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X2 @ Six Flags Magic Mountain | Coaster Reviews
The Coaster Critic Faces the Most Extreme Coaster on the Planet
The main attraction of my first ever West coast coaster trip was the newly redesigned and much hyped X2. I was lucky enough to catch the ride when the 2 hour wait was only about 50 minutes. It was about 4 in the afternoon on a Thursday in mid-August.X2’s theming was better than expected. Six Flags took the ‘extreme’ theme and ran with it. There were huge flat panel televisions in the never ending queue showing homemade and professional stunts gone wrong. Many were from Break.com and they were an excellent way to pass to the time in the queue. There were the occasional wipe outs that had everyone in the queue cringing or laughing. In the station, there was a recurring weird, ethereal loop of a woman whispering ‘X2′ and a man saying ‘Is everybody in?.’ I guess I get what they were going for, but the poor ride ops must be ready to jump off of the Magic Mountain tower by the end of the season.
The Ride
I’m not even going to try to do my usual play-by-play and take
you through the elements. I’ll just recount what I can remember. The 20 foot wide trains look really cool and elicit lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from people in the queues. The trains have eight rows that are four across with two riders on either side of the track. The restraints were pretty comfortable and felt secure. I sat in the third row from the front next to a middle aged woman who was also a first-time rider. I was in the outside-right seat. We exited the station to the applause of the riders and the seats begin to rock and rotate gently on their own.The speakers next to our heads started to play Sinatra’s ‘It Had to
Be You’ and then switched to Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’, and finally a Rage Against the Machine song. It was like a broken radio and I didn’t really get the point. We were reclined back in our seats looking out onto the park as we climbed the lift. At the top, we dropped a little and then we rotated over and flew down the 215′ drop face-down. After that insane experience, X2 rotated us every which way though the train actually only inverted twice. At times your facing the front of the train with the track above the center of the train and at times you’re facing the backwards with the train over the track. While you’re facing backwards, the new fire effect cooks you as you pass by the flames. I’m assuming that I didn’t see the lightning or fog effects because they are saved for night rides, but I’m not sure.Roughness & The Aftermath
At at least two points (I’m not sure where I was in the layout) you get shaken like a rag doll. These were probably at the lower points where the g-forces and speed was at a maximum. It wasn’t painful, but it was far from enjoyable. But I would imagine it’s got to be at least a little painful for some riders (ie. women). The final inversion (a fly to lie) was fun and a bit disorienting and the train smoothly rides into the the station. The woman next to me looked like she’d just been held at gunpoint. She told me in all seriousness that she had just seen her entire life pass before her eyes on the first drop. She yelled back to a girl (I’m assuming was her daughter) for dragging her on the ride. She swore off X2 as the worse coaster (maybe even experience) of her life. While I wasn’t in her traumatized state, I tried to sympathize a bit but when you’ve ridden over 150 roller coasters it would take Devil’s Flight from Final Destination 3 to really scare you.A Thrill Ride That’s Not for Everyone
Like the extreme sports and stunts from the videos in the queue, X2 is not for everyone. Because X2 is so unique, thrill riders will love it. Most of the people I saw exiting the ride were still pumped with adrenaline. People like this will be able to overlook the ride’s flaws, but those who are typical, traditional roller coasters fans and expect a smooth ride will be greatly disappointed. The inside seats are supposed to be smoother, but the ride the outside seats gave was ultra rough at times. X2 is hard to rate as there’s really nothing to compare it to. Going down my rating scale I would have to say X2 falls in the ‘8′ category. It’s definitely not a 10 and is slightly too flawed to be a 9.
It can be difficult to separate its uniqueness and the aura around X2 from the actual ride it gives. At the bottom of some of the hills I felt like I was being shaken like I was having a seizure, but at other times the view and perspectives were unparalleled. Final Rating – 8.5 (Great Approaching – Excellent)A video does nothing to really give you an idea of the disorienting and intense ride that X2 gives, but here’s one anyway. Check out this on-ride video of X2 @ Magic Mountain:
Have you ridden X or X2 at Magic Mountain? What did you think? Leave a comment below.
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All I Can say Is that it’s PSYCHO!!!
The Musics Great throughout the ride the effects are great and its way smoother than you would think.
