An amusement park is a study in contrasts. Take a leisurely stroll down the midway of any amusement park, and you'll likely find people munching on cotton candy, corn dogs and various other kinds of deep-fried comfort food on a stick. This low-stress, high-calorie slice of Americana not only makes us all feel like kids again, it shows why dentists and cardiologists live in such big, fine houses.
But, never far away is the other side of the amusement park coin. The rides, specifically the thrill rides and roller coasters, are the reasons why most people buy their tickets. As they stand in line, some can't wait for the speed, spins and inversions that these towering wood or steel monsters dish out. Others look over their shoulders and try to figure out how to sneak away without being called a chicken. Perhaps this is another study in contrasts.
Six Flags knows the thrill seeker well. And, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, has more ways for them to get their fix than any place else.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. owns more amusement parks than anybody in the world, and Six Flags Magic Mountain has been on the asset sheet since 1971. Every Six Flags amusement park has its share of roller coasters, but nobody has more of them than Six Flags Magic Mountain. More than 50 total rides have been shoehorned into the 260 acre property. Among these are 18 roller coasters; more than any other amusement park.
Six Flags Magic Mountain was able to wrestle the unofficial title of "Roller Coaster Capital of the World" away from Cedar Point in Ohio. Here are a few of the reasons that people can't wait to get to a Six Flags amusement park:
- Green Lantern – New in 2011, this is the first vertical spinning coaster in America. After climbing to the top of a 107 foot high hill, riders spend the next bulk of the next two minutes trying to differentiate between earth and sky. Disembark, grab something solid and wait for the room to stop spinning.
- Riddler's Revenge – What's green, goes 65 mph and flips riders head over heels 6 times in 3 minutes? The answer to that riddle is this ride, which happens to be the world's fastest and tallest stand-up roller coaster.
- Superman: Escape from Krypton – Formerly Superman the Escape, this ride has undergone a slight change for its current configuration. Riders now go 100 mph and 415 feet in the air....backwards. They experience 6.5 seconds of weightlessness while dropping to earth, face first. This is among the most thrilling rides in existence.
- Viper – While tangled in its massive steel coils, riders must endure seven inversions at speeds of up to 70 mph. Viper can swallow 28 riders at once, preferably head first.
- Scream – What's in a name? How about 65 mph, 15 stories of vertical drop and 7 inversions....all without a floor to stand on?
These are also a few of the reasons that some people swear that they'll never go back to a Six Flags amusement park.
Six Flags Fun Food
All this flipping and spinning and zero-G business is hungry work, and every Six Flags amusement park is well stocked with places to feed the superhero within. Several national chain restaurants offer their products at the park, and everything from funnel cakes to pizza can be found. It's always a good idea to stay away from the ice cream and pretzels until after the thrill rides have been ridden. Eating before riding could produce terrifying results of a different kind.
Six Flags amusement parks are found in various parts of the country, including a park in New Jersey with a record-breaking thrill ride, but no amusement park in the world has such a collection of roller coasters. While visitors to some parks spend most of their time waiting for their turn at a couple big rides, those who frequent Six Flags Magic Mountain have many more opportunities to spin, speed and scream. That might be the biggest contrast of all.
Dave Lovejoy - Dave is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He is involved in farming and has a custom made furniture business that has customers ...
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