Colossus, the iconic staple of Six Flags Magic Mountain, will cease thrilling riders on August 16. Officials didn’t give a formal reason for the shutdown.
"Colossus, the king of wooden coasters, ends its 36-year reign on August 16," Magic Mountain spokesperson Sue Carpenter said 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."
The imposing ride has been a theme park beacon since June of 1978, when it was deemed the fastest and tallest wooden coaster in the world. Boasting two drops greater than 100 feet -- the first coaster in the world to try that -- Colossus greets visitors when they pull up to the park, its 4,300 feet of track taking up over ten acres of land.
It’s been a hit in Hollywood, too, most memorably as the final ride taken by the Griswold clan in ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ (and less memorably – but no less awesomely – as a backdrop for an epic fight scene in the made-for-TV cult hit “KISS Meets The Phantom of the Park”). Colossus also appeared in episodes of “Knight Rider,” “The A-Team,” and “Wonder Woman.”
It hasn’t always been a smooth ride, however. A mere six months after Colossus opened, a woman died after being ejected from her seat. Colossus was shut down and overhauled with new height and weight restrictions, though for years safety concerns lingered.
Park officials have yet to reveal what kind of attraction they’ll slot into its spot, but for millions of theme park geeks, it’s irreplaceable.
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