StamfordBridge At least it would give me insensitive to go on actual rides. When I went to BGW, the skyride and the train were the only things I went on.
My own Magic Mountain history starts in 1973, just a few years after the park opened. The trolls, the birdcage ride where swashbuckler now stands... one piece of history that jumped out at me was the building you listed as the former flashback building. Before it became that, it was a building that housed the Texas Instruments Computer Discovery Center....where we could check out the TI-99...the computer of the future ...
My family went to Magic Mountain in the early 70s (72 & 73, I think). I used to take my son there in the late 90s & early 2000s. This video was a nice trip down memory lane. Thank you😺
I worked at the park for 4 years as a technician, and I was in the buildings that were re-purposed as Fright Fest mazes A LOT. Fun fact, the Eagle's Flight station still has the massive concrete footings in it and the maze goes around them. The maze at Flashback's old entrance (used to be Toyz of Terror or Jokeser's Hideout, not sure what it is now) has wood floors that have been laid over top the pits for the really old simulator they had in that building. Willoughby's has a few dangerous pits in it as well from when it was the Magic Pagoda, but they're walled off from regular guests when going through the maze. Also, you forgot Sky Tower. ;) Jkjk but I got to go on Sky Tower's lower, open air floor as well as sit on top of it underneath the flag pole. That was pretty cool being up that high. It was both fun and absolutely miserable being an employee at Magic Mountain. There's a ton of history there that almost nobody cares about, because nobody really cares about anything there.
I would have loved working at the park if I lived closer, I've really loved learning as much about the park as I can ever since I got ahold of a 1986 park map and finally made my first visit in May of 1988. There are so many cool easter eggs and little quirks throughout the park that are easily overlooked. I'm sure you got to see some really amazing stuff as a tech!
Thanks for doing this one. I worked as a ride operator in the park from 1986-1993. It was easily the most fun job I ever had. We used to wander the back lots after the park closed all the time. You’d see all sorts of things riding from the top station of Eagle’s Flight to the bottom. I worked every one of the rides in the park during that time from Bugs Bunny World to everywhere else in between. My favorite memories were sitting alone in the “Crow’s Nest” on the Colossus lift when the sun went down in the summer. You would get the best light show in the park when the lights started coming on around the park. They used to (don’t know if they still do) have these huge light bars along the road next to the ride that used to bathe the ride in different colors after dark. So much fun for a kid.
If you didn't know, there is a painting of the old magic mountain troll characters in the bumper car station right above one of the benches. It is the only relic left of the old magic mountain characters. Magic mountain is my home park and i love learning about its history.
#14 - The exit sign to the Ssnd Blasters Bumper cars still features Bloop the troll. Bloop the troll was Magic Mountains original mascot before Looney Tunes invaded in 1985.
Pinball 541 fun fact: Looney tunes characters were the first unofficial mascots when the park first opened back in '71, but were later replaced by the Trolls up til 1985.
Wow. I used to work there in the 80s. Haven't been back in a long time. Watching this video, it would be like the park I worked at never existed. Especially Log Jammer, that's a hard blow to the heart.
I'm surprised there's that many old buildings left in plain sight. I worked at Great Adventure for years, and it seems like whenever we got a new ride the station and queue were either completely torn down or reused, with the one exception being The Chiller.
I live in Illinois, but was able to make a trip to Magic Mountain, and even though sf great america is my home park, the size of this park blew me away! I love your channel so much thank you for uploading all of this great content!
My wife visited SFGA last summer and said our home SFMM made it look small! We’re hoping to do a road trip over summer break and hit the SF parks in Texas thru Georgia.
Great America (Gurnee, IL) actually sits on more land than Magic Mountain. Magic Mountain probably seems larger due to the terrain (walking from Gold Rusher to Samurai Summit definitely tests your level of fitness) and because the parking lot at MM is stupidly far away from the park entrance...although I have never taken the tram, ha. As far as attendance, it's pretty amazing GA is almost at the same level as MM...and this was/is true before and after MM went to 365 operation, and before Holiday in the Park started in Gurnee in 2018. Even with HitP, Great America is still closed to the public for almost 4 months per year.
@@oblivieon1567 Magic Mountain is indeed a treat to visit, especially during the winter. Not that long ago, MM didn't exactly have the best reputation for downtime on rides, and lacked many flat rides, but there have been major improvements the past few years in my opinion. Magic Mountain has a few more roller coasters than Great America, while Great America has more flat rides. MM sorely needs a transportation system around the park. Great America once had four transportation rides! The Great America Scenic Railroad (still exists, but is underutilized), Allie's Trolley (named after Marriott co-founder, Alice Marriott, which still exists, but is only used for parades) and two separate Von Roll skyrides, the second of which (Southern Cross) was crazy tall, added early on during the Marriott's Great America era, in preparation for the planned addition of The Great Southwest area in 1979...which didn't happen until 1996. At least Great America in Santa Clara still has the Eagle's Flight/Delta Flyer skyride...they never had a Southern Cross or plans for The Great Southwest.
1) historical as in being in a movie, the exit of “whipper snapper” in National Lampoons Vacation, you pass it on the left hand side walking up the stairs to X2. 2) artifact hidden in plain sight is the tower, it used to be an observation tower. My first trip to SFMM was back in Aug 1989, I have pictures from up there of a fire on the hill just west of the park. Back in 1989, Ninja was still very popular as it just opened in 1988, I remember waiting over 2 hours in line. Next time you walk down the hill from Samurai Summit, look on the ground to the left, you’ll see round metal plates on the ground, they were used for poles to extend the line. When you’re at the bottom of the hill just imagine a line of people all the way down the mountain waiting for Ninja...
One of my winter jobs in the '70s was to wash the windows on the Sky Tower. The height never affected me until I dropped my squeegee and watched it fall. (The windows opened inward and were hinged at the top, so you had to get between the wall and the window.)
Interesting! SFOT is like this as well. Yosemite Sam, a water dark ride by Arrow/Sally Corp located at the park, closed at the end of the 2018 season due to a storm. You can still see some pieces of theming past the walls to this day.
