From Betsy Malloy,
Your Guide to California Travel.
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• Hours: Open every day in summer, closed weekdays during school year (except during holidays)
• Reservations: Not required
• Cost: Admission charged
• Location: East of Los Angeles on Interstate 5, at the Magic Mountain Parkway exit
• How Long: Allow about a day to ride everything, longer when the park is busy
• Best Time to Visit:Busiest (also hottest) in summer and on school holidays, less busy on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday if open. Weather may close some rides, so don't go on a day when it's raining or windy. If you go in summer, when the park is open very late, consider arriving in mid-afternoon.

Six Flags Magic Mountain Review

Six Flags Magic Mountain reminds me of an old-fashioned amusement park on steroids. The chk-a-chk-a-chk-a of roller coasters climbing, far-off screams and the smell of popcorn and cotton candy recall gentler days, and then suddenly there's the scream of metal-on-metal as Baja Ridge roars by. Today's youngsters expect bigger-faster-scarier rides, and Six Flags Magic Mountain aims to please.

Six Flags Magic Mountain has a collection of roller coasters that elicit superlatives of all kinds - fastest, tallest, first and only. Six Flags Magic Mountain is perhaps most appealing to teenagers, but they haven't neglected younger children, and there are a number of rides geared toward the under-48-inch-tall set.

We rate Six Flags Magic Mountain 3 stars out of 5. Coaster-lovin' teenagers seem to like it, but the lines are so long that even the scariest ride just isn't worth it.

Others may disagree. You can see what other people just like you think about Six Flags Magic Mountain, then bookmark this page and after you've been there, come back and tell us what you think.

What do you think of Six Flags Magic Mountain???

• 0 = Yuck! Just say no to this flea-bitten hole of a tourist trap
• 1 = So-So More fun than a night in jail, but you might enjoy a good nap more
• 2 = OK Some people find it interesting, but I didn't
• 3 = Good Go if you have time, but it's not a big deal if you miss it
• 4 = Great I really liked it, and I think you will, too
• 5 = Awesome! It's a must-see sight that I recommend to everyone

Six Flags Magic Mountain Attractions

With almost a dozen roller coasters and a similar number of thrill rides, Six Flags Magic Mountain is not a place for a quiet family outing.

The park is organized into eight areas, but overall it is fairly small. You can save some time (and those aching feet) by using the Orient Express or the Metro Monorail instead of walking across the park.

Roller coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain are best described with superlatives. These super coasters include Flashback, the world's only hairpin-drop roller coaster; 85-mph Goliath; Colossus, the tallest wooden roller coaster in the West; Riddler's Revenge, the world's tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster; Deja Vu, a Super Boomerang coaster; Ninja, the West Coast's fastest suspended roller coaster; X, a 4-dimensional ride that spins and rotates 360 degrees forward, backward, upside down and head first; and Viper, the world's largest looping roller coaster.

Other Six Flags Magic Mountain thrill rides include Sierra Falls, a river ride; Batman, combining a thrill ride with Batman movie magic; Tidal Wave plunging over a 50-foot waterfall; and Superman the Escape, the world's tallest freefall ride (and my personal favorite).

Dive Devil, a skydiving/hang gliding experience, charges an extra admission, as does Cyclone 500, a high-speed road race.

On select days in between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Looney Tunes characters go on an evening parade that ends with fireworks. Six Flags Magic Mountain also periodically hosts musical concerts and other special events.

Getting There

Six Flags Magic Mountain
26101 Magic Mountain Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 255-4100
Six Flags Magic Mountain Website

Exit Interstate 5 at the Magic Mountain Parkway exit.