One Of The Walley World Roller Coasters From ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ Is Closing

The nostalgia machine sure does seem to be working overtime right now. In a statement released earlier this week, the brass at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California announced that after 36 years of being one of the most iconic roller coasters in America, Colossus will be shut down in August. At one time, Colossus was one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in existence, but as time has passed and mankind’s desire for puke-inducing speeds grew by leaps and bounds, this rickety, old fossil of a theme park ride just became obsolete.

Still, it’s always sad to see something so indicative of our cultural excess reach its end. Of course, it’ll be replaced by something absurd and faster than any man should travel, but Colossus deserves our respect.

“Colossus, the king of wooden coasters, ends its 36-year reign on August 16,” according to a statement from the park. “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.” (Via the Los Angeles Daily News)

Colossus, as some of our elder readers might remember, was a TV and movie star in its earliest years, having appeared in the opening sequence of the TV series Step-by-Step.

Despite previous reports, Colossus wasn’t the main roller coaster featured in National Lampoon’s Vacation, but it was in the film. When Clark Griswold forced a security guard named Russ Lasky onto it at gunpoint, so his entire family could complete its cross-country voyage to Walley World, that was Revolution. According to Behind the Thrills, there’s a chance that Colossus will simply be updated and reopened as a new roller coaster.

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