Magic Mountian, CA
 

What can you guys tell me about Magic Mountain? My wife has been bugging me about it for a few years now. What hotels are with in walking distance of it? I'm sure they all have shuttle buses but walking to the park would be nice. We would come down after football season so probably Dec or so it just depends on how far my son's football goes in the playoff's. Is Dec a good time to go or does the weather usually suck then? Is is packed during xmas?

We would spend 2 or 3 nights is all.

It has been 5-6 years since I last went to MM, but I thought they shut down a bunch of it for some time as they were having issues with the rides. Seemed like the great rides were always having trouble. MM is in the HOOD, do not get a hotel that you can walk to. The fast pass is totally worth it. I am sure someone will have much better info.....

Magic Mountain is definitely ghetto. Metal detectors at the entrance, and it's own Police station on site. It's really unfortunate actually, since I love the type of thrill rides they have. If you do go, I would say 1 day is enough and head south to Disneyland, Knotts berry farm or even Sea World San Diego.

Dont wear Red or Blue!!!!

Last i recalled there really isn't anything worthy near by to stay. It's had it's share with gang issues, especially at night. Ride closures are have always been an issue but they do have some of the best rides at that location.
December can be hit/miss that time of year in Valencia. I recalled the one time I went , it snowed 2 days after christmas!.
Holidays are always a busy time for attractions.

Wow, it sure sounds like things have changed, since the last time I was there 20 years ago.

Agreed I was kind of laughing at the first post talking about how ghetto it is but I haven't been there in probably 15 years either.

Stay at a nice place in Valencia and cab it to MM...I think there is a Hyatt, Marriott, etc. by Town Center which is a cool shopping area with nice shops and restaurants...the area surrounding MM is hardly ghetto, but the people that visit the park can be. I've never had an issue and just mind my own business.

I might change it to the first of the year. That way I can come down go to the park with the wife and then go to the Rose Bowl and watch the Oregon State Beavers play.

"...for USC." lol :P

Go to Disneylaynd instead. MM has good rides, but kinda (actually extremely) GHETTO! But, if you do go, get your admission tickets on craigslist and get up to 50% off, no need to pay regualr price!

Its been a while since I have been (at least ten years) but there was a riot there when I went last... Thousands of people running and screaming because there was a huge fight (someone was stabbed) that just escalated. I will never go back.

OT!

Alright, you guys that haven't been there in many years...

Myself? I used to go there a number of times but probably the last time was 25 years or so. I know the last time I went there, they removed the circular ride that was kind-of down in a pit, it spun in circles and the floor dropped, you were stuck to the side of the wall. That used to be my favorite so I was very sad to see it gone.

Also, at the time there was not much around the area...almost a desert type area. Are you guys saying it is all a concrete jungle now? Sad to hear it can also be ghetto-like. I was such a fun place to go to.

I grew up in Santa Clarita. I like most kids spent many summer days at Magic. Summer going into 8th grade my friends and I went 28 days in a row lol....yeah yeah i know...we were really board, into chasing girls, and had season passes. After that summer I never went back...until three weeks ago.

My wife is a rollercoaster freak and has been begging for years to go back. I had heard all the stories as well, from thugs and gangs to just an overall dirty experience now! I went into it with an open mind.

We got up there around 1pm on a friday and to be perfectly honest it appeared packed so we almost didnt even park but the wife had done some research on her iphone on the drive up and found out you can by a speed pass (I forget the name of the pass unfortunately) or something which allows you to reserve a spot in line via a lil pager deal which you carry on you all day. I was skeptical and the thing wasnt cheap it was an additional 115 bucks total for the two of us.

We never waited in any line more than 10 mins and they made us a reservation on X all we did was show up at 330 and away we went straight to the front of the line which was a three our wait. I know we are spoiled brats and yeah i felt a lil embarrased walking past people in lines that probably had been waiting over an hour or more for some rides but if you dont plan to go to magic more than once every 5 + years than it is a must.

We got in the park at 2 came out around 730 for some food and beverages in the car and went back in around 830. All in all we rode every fricken ride in there and didnt wait longer than 10 mins. I believe its 12 or 13 coasters in all

No gang activity no shady people all the horror stories where nothing more than that.....stories...

Good luck!

Did you end up going to magic mountain? I am going on friday and wanted to know if I should get the fast pass tickets or if I will be ok with the normal tickets. Thanks, Mike

we went last year and it wasn't really ghetto. maybe we just got lucky. as far as fast pass tix, if it's spring break, i would opt for it.

oh, and disneyland blows...unless you have little kids. the rides at mm are so much better.

We went on our trip on friday and it was awsome. We drove down thursday after work. Took a half day off and it was great tempature. We took our converatable so the drive was really nice and only took 4 hours. We stayed at the embassy suites which is about two miles from the park. Very clean and new looking. We went to dinner at the lazy dog cafe which was in a mall just minutes away. The mall was super nice. I would compare the area to downtown walnut creek in the bay area. All the areas we went to around the park were not "ghetto".
The park was not crowded, and there were some interesting people in the park. But everyone was cool. We bought the gold fast pass which was well worth the money if you are only going to visit the park for one day. WIth the pass the longest we waited in line was 10 minutes. The rides were freakin awsome. The top three for me were Tatsu, Superman and X2. I had been on superman before, and the redesign of that ride was great. Before it was kind of slow but now it is super fast and makes it to the top of the track backwards! All I can say about X2 is whoooot whoooo!!!!

These rides make great america look like kiddie rides. IF you get a chance check it out. The park is not as "ghetto" as people make it sound and it is well worth it for the rides.

Great, I'm glad you had fun. I spent many a summer in that park. Three decades ago....>>> I lived in the AV and it was a sleepy areo industry burb. Very quiet in those days.
Used to run triple digits down Gottes pass (sp) and make it there pretty quick.