Six Flags Magic Mountain Terminator Salvation: The Ride

[odie]

Thanks for the info about my plan for SFMM Robb and everyone else who contributed. I did a lot of searches but I was just wondering how terminator impacted the lineup of coasters. But now I know. Thanks again! 12 Days left till my first visit!

 

PS: Sorry it took so long to reply, my Internet has been all messed up for a couple days and I just got it running again.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

If I had to fix one thing about the pre-show, it would be the dialogue. There's too much muffled talk to really hear a story being presented, and that was my impression after being in a mostly empty room with quiet people. With a full room full of chattering guests, I'd guess the pre-show becomes a montage of post-apocalyptic visuals with some loud noise.

 

Pretty sure that wasn't what was originally intended.

[tanthonyam]

In response to the bad element at the park. I noticed the park has its own Sheriff's station right by the entrance, where the trams drop you off. Only in Los Angeles. I never have seen something like that at any other park.

[Evan1127]

In response to the bad element at the park. I noticed the park has its own Sheriff's station right by the entrance, where the trams drop you off. Only in Los Angeles. I never have seen something like that at any other park.

 

I've heard the contrary, especially for parks in that area. Perhaps they're not as obvious, but I know of at least a couple other parks in Southern California that have substations there and a few others around the country with offices for the local law enforcement. And those are only the ones I know about.

[Mr.Six]

I know the Disneyland Resort has its own Anaheim Police Department sub station on property in clear view of guests.

[MagicMountainMan]

The Sheriff's station has been at Magic Mountain ever since the parking lot shooting I believe.

 

I get to go and ride Terminator tomorrow! I can't wait! And I'll definitely try to report anybody who I see vandalizing the rides.

[U2Rox]

Just wanted to give a huge Thank You for the Excellent Media Report on Terminator!!

 

I love how The Ride is directly tied into the Movie. There are references that I understood throughout the preshow video, because of the movie.

 

The actual film props being in the queue line make this a one of kind ride. Something I think, can only be done right in California!

 

As a fan of Coasters, Six Flags, and Terminator, based on the this report Terminator-Salvation is going to be BadA$$ and I really can not wait to ride.

Applause to Magic Mountain for always keeping it on the Upside, Great Rides, Great Park!!!!!

I already joined the Resistance... Beat the Terminators.....

[CloneCaptain38]

I just uploaded my Terminator: Salvation RCT3 video to YouTube, check it out.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wccgoURt7k

 

I also posted it in the NL Terminator: Salvation The Ride thread. I couldn't find a thread on RCT3 Terminator: Salvation, and didn't want to make one.

 

Do note the original song used was disabled by YouTube, so I had to use a pre-selected song in their library. Well, I mention this in my notes.

 

Enjoy

[Mechanic]

I know the Disneyland Resort has its own Anaheim Police Department sub station on property in clear view of guests.

 

I have never noticed it. Am I blind, or does it just blend in really well?

 

I think a great solution to problems such as vandalism, line cutting, etc. would be to have plain clothes security personnel in the park, enforcing the code of conduct rules. Have signs clearly posted around the park indicating that plain clothes security could be anywhere at any time. They could have posters in the queues that say something along the lines of "Thinking of cutting to the front of the line? Well, that friendly looking gentleman right ahead of you just may escort you to the front gates and out of the park!" They could also have similar messages play on the video screens around the park in between the promotional videos.

 

Can you imagine the uproar of applause from rule abiding park patrons when they witnessed vandals or queue jumpers being kicked out? I don't think it would take long before word spread about rules actually being enforced and incidents of improper guest behavior dropped substantially. I also believe it could be done without any actual increase in security staffing. Just take about 25% of your current security force and put them in plain clothes and let them make their way around the park as if they were a regular guest.

[atem122]

The only problem I could see with that idea is a huge attendance drop. Honestly it'll take a long amount of time for sfmm to become a family park, it is so cal's coaster park which attracts teens. If these teens (who I also hate) decide to stop going, then sfmm's current major audience is gone.

[ebl]

It's too bad that teens would rather quit going to SFMM instead of just following the rules and making it easy. I suppose I was a strange teen because I never went through a period where I "rebelled."

 

I do like Disney's approach to security personnel in the park. Obviously it works.

 

Meanwhile, back to Terminator...are both trains identical, or do they have subtle differences to distinguish each one as unique. Also, I didn't notice any train/car numbers on them last weekend when we were there, though they could have been subtle.

 

Eric

[Mr.Six]

Loss Prevention roams the park in undercover clothing. Of course, they're usually looking for crimes harsher than line jumping. But I know they often catch violators of everything.

