Six Flags Magic Mountain

[coaster31]

An outdoor amphitheater at Six Flags Magic Mountain that hosted concerts by Van Halen, Kiss, Motley Crue, INXS, R.E.M., Weezer and even Spinal Tap will be demolished to make room for an anticipated new attraction in 2024 or 2025.

The Golden Bear Theater at the Valencia amusement park will be torn down, according to a demolition permit filed with Los Angeles County. The permit calls for the 24,000-square foot theater to be demolished down to the slab at a cost of $75,000.

Six Flags Magic Mountain officials confirmed the Golden Bear Theater will be demolished, but had no information to share about what will replace the venue.

“While there are no announcements for a new attraction at this time, the park will be taking steps towards improving the park and overall guest experience,” according to Six Flags Magic Mountain officials.

Magic Mountain officials have often bragged that the park has more kids rides than Disneyland. A pending merger between Six Flags and Knott’s Berry Farm parent company Cedar Fair could bring a Peanuts-themed kiddie land to Magic Mountain.

The Golden Bear site could be combined with the land under the Buccaneer and Swashbuckler rides to create a spacious location for a larger ride like a roller coaster.

Magic Mountain’s next coaster is expected to open in 2025 on the Golden Bear Theater location, according to Screamscape. Speculation has focused on the addition of a 200-foot-tall hyper coaster or 300-foot-tall giga coaster, according to Screamscape.

Six Flags Magic Mountain has more roller coasters than any amusement park in the world — a point of pride for the park. The 20 coasters at Magic Mountain lead Canada’s Wonderland (18), Poland’s Energylandia (17) and Ohio’s Cedar Point (16), according to Roller Coaster Database.

Energylandia is hot on Magic Mountain’s heels with plans to build two new coasters in 2024 — which would bring the total to 19, just one behind the leader.

Six Flags Magic Mountain to tear down Golden Bear Theater

The Golden Bear Theater hosted concerts by Van Halen, Kiss, Motley Crue, INXS, R.E.M., Weezer and even Spinal Tap.

www.dailynews.com

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I love the wording in the terms of the permit--as if it was spiteful of "Down to The Slab".

Bring it on.

 

[BillM]

I have always wondered if (ourmountain thrillpark) was somehow affiliated with SFMM (and not just a standard fan page) given the type of photos and videos they frequently upload to their social accounts
View attachment 20194

Funny. Just because he says "yes"

 

[Rideguy70]

One thing I was thinking about is that of late, the Golden Bear Theater was mostly used for dance and cheer competitions. And while I can understand if the average guest was not a fan, they are a cash cow for the park, as every performer and spectator must purchase a park admission. I didn't think SFMM would be willing to give that up.

As I have some friends in that dance/cheer world, I asked and found out that those events will be moving to the Gearworks Theater in the Steampunk area. Which is kind of a win for everyone... it's more self-contained, and relatively more isolated from the main drag of the park--so a bit more out of the public eye (and ear, lol).

 

[BillM]

An updated permit was added where it indicates the slab AND foundation will remain in place. Would this suggest they are building a new theatre?

 

[Freak]

View attachment 20256
An updated permit was added where it indicates the slab AND foundation will remain in place. Would this suggest they are building a new theatre?

They could just be repurposing the foundation to build the station for a new coaster? I am no expert on permits and construction by any means but would they really go through this much trouble to build a new theater when the existing one is fine? I think they’re just repurposing the foundation to save money?

 

[Rideguy70]

Was in the park today, and the Saw X maze is still completely standing. Do we think there's any chance of it being used for Scream Break 2024? I figure it's a longshot, but at the same time, it would likely draw a lot of people in, and help them get return on their investment in the IP. Possible Conjuring too, although it didn't seem to get the same public demand that Saw X did (nor the same mostly positive reception).

I was initially thinking Truth or Dare would also be easy to add, as it was massively improved and in the same area. I think the wild cards for Saw X in Scream Break are: is there enough staffing, and would they want a maze that's relatively far off from the rest of the mazes?

