Six Flags Magic Mountain Terminator Salvation: The Ride

[brutusln]

It makes no sense, and would only seem to appeal to people who don't care about the pre-show beyond their first ride on Terminator.

 

The story is the thing that keeps people engaged in a preshow. With a good story, an audience will watch avidly scores of times. Without a good story, the audience begins complaining, but doesn't know what's wrong. Like a perfume that's coming out of a magazine ad, they can't tell where it's coming from or what it is, they just know something isn't right.

 

Here are the requirements for a preshow the audience loves:

 

--Flawed, universally human characters whom the audience loves and identifies with.

--Clear dialogue that immediately identifies who, what, and where, (including identifying the enemy).

--An audience "action objective", and responsibility for the outcome. (Involve the audience.)

--Specific, high stakes physical action with props.

--Changes of emotion.

--A changing stage picture to add interest.

--A progression or "game" where the audience identifies a pattern in the action and anticipates what comes next.

--Avoid questions, ambiguities and confusion between characters. e.g., "Where are you?" "Are you okay?" "What are we doing?" "Where am I?" "I don't know."

--Continually add new information which advances the "game".

--Avoid scenes where one person instructs or commands another.

--Avoid scenes when the characters have difficulty communicating or can't hear.

--Avoid scenes where the characters plan what they're about to do at length, or argue whether or not to do something.

--The shorter the film, the more you should avoid slow "reveals" which delay or obscure information about who the enemy is, where you are, or what the objective is.

 

This is just standard Hollywood 101.

[SharkTums]

I kind of think they would be better off running queue through the preshow similar to how Spiderman at IOA does it. There are at least two if not three rooms with 'preshow' stuff going on, and yes you sometimes skip it and sometimes see it multiple times based on the line, but it works.

 

Actually, almost all of IOA is like that and it works. Preshow movies for Doom, Dragons, even Jurassic Park has those TV's. I personally like that method better.

 

Tower of Terror has been mentioned, and yes it's a damn good preshow, but once you've seen it more than like 50 times it starts getting ridiculous. And let's not even bring up terrible preshows like Rock n Roller Coaster...good god get rid of that one!!!!

[piers]

Elissa, you totally love the Rock n Rollercoaster pre show!

You stood with your back to it word for word mimicking that dumbass woman on the screen - better make it a super stretch!

[Six Flags Enthuseast]

^^Yes, it does get a little weird after 50 or more times. They should have a "I've ridden this once before" row where you just go through more queue instead of watching a pre-show.

 

Also, on Media Day, you apparently met my parents. Tell KidTums I said hi!

[haiderodes]

I, too, was curious about seeing ops in ride-specific uniforms. I have never seen SFMM do that before, and I loved seeing that! I hope it does last, and is something SFMM does for all new attractions going forward.

 

Back in the day most rides, or at minimum the themed areas, had their own specific uniforms. I imagine its a big cost savings to keep the uniforms as generic as possible and allows you to move people around to various locations without a clothing change. Knotts and Universal still do this to some extent, albeit none to the level of Disney.

[denning]

My whole take on the choosing your seat thing is that when I am waiting in line for a ride for several hours, what is an additional 5/10 minutes for the seat of my choice.

 

For my first ride on a coaster as a tradition I like to wait for the front row.

 

I don't mind assigned seating one bit so long as I ask to wait for the front row, they allow that request. There are two ways to do this, either a. having the longer front section ala California Screaming or b. just holding me back to the first assigned pair in the next ride pairing.

 

Fact is waiting several hours to have no control over where you sit is disappointing.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

its a big cost savings to keep the uniforms as generic as possible and allows you to move people around to various locations without a clothing change.

 

Bingo!

[rba13]

IMO, the assigned seating gives people who are not as aggressive with demanding a certain seat a chance to experience a seat they would like, but are afraid to ask or were intimidated by more aggressive thrill seekers. Some people are just too polite for their own good.

[SuperMikeo]

My whole take on the choosing your seat thing is that when I am waiting in line for a ride for several hours, what is an additional 5/10 minutes for the seat of my choice.

 

For my first ride on a coaster as a tradition I like to wait for the front row.

 

I don't mind assigned seating one bit so long as I ask to wait for the front row, they allow that request. There are two ways to do this, either a. having the longer front section ala California Screaming or b. just holding me back to the first assigned pair in the next ride pairing.

 

Fact is waiting several hours to have no control over where you sit is disappointing.

 

^ - Absolutely. My point exactly. If I am gonna wait for 2 hours to ride a wooden roller coaster, I'll be damned if I can't ride where I want.

 

Even with X2, I feel like it is less of a big deal regarding choosing your seats, considering that X2 gives very similar rides no matter where you sit. But on a woodie, the seat choice DOES make a difference - a big one. Which is why they design most stations with special lines for the front and for the back.

 

Regarding the pre-show, I almost wish they would have used one rooms worth of props for a pre-lift building that the TRAIN actually goes into, as opposed to being apart of the queue.

