Six Flags Magic Mountain Terminator Salvation: The Ride

[atem122]

Yeah removing the theme would be completely idiotic, I do have a feeling that in quite a few years we may see a re theme though

[travanx]

The theme is so cheap looking and very halfway done. I was not the only one laughing when you see the first TV monitor and the awful lines the actors had to say. I wonder if they attempted to get Christian Bale to say anything.

[packfanlv]

^I disagree. I was actually surprised at how well done the theming was. IMO this is far above and beyond anything Six Flags has done in recent memory. The theming was not a mistake. This is a moderate attraction for families with older children and it delivers the experience intended. Who cares if the story is cheesy. Most themed rides have cheesy stories.

[travanx]

I don't remember seeing any cheesey themes or intros at Disneyland, well maybe their train ride is a bit on that side.

 

I don't know how a bunch of wires and random lights make a theme. We could figure out what part of the movie we were in, but to not have a terminator with a gun and bandanna on, like the movie, just seems so halfway done. Most of the people in the room with us were laughing at the videos. And were looking around and commenting on the random wiring being stupid.

 

We even talked to some park workers who made the same comments about the ride before we mentioned it.

 

On the more interesting note, we saw the guy (forgot his name) walking around the batman area, who was doing the speaking at the West Coast Bash about the ride when we went behind the scenes.

 

I am still surprised at how great the ride is though.

[RCFreak]

I don't know about you, but everytime I'm in the apocolytpic futue it's all random lights and wires. The cheesey acting is expected, and Robb said it best to me, "It's like a really good Haunt Maze."

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Ditto! I thought it was a great effort on MMs part to make the overall experience a fun one.

[packfanlv]

I don't remember seeing any cheesey themes or intros at Disneyland, well maybe their train ride is a bit on that side.

 

I don't know how a bunch of wires and random lights make a theme. We could figure out what part of the movie we were in, but to not have a terminator with a gun and bandanna on, like the movie, just seems so halfway done. Most of the people in the room with us were laughing at the videos. And were looking around and commenting on the random wiring being stupid.

 

We even talked to some park workers who made the same comments about the ride before we mentioned it.

 

On the more interesting note, we saw the guy (forgot his name) walking around the batman area, who was doing the speaking at the West Coast Bash about the ride when we went behind the scenes.

 

I am still surprised at how great the ride is though..

 

But it is not Disneyland and I don't expect a Disney experience from Magic Mountain. I think the theming is fun and the story is fun as long as it isn't taken too serious. Considering their best themed ride going in was Batman, this was a great accomplishment. In the end, the experience is more enjoyable for me with the theming then it would be if there was just a coaster there. Sure the ride is great, but the whole package is even better.

 

Why would they want to be Disney when it sits an hour down the freeway?

 

Shawn "Someone who appreciates both Disneyland and Magic Mountain for what they are" Coomer

[Dietcokevan]

I found a POV on SFMM's website, so I know its TPR and legal friendly

 

http://www.sixflags.com/magicMountain/rides/TerminatorSalvationTheRide.aspx

 

Click on the "Video" button

[**McFly**]

Got another ride in yesterday and I must say the ride is breaking in very nicely! Awesome ride!

[coolcalicoaster]

My good friend just got back from his trip to one of his favorite parks, SFMM. He did ride Terminator, however, he wasn't that impressed:( He said it was fun but wouldn't break into his top 15 wood coasters. He said he may even prefer Evil Knievel to it. I am a little disappointed to hear it considering it's the 3rd person to give me the same review. I may hold off on my SFMM trip until next year now.

 

He also said the onboard music is more annoying that pleasurable. I agree with him on that. I like to here screams and coaster noise, not music

[CreditCrazy]

From what I remember, it wasn't even really music...whatever it was, it was loud and un-clear. Is the loud volume turned back up again?

[Guest]

My good friend just got back from his trip to one of his favorite parks, SFMM. He did ride Terminator, however, he wasn't that impressed:( He said it was fun but wouldn't break into his top 15 wood coasters. He said he may even prefer Evil Knievel to it. I am a little disappointed to hear it considering it's the 3rd person to give me the same review. I may hold off on my SFMM trip until next year now.

 

He also said the onboard music is more annoying that pleasurable. I agree with him on that. I like to here screams and coaster noise, not music

The onboard music adds a lot of anticipation to the lift. Terminator is better than Evel Knievel without question IMO. Dont let those reviews sway you from going, Terminator is an awesome GCI coaster.

[Manic Monte]

^ I also prefer Terminator to EK...

[rcroques]

It just keeps getting better and better every time. All of my 36 rides so far have always been better than the last.

 

Also, and forgive me that I don't have pictures (darn lockers), it looks like management got smart and encased the speakers so that they don't get vandalized.

