6 flags magic mountain then LAX advice

[carlywilson]

Hi

We are planning one day post-cruise stay after RCC MR cruise. The kids want to go to 6 flags magic mountain. Where would be a good area and hotel to stay overnight that would be a short cab ride to 6 flags, then the next day a short cab ride to LAX? We will not be renting a car because DH doesn't want to brave the freeways. I know the taxi fare from San Pedro to wherever we stay will be high, any ideas?

[Cruisin' Chick]

Magic Mountain is up north in Valencia in the Santa Clarita Valley (near Princess Cruiseline HQs). Not a short cab ride from the Port of LA nor LAX.

 

Do you have an early flight the day after that? Hopefully not, because if you stay around Valencia or Castaic (which are decent areas, suburban, as I saw the other weekend when taking my daughter to a birthday party up there), you will have a very long trip to LAX on a Monday and there's heavy duty traffic going south (at least when you get to the San Fernando Valley).

 

One thing you can do is price shuttle services. We used Coolrides (coolrides.com) back in 2005 when going to the port (too much luggage for a two-week cruise to fit in our trunk) and the driver told us they are headquartered in the Santa Clarita Valley. They would pick you up from the Port and will also take you to the airport.

[carlywilson]

Thank you! Our flight is an 1100 on a monday, the traffic is a big concern of ours. I will check into the shuttle, thanks for the info

[deepnite10]

it s a quite away s from Magic Mtn. to LAX..but, there are alot of hotels in the close proximity to Magic Mtn..

 

consider taking a shuttle after your cruise and rent a car at the airport..

return it the following day and they ll give you a ride to your particular

air terminal..

 

we did nt that..but, my son and his wife did so after our MR cruise last yr..

[kenish]

FYI, San Pedro-Six Flags is 60 miles (going right past LAX on the way). Then backtrack 44 miles to LAX.

 

Assuming you're going up to Six Flags on a Saturday, it will take about an hour. I would sightsee in the LA area, time permitting, then stay Saturday night around Six Flags. (Use Santa Clarita, CA searching for hotels). Spend Sunday at the park, then drive down to your LAX area hotel in the late evening.

 

It's a fast and easy rental car drive, and little or no traffic. Monday morning is an entirely different story, don't head down to LAX then. You will need to be at the airport by 900-930am which means leaving Santa Clarita *early*. Keep in mind a shuttle will encounter the same traffic, and they insist on even earlier departure times to help avoid customers missing flights.

 

Also, 6 Flags is in sprawling suburbia so even though motels are right outside the park, it's 1-3 miles from there to the entry gates. I think cabs are not too common (could be a long wait), so if you are dead set on not renting a car be sure to reserve a hotel that will shuttle you to 6 Flags. Didn't say when you're going, but July-October usually is in the 80s and sometimes gets above 100. Bring a good hat or cap and lots of sunscreen. The park has an amazing collection of extreme coasters, which has become their hallmark.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I think the Mariner gets in on Sundays.

[yogi2929]

Thank you! Our flight is an 1100 on a monday, the traffic is a big concern of ours. I will check into the shuttle, thanks for the info

 

 

You will need to leave the Valencia area no later than 6:30-7am. On a good day it's about 1 hour to LAX add to that getting there 2 hours before your flight. Which airline? It has taken us 30 minutes to get to Terminal 4.

 

7am might be too late depending on where the accidents are that day. Going down the 5 or the 405 is not an easy thing to do.

 

Check and see when the park closes. Might be a good idea to get to a LAX hotel after Magic Mountain. I can (almost) guarantee that it will be a shorter ride at night.

[cruiserbryce]

closest hotels to there are a best western and a hilton garden inn...we used to live up there. Its nowhere near LAX or the port though

[bedfordmom]

Hi

We are planning one day post-cruise stay after RCC MR cruise. The kids want to go to 6 flags magic mountain. Where would be a good area and hotel to stay overnight that would be a short cab ride to 6 flags, then the next day a short cab ride to LAX? We will not be renting a car because DH doesn't want to brave the freeways. I know the taxi fare from San Pedro to wherever we stay will be high, any ideas?

 

 

We are actually thinking of doing the same thing after a Mariner cruise but we are getting a rental near the port at Enterprise, driving up to 6 Flags for the day and coming back early evening to our LAX airport hotel, returning the car that night at the airport as we have a 7am flight the next day.

 

Also if you are a season ticket holder at another 6 Flags Park like us, I believe you can use them at the park (not separate water parks) so the only cost is the parking. Thats one of the reasons that we are thinking of doing it as it would be a relatively inexpensive day for us.

[carlywilson]

Thank you everyone! We fly out with Delta. We would disembark the MOS on Sunday morning, we would have to get to santa clarita, we probably wouldn't get there until the mid morning/afternoon, waiting in lines, probably wouldn't get to ride very many rides. I think we may have to re-think this one. We will get to LAX on a Friday night, and be in the LA area precruise 1 full day, maybe going before would be a better option, we could take a Starline tour there from marina del rey, where we are booked. We would still have to get a ride to the port the next day, but on a Sunday morning it may not be as bad traffic-wise. Post-cruise maybe we could visit Venice, Santa Monica, which was my original precruise day plan. Argh, why did they have to build this park so far from everything :confused:

 

The car rental is a good idea, that way we can leave the luggage in the car and we dont' have to go through the hassle of checking in, finding a cab to take us to the park, finding a cab to get us to the hotel, finding a hotel with shuttle etc. I will run that past the family.