 

I LOVE pre-shows that occur on the train/before the lift, as rare as they are.

[CoasterKings908]

i am dissapointed that no one has mentioned or caught the "EASTER EGG" in the 3rd part of the pre show!

 

it's a cheap novilty but fun to play with, im not going to give it away, it worked for me, some might have trouble with it. keep your face clear of anything that may block facial features, hold still, and look into the camera/moniter, it will show your season pass, no not really, but you'll get a kick out of what you see!

 

any one else catch it?

 

im an electronics junky, i noticed the delay between the camera and monitor, and investigated it.

 

had a great time sat and sunday well see if i get monday too.

Hey I remember that, and also remember you were a machine about to kill me. I agree that camera and monitor are slow as hell I made a movement and it showed up like 5 minutes later. Good Times good times.

[bonjovimonkey]

Ok diss me if you must but i love the preshow to Rock N Rollercoaster.I will be experiencing it again in 8 days and yes going thru the preshow room for all 30 rides in one day. I can mimic the whole preshow word for word too...lol I LOVED the preshow rooms all 3 of Terminator. It is part of the ride experience. The general audience who waits in a regular line 30,40,50, 60 + minutes won't mind going thru the preshows at all. It builds to the ride and gives you the basic storyline you need before entering the station to board the train (make your escape).

 

For coaster enthusiasts like some i can see why going thru the preshow is a bit tiring and repeatitive. Yes we can surely skip the preshow but for someone visiting SFMM that day and riding only once or twice the preshow is definitely needed.

 

One thing i was relieved to see was the fact there were no Terminators other than in the last preshow room. I was scared as it was especially going thru the rooms. But i scare easily.

 

As far as requesting a specific row. On KROQ's event the only time we never really requested a row was our first ride. After that the ride op ususally asked us if we wanted front, back or middle. I did notice the further back you are the more i could experience the "pops of airtime". When i was in the front not so much.

 

The onboard audio soundtrack was definitely on the high side on Thursday. If it is tuned down now too low (from the sounds of it) then that isn't good either. It's funny now we joke around with the whole "TAKE THE TUNNEL!!!" if only others know what we're talking about.

 

Ok enough of my rant for now. And i haven't ridden many wooden coasters especially outside of CA. I am not lucky enough to go travel to ride coasters to compare them but for CA it is my #1 over Ghostrider.

[rba13]

Ok diss me if you must but i love the preshow to Rock N Rollercoaster.I will be experiencing it again in 8 days and yes going thru the preshow room for all 30 rides in one day. I can mimic the whole preshow word for word too...lol I LOVED the preshow rooms all 3 of Terminator. It is part of the ride experience. The general audience who waits in a regular line 30,40,50, 60 + minutes won't mind going thru the preshows at all. It builds to the ride and gives you the basic storyline you need before entering the station to board the train (make your escape).

 

For coaster enthusiasts like some i can see why going thru the preshow is a bit tiring and repeatitive. Yes we can surely skip the preshow but for someone visiting SFMM that day and riding only once or twice the preshow is definitely needed.

 

One thing i was relieved to see was the fact there were no Terminators other than in the last preshow room. I was scared as it was especially going thru the rooms. But i scare easily.

 

As far as requesting a specific row. On KROQ's event the only time we never really requested a row was our first ride. After that the ride op ususally asked us if we wanted front, back or middle. I did notice the further back you are the more i could experience the "pops of airtime". When i was in the front not so much.

 

The onboard audio soundtrack was definitely on the high side on Thursday. If it is tuned down now too low (from the sounds of it) then that isn't good either. It's funny now we joke around with the whole "TAKE THE TUNNEL!!!" if only others know what we're talking about.

 

Ok enough of my rant for now. And i haven't ridden many wooden coasters especially outside of CA. I am not lucky enough to go travel to ride coasters to compare them but for CA it is my #1 over Ghostrider.

 

Good points and good post. The forum needs more like you.

[bonjovimonkey]

Ty i'm sick of ppl bashing SFMM and Terminator the Ride. I haven't had the chance to travel outside of CA much to ride much of anything. Most of those rides have been steel coasters so i don't have the wide range of coasters to compare Terminator to at all. SFMM has tried really hard with this ride and the park has a major winner on it's hands.

 

I know there are coaster enthusiasts on this board who have gone places i can only dream about and ridden many more wooden coasters than i'll ever get to ride and thus compare Terminator to. That's fine. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their own opinions of the ride.

 

I will say that the average SFMM guest will go thru the que and preshows and not care what row they are placed in. The preshows are designed to hold a train full of riders. If you follow the storyline then you are being chased by terminators and the only way out is via this train. So basically there is this urgency to get you to safety as quickly as possible if you want to live.

 

Thus the employee directing guests to rows. I like that. It makes the whole terminators after us make sense and we need to move quickly etc. If you have to ask to wait for the front or back and have to wait rather than board a row and immediately get into the train then it takes away from the whole preshow and the storyline of urgency.

