen rides removed and not replaced.

Screamweaver - Yes SFMM did see a decline. I wouldn't call it steady. The percentage of lost attendance is no were near the attendance lost at the Flagged parks like SFNE, SFEG, SGDL, etc. Though 2005 proved to be the chains best year. parks like SFMX had a big hand in that. It's good to hear they are going to add flats. Though until they become a more rounded park there are not competing with other parks simply overshadowing them. But, only with coasters. Like I pointed out above the other parks have SFMM on Family and kiddie attractions.

also after getting Terminator how much is a coaster in 20010 coaster goign to do. Flip Flopping Wiggles world with the coaster likely woudl have seen a better return. but if they file bankruptcy we may not see coaster at any SFI park in 2010.

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Michael C

^ Well I agree with you there. If they file and a judge prevents any further cap ex, then this is all moot.

...And no I'm not a fan of a Wiggles section (as I have said before). I'd much rather a simple kid's play area, themed to Mr Six or something.

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"X is DEATH!.....to every other coaster, that is".

I'm not a fan of the Wiggles either. Their population is not what it used to be and with one member down It won't be long before there is no real wiggles left. Then you have an expensive theme that means nothing. A custom theme or one that means more to the locals would be a better choice.

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Michael C

Maybe there will still be a 5 year lifespan on the Wiggles. I never watched the show.

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Thrillnetwork Moderator - Sophomore Original sn: CHILLERLC1
2008 & 2009 TN Coaster Draft Champion
You knew I wanted the other repeat too

I have a niece that turned 6. She hasn't watched the wiggles in a couple years. SFNE having them has not changed my parents mind of bringing her to SFNE. they can bring her to Story Land, Santa's Village, Canobie, or Lake Compounce for far less. and all of those other parks have a much better family atmosphere with a better selection of attraction for the family.

Sorry to SFI but kiddies ride is not family friendly, their just kiddie friendly.

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Michael C

When it comes to profits, compared to the rest of the parks in the chain, I'm pretty certain that Magic Mountain has pretty much always been in the top 5. So it's probably not always first, but its right up there with some of the best parks in the chain.

I'll never understand why SF doesn't use the Warner Brothers and Looney Toons rights to their full potentials-especially when it comes to kids attractions. The brands are much more solid than "Wiggle Worlds" or "Thomas Towns" and they appeal to a wider age group.

Tony Hawk rides are tacky looking, if we get a spinner in '10 I hope they come up with something original.

I agree. Though Magic Mountain did get a Bugs Bunny World expansion in 1999, the area is still quite stale. It could use a little TLC. I mean, I'm not talking Disney-esque enhancements, just a little extra for the kids to do, and a little paint here and there.

maybe SFMM's Wiggles world will be more like SFFT's and less like SFGADv and SFNE's. SFFT's has a lot more family sized attractions then SFGAdv and SFNE's has.

They do seem to under use the looney toons. To expand on my previous post as my niece went away form wiggles she turned to WB and Especially the looney Toons. in all though the area jsut ned to be welcoming and enjoyable. I think the Looney tunes National Park st TGE, would be just as goo if not better without the looney toone.

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Michael C