Unless it was removed recently, my favorite piece of history in plain sight is Freefall's old metal entrance sign pole near Tital Wave's exit. It always makes me smile when I see it, and I remember seeing it still there from my last visit in late 2019.
I’ve been fascinated with the history of anything my childhood experienced. Six Flags is one of my childhood experiences. Thanks for posting. I enjoyed every minute.
Colossus was a coaster I always wanted to ride. I knew about her even when I was growing up in Florida. I use to love when we'd drive down south after moving to Nor Cal and see her from the 5, so white and shiny. I was heartbroken when I heard about the closure. This revamping trend was a totally new thing to me but I was over joyed that she'd get a second life.
This is by far my favorite video of yours that you’ve done. Just because it feels like very few other people could’ve made it. Thanks for the great work as always!
Thanks for the nostalgia. Makes me wonder what the building in Samurai Summit between Ninja and Superman was before. I’ve only been in it for mazes. Over 20 years of visiting the park and I’ve never seen it used for anything else. Also I can’t remember if Spinouts Queue has been fully removed either. Classic flat ride.
Despite all the changes, Six Flags is still the best theme park I've ever been too. They respect their roots and a lot of their coasters are refurbished and rebranded to still make the park fun. I really love X 2. It's my favorite ride. Twisted Colossus is a great ride too. I'm also glad the old Cyclone ride is still around but with a different name.
Zac G What can you see Six Flags make that old station out of? I personally can see them keep the old station, tidy it up a bit, and make a flat ride called the Spinning Dragons(a teacup like spinners @ Disneyland) , as paying homage to the old Dragon station.
@@seanlewis1148 honestly, I can't imagine them trying to salvage the station for anything. The wood is so decayed that it wouldn't make sense. If they could do it then it would be fun to see a collection of very little kid rides like you find at the Country Fair area Dollywood. The one relic that most needs to be addressed is the Sky Tower. That would be worth saving and reopening, even if it would be a huge project. I haven't been up there in forever. The worst ride relic in my opinion is the track from the People Mover at Disneyland. It is so sad to see it just crumbling and abandoned, especially when the Magic Kingdom still has there's. I'd also add the Wonders of Life pavilion at EPCOT and the queue for Tomb Raider at Kings Island.
@@sheeple04- I have been going to SFMM since the 70's & the Sky Tower is as famous to the park, as Colossus & Revolution was in the original Vacation movie. Just like Psyclone, the Sky Tower was damaged by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The elevators were deemed unsafe to use, & the stairs are the only way to the top.
Love this. Although being from Nor-Cal, SF Double M is not my "home" park but it is the park where my heart is. I've visited since I was I was 3 years old (there's 8mm video of me playing with the goats in the park back in 1977) and with regularity ever since. It's very nostalgic to see these relics as well of some of these unnoticed Easter Eggs. Thanks for the vid.
He's definitely right about the walk up that hill...….My legs feel it every time! Love Magic Mountain but, only when it's not too crowded and not too hot. The place can get pretty miserable during the summer season. X2 and Goliath are very therapeutic and for sure the best rides in the park.... I need my fix soon!
I agree with you about that hill up to Ninja and Superman- it is brutal. I don't mind the crowds at MM, but the park can be miserable during the summer. With the shows being on a Select Day schedule, the options for sitting down and relaxing range from hit-or-miss to scarce. I would love it for Magic Mountain to add more indoor attractions to their line up.
At least in 1993, from the employee break room near the kid area was what was left of the story book boat ride. I remembered that as a kid and explained to many younger employees what it was.
#16 - The station for the old Crazy Barrels attraction that is used for a employee break area behind the scenes by the High Sierra Territory & Swashbuckler.
I think they removed that for Crazanity. I looked on google earth and I could see it on the 3D version of SFMM but on the more up to date 2D version, Crazanity’s structure used up part of its land and they put concrete over the rest of the former Crazy Barrels site.
I love videos like this! Was an absolute pleasure to watch. Would love a video like this for Kings Island, especially with the different changes in ownership. There's a lot of history kind of like this.Thanks, keep on making great videos!
Well-presented and witth an anrticulate delivery. Always looked for remnants of Trollywood when hanging out in the 80s. Also the octopus ride near the same area.
One night during Fright Fest I had to work on a brown phone at the top of one of Log Jammer's lifts. This meant I had to walk past the at the time derelict Samurai Summit monorail tunnel. It's the only time I got scared at work and walked away!
Very cool video! I love Magic Mountain! Awesome details here!! I sure miss log jammer and how beautiful that area used to be, but I do love Full Throttle. I truly wish also 6FMM would put some transport back in over or around the mountain. One little thing: You mentioned Eagles Flight was removed after the 94 Earthquake. I’ve visited since 91 and there was no Eagles Flight at all (except the top station building) by this stage already. Anyway keep up the great work! 👍👍
Also, just a fun fact about the Metro is that the trains from it were relocated to Hersheypark 3yrs after they were removed from Magic Mountain. They've been there since 2011 and continue to operate there to this day. They have, of course, been repainted to fit the theme of Hersheypark. I'm still sad they are gone from MM since it really was a great way to get around the park and I utilized it a LOT in the 90s up till 2001, to a point I never even realized the purpose of the Funicular until it was all we had in the park when I went with friends during my senior year of HS in like 2003 lol. The Metro was still there at the time but we were bummed that it was closed because we were going to try to ride it from the High Sierra Territory to the Samurai Summit station. It's at that time a friend suggested we could take the Funicular instead which at the time was called The Oriental Express. Wish they'd figure out a new transportation system for the park. The Metro was the one I found to be the most useful, and the most relaxing on a hot day. I rode the Eagles Flight once on the very first time I ever went to the park in '92 or '93. I have only very vague memories of it. But the station at the back was already gone by the time I was there and Freefall was in its place. Only the one from the top of the hill that would drop you near where the base of the Superman tower currently stands was still operating. It was called the Eagles Flight - Galaxy, and that's the one that was removed in 1994 after the big earthquake. The one that took you to the back of the park, called Eagles Flight - El Dorado, was removed in 1981 to make way for Freefall which opened in 1982 after an accident occurred on it in 1978 (don't know the nature of the accident but it was bad enough that it caused it to close down for a couple years before it was finally removed altogether). So pretty much, Freefall was built and the old Eagles Flight station was repurposed for it, and then eventually Freefall sat abandoned for a few years after Superman pretty much made it irrelevant. When they finally scrapped Freefall, which used to sit in the middle of Riddler's Revenge, they never put anything there to replace it. So now no trace of the Eagles Flight/Freefall station remain today. Last but not least, the Dragon cable cars are still somewhere in the park in storage. They were last seen somewhere in the back where Deja Vu once stood near Apocalypse. Who knows, maybe they've been incorporated into the theming of Apocalypse? They seem to use other relics from MM's past strewn about. But the Dragon tails embroidering on the back of the cars are broken and one of the cars is in a stripped skeletal state. Each of them also have rows of seat missing on them. I also saw a couple of the old Eagles Flight gondolas next to one of the Dragon cars in the background of one of the photos I have. From the outside, they appear to be in decent condition, but never got a look inside of them. The Dragon cars are pretty much trashed and in very poor condition. The roof is missing on one of them. And there's a bunch of junk sitting on them. Paint is faded. But there's no mistake that they are the cars. I have the photos.