 

Since there is an on board soundtrack it makes complete sense when you don't have to wait for a long while after exiting the preshows.

 

SFMM does have a hit on their hands with Terminator and the average guest will enjoy this ride as well as enthusiasts. The park is finally heading in the right direction. I am a huge Disneyland Disney buff. Going there really often as much as i can fit in my visits but after visiting Magic Mt my Disney visits might be less frequent. Sorry but overall the parks can not compare in cleanliness and employee staffing and overall feel of the park. SFMM has really changed and my eyes are opened to this change. It is a decent park and located closer to my house than Disney is.

 

Also the themeing of Terminator has really far exceeded any expectations i had and thus i feel is ABOVE or equal to that of Disney or anything Disney can put out. Lately Disney has gone lack of themeing etc and just for quantity over quality and it really really shows. SFMM put out Terminator and totally blew me away. What is really interesting is the fact that Terminator to me is up there with Universal and almost a Haunt experience going thru the preshow rooms. Something that i never thought i could experience at SFMM.

[SharkTums]

^People will also respect your opinions more if you lose the shorthand internet speak which is not allowed on the board.

[bonjovimonkey]

Oopsss I'm sorry.

[rba13]

^People will also respect your opinions more if you lose the shorthand internet speak which is not allowed on the board.

 

Sorry, I didn't realize I was using shorthand internet speak. I will try harder not to in the future.

[terminatorschaffer]

Although, I have to say, not being able to choose where you sit is absolute crap. Absolute freaking crap.

 

I don't know who said this about Terminator in their TR but its absolutely not true. Been on Terminator on Media Day and yesterday, both trips on all my rides I simply asked the ride attendant if I could sit in the front or back and they have been more than happy to honor my request every single time.

 

They assign seats on X2, as well. Out of the four times I've been on X2, three of those times they've assigned seats.

 

I don't get this either. I've ridden X2 plenty of times and when I get in the station I ask if I can sit in whatever row and I've always been granted my request.

 

Yeah, they have asigned seating for the GP that has no clue how to organize themselves in a line, but I've found to sit where you wanna, a little courtesy goes a long way.always has worked for me at Magic Mountain.

[GivenOneChance]

I just wish I could ride the ride. I have no friends to go to Six Flags. They are terrified of roller coasters.

[metrock]

Magic Mountain has a winner with this addition. Not only is it, by far, the best theming they have done since Batman, it is a solid ride throughout. I'd place it somewhere in my top 5 wooden coasters under El Toro and Boulder Dash.

 

Like with any coaster, when I rank it, I take into consideration the environment in which it sits. In the case of Terminator Salvation:The Ride, the theming added a lot to the overall ride experience. (Two tunnels, a station fly through, fog, sound, and lighting)

 

Kudos to the park for having a stellar opening day. The line moved quickly and the wait was nor more than 1 - 1 1/2 hours all day long.

 

The only downside right now is the assigned seating. Luckily, my 1st ride was in the back and my 2nd (and 1st night time) ride was in the very front. And let me tell you, that night time ride in the front was one of the best night time rides I have ever had on a coaster. For some reason, the front seats on GCI's are always better than the back. I got more airtime and a better overall ride. Now, what made the night time ride so good was the cold night air followed by the heat of the flame followed by a fog filled tunnel that made it impossible to see where I was going (and left me wet at the end of the ride), followed by the darkness of the back stretch.

 

I look forward to riding this coaster many more times. It has already become my wooden equivalent of Batman: The Ride. One of those rides that I'd try and hit every single visit because of how fun it is.

[atem122]

Sorry if this has been answered, but are the ride employees still in uniform?

[Six Flags Enthuseast]

^I think ride employees are in the same neon yellow vests/shirts as everyone else. Terminator ones have a little themeing on their shirts (I think) or uniforms of some kind, but I don't remember it really.

[CloneCaptain38]

I just got back from Six Flags about 35 minutes ago, been there all day, and rode Terminator! I must say, this coaster rocks! I Loved it! I would of gone on it a second time, but the line was longer when I exited.

 

I will have a more thorough review, pictures, and video tonight or tomorrow. I have to splice together a Terminator video, because I video taped other coasters I rode, and even visited the Sky Tower. I must of took over 200+ pictures, and numerous videos, so I have to work on this all night from my digital camera.

 

I will have that Terminator video soon, and today being Memorial Day, the line for me was about 1 hr. 45 min. It moved along at a quick pace, not too bad. Just an awesome ride experience, so much fun.

 

Later

 

Tim

[CoasterKings908]

Sorry if this has been answered, but are the ride employees still in uniform?

They wear a special T-shirt and I like how they are part of the theming

[Twister II]

Alright, now with two major lines in the park (X2 and Terminator) which should people be going to first?

 

All I have heard before Terminator opened was "RUN to X2!" and now there is another to run for. Where to first?

[atem122]

^Terminator!!!! New credit, and more enjoyable for me, but don't forget to add Tatsu to that list of bad lines