Six Flags Magic Mountain opened in Valencia, California in 1971 with Gold Rusher, and it has run 28 roller coasters since. It gave the world its first modern vertical loop in 1976 and, in 1997, the first coaster to reach 400 feet. This timeline starts with today's 16 operating coasters (plus X2, standing but not operating) and runs back to opening day, including the rides that were moved to other parks, torn down or rebuilt.
RMC, Launches and Racers 2010 – today
Colossus came back as Twisted Colossus, Full Throttle and West Coast Racers brought launches, and Looney Tunes Land replaced Bugs Bunny World in 2026.
Wonder Woman Flight of Courage
A single-rail RMC with an 87-degree first drop and three inversions, built where Tidal Wave used to splash.
World's longest and tallest single-rail coaster when new
West Coast Racers
Two trains launch and race side by side, built with West Coast Customs in The Underground.
Promoted as the world's first launched racing coaster
Twisted Colossus
Colossus rebuilt by RMC with steel track and inversions, with two trains racing each other.
World's longest racing coasterSpeedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers
A race-car themed family coaster with a helix. It closed in 2026.
Full Throttle
Launches forward twice and backward once, with a top hat sitting on top of a vertical loop.
World's tallest vertical loop when new
Green Lantern: First Flight
A spinning ZacSpin that closed in 2017 and was removed in 2019. Its move to La Ronde was cancelled in 2022.
First ZacSpin in the US
The Record Years 1996 – 2009
Superman: The Escape took the world height record, followed by record stand-up and flying coasters and the first 4th Dimension ride.
Apocalypse
Opened as Terminator Salvation: The Ride and rethemed as Apocalypse in 2011, on the old site of Psyclone.
First wooden coaster with onboard audio
Tatsu
A flying coaster with the world's tallest pretzel loop.
Tallest, fastest, longest flying coaster when new
Scream
A floorless coaster with seven inversions, a mirror image of Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure.
X2
Seats spin forward and backward on their own axis. Rebuilt as X2 in 2007–08. Standing but not operating since July 2026, closed during a Cal/OSHA investigation with injury lawsuits pending.
World's first 4th Dimension coaster
Déjà Vu
A Giant Inverted Boomerang. It moved to Six Flags New England as Goliath in 2012 and was demolished in 2021.
Goliath
A 255-foot first drop into a tunnel, and a near twin of Titan at Six Flags Over Texas.
Briefly the longest drop on a closed-circuit coaster
Canyon Cruiser
A junior coaster themed to Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, long known as Canyon Blaster.
The Riddler's Revenge
Six inversions over 4,370 feet of track, and a $14 million build, the park's biggest to that point.
Tallest, fastest, longest stand-up coaster
Superman: The Escape
A 100 mph launch up a 415-foot tower, renamed Superman: Escape from Krypton in 2011. Its closure was announced in March 2025.
World's tallest coaster until 2003Six Flags Arrives 1979 – 1995
Six Flags bought the park in 1979, rotated coasters in and out, then added Ninja, Viper and Psyclone in four years.
Batman: The Ride
A clone of the Six Flags Great America original, the world's first inverted coaster.
Flashback
The only Space Diver ever built, after runs at Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Over Georgia. Closed over noise near Hurricane Harbor and demolished in 2007.
Psyclone
A wooden coaster modeled on the Coney Island Cyclone, damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Apocalypse now stands on its site.
Ninja
A suspended coaster swinging through the trees of Samurai Summit.
First suspended coaster on the West CoastShockwave
A stand-up looper that moved to Six Flags Great Adventure, then Astroworld as Batman The Escape. Scrapped in 2018.
Sarajevo Bobsleds
Named for the 1984 Winter Olympics. It became La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas, which closed for good in 2024.
Magic Mountain 1971 – 1978
Newhall Land and Sea World opened the park with Gold Rusher; Revolution and Colossus followed.
Colossus
A dual-track wooden racer, famous from National Lampoon's Vacation.
Tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world when newLives on as Twisted Colossus →
The Great American Revolution
Known over the years as Revolution, The New Revolution and La Revolución.
World's first modern vertical loopMountain Express
The park's second coaster, a compact Schwarzkopf Wildcat. It moved to Magic Landing and later to Bosque Mágico.
Magic Flyer
A train-themed junior coaster from opening year. It closed in January 2026 to make way for Looney Tunes Land.
Planning a visit? Our Six Flags Magic Mountain park guide covers today’s rides, hours and tips, and our Magic Mountain coaster rankings rank today's coasters.
Roller Coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain Roller Coaster History
Every Six Flags Magic Mountain Roller Coaster History coaster ThrillZing has covered — stats, ride experience and history for each:
Plan Your Six Flags Magic Mountain Visit
- Six Flags Magic Mountain park guide: hours, tickets, rides and parking
- Six Flags Magic Mountain height requirements for every ride
- Best rides for little kids at Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Fright Fest 2026 at Magic Mountain
- Holiday in the Park 2026 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Soak, snap and drape. A cooling towel takes the edge off a 45-minute midday queue in July.
Park apps, mobile ordering and photos kill a battery by 3 p.m. This one snaps on magnetically, so there's no cable to snag on a restraint.
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Six Flags Magic Mountain Coaster History FAQ
What was the first roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
Gold Rusher, an Arrow Development coaster that opened with the park on May 29, 1971, and still runs today. Magic Flyer, a junior coaster, also dated to 1971 and ran until January 2026.
How many roller coasters does Six Flags Magic Mountain have?
Sixteen are operating in 2026. X2 is still standing but has not run since July 2026, when it closed during a Cal/OSHA investigation. Counting the ones that are gone, the park has run 28 roller coasters since 1971.
What happened to Colossus?
Colossus opened in 1978 as a dual-track wooden racer, the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world at the time. After more than 36 years, Rocky Mountain Construction rebuilt it with steel track, and it reopened in 2015 as Twisted Colossus.
Is Superman: Escape from Krypton still open?
No. On March 28, 2025, the park announced that it was closing for good. It opened in 1997 as Superman: The Escape and was the world's tallest roller coaster until Top Thrill Dragster opened in 2003.
Which Magic Mountain coaster had the first modern vertical loop?
The Great American Revolution, which opened as Revolution on May 8, 1976. It is recognized as the world's first modern looping roller coaster and is an ACE Coaster Landmark.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons photographers, credited on each card (ThrillZing's own Magic Mountain photos are coming); featured image by Jeremy Thompson (CC BY 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons. Opening and closing years: Six Flags Magic Mountain and Wikipedia.