Due to the terms of the deal, Magic Mountain basically paid Hershey park to take them. They also got the molds to make new train cars and tons of spare parts. I wish MM had kept the monorail.
This was great! One of these days I'd love to see some videos of the shows from Magic Mountain around 1993 like the Riptide Revue. I always saw people with their camcorders in there but have yet to find any of those on UA-cam.
If you are up by Superman and look down onto the area where Full Throttle comes over, you can see parts of the Log Jammer flume still in place back by the trees.
This was great! I visited the park only twice. Once in 1981 and again in 1989. I did get to experience the monorail, the log jammer and that dragon transport thing that went up and down that hill. Gosh... I wonder if anything is left from my 1989 trip!
How about the Forbidden Bench on the other side of the fence between Crazanity and the Superman track. Awesome video and can't wait for more! Thanks Chris for all the hard work you do putting these videos together, you're truly a top source for Magic Mountain knowledge.
There was a cove on Samaurai Summit with a waking path and some benches they demolished for Tatsu. The benches were still back there up until about a year ago. Man I love my home park Magic Mountain!
I guess im such a magic mountain freak i know of all those.. lol you also missed , where spin out use to be by gold rusher, and i believe there is still pieces of free fall by tidal wave and riddlers revenge
Major props for showing what the Magic Pagoda looked like when it was operational. Photos of this attraction are really hard to find & the painting of the purple mask is creepy but then again, the Magic Pagoda was remembered as a bizarre chinese funhouse.
Thank you for sharing! This was the park of my youth and I remember when these old rides were fully operational. I was there recently and the Dragon gazebo is still there ans has always been there. I wonder what happens to the restaurant Four Winds that used to be at the top of the hill! Oh ans what about Soilliken Corners? I used that is where the midway or Boardwalk is now
In the queue line for Full Throttle you can still see some of the rocks from Log Jammer. Such good memories from that ride! ;u ; I miss it dearly, especially during fright fest's early years
In retrospect it is very clear that they should definitely should have kept the Metro. This is especially apparent with all the new developments in the back of the park. Imagine how nice it would be to be able to just ride a train back to West Cost Racers without having to walk that hill.
I was on the SFMM opening crew in the summer of 1971. At the end of the summer, management unveiled a plaque at the front of the park with the name of every employee who lasted through that summer. When I last saw it (YEARS ago!), the plaque was still there in front of the bank (now Guest Relations). I can't help wondering if the plaque has survived... Ron Schneider, Grand Prix Opening Crew
thanks for the video! I went as a kid in the early 80s with my grandparents and remember the monorail, craft corner (i wish I still had the horse shoe I got as a kid) and sky ride.
I remember going to six flags a few years ago and wondering why superman didnt have that huge statue of him at the top of the ride like it used to. Then we got on Goliath and as your climbing the stairs to the top of the ride to get on you could see the giant statue just laying on its side behind one of the metal fences that makes the perimeter of the park. Superman laid in the dirt there for a really long time pretty funny
Malcolm Tinyo Yeah, the statue fell during a storm in 2010 and they decided not to put it back because the EFK renovation was in development and the statue couldn’t be seen by the backwards cars.
Great episode! A couple more that come to mind would be the plot where sierra twist used to be, then it was turned into the pistachio walkthrough that you can’t even walk through anymore. As well as the laughing dragon pizza at the top of samurai summit by Superman. I have heard they occasionally use it for mazes.
Id love to have the Laughing Dragon open again. I worked there a few times, the view on the patio of Full Throttle and the front of the park is awesome
Airtime Thrills IKR......ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE!!! EATING YOUR PIZZA WITH YA SOFT DRINK, AND THEY HAVE A DRAGON INSIDE THE BUILDING AND IT LAUGHED ALMOST EVERY TIME FULL THROTTLE FLIES BY!!! LOL
I was at the park back in January and I was wondering about that unused gazeebo (#1) - very cool to find out it was a station for the Dragon. I had a lot of questions about abandoned buildings during my visit and this video answered all of them. I guess I’m lucky to have seen those Psyclone trains before they recently removed them.
Two of my proudest moments as a seven year old girl happened at this park- Riding Superman and Goliath. I felt like a total badass. My favorite is Ninja. I’m so happy to hear it’s still there! I’m dying to go back to Magic Mountain when I visit SoCal
I worked there for 19 years from 1995-2004 from Ops/ security to the Sales dept... then the GSM at Six Flags America. Love your content! I’m not sure if it is still there... but you missed the last Troll in the park at the exit of Sand Blasters.
