Bully for Bugs Bunny: Vintage Looney Tunes at Six Flags Magic Mountain

In 1985, the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes characters became the mascots of Six Flags parks across the United States, including Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.  Among the souvenirs available in the 1980s and early 1990s were these branded, colorful PVC figural keychains of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.  These were made by Bully/Bullyland in Germany.  Daffy Duck still has his Bullyland sticker on his cane.

Bully figures are a big collector's item, and were primarily sold in Europe.  Bully made figures for all sorts of well known licensed characters, both American and European.  As far as I know, Looney Tunes Bully figures were only sold at Six Flags parks.  Similarly, Bully Disney characters were only sold at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Tweety Bird and Bugs Bunny seem to have the most variations of all the Bully figurines during this time period.  Bully Looney Tunes figures were also sold at my home park, Six Flags Over Georgia.  I remember seeing them, but never got them.  I presume these were sold at other Six Flags locations as well.  I've never been to Magic Mountain.  I found these for sale online just a few days ago.  I don't remember if the keychains sold in Georgia had any Six Flags branding on them.

These Looney Tunes buttons were sold at Six Flags Over Georgia starting in 1985.

While the Looney Tunes joined Six Flags in 1985, their association with the chain goes back to 1976, when they were the mascots for Marriott's Great America in Gurnee, Illinois (and Great America in California).  Six Flags bought Great America in Illinois and Bugs and his friends were inherited by Six Flags and expanded to other locations.  A lot of this early merchandise was adapted from Great America.  Six Flags Over Georgia even sold some Great America branded merchandise in the early 1980s.

In December 2025 it was announced that Six Flags Magic Mountain will be getting a new Looney Tunes Land in 2026.  So That's Not All, Folks!

Six Flags Over Georgia Monster Mansion Masonry

In 1981, Six Flags Over Georgia debuted its dark boat ride, The Monster Plantation.  Set in a flooded mansion, human riders are welcomed to a monster picnic filled with colorful, friendly monsters.  Guests are warned to stay out of the Marsh (a warning that is ignored), a dark swamp filled with scary monsters.  As a kid, I was obsessed with this ride, and still have dreams about it to this day.  In 2009, the ride was mercifully refurbished, and re-opened as The Monster Mansion.  I decided to make a figure of the ride's mascot, Buzby, using rocks and sea junk from the beach.  Buzby's teeth and horns are made out of shark teeth.  He was painted using Sharpie paint pens.

Mizzy Scarlett and her monster dog, Tatty-Too welcome guests to the flooded mansion.

Tatty-Too's name comes from a character named Tattoo featured on a popular (in 1981) TV show called Fantasy Island.

Guiding humans through Monster Mansion is Marshall Billy Bob Fritter, and his dog, Fritter Bitter.

Billy Bob warns visitors to stay out of the Marsh.  Unfortunately, riders have no control of their boats.

Among the many characters visitors see is the Kissing Booth monster named Honeysuckle.

This particular monster has giant animated kissing lips that have terrified generations of children.

The resident popular strongman is known as The Big Monster on Campus.

The BMOC is proud to be from Georgia.

The Chili Contest monster is named Spurgeon.

Spurgeon was named after the late Spurgeon Richardson, who was a manager at Six Flags Over Georgia when the Monsters debuted in 1981.

The Tennis Monster is named Thurston Dinwiddie III.  This character was changed to a gardener when Monster Plantation became Monster Mansion in 2009.

The Tennis Monster bears a striking resemblance to the Crows in the 1978 movie The Wiz.

Despite warnings, the boats enter the Marsh and encounter the scary monsters.

One of the first character encountered is the ogre-like Gengenbacher.

The boats pass monsters with treasure, led by a gruesome fellow named Nero.

Allegedly, in the backstory for Monster Plantation/Monster Mansion, the treasure was stolen from the Mansion.

The hissing Swamp Serpent sneaks up on riders in their boats.

