Undertow at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is Northern California’s only spinning coaster since its opening in 2013, filling the void creating by the removal of Pandemonium at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, which was removed in 2011. It was manufactured by Maurer Sohne, a company that has built spinning coasters in the past. Mainly in Europe. We really enjoy this ride for it’s line up of interesting elements, and its family friendliness.
Guests, while approaching the ride, will notice that it is elevated on a concrete platform that is 20 feet high or so. This makes the ride look significantly taller, as it is 50 feet tall excluding the platform giving it a net height of approximately 70 feet. Riders will walk past a test seat, and a sign informing them the cost of the ride is six tickets. 
They then walk through a small set of shaded switchbacks and reach the ride platform, where tickets will be collected or wristbands will be scanned. Riders are then hurried into a train that snuggly fits four people, two pairs back to back. Ride operators will check restraints, and you are zoomed up the lift hill.
The lift hill is behind you in the blink of an eye and the first drop awaits. As riders are seated back to back, two people on each train will actually drop backwards. Either way, forwards or backwards, it’s a fun drop that is soon followed by an elevated turnaround with a block brake. 
Once the train passes through the block brake, the spinning mechanism is unlocked and now the ride really gets going! After a banked drop following the turnaround, it rises up into an 85 degree bank! It seems as though the trains are designed to face vertically, so riders are either facing up or down. Both are very cool sensations, as either way there is no track in sight and it feels as if you are falling out of the train. 
Another block brake follows, and the train then descends into a section of quick s curves, one after another. This is where the train really gets spinning, and it certainly doesn’t stop any time soon. After a helix, and a few more turns, the train coasts into the brake run, and is corrected to it’s original non-spinning position.
Although many coasters are marketed as ‘family coasters’ and really only resonate with the younger ones, this is not the case for Undertow, as it makes for a very fun ride even for seasoned coaster veterans. Your experience can also depend on the weight distribution. If it is uneven, the ride can actually be a bit disorienting. Overall, it is a must-ride at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, especially as it is one of their two coasters that are very enjoyable for a wide-audience. We really do enjoy this ride, but what do you think? Do you like it? Is it the best spinning coaster California has ever seen? You tell us! Make sure to leave your thoughts below. For the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Update from this week, please click here!
Both ascents to the High Five element have been placed, ’til we see more steel beams go up in the structure, we don’t expect the actual High Five part to be installed for a while.
Though notice the wooden structure on the side of the parking lot has a lot more steel connectors now, indicating that the steel beams are to be placed soon.
The green track that you see here is for the final brake-run, and turn to the station. Again, notice the block-break structure’s dismantling process. 
The transition from blue to green is being installed currently. 
it’s a lot more straight-tracked than I expected. I have a feeling they might put brakes in it, so the trains have more of a chance of lining up. Because with the initial speed that it has in the transition, it could make it half way up the lift already, making it nearly impossible for it to race.
Nice transition to the magical repaint of Scream!, here’s some more wood for Twisted Colossus, while in the background some orange supports are to be noticed. 
Ahh, look the same orange supports… from another angle. 
It might be slightly hard to see, but the orange supports are supporting track that has been painted entirely blue. The blue is the same (or very similar at least) to the blue found on Batman: The Ride. 
The top of the Reversed Immelman/Dive has been painted blue already. 
Notice that though the blue is very similar to the original blue, the rails is no longer yellow, and is painted the exact same blue. 
As I was leaving the crews started working on painting the massive ride again, continuing the blue on the Reversed Immelman/Dive. 
Rolling out of the Zero-G-Roll, a part of the track has also been painted entirely blue already. They were working on it, as I was taking pictures. 
All bolted parts of the ride, supports as well as track pieces, are coated with white paint for now. I’m curious if they’ll give that a different color, to make it look more Steampunk-esque! 
I’m not going to lie; I’m not expecting a major re-theme that we all hope for so desperately. Though I do hope they cover up the parking lot underneath in any which way. SFNE Online suggested that gravel underneath would work very well with the new color scheme, and I totally agree with that. I’m not expecting any grass or something, as in a California desert maintaining the health of the grass is already challenging, Scream! Some re-branding, vegetation, themed scenery, and perhaps a new soundtrack for the line and station would be cool.
On the other side of the High Five structure, metal connector-pieces have been placed, in addition on the ground next to it metal beams are stored. I expect the placement of these beams to start soon, after which we can see even more track placement. 
Let’s move on to Scream! Where they’re power cleaning the supports. It’s slightly hard to see below, but the supports and track are being cleaned for the repaint it will soon receive!
Perhaps some of the most exciting news… The Twisted Colossus photo-op now states that Twisted Colossus will open in Spring… they changed from Summer plans to Spring plans, something I haven’t see Six Flags Magic Mountain do in a very long time! 
This is where the ‘ice-sculptures’ used to be. Not all the decorative snow has been cleared yet. Seems like a pain to clean up. 
Santa’s workshop is gone. They yet have to place back the fencing that surrounded the Katy’s Kettle area. 
Most buildings are snow-free now. Except for the Cyber Cafe and Katy’s Kettle. 