I think the Flashback entrance building used to be part of the main entrance back in the early years. From what I remember, it was just to the right of the ticket booths and turnstiles.
when fright fest comes around it seems that a lot of Magic's history gets exposed. Like you said the magic pagoda, the old flashback entrance building, and the eagles Flight Station all house mazes. I believe Reds Revenge is in the old monorail maintenance shed and I noticed that the foundation for the old monorail station across from the log jammer station is still there. You walk right past it as you queue for Reds. Also Aftermath Chaos rising, as you said uses the old queue from Deja vu but also a lot of the stuff in that maze is from the old Batman stunt show. Fight fest really is the best time to see a lot of history from magic
I work there now and have seen those relics. I wondered about that gazebo behind the soda station and I’ve noticed the bank alarm on guest relations. As for the Green Lantern ride…they’re getting ready to build a new rollercoaster in it’s place, also that part of the park is being made over
I just noticed the Mr Six bus back in that lot where the psyclone trains were mentioned being. Didn't see a train but definitely saw the bus. If only photography was allowed on Drop of Doom
Not many people remember that there used to be a Lake where the water park is now. They had water ski shows. Having never been to Hurricane Harbor maybe someone has seen a artifact from that time.
Another sad ride relic at a different park is the still standing structure for Mean Streak at Cedar Point. It's just standing there despite having closed several years ago. I hear they put some metal structure on top of it to keep it somewhat hidden. What a shame. ;)
You also forgot Laughing Dragon. Laughing Dragon was originally a steakhouse at the top of Samurai Summit. You can tell because if you ever look high above Full Throttle's entrance, you can see the backside of the building and the sign still says "Steak House." Eventually it was turned into a pizza place, but now sits closed and abandoned, taunting people who walked all the way up the hill and now have to make their way back down to get food. There are also sections of monorail over by Golden Bear Theater (which probably also belongs on this list) and you can see the footers of Colossus' old layout while riding Twisted Colossus and Goliath.
Yes, the park used to have FIVE transportation rides! Now there’s just one.
StamfordBridge At least it would give me insensitive to go on actual rides. When I went to BGW, the skyride and the train were the only things I went on.
Dosware Pictures sorry but do you mean “Incentive”
Dexin Wang DANG YOU AUTOCORRECT!!!!!
They even had two miniature trains at one time, so there would've been SIX when you count Dragon, Orient Express, Eagle's Flight, and Metro too.
And that one is not even working right now.
My own Magic Mountain history starts in 1973, just a few years after the park opened. The trolls, the birdcage ride where swashbuckler now stands... one piece of history that jumped out at me was the building you listed as the former flashback building. Before it became that, it was a building that housed the Texas Instruments Computer Discovery Center....where we could check out the TI-99...the computer of the future ...
My family went to Magic Mountain in the early 70s (72 & 73, I think). I used to take my son there in the late 90s & early 2000s. This video was a nice trip down memory lane. Thank you😺
I worked at the park for 4 years as a technician, and I was in the buildings that were re-purposed as Fright Fest mazes A LOT. Fun fact, the Eagle's Flight station still has the massive concrete footings in it and the maze goes around them. The maze at Flashback's old entrance (used to be Toyz of Terror or Jokeser's Hideout, not sure what it is now) has wood floors that have been laid over top the pits for the really old simulator they had in that building. Willoughby's has a few dangerous pits in it as well from when it was the Magic Pagoda, but they're walled off from regular guests when going through the maze.
Also, you forgot Sky Tower. ;) Jkjk but I got to go on Sky Tower's lower, open air floor as well as sit on top of it underneath the flag pole. That was pretty cool being up that high.
It was both fun and absolutely miserable being an employee at Magic Mountain. There's a ton of history there that almost nobody cares about, because nobody really cares about anything there.
I would have loved working at the park if I lived closer, I've really loved learning as much about the park as I can ever since I got ahold of a 1986 park map and finally made my first visit in May of 1988. There are so many cool easter eggs and little quirks throughout the park that are easily overlooked. I'm sure you got to see some really amazing stuff as a tech!
Thanks for doing this one. I worked as a ride operator in the park from 1986-1993. It was easily the most fun job I ever had. We used to wander the back lots after the park closed all the time. You’d see all sorts of things riding from the top station of Eagle’s Flight to the bottom. I worked every one of the rides in the park during that time from Bugs Bunny World to everywhere else in between. My favorite memories were sitting alone in the “Crow’s Nest” on the Colossus lift when the sun went down in the summer. You would get the best light show in the park when the lights started coming on around the park. They used to (don’t know if they still do) have these huge light bars along the road next to the ride that used to bathe the ride in different colors after dark. So much fun for a kid.
I think we can all agree that he should do this for more parks. NEW SERIES!
Haha well for SFMM this was easy for me. Other parks would be very hard unless i got help from a park veteran
@@AirtimeThrills do Knott’s
@@AirtimeThrills you should do more versus of parks and coasters. I thought the superbowl one was awesome!
@@FanThemePark i will, especially if theres some interesting connection between them
Cedar point plz
If you didn't know, there is a painting of the old magic mountain troll characters in the bumper car station right above one of the benches. It is the only relic left of the old magic mountain characters. Magic mountain is my home park and i love learning about its history.
I'm gonna check that one out.
#14 - The exit sign to the Ssnd Blasters Bumper cars still features Bloop the troll. Bloop the troll was Magic Mountains original mascot before Looney Tunes invaded in 1985.
Pinball 541 fun fact: Looney tunes characters were the first unofficial mascots when the park first opened back in '71, but were later replaced by the Trolls up til 1985.
Pinball 541 I was just looking to see if anyone had posted this!
I think there still is one other Bloop in MM way over by where the arcades/monorail stations were.
This park is historic. So much movies and rides have been built & filmed there
also television use
Wow. I used to work there in the 80s. Haven't been back in a long time. Watching this video, it would be like the park I worked at never existed. Especially Log Jammer, that's a hard blow to the heart.
I'm surprised there's that many old buildings left in plain sight. I worked at Great Adventure for years, and it seems like whenever we got a new ride the station and queue were either completely torn down or reused, with the one exception being The Chiller.
