Six Flags Magic Mountain

[Jake S]

Vekoma has built one (1) roller coaster taller than 200 feet. I'm not saying that Vekoma can't build a great roller coaster, but I certainly wouldn't bet on it. And I'd certainly push back on the idea that it'd be no different than Intamin, a company that has a history of building hits (albeit with the associated reliability concerns).

 

[Tobias]

When it comes to whatever is on the way, I'm very much in the boat that it's going to stand out in a big way and it's going to be unique to the region. USH lit a fire underneath them as Hollywood Drift is a big, unique coaster that nobody in the area has. You don't counter that with something that many other parks have and/or with some sort of obscure record that most folks aren't going to care about.

A full-on Giga would absolutely stand out, that would be stupid easy to advertise for the entire West Coast. And Giga's just seem to hit that sweet spot for folks, it becomes the big coaster for many, and that's a major draw right there.

I also agree with @AlexanderMBush that if they did go for a gimmick coaster, it would be a tilt coaster. The concept is insane enough that it would get attention, and at the moment no one in North America has one. (Cotaland is firmly a "I'll believe it when it actually opens." with the multiple delays it's been having for several coasters.)

Though I feel it's a Giga, the combo of that big draw and easy marketability is rather choice.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I'd also bring up that as far as I am aware, modern Vekoma makes it's costs factor in how easily it can be to have them be reliable. Have heard stories on some of their recent models being B&M level reliable; due to how Vekoma figured out their processes.

We still have yet to see the Tilt in modern approach, but it is something Vekoma has had experience of before as-well. And as I and @Tobias expertly nailed down: it hits that "insane" level that feels like a good counter to the Multi-Inversional Intamin MDC model that is a near hour away.

 

[chris.g]

I personally believe this will be a B&M....

 

[graspthesun]

To me, it feels like a few options.

A.) The Giga Method - It'd be something that feels like it's long overdue for the park; and it could allow them to redo the entire entrance plaza experience to be like Carowinds in a sense (the same could be said for B if we're honest). It'd be photogenic, but I don't think there's enough space for it? Unless this goes further than where it is intending.

B.) The Tilt Method - In a landscape where Knotts and Seas have more traditional dive based coasters, how could SFMM change the game? Quite simple--go to the absolute extreme. Vekoma is making it's way back into the US, and they will be opening a Tilt Coaster in Qiddya (with a second one in Texas). I think it'd be a picture-esque iconic coaster that could easily wrap itself around that entire area with no problem, and depending on it's height; it could be imposing to see from the highway.

I don't consider Hangtime or any Gerstlauer coaster to be a dive coaster. I would reserve that title specifically for the B&M models.

 

[Freak]

I personally believe this will be a B&M....

I really hope this isn’t a dive coaster then. I mean if it is it will be fun, but if they’re gonna spend that kind of money….GIGA.

 

[Magic-Man]

Vekoma has built one (1) roller coaster taller than 200 feet. I'm not saying that Vekoma can't build a great roller coaster, but I certainly wouldn't bet on it. And I'd certainly push back on the idea that it'd be no different than Intamin, a company that has a history of building hits (albeit with the associated reliability concerns).

Have you seen the stuff they've recently built? Lech Coaster, F.L.Y, Guardians Cosmic Rewind, Fonix, Wrath of Zeus, Abyssus, Big Bear Mountain, Hals Uber Kopf? It feels like you're judging the company by their old coasters instead of the newer ones.

 

[Jake S]

Have you seen the stuff they've recently built? Lech Coaster, F.L.Y, Guardians Cosmic Rewind, Fonix, Wrath of Zeus, Abyssus, Big Bear Mountain, Hals Uber Kopf? It feels like you're judging the company by their old coasters instead of the newer ones.

I have! I've even been on one of them (Guardians). That does not change how I feel about enlisting Vekoma to build a massive, game-changing coaster.

 

[coaster31]

Guys. You are missing the obvious record breaking attraction:

The worlds longest bench. Long enough to fit 900,000 people at once


They can call it “bench the ride!”

 

[Magic-Man]

I have! I've even been on one of them (Guardians). That does not change how I feel about enlisting Vekoma to build a massive, game-changing coaster.

Can you explain your reasoning? Because I don't understand it. Phantasialand bet big on F.L.Y. and it worked it extremely well. So did Disney and Guardians.

 

[coaster31]

But seriously. I still put my money on a Gigi. especially after factoring in all those “teases” from the SM folks last year

 

[Jake S]

Can you explain your reasoning? Because I don't understand it. Phantasialand bet big on F.L.Y. and it worked it extremely well. So did Disney and Guardians.

