On today’s Morning Buzz at la_observed there was a reference to some changes coming at Magic Mountain. It noted that Flashback and Psyclone, a replica of Coney Island’s famous Cyclone, have already been pulled from the website and are likely to be razed this year for park expansion now that Magic Mountain will remain open. The source was Theme Park Insider, so I went over to take a look.
They have some interesting speculation that may affect OERM. Specifically, they note that CEO Mark Shapiro noted in the January 12 live conference call that a new 3-stop “train/monorail” attraction would be introduced in 2007 at Magic Mountain, and the guess at TPI was that it will be a fully refurbished Metro with a new name and theme. Shapiro also mentioned Magic Mountain would also be home to a Coldstone Creamery and a undisclosed brand indoor burger/American cuisine restaurant this year. TPI stated that fans of the park weren’t surprised by FlashBack being torn down, considering that the ride closed in 2003 and has been rusting away ever since.
Here’s the interesting part: TPI noted that the recently cleared area out back behind Psyclone and the space freed up by the roller coasters’ footprint will be large enough for an elaborate Thomas & Friends themed area as well as for the two new food operations. TPI noted that Thomas & Friends replacing Psyclone was purely speculation on their part. Still, this would have an interesting impact on both OERM and the Fillmore Train Museum, as both regularly host Day Out With Thomas. Good? Bad? I’m not sure yet, but likely bad. Then again, it may not make a difference, given that no one goes to the Molehill anymore anyway.
Update: The Daily News gives a few more details. Flashback, a steel coaster that opened in 1992, has been closed the last couple of years because it’s right next to Hurricane Harbor, and the noise it generates interfered with lifeguards. It may be re-assembled somewhere else at Magic Mountain, but it won’t be operating this year. Psyclone will be smashed and scrapped within four weeks. It opened at Magic Mountain in March 1991, and it has a wooden frame with 11 hills. The structure is made up of Southern pine, unpainted to make it look more natural. Workers spent a combined 40,000 hours building the ride, ridden by 17.1 million people before it closed. As for what the park says about their replacements… a spokescritter said, “We’re always looking to add areas of the park that appeal to a wide audience”.