[SuperShawn]

Also with the trains, any one know whats going on with the machine guns that were in by the transfer track area? Have they or will they be put on the trains or has that idea been scraped?

[atem122]

I think they were scrapped because they made the train too heavy in the front, who knows if we'll see them turn up somewhere else

[CreditCrazy]

The only problem I could see with that idea is a huge attendance drop. Honestly it'll take a long amount of time for sfmm to become a family park, it is so cal's coaster park which attracts teens. If these teens (who I also hate) decide to stop going, then sfmm's current major audience is gone.

 

So would it just be better to have the teens that line-cut and vandalize keep coming? If they're going to come to the park to do these things, then it'd be a lot better if they weren't there at all.

 

From what I've seen, SFMM's security has been very strict (which is a good thing). A small example: On my visit to the park on May 3rd, I was in line for Yosemite Sam Sierra Falls and there was a mom, dad, and son a couple people ahead of me. The son had to go to the bathroom, so he left the line, and while coming back up the stairs to where the mom and dad were, he was stopped by a security guard while they talked to the parents...they were told to go to the end of the line, and that this a very serious thing, serious enough to get kicked out of the park. I don't know...this may be a bit too strict, I mean I'm sure tons of people (gp and enthusiasts) have done that before, but this strict-ness is really what could hopefully turn SFMM around.

 

About people vandalizing things in Terminator's pre-shows, what about an extra staff member in each room to keep an eye out? I don't know. It's really ridiculous that the park has to even worry about these things.

[stuartnz]

 

 

The son had to go to the bathroom, so he left the line, and while coming back up the stairs to where the mom and dad were, he was stopped by a security guard while they talked to the parents...they were told to go to the end of the line

Ouch. I would have thought that they would have let him in after talking to the guy's parents. I guess they're making sure it doesn't look like they have double standards.

[atem122]

So would it just be better to have the teens that line-cut and vandalize keep coming? If they're going to come to the park to do these things, then it'd be a lot better if they weren't there at all.

Yes and no, I mean sure the park would probably look worse off, but if the park scares away the teenagers, it's as good as dead. As annoying as these people are, they are the ones that keep sfmm alive.

 

Crap this is the Terminator thread, any word on if they're gonna re modify the front of the trains with something lighter? ( )

[robbalvey]

 

 

The son had to go to the bathroom, so he left the line, and while coming back up the stairs to where the mom and dad were, he was stopped by a security guard while they talked to the parents...they were told to go to the end of the line

Ouch. I would have thought that they would have let him in after talking to the guy's parents. I guess they're making sure it doesn't look like they have double standards.

GOOD! I'm glad to hear they are actually enforcing their "no line jumping" policy.

 

IMO, you just can't do this. If you see a line is an hour, pee before you get in line!

 

While I can appreciate the whole idea behind "well, what if I don't have to pee before I get in line and then all of a sudden...EMERGENCY!"

 

Well, the security guard isn't going to know if the kid just got out of line and is going back in. The security guard shouldn't *HAVE* to know that.

 

It should be a blanket policy that is always enforced -

 

You get it line. You stay there until you ride. If you leave, you get back at the end of the line again. You don't hold someone's spot. You don't leave and come back.

 

You get in line and stay there.

 

My biggest pet peeve about line jumpers is when you get in a line, and about 5 minutes into it someone's friend, who may be only like 50 people back is trying to cut in. "Oh, can you just let my friend right there come up with us, she was just getting a drink." My response is always the same... "Why don't you go BACK there to her? It's really not that far. I managed to get my entire party together before we got in line. Either you do the same or you go back to where your friend is. And why didn't you just wait for her to get a drink before getting in line? Is she not that good of a friend that you couldn't wait 5 minutes for her to get a drink? Just go back there. It's not that far."

 

And of course, it's always *MY* fault for not letting that person cut, and these people never take any personal responsibility that they are actually asking you to allow someone to cut in line and I'm the asshole because I won't let them in.

 

*sigh*

 

This reminds me of a time in 2002 when we were at a SFMM enthusiast event right after Deja Vu opened. Elissa and I were riding Riddler's for ERT and as soon as the park opened, we BOOKED it over to Deja Vu.

 

There was one other guy standing there and Elissa and I came up behind him. We thought "kick ass! We'll get one of the 4 front seats."

 

This kid (couldn't have been more than 12 or 13) turned out to be a fellow coaster enthusiast and actually knew who Elissa and I were. We talked with him for a while, the line grew a bit longer, and then a bunch of other kids came up, stood by the first kid and started chatting. We realized, they just cut in front us!

