Six Flags Magic Mountain facts for kids
| Previously known as Magic Mountain (1971–1979) | |
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The entrance plaza and fountain in 2026, with The Great American Revolution and Tatsu in the background.
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 Six Flags Magic Mountain
Location in Santa Clarita
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Location in California
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| Location | Valencia, California |
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| Coordinates | 34°25′37″N 118°35′49″W / 34.427°N 118.597°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | May 29, 1971 |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Slogan | The Thrill Capital of the World |
| Operating season | Year round |
| Area | 209-acre (85 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 40 |
| Roller coasters | 16 |
| Water rides | 2 |
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a huge amusement park in Valencia, California. It covers 209-acre (85 ha) of land near the Santa Clarita Valley. The park is located about 35 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. It first opened on May 29, 1971. A company called Six Flags bought the park in 1979. People love visiting this park for its giant roller coaster rides. The park is famous for having some of the tallest and fastest rides anywhere.
Contents
History of Six Flags Magic Mountain
A businessman named George Millay, who started Sea World Inc., helped create the park. He worked with the Newhall Land and Farming Company to find open land. When the park opened in 1971, it had 33 attractions. An engineering company called Arrow Development designed many of the original rides. Guests could ride a carousel, steer bumper boats, or ride the Gold Rusher mine train coaster. Visitors could also look across the valley from the high Sky Tower.
Early visitors rode a special mountain cable railway called a funicular to reach high hills. The park had monorail trains and sky rides to carry families around the grounds. In 1971, the park made a deal with Warner Bros. to feature cartoon characters like Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. Friendly costumed trolls also greeted children until 1985. The water flume ride named Jet Stream opened for splashing fun in 1972.
Building Record-Breaking Coasters
Magic Mountain quickly became famous for world-first roller coaster inventions. In 1976, The Great American Revolution opened as the first modern steel looping coaster. In 1978, the giant wooden coaster Colossus amazed guests with twin racing tracks. The park built the first large river rapids ride in the West, Roaring Rapids, in 1981. It pumped thousands of gallons of churning water every minute.
More thrilling rides arrived during the 1980s and 1990s. The swinging steel coaster Ninja opened in 1988 with trains hanging below the track. In 1990, the seven-looping Viper debuted, followed by Batman: The Ride in 1994. In 1997, Superman: Escape from Krypton blasted riders backward at 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). The park then added the giant hypercoaster named Goliath in 2000.
Modern Growth and New Attractions
The park continued to break records with amazing track layouts. The looping monster Scream opened in 2003 with floorless seats. In 2006, the flying roller coaster Tatsu let visitors soar facing downward like a dragon. Later, builders turned the old wooden Colossus into a steel hybrid called Twisted Colossus. The massive launch coaster Full Throttle opened in 2013 with a 160 feet (49 m) loop. In 2022, the single-rail thriller Wonder Woman Flight of Courage made its debut.
Families enjoy exploring themed areas, including the exciting world of DC Universe. Kids can ride junior coasters themed around Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner or play with Bugs Bunny. Guests can also brave Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, a giant tower drop that plunges riders 400 ft (122 m) down toward the ground.
Fun Media Appearances
Magic Mountain is close to Hollywood movie studios, so it appears in many films. The park served as the fictional "Walley World" in the funny film National Lampoon's Vacation. Television shows on Nickelodeon like Drake & Josh and Zoey 101 featured the park as a fictional coaster paradise. Musicians have filmed music videos there, including pop star Katy Perry. The real rides were also recreated in the popular computer video game RollerCoaster Tycoon 2.
Images for kids
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The Grand American Carousel in Six Flags Plaza.
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Jet Stream flume ride splashing down.
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Roaring Rapids wilderness river rafting.
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The steep drop on Goliath.
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The splashdown basin of the former Tidal Wave ride.
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Viper twisting through its red loops.
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Signposts directing guests through the park.
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The Riddler's Revenge stand-up coaster.
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The Magic Flyer junior coaster.
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Scream twisting over its track.
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Twisted Colossus racing on parallel tracks.
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Riders standing on The Riddler's Revenge.
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Full Throttle looping high in the air.
See also
In Spanish: Six Flags Magic Mountain para niños