I live in Illinois, but was able to make a trip to Magic Mountain, and even though sf great america is my home park, the size of this park blew me away!
I love your channel so much thank you for uploading all of this great content!
Yeah MM is gigantic and it sits on a mountain as the name implies so walking around it is brutal.
My wife visited SFGA last summer and said our home SFMM made it look small! We’re hoping to do a road trip over summer break and hit the SF parks in Texas thru Georgia.
Great America (Gurnee, IL) actually sits on more land than Magic Mountain. Magic Mountain probably seems larger due to the terrain (walking from Gold Rusher to Samurai Summit definitely tests your level of fitness) and because the parking lot at MM is stupidly far away from the park entrance...although I have never taken the tram, ha. As far as attendance, it's pretty amazing GA is almost at the same level as MM...and this was/is true before and after MM went to 365 operation, and before Holiday in the Park started in Gurnee in 2018. Even with HitP, Great America is still closed to the public for almost 4 months per year.
@@jolietpinball7439 Yeah I've been there it's an awesome park! You're right MM just knocks you out because of the hills.
@@oblivieon1567 Magic Mountain is indeed a treat to visit, especially during the winter. Not that long ago, MM didn't exactly have the best reputation for downtime on rides, and lacked many flat rides, but there have been major improvements the past few years in my opinion. Magic Mountain has a few more roller coasters than Great America, while Great America has more flat rides.
MM sorely needs a transportation system around the park. Great America once had four transportation rides! The Great America Scenic Railroad (still exists, but is underutilized), Allie's Trolley (named after Marriott co-founder, Alice Marriott, which still exists, but is only used for parades) and two separate Von Roll skyrides, the second of which (Southern Cross) was crazy tall, added early on during the Marriott's Great America era, in preparation for the planned addition of The Great Southwest area in 1979...which didn't happen until 1996. At least Great America in Santa Clara still has the Eagle's Flight/Delta Flyer skyride...they never had a Southern Cross or plans for The Great Southwest.
1) historical as in being in a movie, the exit of “whipper snapper” in National Lampoons Vacation, you pass it on the left hand side walking up the stairs to X2.
2) artifact hidden in plain sight is the tower, it used to be an observation tower. My first trip to SFMM was back in Aug 1989, I have pictures from up there of a fire on the hill just west of the park.
Back in 1989, Ninja was still very popular as it just opened in 1988, I remember waiting over 2 hours in line. Next time you walk down the hill from Samurai Summit, look on the ground to the left, you’ll see round metal plates on the ground, they were used for poles to extend the line. When you’re at the bottom of the hill just imagine a line of people all the way down the mountain waiting for Ninja...
One of my winter jobs in the '70s was to wash the windows on the Sky Tower. The height never affected me until I dropped my squeegee and watched it fall. (The windows opened inward and were hinged at the top, so you had to get between the wall and the window.)
I was there on Monday. This place is literally heaven.
Ryan Engstrom was it packed? Were the rides a short wait?
Interesting! SFOT is like this as well.
Yosemite Sam, a water dark ride by Arrow/Sally Corp located at the park, closed at the end of the 2018 season due to a storm. You can still see some pieces of theming past the walls to this day.
Coaster Fusion what replaced it? Anything?
What did Justice League replace?
@@DoswarePictures Nothing's replaced Yosemite Sam yet
Coaster Fusion they should do
Something!
I heard the dark ride didn't age that well especially after Time Warner departed with the Six Flags chain.
Is the Leaning room/ casa still there?
Unless it was removed recently, my favorite piece of history in plain sight is Freefall's old metal entrance sign pole near Tital Wave's exit. It always makes me smile when I see it, and I remember seeing it still there from my last visit in late 2019.
Freefall was a great ride
I was actually looking for remnants of Freefall but couldnt see anything obvious. Its good to know this is still there
With the construction and rumors around the Mack Power Loop, I doubt it will be there much longer.
Interesting, I’ll be there tomorrow so I’ll have to look for it. I know you can still see part of the where the line was walking out of riddlers
@@stonefarmer3005 I didn't want to mention this, but this is unfortunately very true :(
I really appreciate all of the time and effort you put into these videos. You’re so awesome and I can’t w8 to ride a coaster with you!
I’ve been fascinated with the history of anything my childhood experienced. Six Flags is one of my childhood experiences. Thanks for posting. I enjoyed every minute.
Colossus was a coaster I always wanted to ride. I knew about her even when I was growing up in Florida. I use to love when we'd drive down south after moving to Nor Cal and see her from the 5, so white and shiny. I was heartbroken when I heard about the closure. This revamping trend was a totally new thing to me but I was over joyed that she'd get a second life.
I knew a lot about the stations turned into mazes, but I can honestly say I have never noticed the X2 transfer track being the old color. Great video!
I love reminders of history. Pretty cool to see there are plenty at SFMM. Thanks for compiling them!
I am going here in 2 weeks so excited
So full throttle goes through two stations, that’s CraaAaAzY. Watch enthusiasts say its two credits now
The Puma VEVO it’s Crazanity.
@@justiceleaguebattleformetr9239 that pun is so good it's bad
Bluberry I got that from Marshall
Actually 3 Stations, Its own Station , Old Metro Station & Log Jammer ...
This is by far my favorite video of yours that you’ve done. Just because it feels like very few other people could’ve made it. Thanks for the great work as always!
He forgot the Forbidden Bench behind Crazanity! Great video, it's always interesting to see history on this park :)
This park is truly legendary, I would want to go back here again.
My kind of video! I loved the Magic Pagoda so much! Even then I knew it couldn’t last because it was just too crazy.
Thanks for the nostalgia. Makes me wonder what the building in Samurai Summit between Ninja and Superman was before. I’ve only been in it for mazes. Over 20 years of visiting the park and I’ve never seen it used for anything else.
Also I can’t remember if Spinouts Queue has been fully removed either. Classic flat ride.
