Attraction X2

[ThoosieTube]

I think the presence of the CNN investigation is going to make this whole thing a more general public story. Six Flags is going to need to make a decision one way or the other as running the ride as is will start to cause an uproar with the general public as the investigation/story spreads. If people are getting injured repeatedly some sort of retracking or additional padding is needed. X2 is my favorite coaster so I’d be very hopeful for a full retrack/refurb. Everything about this ride is expensive though.

From a practical standpoint I would understand X2 getting removed. If you thought the outcry from Ka was bad though I would think this would be even worse.

Tough spot either way

 

[Python_Survivor]

I think the presence of the CNN investigation is going to make this whole thing a more general public story. Six Flags is going to need to make a decision one way or the other as running the ride as is will start to cause an uproar with the general public as the investigation/story spreads. If people are getting injured repeatedly some sort of retracking or additional padding is needed. X2 is my favorite coaster so I’d be very hopeful for a full retrack/refurb. Everything about this ride is expensive though.

From a practical standpoint I would understand X2 getting removed. If you thought the outcry from Ka was bad though I would think this would be even worse.

Tough spot either way

Basically my perspective. It doesn't help that there's like, actual deaths and injuries reported related to it- a heck of a lot different then the last time a Six Flags coaster was on CNN at Carowinds...

 

[snail_]

Disclaimer as I've never rode X2. But my vague understanding of ride forces, engineering, how bodies respond to it etc, I think this is a bit different from the "ride defensively" position. Getting pinponged on OTSRs is very different from getting suddenly slammed in the back of the head or whipped forward without bracing your neck. SF asserts that it is fine when you're riding "as instructed" but that makes them liable for guaranteeing that. Do they tell people and make them sign waivers? I don't even know what that means. Telling people they have to "ride properly" is silly after a point and even extreme launch coasters where people have to keep their head back don't seem to have this trail of issues.

It's well known by us at this point that due to X2 being the prototype it has a ton of engineering problems that they have had to fix or work over a number of times. If it is getting this bad and it has become so expensive that they can't fix it, well... they gotta do something about it. SF can't be negligent here.

 

[MrBradferd]

So I wonder how much of stuff like this goes un reported? X2 Sounds fucking awful to ride

 

[coaster31]

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A settlement agreement has been reached with theme park operator Six Flags Magic Mountain and ride-train supplier S&S Worldwide Inc., resolving a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the 2022 fatal injury of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley.


https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/campaigns/wtr/ln

On Wednesday, attorneys submitted court filings to Judge Andrew E. Cooper confirming that a settlement with Magic Mountain had been reached and was being formalized alongside a recent accord with S&S Worldwide.

What we don't know:

The financial terms, conditions, and specific details surrounding the settlements have not been publicly disclosed by the court or the participating legal teams.

It's unknown whether Six Flags or the ride’s manufacturer had received formal warnings regarding potential design or mechanical issues specific to the X2 roller coaster prior to Hawley's fatal ride.

Park representatives have not released public findings regarding internal maintenance evaluations or mechanical inspections conducted on the attraction immediately following the June 2022 incident.

What they're saying:

Anne Hawley recalled the alarming moment she learned about her son’s condition, stating, "I remember him [Alex] saying, 'Mom, Christopher collapsed, and he's not waking up.'"

Six Flags Magic Mountain reaches settlement in fatal X2 roller coaster lawsuit

Six Flags Magic Mountain and coaster supplier S&S Worldwide have settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, avoiding a September trial over his 2022 fatal roller coaster injury.

www.foxla.com

 

[Jonesta6]

I'd be interested in finally getting a ride just for the experience, but we have to remember why it was built in the first place:

SFMM wanted to have the first of a new ride concept, and they were trying to beat Cedar Point in coaster count among other things around the zenith of the coaster wars.

Times have changed a lot since then - Arrow went out of business (partly because of this ride set them off a financial cliff, partly because of how they boxed themselves in to compete on price, park because of their antiquated fabrication techniques leading to losing projects to competitors), SF and CF merged so each park more likely just competes for corporate attention and capex instead of with each other, the coaster wars are generally over, and there's arguably better versions of this concept manufacturered by companies that have figured out how to marry CAD with their fabrication processes that ultimately bring more new and repeat guests through the gates.

