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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Six Flags Will Be Open 365 Days A Year Starting In 2018

riddlers_six.jpg
(Photo courtesy of Six Flags/Facebook)

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Six Flags Magic Mountain will be open for all 365 days of the year starting on January 1, 2018. According to the L.A. Times, it's part of the owners' attempt to turn the park into a destination resort like Disneyland or Universal Studios.

“By operating 365 days a year, that is the entry point to go after the tour and travel trade,” Bonnie Weber, president of Six Flags Magic Mountain, told the Times. She added that the park will attempt to attract visitors from Mexico, countries in Asia, and beyond.

This is kind of a weird one to us; not to knock on Valencia, but would tourists really fly out to L.A. to ride roller coasters at a theme park that's 45 minutes away from downtown and the beaches? You could say the same about Disneyland, sure, but that's Disneyland.

Then again, L.A. has been setting some major tourism records in the last few years, and it's been surmised that attractions like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter play a large role in this. So, perhaps there are enough tourists (and money) to go around for Six Flags.

As noted at CBS2, the park currently operates 250 days a year, mostly in the summer months.

Santa Clarita Valley History has a nice history rundown of the park, which opened in 1971. Did you know that the campy KISS movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park was shot at Six Flags? Or that Oscar-nominated actress Debra Winger used to work there (and dress up as a park character)? Or that several visitors have met grisly fates throughout the '70s and '80s?

Here's a POV video of the Goliath ride at Magic Mountain. The video alone is making us a little queasy:

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Six Flags Magic Mountain is a 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia. (661) 255-4100.

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