[Donray]

Whatever you do, stay Sunday night at a hotel by LAX it will save your sanity.

[Cruisin' Chick]

That reminds me, the last time we went to Magic Mtn., the parking was $16 per car.

[mation101]

OMG, this sounds like a nightmare!!!

 

You would really really have to want to go to six flags to do this. I have lived here my whole life and you couldnt pay me to go back to six flags, let alone drive from San Pedro to Magic Mountain. Yikes!!!!!

[bedfordmom]

Thank you everyone! We fly out with Delta. We would disembark the MOS on Sunday morning, we would have to get to santa clarita, we probably wouldn't get there until the mid morning/afternoon, waiting in lines, probably wouldn't get to ride very many rides. I think we may have to re-think this one. We will get to LAX on a Friday night, and be in the LA area precruise 1 full day, maybe going before would be a better option, we could take a Starline tour there from marina del rey, where we are booked. We would still have to get a ride to the port the next day, but on a Sunday morning it may not be as bad traffic-wise. Post-cruise maybe we could visit Venice, Santa Monica, which was my original precruise day plan. Argh, why did they have to build this park so far from everything :confused:

 

The car rental is a good idea, that way we can leave the luggage in the car and we dont' have to go through the hassle of checking in, finding a cab to take us to the park, finding a cab to get us to the hotel, finding a hotel with shuttle etc. I will run that past the family.

 

 

Where are you staying post cruise. We are renting from Enterprise one way to LAX for about 87$ I know its pricey but it saves us a shuttle (and time) to LAX or Long Beach. Consider staying at the airport the night before so that you can return the car that evening, avoid the parking fees and get the shuttle to the airport in the morning without worrying about getting stuck in the airport traffic. Hotwire has some great deals for four star hotels at LAX

[carlywilson]

I havent booked any post-cruise hotel yet, I want to get our plans organized before I do it. I will have to really talk to the family about all this. Me? I would ride about 2 rides and be done, I am not a fan of being flipped all directions in hot weather, I like amusement parks, but probably not a good idea for me to be in a half-dizzy nauseated state before flying across the country ha.

[bedfordmom]

I am also not a fan of Six Flags as it is probably like on the one that we go to in New England. It is really our Plan B, I would prefer doing things that are unique to SoCal. We have already been to Disney and Knotts Berry on previous trips, so we might use that day instead to go back for our second day(free) at Universal instead.

[zephyr17]

Magic Mountain is super hot in the summer, too. It is inland, a couple of mountain ranges away from the ocean. It will always be about 15 degrees hotter than, let's say, Disneyland. And it is a mountain. The main path through the park from the entrance is basically all uphill.

 

Good coasters, though.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I havent booked any post-cruise hotel yet, I want to get our plans organized before I do it. I will have to really talk to the family about all this. Me? I would ride about 2 rides and be done, I am not a fan of being flipped all directions in hot weather, I like amusement parks, but probably not a good idea for me to be in a half-dizzy nauseated state before flying across the country ha.

 

Magic Mountain is super hot in the summer, too. It is inland, a couple of mountain ranges away from the ocean. It will always be about 15 degrees hotter than, let's say, Disneyland. And it is a mountain. The main path through the park from the entrance is basically all uphill.

 

Good coasters, though.

 

That brought up a question for me so I checked to see when you'll be here. In late June is when it starts heating up here (even though some years it can already hit the three digit temps in the SF and Santa Clarita Valleys in mid-June). I've been to MM in August (only because I promised my daughter) and it does get HOT. Most of the rides are of the thrill variety (which is not my thing); the only other ones seem to be toddler type rides. I can't think of any rides that really appealed to me. We ended up spending time in the arcade and the store as I refused to go on the rides then (I pointed to the sign that said "must be this tall" a lot).

 

A couple of years ago hubby came with us during their Halloween fest and we still didn't do the thrill rides.

[carlywilson]

We are going in late June, after a discussion and a vote we vied to not go to MM this trip. The hot weather, the crazy transportation situation, and simply not enough time kinda talked us out of MM, which didn't seem to upset anyone at all, we would probably all be just too relaxed after spending 7 days on the MOS to stress out on a whirlwind trip to an amusement park :)

[mjesf]

We are going in late June, after a discussion and a vote we vied to not go to MM this trip. The hot weather, the crazy transportation situation, and simply not enough time kinda talked us out of MM, which didn't seem to upset anyone at all, we would probably all be just too relaxed after spending 7 days on the MOS to stress out on a whirlwind trip to an amusement park :)

 

In light of the distances involved, and an unwillingness to drive in LA; that is probably a good move.

 

That said, although I have not been to Magic Mountain, I have passed by it often enough to think it would be a fun way to spend the day. Perhaps you could save it for a future LA focused trip equipped with someone who doesn't mind driving in the LA area.

[yogi2929]

Check on their website. They seem to run many specials. Seems that the coupon on the can of Coca Cola crops up over the summer.

[The_Big_M]

As fun parks go, I was a bit disappointed - it's really a roller coaster park than a typical theme park. I don't mind a good coaster - but like other things too!

 

That said, regarding the warm weather they do have a small water section. It was closed when I was there, but if you're going in a warmer period, it should also be available.