Personally I liked riding it at night because it just amplifies the effects and makes it even ore difficult to comprehend the insanity you are experiencing. 10/10
I just rode X2 yesterday. I will -NEVER- ride that again. Ever. Here’s why…
1- It broke down. So we were waiting in line for only 30 minutes extra (not so bad) but in 102 degree heat (that’s bad). The reason they closed it for forever and a half was to kick out the bugs and make it cooler right? If only….
2- I noticed they changed the harnesses a lil’ bit. When X premiered with its Butterfly Harness it felt very nicely across my shoulders. Being 6′2″…I thought that was very awesome…they finally designed a coaster to fit the taller people. X2, not so much. I felt that they made the harness a bit wider so it didn’t fit so well on top of my shoulders which made flipping over and such a much more worse experience to add to it all.
3- The music and the woman whispering X2 was annoying and loud. It was crap. The mix of the music sounded like someone on acid crack just downloaded some freebie sound editing program, and then put it together in 5 minutes. The only thing that made sense was the countdown to free fall. The only good thing about the music was at the end where they played the end theme from the Matrix (i think its called Wake Up) so that was a nice break from the annoying mix….but as everything else does…it came to an end followed by the annoying X2 woman.
4- The engineering of this ride fails. Miserably. The concept of it is totally awesome, but the seats rocked back and forth SO much, my head slammed on the back of my head rest at least 3 or 4 times very violently. Not counting the numerous times my head continued to hit the back of my head rest. I’ve ridden on X before and I knew it was a lil’ shaky and I was prepared for it as well…but not this bad. I had a very bad headache after the ride was over and the stupid woman whispering the annoying X2 did NOT help. The people at Arrow Dynamics need to get their team back on this ride and feel what I felt….so they can shut it down again and fix the violent motion that the seats make when you’re on the ride.
5- So being in the 102 degree heat in the middle of the freaking desert….whats the best new thing to add to a ride to make it even more “awesome”? FIRE! Yeah! Lets just randomly blow fire in your face at the end of the ride to make it more “awesome”…not like we need to save gas resources or anything.
Overall…When X first opened it was nice and smooth. The turns and flips were very nice and it was a very awesome experience being on a coaster such as that. With X2 it has gotten MUCH MUCH WORSE. The music is obnoxious. The burst of fire is unneeded in the middle of the desert. And the whole ride experience gave me a much unneeded headache. I will never ride this ride EVER AGAIN and I will warn ANYONE who goes there to NOT RIDE IT. You’re not missing much. Its basically the same ride, only a helluva lot more bumpy (we’re talkin’ shaken baby syndrome here people), painted differently, and with added effects that are beyond pointless.
I’m a ride operator at x2 and i will say that the music in the station gets annoying. every time i check seats, i turn it off.
i love x2. it’s my favorite ride. i like the back row, inside seat, specially when it’s the first train to cycle because the ride goes a lot slower.
yeah the music does get annoying.
but the ride is not that bad. its pretty good.so stop complaning.
x2 is not so bumpy in the front of the train. it’s great up there!
ana, do you know what music they play in the queue?
thanks
dave
X2 is just that. Extreme!!!!. It feels like you leave your body and you are a NASA pilot strapped to 10,000 tons of rocket fuel propelling you to space with the force that is behind this monster of a ride. THE coaster of ALL coasters. All hands down. You will leave this ride a new person. If you have never experienced this thrill, you must make it out to do so. With the incorporation of the new music and pyrotechnics, it will blow your mind. Easily pay $50 just to ride THIS ride. Nothing short of amazing.
X2 IS A REALLY COOL COASTER AND THE FIRST TO BE A
4TH DIMENSION ROLLER COASTER!!!
Ill simply say this much…stop complaining, especially Gibby. Your wall of text is actually more annoying to me then the music you claim is horrible.
