How to Visit Six Flags Magic Mountain: A Guide to the Amusement Park

Based out of Valencia, California, just outside of the City of Angels, Six Flags Magic Mountain is a nationally famous amusement park that is well known for adrenaline-packed fun, and high-speed thrills. For roller coaster lovers, Six Flags Magic Mountain just might be the best amusement park in the world. The park is home to the most roller coasters in a single park, and several of the rides are record-breakers due to their height, speed, and novelty. 

In truth, Six Flags Magic Mountain is all about pushing the envelope in exhilarating fun experiences, and that is a huge part of why it is such a popular destination for Californians and outsiders alike. Plus, there are always new Six Flags Magic Mountain rides being added to the park at regular intervals, so repeat visitors can always have new exciting experiences. Of course, any park that is as big and as popular as Six Flags Magic Mountain will be a bit daunting to navigate for the uninitiated but worry not because our guide will fill you in on all the important stuff you need to know if you plan to visit Six Flags Magic Mountain, California. 

Getting to the Park

If you don’t plan to use a car, you have a few options for getting to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Hiring a cab will cost between $65 and $95 each way, and the journey takes about 30 minutes each way, making this one of the fastest ways to get to the park. Some hotels and tour companies offer shuttles to the park, and this service ranges from complementary to about $130 per person.

It is also possible to get to the park using mass transit. From Los Angeles’ Union Station, take the 213 Metrolink train to Lancaster and get off at Newhall. Then catch the #12 bus towards Transit Center. Transfer at McBean Regional Transit Center to the #3 towards Magic Mountain, then ride until the last stop. This method has the longest journey times at about 2 hours, 20 minutes each way, but it is quite affordable at just around $22 per person round trip. 

Six Flags Tickets 

Six Flags used to have a four-tiered ticketing system that included single-day tickets, gold passes, platinum passes, and diamond passes. However, the gold pass was temporarily discontinued for 2023 Six Flags Magic Mountain, and the park now offers a limited-time upgrade to platinum passes. This means you get the great benefits of the platinum pass for the same price you would have paid for a gold pass, a great deal that you definitely should take advantage of.  

One-Day Pass

This is the base-level ticket. It grants you one-day entry to any Six Flags location but does not include parking. If you buy online, you can snag one of these for only $64.99, totaling about $260 for a family of four. But if you purchase one at the kiosk, you’ll pay $114.99, so buying online is the way to go because you’ll save big bucks. This ticket is great for budget-conscious visitors, especially if you plan to arrange transportation to and from the park.  

Platinum Pass

At just $99.99, this pass is the best value given what you get for your money. With this pass you get access to general parking, unlimited visits to Six Flags Magic Mountain for all of 2023, %15 discounts on all food and merchandise, one skip-the-line pass to get around the long Six Flags wait times, and much more. That means that for around $400, a family of four can make the most out of their experience at Six Flags Magic Mountain. 

Diamond Pass 

For those that want the ultimate Six Flags Magic Mountain experience, there is no alternative. This season pass for Six Flags is the most expensive Six Flags ticket you can buy at $169.99, or $680 for a family of four. Indeed you get what you pay for as the Diamond Pass gives you plenty of premiere features, including preferred parking, four skip-the-line passes, unlimited visits to all Six Flags parks for 2023, and 20% discounts on all food and merchandise. In short, this is the ticket you get when you want to treat your loved ones to a Six Flags Magic Mountain experience they won’t soon forget. 

Top Attractions

X2

Behold the world’s first 4D rollercoaster, a heart-pounding experience that totally redefines what roller coasters can be. This is truly one of the most unusual amusement park rides you will ever enjoy, and there are no better places to get your adrenaline fix. From the moment you start rolling, this ride is nothing but wacky fun. The seats on this ride turn, tilt backward, and spin, all while reaching top speeds of 76 miles per hour. Although X2 is just a two-minute ride, it is by far one of the most popular roller coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and once you ride it, you’ll immediately understand why. 

Superman: Escape From Krypton

This high-speed roller coaster was at the cutting edge when it first opened in 1997, and it remains quite an intense experience even today. The vehicles on this ride were some of the first to use electromagnets for propulsion, and this allows for a mind-boggling top speed of 100 miles per hour. The ride’s design is fairly simple yet thoroughly thrilling. The coaster is propelled up a vertical 415-foot tall straight before careening back down, leveling out, and coming to a safe stop at the station below.  

The Riddler’s Revenge 

Ever wondered what it would be like to ride a roller coaster while standing up? The Riddler’s Revenge offers exactly that, an amazing highspeed coaster ride where you are standing up the whole time. Although the ride goes relatively slower than other coasters at the park at “only” 65 miles per hour, it is still plenty exciting as this coaster goes inverted multiple times. Imagine soaring through the air for three minutes and forty seconds at that speed standing up but upside down, and you’ll get the idea.  

Full Throttle

The name of this roller coaster promises a lot, and Full Throttle does not fail to deliver. Literally from the moment you set off, this Six Flags Magic Mountain ride soars to seventy miles per hour, launching you into the air with the force of a rocket. This is one of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s newest roller coasters, and it is certainly not for the faint of heart. 

Tatsu

Prepare to experience zero gravity with Tatsu, the dragon roller coaster that soars at over 60 miles per hour, climbs up giant spans, the noses down towards the ground, rolling all the while. This Six Flags Magic Mountain ride is about as close as you can get to flying like Superman, an experience that most people can only dream of. Tatsu has the highest pretzel loop of any roller coaster in the world and first started operations in 2016. 

Top Food and Freshments

After a long hot day of exhilarating fun, you’re guaranteed to get the munchies. Fortunately, Six Flags Magic Mountain is full of great dining options catering to your every taste and desire. You can find everything from fun fair classics to new-age novelties at the various dining spots around the park.   

Twisted ‘Wiches

Vegan-friendly options have firmly established themselves at restaurants throughout the Golden State, and Six Flags Magic Mountain is no exception. A case in point is Twisted ‘Wiches, a sandwich restaurant that specializes in meat-free subs that are just as filling as their meaty counterparts. We recommend going for their meatless meatball sandwich, which is served doused in rich and creamy tomato sauce.  

Full Throttle Sports Bar 

For hearty pub classics, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Full Throttle Sports Bar. Located at the exciting roller coaster of the same name, this sports bar’s specialty is a tasty french fry skillet complete with fine cheddar cheese, perfectly cooked french fries, scallions, jalapenos, and decadent flakes of bacon. There’s truly no better way to fuel up after a long day of exploring the massive Six Flags Magic Mountain park.   

Funnel Cake Factory 

No good meal is complete without dessert, and Six Flags Magic Mountain does not disappoint in that department, thanks to its many dessert options. We recommend the Funnel Cake Factory, the best place to enjoy fried dough glazed in syrup and whipped cream. The best thing Funnel Cake Factory makes is an Oreo Funnel Cake topped with Oreo flakes, white chocolate fudge, and creamy soft-serve ice cream.