The tree of heroes is gone, and some new plants have been planted. Expect flowers in within the next couple of weeks. 
I just notice how much this bill board bothers me… I wouldn’t mind seeing this one leave before any other of the many ads. 
After Xtreme Zone received a new/refurbished sign on the other side of the building, it seems as if the larger sign is currently being refurbished. 
Can’t wait for Ninja to return to 2 trains… I’d also like it’s station to receive a repaint of some sort with new lights. It looks a little disgusting by now. 
I took this picture some time last week and forgot to put in the update, but I’m very curious why the promotion booth at Six Flags Plaza has a picture of the Boomerang at Wiener Prater on it, with the Six Flags logo… Six Flags has a whole bunch of coasters, and a couple of boomerangs as well… So how come there’s not a Six Flags coaster in the picture? 😀
I hope that after Scream! received it’s make-over and repaint Tatsu is up next for a repaint. 
A few weeks after I purchased my 2015 Dining Pass, I stumble upon this sign… a Deluxe Dining Pass with snacks throughout the day is a thing now! Seems awesome, I’ll investigate if they have an upgrade for people that already purchased the regular pass. 
There are some more structural preparations going on at the second turn around. 
They’re also constructing the top of the catwalks on both sides of the lift-hills. 
Behind these walls construction continues, with most landscaping being taken out. 
And then Six Flags Magic Mountain re-used the #farewellcolossus photo-op set, and is now promoting Twisted Colossus! 
It looks pretty nice, but really I can’t wait to sit in the actual TC trains! 
Additionally, limited edition “pink” t-shirts and specially designed canteens will be available for purchase. A portion of the “pink” merchandise proceeds will benefit Susan G. Komen Orange County.
Though I really like these banners, they’re clearly Merry Farm!
Even more exciting, the train has received a new chassis! Meaning that the base of the train has been replaced, with new wheels, etc. It’s smoother, though not very significantly. It’s still a great ride!
The neon-signs are awaiting new neon-lights. 
Here’s the poster on the door, and the inside still wrapped up. 
The drop and lift-hill are being worked on most. For example, the entire conveyor belt from the last lift will be replaced. 
The new conveyor belt is ready to be installed and stored under the ride. 
In addition the fences/gates were taken out, and repainted black. (Used to be purple).
My guess is, that next week when they’re closed, they’ll start converting the park back to what it was, but they sure have a lot of work to do.
Funny enough I saw many people still taking pictures with the tree of heroes over at DC Universe.
The Holiday in the Park wreaths that the park hung up on almost every single lamppost, are pretty much all still there. I expected them to take them down earlier, like during the crowd-less operating days this week. 
The tree of water is turned off and the photo-op scenery is gone. The lights that moved are protected in their plastic boxes to be taken out soon.
Yesterday they were taking apart the stage. 
Today only the frame of the light-installations was left standing. 
Sorry for the blurry picture, but it’s time for the pistachio park walls to be fixed, the wallpaper is tearing off. 
Jet Stream, though still leaking significantly less than a couple of months ago, is starting to leak pretty badly again. 
The park did though manage to finally fix up the Xtreme Zone sign after the T was missing and the sign was faded for a very long time. 
Still hard to see, but there are a couple of significant gray spots on the first corkscrew for example. 
Moving on to Apocalypse. Which first off NEEDS RETRACKING! I gave it a couple of shots the last two days to redeem itself, but sadly enough Apocalypse has become very rough. Remember how rough Roar was at a point? Well Apocalypse is currently rougher than Roar ever was… Moving on to the cool news, row 9 (seats 17 and 18) on train 1 have new restraints, not just any new restraints, it’s the new GCI restraints for their Millennium Flyer trains. You may recognize them from Gold Striker, where all restraints look like this!
One day has passed since our Twisted Colossus Update, and a whole lot of track has been placed! The approach to the High Five element (both sides) is under construction. 
There are also a lot more track pieces on site, and they were starting to place track for the High Five element already!
The Top Gun structure is under construction, I have a feeling a lot of wood will be added in order for the element to become reality. 
They’re working on preparing the High Five element for track placement, though currently there aren’t many noticeable changes from last week. 
Twisted Colossus is stilll looking very pretty, in case anyone doubted that. 
Moving on to the part of the ride that has been drastically altered over the last two weeks, the old second turn-around!
1/3rd of the original height has been taken off, and currently the shaping continues for the Double Up, and the Outward Bank Floater that will be on this side of the structure. 
You can now see the station, and where the track will be placed that will mark the transition from blue to green. 
They trimmed down the huge structure quite a bit!
In the station not much has changed, they’re clearing it out more. If you look precisely, you may notice that the control panels have all been taken out and the floors are being leveled. 
And then there’s the ride that ‘screams’ for a repaint. It will either close tomorrow for its overhaul, or a week later, since the park extended their daily operations ’til January 11th. I’ll step by sometime during the week to figure out whether it’s closed yet, or not. 
A quick last, faded-paint-Scream shot!
Might not see this building again, ’til it’s repainted and the Looking Glass Theater. 
One quick look at the future Screampunk District made me realize how insanely badly the area needs a face-lift. I’m stocked for the future of Screampunk District!