Sure! Those are massively different roller coasters than what I'm hearing proposed for Magic Mountain in this thread, and I'd argue neither require near as much ambition from Vekoma as a giga coaster (or anything approaching it).

 

[Magic-Man]

Sure! Those are massively different roller coasters than what I'm hearing proposed for Magic Mountain in this thread, and I'd argue neither require near as much ambition from Vekoma as a giga coaster (or anything approaching it).

Uhh. F.L.Y. and Guardians were entirely new ride systems that are extremely ambitious. F.L.Y. is the first launched flying coaster and has an extremely innovative seating setup (going from upright to lying down with a rotating seats) and Guardians has controlled rotating trains. Both are far more ambitious than a normal coaster but taller. Anybody can make a giga coaster. Not everyone can make what Vekoma is doing (without being maintenance nightmares at least, looking at you Intamin).

If you're worried about airtime, a lot of Vekoma's newer models either have strong ejector (Lech Coaster) or strong floater (Fonix).

 

[Jake S]

Anybody can make a giga coaster. Not everyone can make what Vekoma is doing (without being maintenance nightmares at least, looking at you Intamin).

Cool! Vekoma hasn't made a giga coaster yet and, as I've already said, I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig for such an attraction.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Cool! Vekoma hasn't made a giga coaster yet and, as I've already said, I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig for such an attraction.

Vekoma was the literal second choice for Energylandia's Hyperion. It's not a matter of being a guinea pig, it's a matter of seeing that they've had an eye to go to the lengths of a near giga before (the Intamin version clocks in at 269 feet at it's tallest point, to bring up for instance). The only reason why Energylandia went with Intamin, was because they had an official park poll that had official illuistrations and renderings of what each company was wanting to bring had they of won.

I don't get this. Especially with how much Vekoma has innovated, and how much they have been honing in on what works with them; especially given the positive success with their new line of coasters in the European market (and I understand this is subtracting from the SFMM conversation; but it is something I genuinely want to talk about).

 

[Jake S]

Vekoma was the literal second choice for Energylandia's Hyperion. It's not a matter of being a guinea pig, it's a matter of seeing that they've had an eye to go to the lengths of a near giga before (the Intamin version clocks in at 269 feet at it's tallest point, to bring up for instance). The only reason why Energylandia went with Intamin, was because they had an official park poll that had official illuistrations and renderings of what each company was wanting to bring had they of won.

Cool! If I'm Magic Mountain, I'd still not want to be the park where Vekoma is debuting the extended end of their capabilities. I am not taking this anywhere near as personally as y'all seem to be.

 

[Magic-Man]

Cool! If I'm Magic Mountain, I'd still not want to be the park where Vekoma is debuting the extended end of their capabilities. I am not taking this anywhere near as personally as y'all seem to be.

I'm not taking it personally, it just seems like a really weird argument to make.

 

[Freak]

I personally believe this will be a B&M....

Going back to Chris’ post….what if we are getting a giga, but it’s not the giga we want? What if we are getting a giga B&M dive coaster?

I mean think about it. It would likely cost less than something like Fury, it would be short and gimmicky which would be in SFMM’s nature, but the world’s tallest and steepest dive coaster would be insanely more marketable than another “up and down” coaster with a slow drop….the GP would just see it as a bigger Goliath.

I hope I’m wrong and it is indeed something like Fury….but if this does turn out to be a short and gimmicky dive coaster, albeit the world’s tallest and steepest, it will still be fun, but I want a real giga dang it.

 

[coaster31]

Going back to Chris’ post….what if we are getting a giga, but it’s not the giga we want? What if we are getting a giga B&M dive coaster?

I mean think about it. It would likely cost less than something like Fury, it would be short and gimmicky which would be in SFMM’s nature, but the world’s tallest and steepest dive coaster would be insanely more marketable than another “up and down” coaster with a slow drop….the GP would just see it as a bigger Goliath.

I hope I’m wrong and it is indeed something like Fury….but if this does turn out to be a short and gimmicky dive coaster, albeit the world’s tallest and steepest, it will still be fun, but I want a real giga dang it.

Feels like we should discard the "six flags will always go for the gimmicky stuff" now that they are merging with CF....

the decision makers are different now that they are combined

 

[Magic-Man]

Feels like we should discard the "six flags will always go for the gimmicky stuff" now that they are merging with CF....

the decision makers are different now that they are combined

They aren't officially combined yet, and this decision is probably two or three years in the making anyways.