In brief
Six Flags Magic Mountain removed its X2 rollercoaster following claims from over 100 riders that the 360° spinning seat ride caused serious brain injuries. The park cited safety testing but decided the ride was no longer viable, while plaintiffs' lawyers argue the decision is too late for those already harmed, including the family of a rider who died in 2022. The X2, which opened in 2002 as X and later upgraded to X2, had attracted more than 16 million guests before the shutdown. Legal representatives are pushing for regulatory reform and greater oversight of amusement park safety. The closure marks a significant shift in the park’s approach to guest safety while leaving unresolved claims from past riders.
Six Flags Magic Mountain in California has announced the permanent closure of its X2 rollercoaster after more than 100 riders alleged they suffered brain injuries.
The 360‑degree spinning‑seat coaster, a flagship attraction that drew long lines, has been shut since July. Six Flags said it had passed a range of safety tests but chose to retire it as the “right thing to do”.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers from Dordick Law Corporation say the park’s action is “too late” for about 400 people who claim injuries from the ride, citing catastrophic brain trauma that required emergency surgery in some cases.
Brian Oerding, president of Six Flags Magic Mountain, stressed that ride safety is a core value and that the park acts seriously when guest confidence is eroded.
The X2 originally opened in 2002 as X and faced design‑flaw repairs early on, was taken out again in 2007 for train changes, and then reopened that year under the new name. It had served more than 16 million riders before the shutdown.
A family of the 22‑year‑old Christopher Hawley, who died after riding X2 in 2022, welcomed the closure but warned it does not undo the tragedy. Hawley’s attorneys urged legal reform, proactive regulation and proper government oversight, stressing that “profit‑centered corporations cannot be relied upon to act only after enough people are hurt.”