The Marsh is full of spooky monsters and tree creatures.

The biggest monster in the Marsh is the dragon-like E Rategator.

The E-Rategator terrorizes riders, but he is thwarted by Marshall Billy Bob Fritter, who fires a cannon at the creature and leads the boats back to safety.

For many years, a puppet character named Buford Buzzard lived near Monster Plantation/Monster Mansion.

Buford was an insult-comic character, who frequently targeted visitors from Alabama.

Six Flags AutoWorld: Totaled Michigan Motor City

In 1984, Six Flags AutoWorld debuted in Flint, Michigan.  Unlike the famous Six Flags parks that feature roller coasters and thrills, AutoWorld was an indoor experience.  It appears to have been sort of a mix of EPCOT's old World of Motion pavilion, plus the original version of its replacement, Test Track.  And it even had a dash of Disneyland's old America Sings animated animal show.

AutoWorld was nothing like the traditional Six Flags parks.  It looked more like a museum or a science center.

Michigan had high hopes for AutoWorld.  Sadly, the new car smell was gone by 1985.

At the time, Six Flags was experimenting and diversifying with new types of attractions that were not traditional amusement parks.

In 1985, another experimental attraction, Six Flags PowerPlant, opened in Baltimore, Maryland.  It also was short-lived (I got to visit the corpse of PowerPlant in 2000, as it had transformed into a shopping center).

Like a mall or a museum, AutoWorld's fun could be had on different levels.

AutoWorld brings to mind the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

You can actually see Test Track at AutoWorld!  A remote control Test Track, that is.

Was AutoWorld ahead of its time?  Maybe.

The Great Race seems to share DNA with the original version of Walt Disney World's Test Track.

The Humorous History of Auto-Mobility seems very similar to EPCOT's World of Motion.

This attraction screams old school Disney.

Speaking of Disney, AutoWorld had its own mascot.  Not a cartoon car.  That would be too logical.  AutoWorld had a Horse.  A crazy looking horse.  And he hosted the Humorous History of Auto-Mobility.

Fred the Carriageless Horse!  Of course!

Fred existed in some sort of animated, three dimensional form at AutoWorld.  I'm guessing it was a robot.

Fred seems to be a relative of the Old Grey Mare driving a Model T from the 1974 Disneyland Audio Animatronics show, America Sings.

Poor Fred was probably sold to the glue factory.

Six Flags AutoWorld seemed like a clever idea.

I feel like AutoWorld was built in the wrong location, and at the wrong time.

You know that if this was Hot Wheels AutoWorld, or Matchbox AutoWorld, or Disney-PIXAR Cars AutoWorld it would have been a big hit.

Six Flags Atlantis: Florida's Lost Water Kingdom

For many years, rumors have swirled about the possibility of a Six Flags park in Florida.  Years ago, it actually happened, in Hollywood, Florida.

The park started life as "Atlantis: The Water Kingdom" circa 1982.  Bally's, the owners of Six Flags parks, took the park under its wing in 1983.

Brochures for Six Flags Over Georgia in 1983 promoted Atlantis: The Water Kingdom as another Six Flags destination.  I was curious about the park as a kid, but back then, the Internet didn't exist, so it remained a mystery.

The King Neptune mascot suggests a magical fantasy world.  The reality looks like a typical water park.

Apparently, the association with Six Flags lasted until 1988.

The park regained its original name until it closed in 1992.  Not even Neptune could stop Hurricane Andrew, which damaged Atlantis enough to close it for good.

These days, many Six Flags properties have their own water parks (Six Flags Over Georgia has Hurricane Harbor inside its gates, plus White Water nearby).  But Six Flags Atlantis was a whole different kettle of fish.

Interestingly, there were a couple other short-lived "non-Six Flags" Six Flags parks around the same time as Atlantis, including Six Flags AutoWorld in Flint, Michigan (1984), and Six Flags Power Plant in Baltimore, Maryland (1985).

