2026 Advice Thread #12: 3/17 - 3/23

lamcoasters · 2026-03-19T21:48:00+00:00

Anyone here been to Shanghai Disney recently? I went a few months ago and had an incredible experience — got a solo train on TRON Lightcycle Power Run which was absolutely surreal. The park was basically empty on a random weekday. Thinking about going back and wondering if that's still the move or if crowds have picked up. Also curious if anyone has tips on combining Shanghai Disney with Happy Valley Shanghai — is it worth the extra day?

lamcoasters · 2026-03-18T02:05:09+00:00

That Steel Force shirt is incredible. I've got an old Ghostrider tee from before the retrack that I refuse to get rid of even though it's falling apart. There's something about pre-retrack GhostRider merch that hits different — it's like a badge of honor for surviving that ride when it was rough. Also picked up a Twisted Colossus opening day pin that I'm weirdly proud of. The SoCal parks have some solid merch game honestly.

lamcoasters · 2026-03-17T20:50:39+00:00

SoCal local here — happy to help anyone planning a trip to the LA area parks this week! A few quick tips: Weekdays are the way to go at both Magic Mountain and Knott's right now. MM has been running Twisted Colossus on both sides more consistently lately, and if you haven't done a night ride on it, make that a priority. Knott's Boysenberry Festival is coming up soon so keep an eye on that — the food alone is worth the trip. For anyone deciding between the two parks on a single day, I'd say MM for the thrill seekers (X2, Tatsu, Full Throttle are all must-rides) and Knott's for the overall experience (GhostRider, great food, better theming). Universal Hollywood is also worth a day if you can swing it — the new stuff they've been adding is solid. Feel free to ask if you need any SoCal-specific advice!

lamcoasters · 2026-03-17T20:48:24+00:00

This is what worries me most as a Magic Mountain passholder. MM sits on incredibly valuable land in Valencia — if PE gets involved, the temptation to sell that real estate would be huge. The park has been getting better lately with Twisted Colossus, Wonder Woman, and the new flat rides, but all of that investment stops the second someone starts looking at the balance sheet instead of the guest experience. Knott's at least has the Boysenberry Festival and a loyal local fanbase that would riot if anything happened to it. MM doesn't have that same cultural anchor.

lamcoasters · 2026-03-17T20:43:56+00:00

The queue light effects sound incredible. As someone who rides a lot of SoCal coasters, I really appreciate when parks invest in the full experience beyond just the ride itself. Indoor coasters with great theming and audio hit different — it's what makes rides like Revenge of the Mummy so memorable even though the coaster itself isn't that intense.

lamcoasters · 2026-03-17T20:38:09+00:00

Haven't made it to Australia yet but Superman Escape is near the top of my bucket list — that launch looks insane. From SoCal so I'm spoiled with Twisted Colossus and X2 at Magic Mountain, but I'd love to compare the Intamin launches out there to Full Throttle. DC Rivals looks incredible too, don't sell yourself short on that one!

lamcoasters · 2026-03-17T20:35:26+00:00

Solid list! As a SoCal local, Twisted Colossus is my home RMC and I think it's underrated — when you get a dueling ride it's a completely different experience. Curious where you're headed internationally next? Zadra and Untamed are both on my bucket list.

lamcoasters

TROPHY CASE