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| Tuesday, Jun 3, 2014

[KHTS] – After 36 years of greeting fans as they drive into the Six Flags Magic Mountain parking lot, Colossus will be closing.

Both Colossus and Batman The Ride will continue running backwards until June 15, and then Colossus will remain open for another two months before closing on Aug. 16.

Opening-year pinback (1978)

Opening-year pinback (1978)

“Colossus, the king of wooden coasters, ends its 36-year reign on August 16,” said a Magic Mountain spokesperson in a statement. “Six Flags Magic Mountain will announce exciting future plans for the park we think our guests will love at a later date. In the meantime, don’t miss your last chance to ride Colossus.”

Magic Mountain officials did not comment on why they had decided to shut down the ride.

Colossus first opened on June 29, 1978 and was the fastest and the tallest wooden roller coaster in the world at the time. It was built just before Newhall Land sold Magic Mountain to Six Flags for $51 million in 1979.

Colossus became the Screaming Meemie in "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983) with Chevy Chase.

Colossus became the Screaming Meemie in “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983) with Chevy Chase.

The Magic Mountain website calls it “the granddaddy of all roller coasters, the legendary classic ride… This gargantuan creature is one of the world’s most enormous wooden roller coasters, taking up over ten acres of land, with more than 4,325 feet of track.”

The tradition of running Colossus backwards began in 1984, which the park has traditionally done during their annual Halloween Fright Fest.

Colossus has also been featured in several movies, including the cult classic, “KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”

Leon Worden of SCVHistory.com contributed to this report.

 

MORE MAGIC MOUNTAIN IMAGES HERE.

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169 Comments

  1. Kim Sloan says:

    No, how sad! I remembered when it opened, and it was the biggest wood roller coaster on the West coast.

  2. Gary Mason says:

    Aww! Candace Kara

  3. Greg Brown says:

    Dang. And I saw KISS play there. “what a drag it is getting older.”

  4. Logan Veis says:

    Closing on my bday.. This must be a joke!!! It’s a staple in the SCV and what I think of every time I go…

  5. What a drag I’M getting older.

  6. Lol…I have this button, rode the it the first summer it was open.

  7. Jeremy McRae says:

    I like the ride, it’s a classic, but it is old. And could be costing too much on maintenance/up keeping. It has the most nails and wood pieces in the park by far and though it’s sad to see such an iconic piece of magic mountain go. I can only imagine the new ride that will take it’s place

  8. Cynthia Fischer doesn’t this suck?

  9. Gio Borda Jimmy Maldonado

  10. Javier Garay says:

    Gianella Garay Lorena Garay

  11. So sad to say goodbye.

  12. Stephanie Bryant-Mathis didn’t uncle Mark paint this??

  13. Kristy Reid says:

    Makes me think of Jocelyn Torralba. Fun times!

  14. Wow. My dad help build that.

  15. Wow! The best ride of my life was Colossus backwards in 1983. But it’s time has come. I rode it a couple months ago and it was painful.

    Batman, too, is a great ride, especially in the front row. But maybe because I’m old now, but it just wrecks my brain. I need about 30 minutes and a seltzer water to recover from it.

  16. Wtf….Yesenia Garcia

  17. So lame that they’re closing it! They’re pathetic

  18. Just wait until you see what it might become. ;)

  19. Six flags is going down the dumps :(

  20. My ❤ is sad, my neck appreciates it and the mom in me is happy that my child is no longer riding a roller coaster with no seat belts. LOL.

  21. Nooooooooooo!!!!! Can’t take it down, it’s pretty much a historical landmark for scv!!!

  22. Cody Bufkin says:

    Tommy C Bledsoe Fred Rogers Courtney Lynn

  23. Danielle Diaz Lol we’re gonna have to go again.

  24. Lisa Pope says:

    Lol Cheyanne Narez

  25. According to employees, it’s just getting the track replaced. Come on scvtv get your facts straight.

  26. Maybe we can buy a piece of the wood with certificate. Lol

  27. Bummer. I rode that ride ages ago. Loved it.

  28. I loved it when it was new, but the last time I rode it I was feeling bruised all over. It really tossed me around more than my old bod could take any more.

  29. That was. My favorite coaster back in the day forward and backward!

  30. Alyss Urrea says:

    Nestor Diaz Diego Diaz

  31. It’s closing a day after my birthday:(

  32. My sister was on colossus the same time the woman flew off of it and was killed. Can’t remember what year it was, but they were all stuck for a while the. Had to walk down from the very top. I don’t think she’ll miss it.

  33. Tabytha Gabrielle McConnell we need to go before this ride closes

  34. 36 years ago? Wow, I remember when it opened

  35. What? Now I really want to go! Baron Guinther we need to plan a time to go.

  36. Kristi John says:

    My 1st roller coaster!!! Aunt Debbie Logan….was determined to get me on it! #memories

  37. Kristi John says:

    My 1st roller coaster!!! Aunt Debbie Logan….was determined to get me on it! #memories

  38. Kristi John says:

    My 1st roller coaster!!! Aunt Debbie Logan….was determined to get me on it! #memories

  39. I don’t think I ever went on it, but I remember when it opened.

  40. I don’t think I ever went on it, but I remember when it opened.

  41. I don’t think I ever went on it, but I remember when it opened.

  42. Al Ros says:

    I’ve rode it

  43. Al Ros says:

    I’ve rode it

  44. Al Ros says:

    I’ve rode it

  45. Nicole Bass says:

    Bernard Barfield omg!

