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Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launch

Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

The chain, as it officially oversees the parks, does have the final say on what attractions go into said park. They inform companies X, Y, and Z that they are looking for something with features A-Z and then the companies will make pitches to the corporate R&D team to decide which is the best choice economically, realistically, and what will cater to the desired market the best.

Obviously the larger parks will typically get the larger attractions. Xcelerator was originally planned for Cedar Point, with Wicked Twister planned for Knott's Berry Farm, then the coaster wars boomed, Kinzel got a hard on when he saw that TTD was possible, and bing bang boom, attractions switched parks, things got moved, and that's how babies are made. A park like Worlds of Fun or Six Flags America would never get something TTDish, for the market they are in, the return on investment wouldn't be the same as it would for a place like SFMM or CP. The chain, and individual parks, have 5 year plans (or so is the common perception) that states when and who will get an attraction in a given year. For a somewhat easy example, let's look at SFMM.

X was a mechanics worst nightmare, the trains were too heavy, which led to loads of downtime, single train operation, extreme costs, and it was getting to the point where it was do we scrap it or refurb it. Clearly they deemed $10 million was worth keeping it (and the crowds tend to agree) so they got in touch with S&S, had them redesign the original trains to be more lightweight, gave the ride a face lift, and it is still the most popular ride in the park. That was 2008(?) So clearly that was in the works for quite a while, as they knew after all the issues once it opened, it was going to need something.

Then you have the removal of Psyclone, the most hated ride in the park by the GP. They knew it would have to go, as it donated trains to Colossus yearly for Halloween Haunt, and it was unpopular. So while they were in the process of preparing to remove it, they looked for the best options, on a corporate and park level. Employees surveyed guests (with those stupid touch pads they annoy you with at the entrance gate) and asked what they wanted to see built next, removed, etc. Then that data went to corporate where they discussed it with park management and then decisions were made. So in the end, it was removed and replaced by Terminator.

This is seen all across the park, Freefall became Green Lantern, very similar size, throughput, ride sensation, but it decreased downtime. Superman gets revamped because it was aging, ran one side only, and was losing popularity. Now the lines are always upwards of an hour and it is extremely popular again. Log Jammer was removed for this new coaster, which was unfortunate as it is the better of the two flumes IMO, but it provided the better location, as that area of the park has been neglected for quite some time.

So, in a nutshell, the corporate company controls who gets what budget for said year, and the parks work with that to try and reach goals to get certain budgets for certain attractions, while getting input from their guests. It all works as one kinda complex but kinda simple system. If that made any sense.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

UC said:
No, two new coasters opening in an obscure (in terms of parks) area of the world with little actual information about their development process, don't count.

See, I kind of have an issue with this. Sure, we don't have all the facts and/or a lot of information about those particular rides, but that's purely because we get pretty much all of our information from coaster forums.

No park is going to have such a basic method of gathering information. If they want the information regarding those rides, then I'm pretty sure S&S could, and would, happily give it to them.

I'm not suggesting it's going to be S&S by the way; I highly doubt that as well. But to say that there's not enough information about those rides, just because we, a bunch of enthusiasts, can't get that information is very, very flawed.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Thank you both, that was as clear and informative an answer as I could've wanted.

One other question this leads me to ask: In a case such as that of Geauga Lake or Kentucky Kingdom where the park is shut down, I'm guessing that corporate assumes the debt and takes ownership of the remaining rides in the park. When some of those rides are then relocated to other parks within the chain (take Dominator or Chang for example), do the parks receiving those rides have to bid on them & buy them from corporate? I'd think that if that were the case, they'd be sold to the park at a discount, relative to a situation wherein a ride is purchased from a competing park outside of the chain.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

UC, over the years, different corporate structures at 6F have operated as you describe, while others have taken virtually all control from the parks concerning new additions. Some parks retain more control than others, regardless of corporate changes. (6FoT tends to get a long leash) Before Premier, the parks pretty much controlled all aspects of new attractions, while during the Shapiro years they had almost zero input.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Premier Rides Twitter said:
Hey fans! Keep an eye on our page for our big announcement that you won’t want to miss. Hint: Premier is California dreaming once again!

Maybe?
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

YAY!

Or it is news regarding S:UF modifications.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Superman: Ultimate Flight, one of the most common names used by Six Flags short of Batman: The Ride.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Premier mainly do launched rides (I think only 1 standard coaster tbh) and Knotts already has Xcelerator. PLUS, the tweet specifies next week, which is when all things Six Flags will be announced.

Pertaining the Record breaking inversion, I thought Full Throttle was rumored to have a loop, not just any kind of inversion. We already have Worlds Highest Inversion and Worlds Tallest Loop at seperate categories, so this may hold the tallest loop.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Premier did a wood coaster once, not sure how it rides but the idea of a launching woodie is hilarious.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Slightly off topic, but it seems that Intamin would be the contender to build a wooden launch coaster because of their hydraulic launch technology. It seems that LIMs or LSMs would be hard to fit on a wooden coaster.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

In terms of a launched wooden coaster, I'll believe it when I see it. :--D As for Full Throttle, I'll be really bummed if this thing isn't epic. From the rumors I've been hearing, it should be easily the best coaster at the park.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

bizarrofan10 said:
In terms of a launched wooden coaster, I'll see it when I believe it. :--D As for Full Throttle, I'll be really bummed if this thing isn't epic. From the rumors I've been hearing, it should be easily the best coaster at the park.

So we have to wait until you believe it before we can get one? We better make a believer out of you soon.

Seriously though, I completely agree with your expectations for this coaster. Could be a landmark ride for sure if executed well.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

It seems like the public all want something like King The Ka. Facepalm.
What is it with people always saying they want Kingda Ka.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

It seems that LIMs or LSMs would be hard to fit on a wooden coaster
Why? You could just make the launch track sections out of steel topper track/iron horse track or something along those lines if it were felt it would cop more of a beating (Which it wouldn't really, but just want to nip the issue in the bud for the sake of it), and mount the LSMs on steel ledgers to avoid any misalignment due to the wood structure settling.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

owenrita121 said:
It seems like the public all want something like King The Ka. Facepalm.
What is it with people always saying they want Kingda Ka.
Because it's an awesome ride?
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

Haven't been on it, but I would rather ride a long, low to the ground coaster; then a tall, 20 second coaster.
ie: Kingda Ka isn't in my top 10 "want to ride" list. Maverick is #3.
 
Re: Six Flags Magic Mountain | "Full Throttle" | multi launc

owenrita121 said:
It seems like the public all want something like King The Ka. Facepalm.
What is it with people always saying they want Kingda Ka.

Which would make even LESS sense at MM, what with Superman having just had Lex Luthor added this year.
 
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