 

Elissa was all "Excuse, what are you doing?" And one of the new kids was all "getting in line." "Not in front of US you're not!" And the first kid was all "Are you kidding? I thought you guys were cool." And Elissa's response "We *ARE* cool, but were still not going to let your friends cut in line and get our front seat ride (they had no prefered seating on Vu at this time) after we booked it over from Riddler's and have been standing here for the past 30 minutes waiting for the ride to open. Back of the line guys."

 

They whispered in each others ears and then they all decided to go to the back of the line. Huffed and puffed and pouted and they left. We then heard later from other people how "We kicked a bunch of kids out of line at Deja Vu!"

 

WTF? How were we the bad guys in this scenario??? So this is what they are teaching kids? Cut in line in front of adults, and when you get told off, create a story about it that makes you look abused?

 

*sigh*

 

Ok, done with line jumper stories! Anyway, I'm happy to see they enforced this policy. They should be!

 

--Robb

[rawrtotheargh]

^If only line jumping could enforced everywhere. Like at the grocery store. Or at the movies.

 

But at least they have been handing out the line tickets at Terminator. And actually checking the numbers.

[shepp]

So this is what they are teaching kids? Cut in line in front of adults, and when you get told off, create a story about it that makes you look abused?

 

Y'know, it's not just kids. My last experience with queue jumping was, like the pee story, a family affair, and when I pointed out to Dad that they all should get in the back of the line, it was he - not the kids - who gave me attitude.

 

To be generous, not everyone in line understands the rules as well as, ahem, some of us do. Heaven knows they're usually not prominently posted IN BIG LETTERS, but are mixed in with the bad-back and pregnant-women warnings instead. But here's a self-flagellating if somewhat OT question: when I go to a park before opening, I'll often have my partner drop me at the gate while he parks, and then he joins me later. Is this, too, Bad Behavior?

[hyyyper]

IMO they should sell tasers to queuing people to zap line jumpers.

[Jew]

I know the Disneyland Resort has its own Anaheim Police Department sub station on property in clear view of guests.

 

I have never noticed it. Am I blind, or does it just blend in really well?

 

It's behind House of Blues. You see it on the Monorail. Universal also has a Sheriff substation on Citywalk. Knott's doesn't have a substation, but I believe they always have Buena Park PD on-site. It's just smart to have immediate response when you are dealing with so many people a year.

[cooksta77]

 

And of course, it's always *MY* fault for not letting that person cut, and these people never take any personal responsibility that they are actually asking you to allow someone to cut in line and I'm the a$$hole because I won't let them in.

 

--Robb

 

I did the same thing on X2 last year where a guy tried to cut and he said he had friends at the front. Me and my friend wouldn't let him in and people around us actually thanked us for telling him to go to the back and wait like weveryone else. I really can't understand why people would think you are the jerk just because you wouldn't let the guy in when he was probably just trying to get to the front and break park rules by doing so.

 

Anyway back to Terminator, does anyone know if they have (or will) be making changes to the the ride like lights in tunnels, front of the trains, Etc?

[haiderodes]

I know the Disneyland Resort has its own Anaheim Police Department sub station on property in clear view of guests.

 

I have never noticed it. Am I blind, or does it just blend in really well?

 

It's behind House of Blues. You see it on the Monorail. Universal also has a Sheriff substation on Citywalk. Knott's doesn't have a substation, but I believe they always have Buena Park PD on-site. It's just smart to have immediate response when you are dealing with so many people a year.

 

WDW doesn't have a Orange County Sheriff's Department substation either, BUT they are always on property. They increase the prescence during higher attendance periods. So its not limited to SoCal parks either.

[robbalvey]

But here's a self-flagellating if somewhat OT question: when I go to a park before opening, I'll often have my partner drop me at the gate while he parks, and then he joins me later. Is this, too, Bad Behavior?

Well, it kind of depends. Are you talking about in line to get tickets or in line to get into the park?

 

The gray area here is that at each ride there is a "no line jumping" sign posted stating the policy, but there isn't at the front gate of the park.

 

And if you're standing in front of me waiting for the park to open and someone else joins you technically I don't know if you'll end up going to the same place I am, where as in a line for a ride, we're all going to the exact same place.

 

I would find it more obnoxious if left say one person was waiting for the park to open and suddently a group of 20 people got in front of me.

 

Park opening is a big gray area really. Usually there is a giant massive crowd with little to no organization anyway. If there were defined single file lines with a sign that stated the "line jumping policy" then I'd day that would be rude, but if not, then there really isn't anything that can be said.

 

That's kind of my take on....

 

--Robb