  46. Nicole Bass says:

    Bernard Barfield omg!

  47. Nicole Bass says:

    Bernard Barfield omg!

  48. Booo!! That is still my favorite ride of all time!

  49. Booo!! That is still my favorite ride of all time!

  50. Booo!! That is still my favorite ride of all time!

  51. Forward and backwards Nicole!

  52. Forward and backwards Nicole!

  53. Forward and backwards Nicole!

  54. Debbi Foley says:

    36 years??? God I’m old!

  55. Debbi Foley says:

    36 years??? God I’m old!

  56. Debbi Foley says:

    36 years??? God I’m old!

  57. Nicole Bass says:

    But it’s closing! Sad day Bernard ):

  58. Nicole Bass says:

    But it’s closing! Sad day Bernard ):

  59. Nicole Bass says:

    But it’s closing! Sad day Bernard ):

  60. Isaac Cerda says:

    Thank god that ride is crap compare to what they have now. And if colossus remained open I wouldn’t have been surprised if it would of ended up breaking down and killing someone so time to close

  61. Isaac Cerda says:

    Thank god that ride is crap compare to what they have now. And if colossus remained open I wouldn’t have been surprised if it would of ended up breaking down and killing someone so time to close

  62. Isaac Cerda says:

    Thank god that ride is crap compare to what they have now. And if colossus remained open I wouldn’t have been surprised if it would of ended up breaking down and killing someone so time to close

  63. Hey Nicole, just read the article…WTF?!?!

  64. Hey Nicole, just read the article…WTF?!?!

  65. Hey Nicole, just read the article…WTF?!?!

  66. I loved that ride but it didn’t go backwards thee last time I was there back in 95

  67. I loved that ride but it didn’t go backwards thee last time I was there back in 95

  68. I loved that ride but it didn’t go backwards thee last time I was there back in 95

  69. Rikki says:

    Why?! I dislike roller coasters but this is one ride that was an exception! I’m going to miss colossus!

  70. Aw. I wonder if it was getting too expensive to maintain.

  71. Beth Smith says:

    Good! The frame is being supported in places by 2x4s and zip ties! Love the ride, but it should have been closed a while ago.

  72. Such good memories….I contracted herpes on the Colossus. I can’t remember if it was forwards or backwards.

  73. Brock Ergo Goldberg how sad!! :( we have to go ride it one more time!

  74. WoW that sucks . That’s an awesome coaster . Gonna miss it

  75. Riding that backwards at 5 or 6 ruined me. I wouldn’t ride a roller coaster till high school!

  76. Paula Orozco we must go!!!

  77. Paula Orozco says:

    Omg yes Michelle King

  78. Lucy Salamanca we need to go before they close it down

  79. Bonnie Zydor says:

    It was one of the few roller coasters I would ride. So sad to see it go

  80. Jason Agular we have to go before they close it!!!!

  81. Maria Diego says:

    Fezzito Cabrera why???

  82. Aww man, backwards colossus is my favorite ride there! Podthingy trip for one last colossus hurrah?

  83. Troy Andrew says:

    How could they that was the face of six flags. Step by step!!!!!

  84. When I worked there the road it backwards and we would race the cars to see which track would win first it has a lot of good memories

  85. I also heard just doing renovations??

  86. Lisa Sereika says:

    Omgosh we loved this ride when we wer kids! Sad to see it go.

  87. Leslie Hynes says:

    I’m glad my son got to ride it on Sun….
    It was backwards day as well!!
    That was one of my FAVORITES!!

  88. It’s been deteriorating for years…It’s about time. Six flags sucks at maintaining older rides they just tear down and put new ones.

  89. Mike Demeusy says:

    Please don’t cry. still plenty more to ride!

  90. Mike Demeusy says:

    Please don’t cry. still plenty more to ride!

  91. Bodie Smithwe need to go!!!!

  92. Someone should start a petition to keep it open. How can the corporate minds of Six Flags think that this is a good idea?

  93. Our Mountain says:

    If you can make it, ride before August 16th!

  94. Our Mountain says:

    If you can make it, ride before August 16th!

  95. yay!! iron colossus!!!

  96. yay!! iron colossus!!!

  97. This is a good thing! And yes I’ve been riding it too since it opened .

  98. This is a good thing! And yes I’ve been riding it too since it opened .

  99. That is so sad Kim!!!! It’s a classic!!

  100. this makes me sad.. but so happy that I rode it many times.

  101. It is sad. My 12 yr old still likes it but to me it is unrideable. In it’s heyday it was great- when the trains would “race”. Especially if one was backwards.

  102. Dori Morgan says:

    OMG, so many good memories on that ride &loved it to go backwards.

  103. It’s gonna be even better!

  104. That ride was tha worst in tha park…rattle-brained

  105. Adam Mendez says:

    Lennin Parra Sunny Fernandez Lyzz Rodriguez

  106. Best ride there!!!! Especially backwards. Sucks it’s going away

  107. Veronica Lopez no way!

  108. The end of an era. Great memories! Sharon Rockwell Dalton. Mindy Smith. Debbie McKellar

  109. Oh no! That is criminal. I love that ride and even rode it backwards! Boo!!!

  110. Was. It. Fun rideing. It

  111. Was. It. Fun rideing. It

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