Hey, ho, it's back to Magic Mountain (in glorious Valencia, California) we go! Thanks to Ken Martinez's vintage postcards, that is. I love me some vintage Magic Mountain, for sure. Take it away, Ken:
Magic Mountain, Part 6
Here we go on another trip to Southern California’s Magic Mountain. Today, we have two monorails, a bumper car and multi-scene postcard.
In this postcard, we have the blue monorail gliding over the Red Baron ride which I think is in “Children’s World” section of the park. I like the combination of the Red Baron planes and the bi-planes. In other versions it only has the red baron planes. I also like the wood fencing around the ride’s footprint.
Here’s the same view but closer-in with the orange monorail traveling along the curve and just above the “Buggie Ride” still in the “Children’s World” section. I worked the kiddy rides at the Boardwalk quite a bit and I always found the children easy going, but not so much the parents who thought their child should get the best vehicle on the platform even though their kid was too slow to the draw to get it. 9 times out of ten the children could’ve cared less.
The Sandblasters (bumper cars) is one of the four last original attractions still in operation at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The other three are Goldrusher, Grand Carousel and Orient Express (Funicular). I think that’s the monorail track behind the bumper car pavilion.
Here’s a multi-scene postcard of Magic Mountain just around the time it joined the Six Flags family of theme parks. Notice the six flags around the fountain in front of The Revolution and the new paint scheme on the monorail still which still has the classic “Magic Mountain” style fonts. The Eagle’s Flight sky buckets are on their run between the Galaxy and Shrangri-la Stations.
Hope you all enjoyed another visit to Magic Mountain!
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A big THANK YOU to Ken Martinez for all of his time and effort in sharing his great vintage postcard collection!
I also love vintage Magic Mountain! Just beyond the flags and the fountain (last postcard), are the beautiful Valencia Falls....a naturally occurring falls, I believe. Or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteDid "Children's World" eventually become "The Wizard's Village", or was the Wizard's play area just a part of Children's World?
Thanks for sharing more of your collection, Ken!
I love seeing old Magic Mountain pics. I never liked their Skyway ride. Every time you'd go over the towers the vehicle shook pretty hard making me feel like it was going to come off the line. After the '94 quake we went there and I saw the damage it did. The concrete weights keeping the cables tight where thrown out of their hole in the ground and tossed about in the station. I knew it was the end of that ride. Now Superman takes up most of that footprint.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fun pics!
Thank you, Ken and Major for hosting this look back.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall the biplane ride or the buggy ride, but I was well out of that demographic by the time I reached MM.
I do vaguely remember the bumper cars, possibly the only time I rode anything like that. Not a fan.
The last card sparks some memories. The old monorail wasn't a patch on Disneyland, but still an efficient ride. I remember that was the first thing I went on, to get a feel for the place and figure out where to go next.
@Eric F. I sure remember that shaking on the Skyway, very unsettling. I hate to see all these skyrides disappearing, but this one was a worrisome trip. That earthquake story is terrifying.
@Tokyo. I'm pretty sure that Valencia Falls in that picture is an artificial waterfall. There isn't enough surface water anywhere in Valencia to make a display like that, the chances of it happening right at the entry to be convenient for the visitors is pretty slim.
Also, the only naturally-occurring things in Valencia today are housing developments and shopping centers.
JG
JG, I was just trying to point out the falls in that last picture, but with a weird (and unfunny) comment. After I wrote it, I was kind of thinking that it looked like I was trying to say that the Valencia Falls really were natural. I should have commented about the "backside" of the falls instead.
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ReplyDelete@Tokyo, I was pretty sure you were joking, sorry if I sounded like a stiff.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great looking falls.
JG
JG, after I left my second comment and then went back and reread yours, I figured that. Especially after you mentioned Valencia's naturally occurring housing and shopping developments! ;-)
ReplyDeleteKen, forgot to say thanks for clearing up the Children's World/Wizard's Village thing. I'm guessing that when Looney Tunes came in the entire area became Bugs Bunny World.
ReplyDeleteEric, I remember the super bumpy feeling of going over those rollers on each tower! Very unsettling....especially when riding after one of the gondolas had already fallen off the cable in 1978!