Planning Your Trip

The date you choose to visit the park can make or break your day.  Always be sure to check the weather before you plan your trip.  I'd recommend avoiding days when it is extremely hot outside or extremely cold outside.

If you don't mind getting a little wet, take advantage of days when it is lightly raining to avoid large crowds.  Unless the rain is heavy or it is thundering and lightning, most of the rides will remain open.

The day of the week also has an influence on park crowds.  If possible, avoid any Saturday, as it is the most crowded day of the week.  If you must visit on a weekend, Sundays are generally a lot less crowded.  During the week, wait times will be much shorter, especially Monday-Thursday.

Six Flags Magic Mountain is open year-round.  Crowds are the heaviest during summer and the lightest during winter.

Managing Your Time

Arrive at the park early and as soon as the gates open, quickly walk or run to your favorite attraction.  If you get there fast enough, you will be able to avoid a long wait.

My personal suggestion is to run to X as soon as the gates open; later in the day, lines for this ride can exceed 2-3 hours.  Another option is to do the complete opposite.  While everyone runs to X, head towards the back of the park to Goliath, Riddler's Revenge, and Batman: The Ride.  All three of these attractions will have very short wait times during the early morning hours.

Try to ride popular attractions during normal meal times (usually between 12:00 and 2:00 PM and 5:00 and 7:00 PM).  This is a great way to hit several attractions in a short period of time.

The wait times for water rides will be much longer in the afternoon.  If you ride them earlier in the day or later at night, you will most likely avoid long lines.

During the summer, The Batman Begins Stunt Show draws a lot of crowds away from the rides - particularly The Riddler's Revenge and Batman: The Ride.  If you do not wish to watch the show, I recommend riding these attractions during show hours.

FastLane is available for purchase at the FastLane Sales Center behind Guest Relations.  For a charge of $15, guests are given four passes that allow them to enter the park’s most popular attractions through a designated entrance.  There is still a wait, but it is significantly smaller than the regular line.  Once you purchase FastLane, the four passes can be split between more than one person.  This is a great way to save a little bit of money.

Read The Signs

Be sure to ride the signs before you get in line for an attraction.  The signs posted in front of the ride contain important information such as height requirements and warnings.  Be sure to measure yourself or your children before you get in line for a ride.  This will help to avoid hassle once you reach the loading station.

Use The Map

If you are not familiar with the park, be sure to pick up a map in Guest Relations.  Not only does the map show you exactly where everything in the park is located, it contains brief descriptions of all of the park's food locations, shops, shows, and rides.  Using the map will help you plan out your day and avoid confusion.

Eat Outside The Park

Just like at any other amusement park, the food at Six Flags Magic Mountain is very expensive.  Several restaurants including Red Lobster, Hamburger Hamlet, Marie Calendars, and Wendy’s are located within minutes of the park.

If you must eat inside the park, I recommend Laughing Dragon or Mooseburger Lodge.  Both of these sit-down restaurants have fast service, decent food, and air-conditioning.

Keep Yourself Comfortable

Always pack a lot of sunscreen since you are going to be in the sun for an extensive period of time.  Six Flags Magic Mountain has tons of trees and most of the queue areas are shaded, but a heavy layer of sunscreen is still recommended.

Drink a lot of fluids, especially during the summer.  Beverages sold at the park are generally expensive, so it's a good idea to pack a few bottles of water.

If you suffer from motion sickness, bring your medication of choice.  It is also available for purchase at several of the park's shops, including the Guest Necessity Center, which is located underneath Superman: The Escape.

If you have glasses and/or hats, be sure to secure them while on the rides.  Chances are they will fall out if you wear them during the ride.

Purchase souvenirs towards the evening so you did not have to lug around large bags all day.  If you need to store a large item such as a backpack, lockers are available near the Guest Relations office.