Despite all the changes, Six Flags is still the best theme park I've ever been too. They respect their roots and a lot of their coasters are refurbished and rebranded to still make the park fun. I really love X 2. It's my favorite ride. Twisted Colossus is a great ride too. I'm also glad the old Cyclone ride is still around but with a different name.
No Psyclone was a different wooden coaster and it was demolished and replaced with a newer wooden coaster, Apocalypse
@@tigerrocks503chase8it’s the same ride… different bame
I’m gonna try to get a Southern California trip this summer
My mom used to work on the Dragon. She went back to SFMM recently and was really saddened to see how the station is just sitting there rotting.
Zac G What can you see Six Flags make that old station out of?
I personally can see them keep the old station, tidy it up a bit, and make a flat ride called the Spinning Dragons(a teacup like spinners @ Disneyland) , as paying homage to the old Dragon station.
@@seanlewis1148 honestly, I can't imagine them trying to salvage the station for anything. The wood is so decayed that it wouldn't make sense. If they could do it then it would be fun to see a collection of very little kid rides like you find at the Country Fair area Dollywood.
The one relic that most needs to be addressed is the Sky Tower. That would be worth saving and reopening, even if it would be a huge project. I haven't been up there in forever.
The worst ride relic in my opinion is the track from the People Mover at Disneyland. It is so sad to see it just crumbling and abandoned, especially when the Magic Kingdom still has there's. I'd also add the Wonders of Life pavilion at EPCOT and the queue for Tomb Raider at Kings Island.
@@zacg_ Wait, Sky Tower is SBNO? Yikes. Haven't been to SFMM but that looks like one of the icons of the park
@@sheeple04- I have been going to SFMM since the 70's & the Sky Tower is as famous to the park, as Colossus & Revolution was in the original Vacation movie. Just like Psyclone, the Sky Tower was damaged by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The elevators were deemed unsafe to use, & the stairs are the only way to the top.
@@pinball541 - last time i was in sky tower was in 2008 range, it was working past the earthquake
Recently found my old 1999 season pass for SFMM, man that takes me back.
Love this. Although being from Nor-Cal, SF Double M is not my "home" park but it is the park where my heart is. I've visited since I was I was 3 years old (there's 8mm video of me playing with the goats in the park back in 1977) and with regularity ever since. It's very nostalgic to see these relics as well of some of these unnoticed Easter Eggs. Thanks for the vid.
He's definitely right about the walk up that hill...….My legs feel it every time! Love Magic Mountain but, only when it's not too crowded and not too hot. The place can get pretty miserable during the summer season. X2 and Goliath are very therapeutic and for sure the best rides in the park.... I need my fix soon!
I agree with you about that hill up to Ninja and Superman- it is brutal.
I don't mind the crowds at MM, but the park can be miserable during the summer. With the shows being on a Select Day schedule, the options for sitting down and relaxing range from hit-or-miss to scarce. I would love it for Magic Mountain to add more indoor attractions to their line up.
X2 is easily the most insane ride on the West Coast
At least in 1993, from the employee break room near the kid area was what was left of the story book boat ride. I remembered that as a kid and explained to many younger employees what it was.
I swear whenever I see your intro I get so hyped!
RV likes milk like a new ride, or movie coming out!!
#16 - The station for the old Crazy Barrels attraction that is used for a employee break area behind the scenes by the High Sierra Territory & Swashbuckler.
I think they removed that for Crazanity. I looked on google earth and I could see it on the 3D version of SFMM but on the more up to date 2D version, Crazanity’s structure used up part of its land and they put concrete over the rest of the former Crazy Barrels site.
I love videos like this! Was an absolute pleasure to watch. Would love a video like this for Kings Island, especially with the different changes in ownership. There's a lot of history kind of like this.Thanks, keep on making great videos!
I just love these bit of history videos. I have only been to SFMM once and that was back in 1990. Yikes. A lot has changed since then.
The 1st time I went to MM was in 1975. The park has changed a lot. I remember seeing a model of the Revolution and thinking this is Crazy! LOL
Stan Barnes The first time I went was in ‘76 for the Revolution. I’ve been there many times over the years and have seen and missed many rides.
Then we got X2 lol
Well-presented and witth an anrticulate delivery. Always looked for remnants of Trollywood when hanging out in the 80s. Also the octopus ride near the same area.
One night during Fright Fest I had to work on a brown phone at the top of one of Log Jammer's lifts. This meant I had to walk past the at the time derelict Samurai Summit monorail tunnel. It's the only time I got scared at work and walked away!
Very cool video! I love Magic Mountain! Awesome details here!! I sure miss log jammer and how beautiful that area used to be, but I do love Full Throttle. I truly wish also 6FMM would put some transport back in over or around the mountain. One little thing: You mentioned Eagles Flight was removed after the 94 Earthquake. I’ve visited since 91 and there was no Eagles Flight at all (except the top station building) by this stage already. Anyway keep up the great work! 👍👍
Very cool, I will be on the lookout for some of these when I visit for the first time in june! Now I want to make a video like this about Cedar Point!
Im sure you can make a great one as an employee/local
So many amazing memories @ the Log Jammer :,)
I love park history videos, great work
thank you for reminding me of memories from back home! i miss this place
spin out remnants remain on the hillside adjacent from gold rusher. great video. so much i had forgotten about. fun ride through memory lane.
This was a really interesting video! I never knew Six Flags Magic Mountain still has so many remnants from past attractions just sitting there.
Wow! What a great video! Thank you for this! 👍🏻❤️
Why the heck was there a “Chinese themed” ride on the Samurai tower place? Samurai were Japanese.
😂
Its Six flags, What do you expect
Same thing
Great update, thank you so much
Bro you are growing faster and faster every time I watch you. Can't wait till that silver play button comes your way
Hoping for that one day too!
Now this is a cool, different video. AMAZING!!
I really enjoy content like this! 😍 I would love for you to share some of your favorite memories while you worked there at some point!
Isn't the observation tower still there?
I only went once on July 3, 2015, but it was a great visit!
Jacob Bacci it’s there but not in use.
