Six Flags Magic Mountain Closes Massive Ride After Two Riders Suffer Severe Brain Injuries

Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2 roller coaster remains temporarily closed after two women suffered severe brain hemorrhages within six days of each other following rides on the extreme coaster in Valencia, California. CNN reported that both women lost consciousness and required emergency brain surgery, while physicians who treated them attributed the injuries to rapid acceleration-deceleration events experienced on X2.

The development puts new scrutiny on one of Magic Mountain’s signature attractions. Six Flags currently lists X2 among its scheduled ride closures, and CNN reported that the company said the coaster has not operated since shortly after the second woman was injured.

Two X2 Riders Suffered Similar Brain Injuries Six Days Apart

According to CNN’s investigation, Pamela Guillen rode X2 on July 5 while visiting Six Flags Magic Mountain with her daughter. After the ride, Guillen was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed an acute subdural hematoma with brain compression and performed emergency surgery.

Six days later, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson rode X2 and collapsed after getting off, CNN reported. She was transported to the same hospital and also underwent emergency brain surgery. CNN said three neurosurgeons who treated the women concluded that the severe injuries resulted from a “traumatic rapid acceleration-deceleration event” experienced while riding X2.

The cases follow renewed attention on X2’s safety history. Inside the Magic previously reported on the death of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley after a 2022 ride on X2; CNN reported that a coroner found Hawley died of blunt head trauma during a park ride accident and that the resulting wrongful-death lawsuit was settled before trial.

Six Flags Magic Mountain Lists X2 as Closed

As of August 29, Six Flags Magic Mountain’s official scheduled-closures page lists X2 as unavailable. The park has not publicly announced on that page when the coaster will reopen, and the listing does not describe the closure as permanent.

That distinction matters. Some reports have characterized X2’s status more broadly, but the verifiable information available from Six Flags supports describing the attraction as temporarily closed, with no publicly posted reopening date.

The closure has already affected guests during a busy summer at Magic Mountain. Earlier this month, Inside the Magic noted that X2 was separately listed as unavailable when a power outage delayed the park’s opening. The coaster was also at the center of attention in June when a brush fire burned beneath the attraction; officials said there were no injuries or structural damage in that incident.

What Makes the X2 Roller Coaster So Intense

X2 is not a conventional sit-down coaster. Six Flags describes the attraction as a fifth-dimension wing roller coaster whose seats rotate 360 degrees independently of the track, placing riders through head-first, face-down drops, flips, dives and two “raven turns.”

That unusual ride system is central to X2’s identity and explains why the coaster has long held a prominent place in Magic Mountain’s thrill lineup. The park’s official X2 page continues to promote the attraction, even while its separate closure page lists the ride as unavailable.

For fans planning a visit, that means the ride’s web presence should not be mistaken for confirmation that it is operating. Six Flags advises guests that attraction availability can change and directs visitors to its mobile app for current ride information.

California Regulators Oversee Permanent Amusement Rides

California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health oversees permanent amusement rides through its Amusement Ride and Tramway Unit. State guidance says owners and operators must report an injury or accident resulting from the maintenance, operation or use of a permanent amusement ride.

The state also requires annual compliance and inspection procedures for permanent rides. CNN reported that Cal/OSHA did not answer its questions about X2’s history or explain how the ride had previously been allowed to reopen.

Six Flags did not answer CNN’s detailed questions for its investigation, according to the network. CNN said company court filings in earlier litigation maintained that X2 underwent daily inspections and that a rider using the attraction normally would not sustain traumatic brain injury. Those legal assertions are the company’s position in litigation; they do not resolve what caused the two July injuries.

The scrutiny arrives during a period of broader change for Six Flags. Inside the Magic has also covered the company’s planned corporate headquarters move to Arlington, Texas as the combined Six Flags organization continues reshaping operations following its merger with Cedar Fair.

What Happens Next for X2 Remains Unknown

The most important unanswered question for Six Flags Magic Mountain fans is straightforward: when, or whether, X2 will reopen. Six Flags has not posted a reopening date on its scheduled-closures page, and there has been no verified announcement that the attraction is permanently closed.

The two July cases also do not establish that every X2 rider faces the same outcome or that the coaster is a “ticking time bomb.” What they do establish, based on CNN’s reporting and the treating doctors’ assessment, is that two riders suffered strikingly similar, life-threatening brain injuries days apart after riding the same attraction.

Until Six Flags or California regulators release additional findings, the cause, regulatory response and future operating status should not be overstated. For guests heading to the Valencia park, the practical consequence is clear: X2 remains unavailable, and its return to Magic Mountain’s coaster lineup is currently uncertain.