Six Flags Magic Mountain Closes Superman: Escape from Krypton

After nearly three decades of thrilling riders, Six Flags Magic Mountain has officially announced that Superman: Escape from Krypton will not be returning. The towering coaster, which set world records when it debuted in 1997, has been closed since September and will now be permanently retired.

At its peak, Superman: Escape from Krypton was a true engineering marvel. Unlike traditional coasters with loops and sharp turns, this ride was all about sheer speed and height. It launched riders from the station at a blistering 100 mph, propelling them more than 300 feet into the air—just shy of its towering 415-foot structure. In 2011, the park added a twist by reversing the launch, sending riders backward for a face-down, stomach-dropping plunge back to Earth.

Six Flags Magic Mountain President Jeff Harris cited the high cost of repairs and maintenance as the key reason for shutting down the ride.

"It’s just reached a point in time where we need to make a wise decision on where we really should reinvest funds that improve the guest experience the most," Harris told the Orange County Register. "It just doesn’t make a lot of sense from a business perspective to put it back into Superman."

While Superman: Escape from Krypton is officially done, its towering structure isn’t going anywhere just yet. Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, the drop tower ride attached to the coaster’s structure, will remain operational and is set to reopen next month.

This closure is part of a broader shift for Six Flags, which merged with Cedar Fair last year and has been retiring aging coasters across multiple parks. Another recent casualty was Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, once the world’s tallest coaster.