It hasnt been used in probably 7 years now, but i dont think its necessarily a piece of history yet
I saw them taking a psyclone train out of the park a few days ago before clocking in
Red or yellow?
Also, just a fun fact about the Metro is that the trains from it were relocated to Hersheypark 3yrs after they were removed from Magic Mountain. They've been there since 2011 and continue to operate there to this day. They have, of course, been repainted to fit the theme of Hersheypark. I'm still sad they are gone from MM since it really was a great way to get around the park and I utilized it a LOT in the 90s up till 2001, to a point I never even realized the purpose of the Funicular until it was all we had in the park when I went with friends during my senior year of HS in like 2003 lol. The Metro was still there at the time but we were bummed that it was closed because we were going to try to ride it from the High Sierra Territory to the Samurai Summit station. It's at that time a friend suggested we could take the Funicular instead which at the time was called The Oriental Express.
Wish they'd figure out a new transportation system for the park. The Metro was the one I found to be the most useful, and the most relaxing on a hot day.
I rode the Eagles Flight once on the very first time I ever went to the park in '92 or '93. I have only very vague memories of it. But the station at the back was already gone by the time I was there and Freefall was in its place. Only the one from the top of the hill that would drop you near where the base of the Superman tower currently stands was still operating. It was called the Eagles Flight - Galaxy, and that's the one that was removed in 1994 after the big earthquake.
The one that took you to the back of the park, called Eagles Flight - El Dorado, was removed in 1981 to make way for Freefall which opened in 1982 after an accident occurred on it in 1978 (don't know the nature of the accident but it was bad enough that it caused it to close down for a couple years before it was finally removed altogether). So pretty much, Freefall was built and the old Eagles Flight station was repurposed for it, and then eventually Freefall sat abandoned for a few years after Superman pretty much made it irrelevant. When they finally scrapped Freefall, which used to sit in the middle of Riddler's Revenge, they never put anything there to replace it. So now no trace of the Eagles Flight/Freefall station remain today.
Last but not least, the Dragon cable cars are still somewhere in the park in storage. They were last seen somewhere in the back where Deja Vu once stood near Apocalypse. Who knows, maybe they've been incorporated into the theming of Apocalypse? They seem to use other relics from MM's past strewn about. But the Dragon tails embroidering on the back of the cars are broken and one of the cars is in a stripped skeletal state. Each of them also have rows of seat missing on them. I also saw a couple of the old Eagles Flight gondolas next to one of the Dragon cars in the background of one of the photos I have. From the outside, they appear to be in decent condition, but never got a look inside of them. The Dragon cars are pretty much trashed and in very poor condition. The roof is missing on one of them. And there's a bunch of junk sitting on them. Paint is faded. But there's no mistake that they are the cars. I have the photos.
Due to the terms of the deal, Magic Mountain basically paid Hershey park to take them. They also got the molds to make new train cars and tons of spare parts. I wish MM had kept the monorail.
This was great! One of these days I'd love to see some videos of the shows from Magic Mountain around 1993 like the Riptide Revue. I always saw people with their camcorders in there but have yet to find any of those on UA-cam.
If you are up by Superman and look down onto the area where Full Throttle comes over, you can see parts of the Log Jammer flume still in place back by the trees.
This was great! I visited the park only twice. Once in 1981 and again in 1989. I did get to experience the monorail, the log jammer and that dragon transport thing that went up and down that hill. Gosh... I wonder if anything is left from my 1989 trip!
How about the Forbidden Bench on the other side of the fence between Crazanity and the Superman track. Awesome video and can't wait for more! Thanks Chris for all the hard work you do putting these videos together, you're truly a top source for Magic Mountain knowledge.
I need to see this bench, there are a lot of comments about it and I had never heard of it before today
Oh no... not log jammer..
It scarred me for life when I was
4-5...
Love your videos keep up the good work.
I wish the monorail was still there
There was a cove on Samaurai Summit with a waking path and some benches they demolished for Tatsu. The benches were still back there up until about a year ago. Man I love my home park Magic Mountain!
Great video! I was curious about the old pueblo buildings you pass on the way to X2.....as seen in National Lampoons Vacation when they get arrested.
Michael Buehl arrested for what? Kidnapping your boss and tying a bow on him because he cut Christmas bonuses this year?
@@DoswarePictures ??? Thats Christmas Vacation
MFL that’s the only Vacation movie I’ve seen.
@@DoswarePictures youve never seen Vacation which shows SFMM circa 1982? Wow you gotta get on that
Oh man, yea you gotta see the original Vacation movie, it's great! And they ride (not) Colossus
There is a bench still in the woods behind Crazanity.
I guess im such a magic mountain freak i know of all those.. lol you also missed , where spin out use to be by gold rusher, and i believe there is still pieces of free fall by tidal wave and riddlers revenge
Major props for showing what the Magic Pagoda looked like when it was operational. Photos of this attraction are really hard to find & the painting of the purple mask is creepy but then again, the Magic Pagoda was remembered as a bizarre chinese funhouse.
The castle is still behind the fence from the old kiddie area, part of the old trolls and wizard theme.
Ah yes i have seen that but didnt know what it was for
It’s amazing how parks like magic mountain and kings island ( my home park) has hidden Easter eggs like what you just said
Michael Bruzina either that or they’re just lazy.
The Viper ....that was COOL. I remember the Magic Pagoda , and the Metro ,and all the fun i had there as a kid. : D
Thank you for sharing! This was the park of my youth and I remember when these old rides were fully operational. I was there recently and the Dragon gazebo is still there ans has always been there. I wonder what happens to the restaurant Four Winds that used to be at the top of the hill! Oh ans what about Soilliken Corners? I used that is where the midway or Boardwalk is now
#15 - The Wizards castle can be seen from Samurai Summit by Superman. It is buried in the trees by the kids section of the park.
#15... Burger King Foot Lehtuhs. Lol. But no, that's actually a good one; *so many* people don't know it's still there or what it is.
Yes, you can see it from the kids area too.
