Magic Mountain to reopen in spring

Supes support quicker theme park reopening

After nearly a year of having its roller coasters and rides shut off, Six Flags Magic Mountain has announced plans to reopen soon, with support Tuesday from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the quicker reopening of theme parks.

The Valencia-based park shared on social media it planned to return with rides in the spring, saying, “We’ve missed you. Are you ready for thrills this year?”

Park officials said Tuesday that a specific date had not yet been chosen. Spring runs from March 20 through

June 20. The park has served as one of the county’s mass COVID-19 vaccination sites, inoculating health care workers and those ages 65 and older. These venues, including Magic Mountain, will continue delivering vaccines through the end of March, according to the county’s COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center.

“A specific opening date has not been determined. However, Six Flags Magic Mountain is in preparation mode and working closely with state and local officials to reopen both our theme park and waterpark,” park officials said in a prepared statement.

State lawmakers are working to expedite the process for reopening amusement parks via the proposed Assembly Bill 420, which Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, whose 38th District includes the Valencia park, has co-introduced with Assemblywoman Sharon QuirkSilva, D-Fullerton.

The new bill would allow all theme parks to reopen in counties that fall in California’s orange tier, rather than the yellow tier as the state’s current four-tiered reopening model currently stands.

Under the state’s color-coded tiered system, large theme parks can only reopen when a county is in “yellow,” or tier 1, which is the least restrictive level, as there would be a “minimal” spread of COVID-19 at that point. Smaller parks can open with modifications such as allowing only a 25% capacity, in the “orange” tier, where there are only “moderate” risk factors.