What does it say when a park that promotes itself as the “Thrill Capital of the World” does not even have the best roller coaster in town?
Six Flags Magic Mountain uses that slogan on its website and marketing. It has been well earned, as the park for years has held or tied the world record for having the most roller coasters in a single theme park. For local fans, Magic Mountain has offered top quality as well as quantity. Theme Park Insider readers have rated Twisted Colossus as the top roller coaster in California ever since it opened 10 years ago.
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However, Six Flags Magic Mountain might not be home to the state’s best roller coaster for much longer. Last week, Universal Studios Hollywood revealed more details about its upcoming Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. From what Universal has shown, this might end up not just being the best roller coaster in California — it might be one of the top coasters in the world.
With a top speed of 72 mph, Hollywood Drift will be Universal’s fastest coaster ever and the fourth-fastest in California, trailing Magic Mountain’s Goliath. But great coasters offer more than just stats. Fans will ride Hollywood Drift in what might be the best-looking cars on any roller coaster in the world. Decorated to look like a 1970 Dodge Charger, Hollywood Drift’s cars will live up to the coaster’s name by rotating 360 degrees as they speed across the coaster’s 4,100 feet of twisting track. That’s a lot more than a quarter mile.
It all promises an exhilarating ride, offering an irresistible combination of speed, airtime and G forces — the mix that creates magical roller coaster experiences.
That is a direct challenge to Six Flags. The combination of the old Six Flags and Cedar Fair companies was supposed to create America’s undisputed leader in roller coasters. United Parks — the former SeaWorld Parks — has been building plenty of new coasters in recent years, too. But while those companies were battling, Universal has snuck up on the industry to become America’s best roller coaster provider.
Universal cannot match Six Flags’ quantity of coasters. But no one can match the industry-leading quality that Universal has debuted over the past six years, including Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Jurassic World VelociCoaster, which Theme Park Insider readers have ranked the two best coasters in the world. Having ridden the new Stardust Racers, I would place that Epic Universe coaster up with its Universal Orlando siblings, as well.
Could Hollywood Drift make it a Universal foursome at the top? Given the company’s recent track record, I would not bet against that.
Six Flags Magic Mountain is building a new coaster for 2026, too — a “Thrill Glider Roller Coaster,” according to planning documents. Six Flags has not told us much yet about that ride, but it is going to need to be something special to beat what Universal is promising.
Forget worries that putting Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain under the same owner would be anti-competitive. With Universal coming to the starting line, competition is alive and well for California’s roller coaster fans.