9:50 which lift hill? The first one or the the one that takes you to station?
Great job. I think there still is a picture of Bloop the troll in MM...which would be a nice relic to find.
In the queue line for Full Throttle you can still see some of the rocks from Log Jammer. Such good memories from that ride! ;u ; I miss it dearly, especially during fright fest's early years
In retrospect it is very clear that they should definitely should have kept the Metro. This is especially apparent with all the new developments in the back of the park. Imagine how nice it would be to be able to just ride a train back to West Cost Racers without having to walk that hill.
Yeah, but all Six Flags could think about was space.
Annoying to have to walk all the way to the back of the park from the main gate. Either create a tram system, or open a second gate by scream.
Great job! Cool details to know.
I was on the SFMM opening crew in the summer of 1971. At the end of the summer, management unveiled a plaque at the front of the park with the name of every employee who lasted through that summer. When I last saw it (YEARS ago!), the plaque was still there in front of the bank (now Guest Relations). I can't help wondering if the plaque has survived... Ron Schneider, Grand Prix Opening Crew
im going there soon and i will let you know!
I like that you mention Carousel Grill - I used to work there!! Is the building for Spin out still there by the Surge Shack?
thanks for the video! I went as a kid in the early 80s with my grandparents and remember the monorail, craft corner (i wish I still had the horse shoe I got as a kid) and sky ride.
I remember going to six flags a few years ago and wondering why superman didnt have that huge statue of him at the top of the ride like it used to. Then we got on Goliath and as your climbing the stairs to the top of the ride to get on you could see the giant statue just laying on its side behind one of the metal fences that makes the perimeter of the park. Superman laid in the dirt there for a really long time pretty funny
Malcolm Tinyo Yeah, the statue fell during a storm in 2010 and they decided not to put it back because the EFK renovation was in development and the statue couldn’t be seen by the backwards cars.
@@DoswarePictures I doubt it fell. It would have been smashed into pieces.
sharkheadism well that’s what I heard.
Great episode! A couple more that come to mind would be the plot where sierra twist used to be, then it was turned into the pistachio walkthrough that you can’t even walk through anymore. As well as the laughing dragon pizza at the top of samurai summit by Superman. I have heard they occasionally use it for mazes.
Wasatch Coasters I wish Six Flags would get down to some REAL work and revived a lot/if not ALL of these places!!!
Id love to have the Laughing Dragon open again. I worked there a few times, the view on the patio of Full Throttle and the front of the park is awesome
Airtime Thrills IKR......ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE!!! EATING YOUR PIZZA WITH YA SOFT DRINK, AND THEY HAVE A DRAGON INSIDE THE BUILDING AND IT LAUGHED ALMOST EVERY TIME FULL THROTTLE FLIES BY!!! LOL
I was at the park back in January and I was wondering about that unused gazeebo (#1) - very cool to find out it was a station for the Dragon. I had a lot of questions about abandoned buildings during my visit and this video answered all of them. I guess I’m lucky to have seen those Psyclone trains before they recently removed them.
You should do the best and worst airtime from each manufacturer
Two of my proudest moments as a seven year old girl happened at this park- Riding Superman and Goliath. I felt like a total badass.
My favorite is Ninja. I’m so happy to hear it’s still there!
I’m dying to go back to Magic Mountain when I visit SoCal
I worked there for 19 years from 1995-2004 from Ops/ security to the Sales dept... then the GSM at Six Flags America. Love your content! I’m not sure if it is still there... but you missed the last Troll in the park at the exit of Sand Blasters.
Yup that troll is a good one too
These are the best kind of videos
I used to have and LOVE that "Blown Away" t-shirt at 6:45. It had Wile E Coyote on it and I LOVED it.
I think the Flashback entrance building used to be part of the main entrance back in the early years. From what I remember, it was just to the right of the ticket booths and turnstiles.
when fright fest comes around it seems that a lot of Magic's history gets exposed. Like you said the magic pagoda, the old flashback entrance building, and the eagles Flight Station all house mazes. I believe Reds Revenge is in the old monorail maintenance shed and I noticed that the foundation for the old monorail station across from the log jammer station is still there. You walk right past it as you queue for Reds. Also Aftermath Chaos rising, as you said uses the old queue from Deja vu but also a lot of the stuff in that maze is from the old Batman stunt show. Fight fest really is the best time to see a lot of history from magic
Interesting topic choice!! Good video
I work there now and have seen those relics. I wondered about that gazebo behind the soda station and I’ve noticed the bank alarm on guest relations. As for the Green Lantern ride…they’re getting ready to build a new rollercoaster in it’s place, also that part of the park is being made over
I just noticed the Mr Six bus back in that lot where the psyclone trains were mentioned being. Didn't see a train but definitely saw the bus. If only photography was allowed on Drop of Doom
Not many people remember that there used to be a Lake where the water park is now. They had water ski shows. Having never been to Hurricane Harbor maybe someone has seen a artifact from that time.
Fuzzy Tabby Yup.......it was called Mystic Lake
Yeah and it appeared in the opening credits of Step by Step.
@@MrMywildside They even added Lake Michigan in front of Colossus.
This is a great video! If you were to make one of these on Six Flags St Louis, I would love to help since I know a few hidden relics in that park
The best Six Flags Ever❤️
Another sad ride relic at a different park is the still standing structure for Mean Streak at Cedar Point. It's just standing there despite having closed several years ago. I hear they put some metal structure on top of it to keep it somewhat hidden. What a shame. ;)
Seems like a perfect coaster to RMC
You also forgot Laughing Dragon. Laughing Dragon was originally a steakhouse at the top of Samurai Summit. You can tell because if you ever look high above Full Throttle's entrance, you can see the backside of the building and the sign still says "Steak House." Eventually it was turned into a pizza place, but now sits closed and abandoned, taunting people who walked all the way up the hill and now have to make their way back down to get food. There are also sections of monorail over by Golden Bear Theater (which probably also belongs on this list) and you can see the footers of Colossus' old layout while riding Twisted Colossus and Goliath.