I also did a bit of digging on the various Six Flags parks websites, and the parks that have already announced Scream Break in 2024 on their websites (in addition to SFMM) are: SFDK, SFFT, and SFOT. None of the others make mention of it... although it's also fairly obvious some SF parks haven't announced their full 2024 schedule on their site yet, so it's not necessarily ruled out. Seems to be successful enough at a handful of parks, though.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Was in the park today, and the Saw X maze is still completely standing. Do we think there's any chance of it being used for Scream Break 2024? I figure it's a longshot, but at the same time, it would likely draw a lot of people in, and help them get return on their investment in the IP. Possible Conjuring too, although it didn't seem to get the same public demand that Saw X did (nor the same mostly positive reception).

I was initially thinking Truth or Dare would also be easy to add, as it was massively improved and in the same area. I think the wild cards for Saw X in Scream Break are: is there enough staffing, and would they want a maze that's relatively far off from the rest of the mazes?

With SawXI releasing next year too--it wouldn't be shocking if SFCorp wanted to make sure they can keep using the Saw house for as long as they can. Feel like that's a very easy crowd pleaser regardless if it's Scream Break--or Fright Fest as a whole.

 

[chris.g]

Folks…. great, incredible, (glamorous actually) things are upon us…..

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Folks…. great, incredible, (glamorous actually) things are upon us…..

 

[coaster31]

Folks…. great, incredible, (glamorous actually) things are upon us…..

To the permit machine!

 

[Rideguy70]

Interesting the walls may go down to Pistachio Park area. I'll be curious to know how that spot gets used.

 

[Jerroddragon]

lol

Six Flags being like we have to try to go up against Fast and Furious

No what you need to do is have better Ops.....it's insane these companies just ignore the real issues and go on to build more

To me if you can't be open 7 days a week in southern CA...then you have a bigger problem then just a coast coming to universal

 

[Rideguy70]

While I don't disagree that they could use better ops (and maintenance and staffing), SFMM has issues that Disney, Knott's, and Universal don't: it's considerably further out of the way for most people, and it's main audience isn't families or out of town tourists... it's basically teens. And with school, they just aren't going to go during a weekday unless it's a holiday or vacation. When they were doing 365 ops, and I went during a weekday, I was pretty surprised to largely find all the rides open. And still, no one really came. So I don't blame them for returning back to weekend ops.

Also, let's be real: SFMM gets the most publicity when they announce a new ride... something that used to be an annual occurrence, but essentially hasn't happened in two years (which is an eternity for this park). A big new ride will certainly give them a lot of publicity and buzz, which the park has lacked ever since the Covid years (if not before).

 

[Southerncoasterer]

Also of note, the maintenance and operating budgets are nearly doubling for 2024 (early CF influence)? And most of the upper management has either quit or been fired, and been replaced by transplants from different parks around the chain.

2024 (and beyond) may be a whole different ballgame.

 

[Freak]

Also of note, the maintenance and operating budgets are nearly doubling for 2024 (early CF influence)? And most of the upper management has either quit or been fired, and been replaced by transplants from different parks around the chain.

2024 (and beyond) may be a whole different ballgame.

I’m thrilled to hear this! Sounds like the park could be entering a new golden era!

 

[BillM]

Also of note, the maintenance and operating budgets are nearly doubling for 2024 (early CF influence)? And most of the upper management has either quit or been fired, and been replaced by transplants from different parks around the chain.

2024 (and beyond) may be a whole different ballgame.

Where do we find this information that the maintenance and operating budgets have nearly doubled?

 

[Rideguy70]

Also of note, the maintenance and operating budgets are nearly doubling for 2024 (early CF influence)? And most of the upper management has either quit or been fired, and been replaced by transplants from different parks around the chain.

2024 (and beyond) may be a whole different ballgame.

Didn't the Park CEO abruptly quit/retire (the one most people here hated, who just seemed focused on a bottom line) a few months ago? If so, I'm still shocked that hasn't really been talked about much, as well as who will replace him and when. Seems like that would be pretty important for the future of the park.

And if those budgets are doubling, let's really hope this leads to better ops, the end of single train ops. I mean, TNR has been single train ops for what, a year now?

 

[ethanuniversal]

https://x.com/parkwizar1/status/1746614865387737204?s=46&t=fD-73Lm-qKyaHU89MkdVRw

 

[Freak]

Shoot I thought they would start tomorrow! They’re wasting no time!