Im a coaster enthusiast, and I’ve ridden X and X2 combined over 150 times, this ride is far from horrible. What people don’t realize or understand for that matter, such as Gibby for example, is that X was built as a prototype. The concept and engineering itself is a evolution for roller coaster technology. X would break down far more frequently, and that’s why it was overhauled, spending 15 million on it redesigning the trains and adding elements. No other roller coaster on the planet offers the thrill of what X2 offers. I will agree to this much, that the over-lapping “X2″ and “Everybody in” can get a little annoying, however to switch from calm “It had to be you” song to rocking out to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”, with inserts from the drill sarg. in Full Metal Jacket, just adds to the thrill of what you’re about to face going up the chain lift, facing backwards no less adds to the thrill and suspense. I’ll also further agree that no, this isn’t going to be the smoothest steel coaster, but anyone who really appreciates roller coasters will know the difference between sacrificing a little bit of smoothness to make up for the technology behind this roller coaster. Arrow Dynamics did an amazing job with this ride.
To further comment, to complain about how hot it is here, welcome to LA. LA has been getting tripple dagree heat for years during summer, if you can’t handle it then dont go or move elseware. But dont try to talk about how bad X2 is just because of the location in which its built. So far you are the ONLY person I have ever seen who has complained about X2 to this extent. Basically tells me you just complain too much
x2 is truly the most extreme coaster on the planet!
I haven’t ridden this coaster because I live in northern Arkansas, but I’m a HUGE roller coaster lover and after reviewing what Six Flags Magic Mountain has to offer(including X2) I feel the NEED to get over there as soon as I can. And yes, Gibby, you sound like a wuss.
la verdad para mi es la mejor montaña rusa del mundo y de todo el universo
y si gibby no sabre apreciar las cosas buenas es su problema es mas creo que ese wuei le han de gustar los caballitos o el carrusel y no soporta las verdaderas atracciones como lo es x2.!
esas vueltas esas caidas de 360 grados, ala 4ta dimension y esos jaloneos y de mas es lo mejor de lo mejor la velocidad a la que va y la altura no tiene descripcion.!
y k decir de la musica el intro de enter sadman antes de la caida queda perfecto.!
el fuego aunque te quemes las pestañas creo que es lo mejor que pudieron haber puesto para hacerla aun mas xtrema y unica
sin palabras, sientes que vulves a nacer cuando bajas de x2
Translation?
There is only one other 4th Dimension ride in the world, Eejanaika. It is pretty cool. It is on RCDb.com. Anyways I never have been on any but I have to agree on the fact that, yeah it is a bit shaky but the rider needs to look at the ride as a whole. Arrow has a rep for making the vibrating roller coasters that leave the rider feeling like a bobble head, but Like the CC said there was only 2 parts that were a bit jiggly. This was only the first ride of its kind so you need to give it time until the next model comes out.
No offense Cole, but you say every coaster is the most extreme coaster on the planet.
Okay, this is what I thought about X2 in the order they happen:
1. We got in the flash pass line and waited for about ten minutes. We waited for are train. I was watching the TV most of the time, but it gets a bit boring after five minutes because it plays the same 30 second show over and over. I liked the theme of the station, but it can’t keep you too entertained for long.
Staition/Line Rating: 6.5/10
2. The seatbelts are very comfortable, and the lift is very slow, making you think abou whats going to happen to you. Especially when the soundtrack goes “This is really high- WHO’S IDEA WAS THIS ANYWAY!!!” At the beginning of the lift you go past 90 degrees and you feel like your hanging off the seat with you legs.
Lift Rating: 9.5/10
3. After the lift, you go down a little hill, come back up, and then the seats rotate you to face the ground, 200 feet high! You go down 1/3 of the drop facing the ground, then spend the rest doing a frountflip! Every second this ride went on it moved up one place in my top ten.
First Drop Rating: 10/10
4. After the first drop we went around a imaleninm and were faceing the ground again. We went over a hill that has a backflip on the crest, and a corner. Now we where facing the sky and went around a hill with a half twist over the top. This is kind of what it felt like, bank, vertical weightless, vertical, bank, backwards. It was pretty cool. We went around a dive loop, and a twist, then it was over. (the soundtrack goes “that was extreme man, extreme!”)I find it smooth in the inside seats but a little rough on the outside seats. I can overlook a little roughness,though, for the ride that X2 is.
Rest of the Ride Rating: 10/10
5. I didn’t hear much of the soundtrack, but it did have some funny parts,( going downnn…)and I think it mackes up with the ride quite nicely, so…
Soundtrack rating: 9.5/10
Final Rating: 9.7/10
(I’m just going to round it to 10/10.)