So in today's economic climate where the chain has already sold off some of their portfolio and went through a demolition spree, the decision will likely be oriented around monetary repercussions unless a large portion of their guests demand the ride to reopen.

 

[northdetective]

I think X2 is pretty unique for a six flags ride in that it's a "cult classic" for its historic value and uniqueness among thoosies but also one of the main draws of the park to the "GP." I'm getting kinda worried about the timing of the thrill glider announcement tho.... it had to come at some point but I'd be horrified to see another major ride closure and replacement on this scale without warning. It would certainly feel more justified by the circumstances than the end of Kingda Ka was............ just nervous

 

[Tacky3663]

If you ask me. With the PR of X2 in such a sore state.

I really don’t think this ride is reopening

 

[Nitro230]

This feels very similar to those El Toro derailments that ended up all over the news. The difference being that was under legacy six flags management and the retracking project is no doubt less expensive than properly fixing X2 would be. The only thing that makes me think X2 might not close is that this park just closed Superman and idk if it can take another closure right now. I wouldn’t be shocked if the ride just stays sbno for a while with no official word from the park.

 

[MrBradferd]

Viper and x2 are some prime estate for a modern elite coaster to get people back to the park. SFMM used to be the cedar point of the west but 90% of their coasters are old janky garbage. Like what even is worth traveling to ride there, colossus? I can ride an RMC anywhere and get 90% of the expierence that provides. They have no draw no more and it sounds like their overall park quality is turning into old great adventure ways. I wouldn't be suprised in 10 years from now they start pumping a lot of money on updating that park like they seem to be doing with great adv

 

[Tacky3663]

Viper and x2 are some prime estate for a modern elite coaster to get people back to the park. SFMM used to be the cedar point of the west but 90% of their coasters are old janky garbage. Like what even is worth traveling to ride there, colossus? I can ride an RMC anywhere and get 90% of the expierence that provides. They have no draw no more and it sounds like their overall park quality is turning into old great adventure ways. I wouldn't be suprised in 10 years from now they start pumping a lot of money on updating that park like they seem to be doing with great adv

At this point. I wouldn’t mind if they demo’d both of them for a Terrain B&M Giga or some kind of Velocicoaster style Intamin Multi Launch

 

[plighting_engineerd]

90% of their coasters are old janky garbage. Like what even is worth traveling to ride there, colossus?

I don't understand this stance. The park's coaster lineup is insanely stacked, even setting aside X2, with Twisted Colossus, Tatsu, Full Throttle, Wonder Woman, I could keep going. All phenomenal rides.

 

[MrBradferd]

I don't understand this stance. The park's coaster lineup is insanely stacked, even setting aside X2, with Twisted Colossus, Tatsu, Full Throttle, Wonder Woman, I could keep going. All phenomenal rides.

From my personal intrest no. I could start listing why but then ill just sound like a crying thoosie. Im on the east coast though. Not a single ride there I cant get somewhere else a whole lot closer.

 

[ThoosieTube]

From my personal intrest no. I could start listing why but then I’ll just sound like a crying thoosie. Im on the east coast though. Not a single ride there I cant get somewhere else a whole lot closer.

I wasn’t aware we had a 4D coaster on the east coast

 

[MrBradferd]

I wasn’t aware we had a 4D coaster on the east coast

Kinda dumb to include X2 when it more than likely is closed though aint it? Even if not witj the current rep it has im not sure id even want to ride it

 

[AmyUD06]

It's rare that I agree with @MrBradferd, but we are absolutely on the same page here. Here's a brief recap of my opinions on the coasters of SFMM from my trip to the LA area in 2021 (reviewing my TR that I wrote back then):

