Six Flags officially closes X2
Well, that's it.
Six Flags has thrown in the towel and given up on X2. Six Flags Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding made it official this morning.
"While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do," he wrote on Six Flags' website. "Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously."
X2 has been closed since July, following a reported injury accident. The ride has been named in several lawsuits and news stories as a result of injuries reported by riders.
X2 opened in 2008 as a reimagining of X, the Arrow 4-D coaster that opened in 2002. The original X pretty much sunk Arrow Dynamics (see X's Failure Threatens Many in Theme Park Industry). S&S worked with Six Flags on the X2 return, but as the coaster has aged, complaints have mounted about rough rides on the wing-style rotating seats, especially around its raven turn.
With X2's closure, Magic Mountain now has 16 operating roller coasters. The park once held the world record for most coasters, but now trails Energylandia, Canada's Wonderland, Cedar Point and Wonderland Eurasia in Türkiye.
Replies (9)
SF had their backs against their wall, and unfortunately there was no other choice but to make this announcement. We had a chance to ride X2 back in June, and for me it still delivered that unique experience, but I can certainly understand how many were impacted by the coaster's rough edges and wobbly rotation mechanism. Anything short of a retrack and complete redesign of the trains would be considered inadequate to keep the coaster running, so retiring the attraction was the most prudent decision.
I never rode X2, but did ride X when it opened, and I can say it was one of the greatest roller coaster experiences I ever had. It's a shame it's been plagued with so many problems.
I wouldn't be surprised if Magic Mountain found themselves with a new 4D/Axis/Thrill Spinner sometime soon to take on the "X3" moniker.
Well that really sucks. I can't say I'm too surprised given the circumstances, but it's still sad that one of the most unique coasters of the 2000s went out in such a fashion. From what I've heard, the park tried really hard to find a solution acceptable to all parties and reopen the ride, but was informed by corporate yesterday that they'd run out of time and needed to announce the closure before Q3 ended. Unfortunately, I've got a feeling the attraction may simply sit there SBNO for the foreseeable future, as after just investing around $10 million on a complete rebuild of two of the ride's three trains the park was clearly expecting to get another decade or two out of the ride and likely hasn't even discussed a replacement at the blue sky stage yet.
@AJ - I think you're dead on, especially given they've invested who knows how many tens of millions of dollars into Thrill Glider - I wouldn't be surprised costs have increased since SF started pushing dirt around and prepping the site for track install. X2 is going to be a scar on the landscape for at least a year, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's still SBNO through much of 2028. SF simply doesn't have the resources to replace a coaster of X2's profile without a significant amount of planning and consideration. Frankly, if SF announces an X2 replacement next year, I'd be really concerned that the company is just grasping for the next big thing hoping to fill the void created by X2's retirement.
SF only has 1 chance to do this right, and they need to take their time to make sure this is handled right.
I'm really sorry that I never got to ride this, as it would have been an interesting experience to say the least. (Never made it to Magic Mountain because the prospect of driving in CA terrifies me.) As to trying to find a solution, I don't think a solution was possible without a major redesign. Saw a post on FB which struck me as ludicrous. The poster seemed to be suggesting that the injuries sustained on X2 were the result of people not knowing how to ride it. As if it was a reasonable expectation for park guests to have foreknowledge of specific rides or strategies for riding them.
Then there's the issue of assumption of risk. Obviously, anyone who rides a roller coaster is assuming a degree of risk but in this case the risk was far greater than could be reasonably foreseen.
> The poster seemed to be suggesting that the injuries sustained on X2 were the result of people not knowing how to ride it.
I've seen a lot of these comments, and it's shocking and insensitive. One death on a rollercoaster is enough to give people pause, but two deaths and two separate cases of traumatic brain injury? That's not a good sign.
sounds like a home for Aerie Force One! LOL J/K, they've already got that model covered in spades
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Sad news, but not surprising given the maintenance problems this ride has had. Throw in all the lawsuits this year and its fate was sealed. I only went on it once during my sole visit to the park four years ago and it felt like it was getting rough then. Hopefully Magic Mountain can add a 4D Free Spin again. I know the park got burned with Intamin on Green Lantern, but Sansei seems to have figured out the model to do this properly.