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Magic Mountain's new Tatsu roller coaster to debut Saturday

2006-05-09

By Robert Niles: The Daily News in Los Angeles is reporting that Tatsu underwent its California state safety inspections on Monday and that the new B&M Flying Coaster will debut at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia this Saturday.

There are also a few quotes in Gene Tong's story quoting some inarticulate theme park website editor, who had just stepped off a five-and-a-half hour flight from New York. Here's how I wished I'd said it:

Many people around here have either forgotten or never knew that Magic Mountain was built to be a family park. The Newhall Company wanted some attraction that would distinguish it from all the other suburban developments going up around L.A. County in the late '60s and early '70s -- something that would make people willing to live north over the pass from the San Fernando Valley -- and Newhall decided that a family theme park was the ideal pick.

But none of Magic Mountain's owners over the years have been able to realize that vision. Only roller coasters have had any success in bring folks to the park over the years, and the previous Six Flags management team overdosed on them -- to the point where so many teens crowded the park that families felt unwelcomed, or even unsafe, there.

Faraway managers also have failed to recognize what a summer day in Valencia is like. Magic Mountain desperately needs attractions that get people out of the broiling summer sun -- flume rides, air-conditioned theater shows and family-friendly dark rides.

Mark Shapiro and the new crew running Six Flags are saying a lot of the right things about improving the quality of these parks and making them more family friendly. I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do with Magic Mountain. I'd love to see what Magic Mountain 2010 will look like.

(Sorry for being so mealy-mouthed yesterday, Gene.)

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