X2: 2/10 - Rattly, janky mess. I don't care that its the only one in the US, it needs to die.
Full Throttle: 5/10. Nice hangtime in the loop, weak launch, brakes on the downside of the camelback grab way too hard.
Goliath: 6/10 - Some floater and great positives in the helix. MCBR should not have brought the train to a complete stop when only running one train.
Twisted Colossus: 8/10 - Decent RMC, but ranked kinda low amongst the RMCs that I've ridden.
Scream: 7/10 - Non-rattly, but nothing really notable.
Riddler's Revenge: 6/10 - 2nd best B&M stand-up I've been on, but that isn't saying much.
Goldruher: 5/10 - Nice interaction with the landscape and rides around it, but nothing notable.
Apocalypse: 0/10 - Burn it to the ground. Easily the worst GCI, possibly the worst wooden period, that I've ever ridden.
West Coast Racers: 5/10. - The only thing I recorded in my post-ride notes video was "meh." Dictionary definition of mediocrity.
Ninja: 7/10 - Lots of cool dives down by the water, great interaction with the flume.
Tatsu: 8/10 - Best flyer I've been on, and I'm not usually a fan of these.
Viper: 6/10 - Headache inducing, but a better layout than GASM at SFGAdv.
Revolution: 8/10 - Great old Schwarzkopf, but a bit too heavy on the trim brakes.

Superman was SBNO at that point and Batman was closed for Wonder Woman construction, but I've ridden almost all of the Batman clones in the US and Jersey Devil at SFGAdv and was not impressed.

I ended my TR with a line that sums up this park pretty well:

"Is having the record for most coasters in one park really anything if most of them aren't great?"

Like, I get it, there are a few good coasters here (Tatsu, Twisted Colossus, Revolution), and some very, very awful ones (X2, Apocalypse), but 3 out of 14 adult coasters in a park does not make for a "great" collection and definitely not "insanely stacked." I can't imagine having that view if you've experienced parks outside of California. When the main draw is a mid-tier RMC, a flyer, and a 50-year-old Schwarzkopf, it's hard to argue that they don't desperately need something special. Hopefully the Thrill Glider delivers that.

 

[at4n27]

Not to throw gasoline onto the fire, but I remembered I had a recording of the ride forces.
Let’s just say it’s no Fury or Mille.

I used the same (secure) cargo pocket shorts for both recordings.

 

[netdvn]

I liked my two days at SFMM more than my 2 days at Cedar Point TBH. Even though the park looks like its crumbling under its own weight and they seem to invest in coasters more than everything else in the park, all the coasters were running consistently and they were running with 2 trains minimum on everything so lines moved at a solid clip. I think the coaster collection is really good compared to most parks out here. I never really found most of their coasters to be garbage at all.

I'm really hoping X2 is fixed rather that getting rid of it completely. If they replaced the rotation rails so the seats aren't rocking so violently in the second raven turn going into the brakes, that would remove most of if not all the issues the ride has with giving people whiplash at the end.

Apart from X2, Tatsu, and Colossus, I really enjoyed West Coast Racers, Full Throttle, Goliath, Revolution, Ninja, Viper and even Goldrusher a lot. They definitely have more than 3 great coasters.

 

[snail_]

View attachment 44496
Not to throw gasoline onto the fire, but I remembered I had a recording of the ride forces.
Let’s just say it’s no Fury or Mille.
View attachment 44498
I used the same (secure) cargo pocket shorts for both recordings.

The longitudinal chart on X2... yikes

 

[plighting_engineerd]

I can't imagine having that view if you've experienced parks outside of California.

I feel some need to defend myself here as I think this claim makes it seem like there is an 'objectively right' view on how MM's lineup compares to others, and that people who don't share it are speaking without experience. In reality, people have differing views on the park's rides - I don't live near California and have certainly visited other great parks to compare.

The park's lineup is frequently sited as one of the best. For lineup of high-quality thrill coasters in the US, I think only Cedar Point and Hersheypark compare (though of note, I have not visited Texas or Virginia so haven't accounted for those parks). Based on CaptainCoaster ratings, it seems you are in the minority for your opinions of X2. It's my personal overall #1 (though that would likely change if I ever got to reride it). Additionally, you rate Full Throttle much lower than I would. Therefore, I believe we just had different experiences with the rides; I think most would agree that Magic Mountain's lineup is top-tier.

Finally, I can attest to the fact that Wonder Woman runs far better than Jersey Devil Coaster. Most people have this opinion, and here is a comparison graph of the two rides' forces - Wonder Woman in green, Jersey Devil in red. Wonder Woman clearly runs much faster, and has significantly stronger airtime, especially after the midcourse. Wonder Woman really feels like a proper RMC.