West Coast Bash 2009 Magic Mt

[madmonkeygirl]

Ok here goes a second time. ughh... i will let CoasterMatt go into detail. Just that i haven't been to the park since 2006 and it has greatly improved. In fact so much so that i am almost ready to go back there as much as i love Disney and spend at Disneyland. From park management the park is not going anywhere as rumors are flying around and the park had an amazing year last year. They aren't even halfway thru with the plans they have yet to execute for the park.

But other than the little weather in the morning let me just say this event blew my mind. I can't wait til next year. Because of little crowds during the day as well we managed to ride EVERYTHING and some things more than once. I lost count as we rode rides throughout the day. Exceeding our Disney ride total i believe even on our best day.

Seeing park management out in force and picking up trash, talking to guests etc. They answered our questions and were even there when we left the park. Something i've never seen at any park in general. They answered during our Q&A questions and were honest about it not hiding things.

Our backstage tour of Terminator was fun and we even got a little souviner of the ride to take home with us. :) I love wood.

Nighttime ERT something i won't ever forget all the 14 coasters in the dark just for us. Awhole park for 700 people and everything open. They really do care about this event as a whole.

As much as a Disney fan freak i am i'm tended to limit my Disney experiences in favor of Magic Mt after Sunday. Even to just walk around and relax and do a couple of rides.

Trash hardly saw any at all unlike Disneyland. IN my honest opinion the park was CLEAN. Trash cans every 20 ft. All i can say is i can't wait til next year.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Following Matt's tweets was fun. I'd love to go back, it's been forever, and last time we were there the place was a total dump. So exciting that it's back up again! :)

[madmonkeygirl]

The park is so much cleaner than EVER. That really blew me away. To find trash cans EVERYWHERE. Where there used to be tons of trash all over everything and everywhere. But on Sunday there was none that i could see. The park is very clean. Cleaner than at Disneyland where there is trash in the walkways etc.

Huge difference is park management does care and is out in the park with the guests picking up trash, answering questions and taking comments. To me that shows how much they want to improve on the park going that extra to find out from guests themselves and not sitting behind their desk in their office. Big difference between Disney and Magic Mt tremendously.

As far as it being a gang infested park it isn't what it once was. It has changed. This park i would gladly take a family to for a day of fun. It's inviting and warm atmosphere.

Like i said it's been 3 years til i went back and i'm glad it's changing for the better. I for one will be back again and again as long as the park is heading in the right direction and can't wait to see the finished product. Thinking about getting a season pass lol....when at one time i wouldn't even consider a season pass.

We should have a meet there sometime. :)

[DisneyDaniel]

Seeing park management out in force and picking up trash, talking to guests etc. They answered our questions and were even there when we left the park. Something i've never seen at any park in general. They answered during our Q&A questions and were honest about it not hiding things.

Trash hardly saw any at all unlike Disneyland. IN my honest opinion the park was CLEAN. Trash cans every 20 ft. All i can say is i can't wait til next year.

Thank you for detailing your wonderful experience at West Coast Bash. I am really surprised to read about the clean park and visible management parts of your report. Don't get me wrong -- that is GREAT news and a nice change in the direction of SFMM.

I've continued visiting SFMM several times each year and usually feel the park needs better upkeep -- especially when last year you see practically all SFMM employees wearing T-shirts that say something like: "Keep this park clean. My family comes here, too."

Maybe good management and financial stability is making progress to improve Magic Mountain.

Prior to this year's West Coast Bash, I was wondering what the undisclosed evening ERTs would involve. Thanks for sharing those details, too -- riding coasters in the dark sounds like it's the right, extra spice needed to make some of these extreme coasters even more thrilling.

On a side note, I wonder if Arnold Schwarzenegger or Christian Bale would show up for the opening of "Terminator: The Coaster."

[innerSpaceman]

Wow, I'm so surprised. I stopped going. The place was a dump. Oh, and dangerous gangland.

Oh, and the rides all started making me feel sick.

So, I'm not gonna start going again, but I'm glad it's much improved. yay!

[madmonkeygirl]

Yeah the food as well has improved in quality. For instance carmel apples were made FRESH totally FRESH unlike Disneyland ones. Sorry but the ones i had at Disneyland pale in comparison to the ones on Sunday. The fries from Jonny Rocket's were fresh and edible unlike what was previously given out to guests unlike Disneyland's unedible ones.

Bash it all you want to but overall the park is gaining and has made positive strides unlike what it once was. More riding for me then if you don't go.

The trash cans do say Give a heart. Help do your part or some slogan like that. But they do make a statement and you find yourself wanting to pick up any trash you do see. Which i didn't see any.

And it's much closer than Disneyland is to us. Way more affordable.

Park management does care. They seem to be headed in the right direction it has taken awhile and unlike before prior to 2008 i think the park was really in bad bad shape but they are turning it around for the better. It's got aways to go and i'm anxious to know the long term plans they have but when the management was asked point blank questions they never once danced around the answers and were honest unlike other parks. They were nice and approachable through out the entire event.

I do know this about Terminator we were told during our tour that the actors (not sure if it will be from the movies or the television show) will be filiming for the preshow rooms (There will be 2 preshow rooms) and the que line won't be outside unlike all the other rides. You will be inside til you reach the station with a fly over head from the previous trains while waiting to board. There's tons more but details are so hazy at the moment.

Nightime ERT was something to have to have been there to experience. The entire park open to us 700 or so whoever stayed to ride and ride again WITHOUT getting off unlike other parks. And in the dark added awhole level of scariness other than attending during Fright Fest.

I think this is going to be my homepark from now on. I've been Disney'd out for awhile now and i think this is what kind of break i need especially with Terminator opening soon.

Batman the Ride seemed like awhole new level and just was almost too overwhelming (making me feel sicker than sick after riding) something it hasn't done in years.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Did they reinstall all the drinking fountains they ripped out? That was the most depressing thing about our last visit. The one at the entrance to Revolution was not only gone but they left exposed pipes sticking out of the ground like dead limbs. In most of the other places the fountains were replaced by $4 a bottle vending machines...

[CoasterMatt]

They've replaced most of the drinking fountains, and they're going around the park redoing the bathrooms- the first big new set of bathrooms will be right next to the entrance for Terminator: Salvation

[CoasterMatt]

My favorite moment from the Q&A-

The management team was taking questions from the audience, and somebody asked "Are you going to demolish anymore rollercoasters anytime soon?"

Tim Burkhart responded "Yes. Very soon. On May 21, we're gonna open Terminator:Salvation, and ABSOLUTELY DEMOLISH Ghostrider!" :D

[madmonkeygirl]

That was my absolutely favorite part of the Q&A on Sunday :) I so can't wait to see Terminator demolish Ghostrider. Magic Mt is by far getting more and more superior to Knott's and Cedar Fair.

They are making major improvements all over the park including redoing as CM said above 3 bathrooms. I saw ample drinking fountains throughout the entire park. Nice clean bathrooms as well.

Overall the park is the cleanest i've ever seen a theme park with guests in the park.