The Wizarding World Of Six Flags Magic Mountain: A Troll In The Park

In 1971, Magic Mountain amusement park opened in Valencia, California.  In its first year, the park enlisted the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes to greet visitors.  By 1972, Magic Mountain had its own unique mascots, the Trolls.

In addition to the Trolls, there was also a Wizard.

The Wizard was kind of a jerk.

Magic Mountain is a big, beautiful mountain of fun!

The mountain Trolls were mere minutes away from Hollywood.

And yes, you could meet the Wizard and the fuzzy Trolls in person.

Magic Mountain's mascots look a little bit like the love children of The Muppets and H.R. Pufnstuf.

The 1970s were a groovy time to be a long-haired, hippie Troll.

As time marched on, Magic Mountain added more and more thrills.  And the Trolls were everywhere.

This monstrosity is a Magic Mountain Troll Snow Globe that also tells you what day it is.

The Orange Troll is named Bloop and the Girl Troll is named Bleep (I think).

There was also a "teeter totter in a bottle" for Magic Mountain.

This type of gaudy souvenir still exists today---just visit any big tourist trap shop in Florida.

Let's check out what is new in 1974.

Wait an Internet Trollin' minute!  Bloop had his own ride!?!

Yup, the wonderfully named Big Bloop!

Bloop the Troll was the focus of much of the merchandise.

Cuddle with a cute (?) plush Bloop, lovingly made with features applied using a hot glue gun.

Being so close to Hollywood, Magic Mountain has been used in countless movies and TV shows.

The funniest use of Magic Mountain was probably in the 1991 opening credits for the ABC show Step By Step.  The show's creators turned the parking lot into a (very fake) lake.

Magic Mountain was also the star of National Lampoon's Vacation in 1983.

If you want to go to the real Walley World, go to Magic Mountain.

The Wizard and Bloop enjoy Magic Mountain's rides, most of which were made by Arrow Development.

Bloop the Troll has a certain charm to him.

Are you a member of the Troll Patrol?

Bloop is adorable, in a blobby sort of way.

The hills are alive with the sound of screaming (people on roller coasters).

Biker Gang Troll Bloop wants you to drink beer from a Magic Mountain Stein.

It'll put hair on your chest and everywhere else.

Is the Wizard supposed to be a good guy or a bad guy?

The Wizard is kinda creepy.

Bloop is a mellow sort of fellow.

Have you ever heard of a pizza restaurant called Mellow Mushroom?  I feel like Bloop could get a job there.

Magic Mountain was developed by Newhall Land and Farming Company.

In addition to rides, Magic Mountain became famous for its shows.  In the early days, the park's amphitheater hosted performances by Jimmy Durante, Helen Reddy, and Rich Little (if you are young and reading this, you may not know who these people are, but they were all big in the 70s).

I know that Aerosmith played at Magic Mountain at some point.  They mention it during the "Back in the Saddle" song on their "A Little South of Sanity" Live Album.

In 1979, Magic Mountain was sold to Six Flags.

The park became "Six Flags Magic Mountain" in 1980.

The Trolls survived the takeover---for a few years.  Then their world was turned upside down.

In 1985, the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes characters became the mascots for Six Flags parks.  The Trolls and the Wizard magically vanished.  It is rather ironic that the Looney Tunes were at Magic Mountain in the first year of the park's operation.

The rise and fall of the Trolls at Magic Mountain is not an unusual story in the world of amusement park mascots.  In the recent past, Hanna Barbera and Nickelodeon characters were evicted from the former Paramount Parks chain (Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, California's Great America, and Canada's Wonderland).

As it turns out, the sneaky Trolls weren't completely evicted from Six Flags Magic Mountain.

As of May of 2013, this Troll continues having a magical time on the exit sign for Magic Mountain's Bumper Cars.  Thanks to TokyoMagic! at MeetTheWorldInProgressland.blogspot.com for the picture!