Latest news with #SixFlagsMagicMountain
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Six Flags Magic Mountain's record-setting Superman coaster will fly no more
Six Flags Magic Mountain's "Superman: Escape from Krypton," once among the fastest and tallest roller coasters in the world, has taken its final flight. The ride, which shut down for maintenance last September, will be closed permanently, park officials told the Orange County Register. The theme park did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Times Friday. Originally named "Superman: The Escape," the roller coaster set speed and height records when it debuted in 1997 — hurtling riders upward at a top speed of 100 mph before sending them back down on a near-vertical 415-foot plummet where they experienced 6.5 seconds of weightlessness, according to theme park's website. In 2011, the coaster was redubbed "Superman: Escape from Krypton" and redesigned to run the terrifyingly exhilarating trip backward. "You're about to shoot from 0 to 100 miles per hour in seven seconds flat — in reverse," the Six Flags' website described the ride. "This record-breaking speed and acceleration has never before been achieved in a thrill ride, let alone backwards." Magic Mountain president Jeff Harris told the O.C. Register that the park had initially hoped to reopen the ride, but sourcing replacement parts for the aging roller coaster had proved cost prohibitive. "Just like other roller coasters within the theme park industry, there's a life cycle with these coasters," Harris told the Register. "It's just reached a point in time where we need to make a wise decision on where we really should reinvest funds that improve the guest experience the most. It just doesn't make a lot of sense from a business perspective to put it back into Superman." " Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom" a ride that is attached to the Superman ride and hoists park visitors 40 stories into the air before dropping them back to earth, is currently undergoing maintenance and scheduled to reopen in April, Harris said. The end of the line for Superman was met with an outpouring of grief from adrenaline junkies. "That saying they have about parents and their children applies here: 'You never know when it will be the last time you'll be able to hold your child in your arms,'" one user wrote on Reddit. "Same goes for these rides when they go into refurbishment and the same for Superman. I loved Superman ... I never knew the last time I rode it would be the last time ever." While the extreme ride had a strong fan base, it also experienced technical challenges and several extended periods of closure. Some of these were related to the linear synchronous motor launch system that allowed the ride to reach 100 mph. Currently, the fastest roller coaster in the world is the Formula Rossa at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2010 and boasts a top speed of 149.1 mph. Six Flags Magic Mountain is now down to 19 roller coasters, but the Valencia theme park has a new suspended motorbike coaster ride slated to open in 2026.
Los Angeles Times
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Six Flags Magic Mountain's record-setting Superman coaster will fly no more
Six Flags Magic Mountain's 'Superman: Escape from Krypton,' once among the fastest and tallest roller coasters in the world, has taken its final flight. The ride, which shut down for maintenance last September, will be closed permanently, park officials told the Orange County Register. The theme park did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Times Friday. Originally named 'Superman: The Escape,' the roller coaster set speed and height records when it debuted in 1997 — hurtling riders upward at a top speed of 100 mph before sending them back down on a near-vertical 415-foot plummet where they experienced 6.5 seconds of weightlessness, according to theme park's website. In 2011, the coaster was redubbed 'Superman: Escape from Krypton' and redesigned to run the terrifyingly exhilarating trip backward. 'You're about to shoot from 0 to 100 miles per hour in seven seconds flat — in reverse,' the Six Flags' website described the ride. 'This record-breaking speed and acceleration has never before been achieved in a thrill ride, let alone backwards.' Magic Mountain president Jeff Harris told the O.C. Register that the park had initially hoped to reopen the ride, but sourcing replacement parts for the aging roller coaster had proved cost prohibitive. 'Just like other roller coasters within the theme park industry, there's a life cycle with these coasters,' Harris told the Register. 'It's just reached a point in time where we need to make a wise decision on where we really should reinvest funds that improve the guest experience the most. It just doesn't make a lot of sense from a business perspective to put it back into Superman.' 'Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom' a ride that is attached to the Superman ride and hoists park visitors 40 stories into the air before dropping them back to earth, is currently undergoing maintenance and scheduled to reopen in April, Harris said. The end of the line for Superman was met with an outpouring of grief from adrenaline junkies. 'That saying they have about parents and their children applies here: 'You never know when it will be the last time you'll be able to hold your child in your arms,'' one user wrote on Reddit. 'Same goes for these rides when they go into refurbishment and the same for Superman. I loved Superman ... I never knew the last time I rode it would be the last time ever.' While the extreme ride had a strong fan base, it also experienced technical challenges and several extended periods of closure. Some of these were related to the linear synchronous motor launch system that allowed the ride to reach 100 mph. Currently, the fastest roller coaster in the world is the Formula Rossa at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2010 and boasts a top speed of 149.1 mph. Six Flags Magic Mountain is now down to 19 roller coasters, but the Valencia theme park has a new suspended motorbike coaster ride slated to open in 2026.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Young man, 22, suffers fatal brain injury on Six Flags Magic Mountain coaster, lawsuit claims
