By ABBY GROFF
Staff Writer
El Diamante has just announced Six Flags Magic Mountain as their location for this year’s upcoming Senior Grad Nite, and many of us have never stepped foot in the park. With 19 roller coasters total, Magic Mountain holds the world record for most coasters in one park: that can be very overwhelming for your average Disneyland enthusiast. Luckily for me, I’ve grown up with the Six Flags parks and have come to learn which rides are the least intimidating or the scariest. As a result, I’ve compiled a list of the rides I consider “bigger” (excluding the kiddie coasters) that should be ridden from first to last as a way of getting used to the feel of stepping into the car for the very first time. If you have adrenaline junkie friends hyping up Grad Nite and you’re still a little apprehensive, this list should help you work your way up to the top and overcome your greatest thrill ride fears.
- Gold Rusher
This is the perfect ride for anyone nervous about their first roller coaster. There are no loops, doesn’t reach very high speeds, and doesn’t get very high off the ground. It’s a short, scenic ride perfect for families or smaller kids.
- Ninja
Like Gold Rusher, Ninja is a scenic ride. However, it is a suspended coaster. This means the track is above you and you are left hanging below. Don’t worry, though, your feet are still inside the car safe and sound. This ride can get pretty fast and does make some sharp turns.
- The New Revolution
This was my first roller coaster as a kid, and it was the one that got me over my fears. A bit similar to both Gold Rusher and Ninja, it sends you through a thick expanse of trees while going at average speeds and making sharper turns. If you’re worried about going upside down, there is one small loop. It’s very good for starters to overcome this fear, as it goes by really fast.
- Apocalypse
For a wooden roller coaster, this ride (I think) is great. It manages to be slightly scary without having to get too high above the ground or going upside down. This is one of the fastest wooden rides I’ve ever been on, and I’ve been on 39 coasters total.
- West Coast Racers
This ride incorporates an urban, street racing theme that I’m not the biggest fan of, but the ride is decent. Riders get in the car and are launched at the same time as the dueling coaster on the left. The only reason West Coast is as high as it is, is because it goes upside down, and I know people may have a problem with that. It doesn’t get so high off the ground, but it makes many twists and turns that leave the rider’s head racing.
- Batman: The Ride
Now we’ve finally reached coasters I believe are genuinely scary. Like Ninja, Batman is another suspended coaster, but your feet are now dangling freely. The rides goes by super fast, but the loops are the most exciting.
- Scream
Many consider Scream a “parking lot” coaster. It doesn’t have much scenery and was built just wherever leftover space was available. Reaching the top of the hill leaves you staring over a mass of cars, making you feel very tiny. The ride isn’t suspended, but your feet are, again, hanging freely and not inside the car. Scream goes upside down more times than you can count, but is generally really smooth.
- Twisted Colossus
This is the best ride in the park, no questions asked. You go around the track twice, similar to West Coast Racers. The steel track is built over wood, and the cars lack shoulder harnesses. You are only strapped in with a seatbelt and lap bar that locks your feet in, so the hills allow for a lot of good air time, meaning you feel like you’re about to fly out of your seat.
- Viper
Completely opposite from Twisted Colossus, I do not recommend this ride. I even suggest you skip it completely. Viper is in desperate need of repair or remodeling. There are 7 inversions total, each leaving you with a massive headache as it rattles your head against the shoulder harness.
- The Riddler’s Revenge
What makes this ride special is its seating arrangements. You aren’t sitting on this ride, but standing. It’s one of a kind at Magic Mountain, but a little bit painful for the boys (you’ll understand why once you get there).
- Superman: Escape from Krypton
I personally think this ride is underwhelming because it lasts five seconds long (not literally) but it is the tallest ride in the park at 415 ft. The max speed of Superman is 100 mph, launching you to the top of the tower backwards and sending you flying straight back down.
- Full Throttle
Full Throttle has the fastest and tallest loop in the world. It’s best known for its ride operators tricking passengers at the start, as in doing a false countdown before launching them straight into the loop at 70 mph. To top it all off, nearing the end of the ride the car moves along the very top of the loop.
- Goliath
Goliath is a legendary ride. I still get scared of going on it to this day. It doesn’t go upside down, but still lacks a shoulder harness as well as a traditional seatbelt. It only has a lap bar. The ride has a 255 ft 70 degree angle drop, reaching top speeds of 85 mph. The track is extremely narrow and sits above the parking lot.
- Crazanity
This is the first non-roller coaster on the list, yet it still remains one of the scariest and most popular rides in the park. Riders sit with a shoulder harness and their feet dangling as Crazanity slowly begins to spin and leave the safety of the ground. It swings back and forth, leaving riders going upside down for very few moments.
- Tatsu
While I did say Twisted Colossus is the best ride in the park, Tatsu will always be my personal favorite. Tatsu leaves its passengers laying face down staring straight towards the ground while going up the lift hill. While one of the scariest experiences ever, it can also be peaceful. It’s very smooth and gives you the sensation of flying, leaving for some incredible views of the park.
- Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom
Another ride that gives you incredible views of the park, but in a process ten times scarier, is Drop of Doom. This is the last non-roller coaster on the list, but I believe is very close to the number one ride on the list. Drop of Doom is placed on the side of the Superman tower. It is a drop ride where passengers buckle in, and slowly make their way to the top of this 415 ft monster. I don’t want to make readers too anxious reading this list, but I will note that every single time I’ve been to the park within the past couple years, I’ve seen riders stuck at the top for a good thirty minutes. So make sure your luck is strong on Grad Nite if you choose to get on.
- X2
X2 is one of a kind. It is an experience I can hardly describe. It’s the scariest ride I’ve ever been on, period. Riders sit in the cars laying on their backs, then go up the hill backwards, bellies to the sky. Six Flags hasn’t been doing it much lately, but if you’re lucky, intense music and screaming sound effects will play as the car climbs. Also depending on your weight, the car will spin uncontrollably, making each experience on the ride unique. Once passengers reach the top of the hill, the car turns and sends you falling straight towards the ground. There is truly nothing like it, and only the bravest can successfully get on without hesitation.