In a lawsuit filed last year, a Garden Grove family is suing Six Flags Magic Mountain, alleging their 22-year-old son suffered a traumatic and fatal brain injury sustained while riding one of the theme park's most infamous and popular rollercoasters, X2. Christopher Hawley, a recent graduate of San Diego State University, was with his younger brother, Alex, and their cousin at Six Flags Magic Mountain on June 23, 2022, when the trio climbed aboard X2. His brother and cousin sat together, directly behind Christopher, who was in a row all by himself. The fourth dimension coaster, which is designed with rotating seats that move independently as the ride progresses, features a 215-foot drop, sudden flips and rotations all while reaching speeds of up to 76 miles per hour. As Christopher, Alex and their cousin neared the end of the ride, the coaster 'suddenly, abruptly and violently jolted to a halt,' jarring the 22-year-old and the other two boys in their seats, the lawsuit states. His younger brother and cousin noticed Christpher holding onto the rail for stability, walking haltingly down the ramp, and when they came to his aid, he mumbled that his head hurt. That's when, according to the suit, the 22-year-old knelt down, slumped over to his side and lost consciousness. Christopher, whose parents Anne and William Hawley say was in excellent health, was rushed to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia where a CT scan showed he suffered a catastrophic right subdural hematoma resulting from the rollercoaster, the lawsuit claims. The next day, June 24, 2022, Christopher died. 'We want to make sure that that ride isn't going to kill somebody else,' William Hawley said during a video conference call reported on by The Orange County Register. 'They won't explain to us what happened. They've essentially gone dark. The only way we've been able to contact them is through our attorney.' In their suit, the Hawleys accuse Magic Mountain of operating the ride with negligence, a design defect and a failure to warn customers of the potential danger. 'This is not the first time someone has sustained a serious injury as a result of riding X2,' said the family's attorney, Ari Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at Los Angeles-based Wisner Baum. 'X2 has been linked to previous incidents, where people received whiplash, head and leg injuries, and more, from the ride's sudden shuddering and jolts.' The family's legal team, according to The Register, anticipates seeking $10 million in compensatory damages pending the results of the ride's inspection and the strength of found during the investigation. KTLA has reached out to officials at Six Flags Magic Mountain for comment and is awaiting a response. A trial date has been set for Oct. 13. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Garden Grove family alleges Six Flags rollercoaster caused son's death
LOS ANGELES - A Garden Grove couple has filed a lawsuit against Six Flags Magic Mountain, alleging their son died from a fatal injury sustained while riding a roller coaster at the Valencia theme park. What we know Anne and William Hawley have filed a lawsuit against Magic Mountain, claiming the X2 roller coaster caused the fatal brain injury of their son, Christopher, a 22-year-old recent graduate of San Diego State University. According to the lawsuit, the incident occurred on June 23, 2022 when Christopher was riding the roller coaster with his brother and cousin. The ride abruptly stopped, causing Christopher to experience severe head pain and eventually lose consciousness. The lawsuit alleges negligence, design defects, and failure to warn customers of potential dangers associated with the ride. What they're saying Ari Friedman, the family's attorney, stated, "This is not the first time someone has sustained a serious injury as a result of riding X2. X2 has been linked to previous incidents, where people received whiplash, head and leg injuries, and more, from the ride's sudden shuddering and jolts." The backstory The X2 roller coaster features rotating seats, a 215-foot drop, and speeds up to 76 mph, the lawsuit claims. The ride is known for its sudden flips and rotations. The Hawleys' lawsuit highlights previous incidents linked to X2, including whiplash and other injuries. Here's how X2 is described on the Magic Mountain website: "Go ahead and take in the view on the long ride up, 200 feet in the air. Enjoy the ride of your life on this one-of-a-kind coaster with a groundbreaking use of fire, carefully designed to heighten your total sensory overload. X2's utterly innovative design will keep your mind in full thrust the entire time. Your 360-degree seats extend on wings far off the track. So while you are careening down the rails at 76 miles per hour through an unreal assortment of dives, flips and twists, as well as two ultra-rare "raven turns" — half loops that change their minds midway and become sheer drops—your body will also be flipping around 360-degrees over and over again. Quite simply, you will be spun into another dimension." What we don't know The lawsuit is ongoing, and further details about the ride's safety measures and any previous incidents are yet to be fully disclosed. Magic Mountain has not commented on the allegations.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Six Flags Magic Mountain closed due to ‘inclement weather'
Six Flags Magic Mountain will remain closed on Tuesday due to 'inclement weather.' The theme park announced on Instagram that tickets purchased for Tuesday will be honored on 'any other regular operating day' until Dec. 31. The first of two storms will bring a chance of rain to Southern California beginning on Tuesday morning. This first system is expected to be the weaker of the two but will still bring between a third and two-thirds of an inch of rain to Los Angeles County, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). According to the NWS, the second storm is expected to bring rain totals along the coasts and valleys to between 1 and 2 inches by Thursday night. Mountain and foothill totals could reach 4 inches. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