 

Other than that, great crew, great ride (although it did go 10-7 10-35 ((non-operational with guests)) today for about 15 minutes, but they busted their hump and got it up and running pretty quick) and great park.

 

Can't wait until Monday so I can hit up the park after work to get some more Terminator.

 

Sincerely,

R.C.

[nrdyboii]

Hey, This is random, but do the Spotlights on the sign actually work?

[CoasterKings908]

Hey, This is random, but do the Spotlights on the sign actually work?

 

Hmm.. This is a good question, I wonder the same thing too!

[atem122]

They do in fact light up but do not move

[ebl]

I got five rides in today, and I have to say it's kicking butt more and more as it breaks in. Only one of my rides didn't have the audio working, but it's still a great ride with or without it.

 

Eric

[PeoplemoverMatt]

STOP VANDALIZING OUR RIDE YOU APATHETIC EXCUSES FOR HUMAN BEINGS!!!

 

 

 

There, I feel better now. Not that it will do any good if only I am saying that, but at least I feel a little better.

 

If ANYONE sees vandalizing of the rides, or any other place of the park going on (like Eric's spotting of the urinator), PLEASE inform a park employee IMMEDIATELY with the full description of the perpetrator(s). Stopping by Guest Relations to inform of where the damage is & when/how it was caused would also help.

[rcroques]

^Agreed.

 

Anyhow, I just got back from a four-hour trip to the park and got five more rides on Terminator. That makes a grand total of 41 and I figure by the end of this week, I should have 50 rides.

 

It just keeps getting better... I didn't think it was possible, but every time I ride it I find something new that makes me love it even more.

 

Hell, the crew is even aware of how many times I've ridden it. I had at least three people ask me how many it was now.

 

------------

Sincerely,

R.C.

 

Official Terminator Salvation: The Ride Count: 41

[shepp]

Wow. Just wow.

 

Did 10 rides on Terminator during 2 1/2 days at SFMM last week. My first ride in the late afternoon was a lot of fun - a terrific woody, though not quite as awesome as El Toro. But after dark, T:S really, really kicks serious ass. Everything - the speed, the pacing, and especially the effects: fire, tunnel lights, mist, even the fly-through - is a quantum leap better after dark. My first nighttime ride left me yelling "Best...ride...ever!" OK, sure, I haven't ridden close to everything, so I can't really justify that praise. But I will say my 3 just-before-closing walk-ons, 1 in the front row, 2 in the back, were as close to pure pleasure as a ride can get. Just pure, infinitely re-rideable fun.

 

I liked the controversial theming, too. Sure, the storyline was kinda meh, but it did set the ride up nicely, certainly justifying the wood. Still, it mostly, like the onboard sound, acted as an adrenaline booster. (Though it was nice that, just after opening and before closing, the ops let us skip most or all of the preshow rooms.)

 

It'll be interesting, especially in light of the differences between the daylight and nighttime experience, to see how it'll rank in the polls. Regardless, it's made my top 10 for sure.

[wrs28330]

(Though it was nice that, just after opening and before closing, the ops let us skip most or all of the preshow rooms.)

 

This is because the priority is having full trains. If the station has no riders, the grouper will communicate to the Resistance Member in the 3rd preshow to send the guests up to the escape trains. Each group of guests will be ushered through the preshow at a faster rate, and seeing only portions of the preshow. As you mentioned, this only occurs toward the beginning and end of the day.

[MagicMountainMan]

Hey does anyone know how the crowds will be tomorrow? I'd like to get more than 2 rides on this beast in a day!

 

And did they turn up the audio yet so you can actually hear it? I went on it the weekend after it's grand opening and you could barely hear the audio.

[doh91105]

Was there today (6/16) and it was pretty empty. Walked right onto Terminator first thing and yes, we were ushered straight through the pre-shows. Went back mid-afternoon and got the full experience. Like it has been mentioned, the rooms look cool and MM obviously went all out -- it just seems unnecessary for a park or ride like this. Like if it was for a dark ride, or something completely immersive, it might have been more appropriate. Was also surprised at the amount of staff they had patrolling the line -- we actually saw two kids get busted for line jumping... they were young and still gave the staff member a bunch of crap before they were removed. Real nasty pieces of work. But despite the amount of staff present, still lots of hyped up kids jumping barriers and we were shocked at how much of the metal work in the switchbacks and props had already been key-tagged.

 

The audio is loud as it leaves the station and heads up the lift, but once it goes over the top and picks up speed, didn't hear any sound at all. In fact , on our second ride, the "Here they come!" part was missing and the "Take the tunnel!" part wasn't heard on either ride.The speakers all seemed to be present, none snapped off as mentioned previously, but the car we were in had a large chunk of black fiberglass chipped from the side exposing a white interior (when I say large, I'm talking like 12" worth.) Not sure how somebody could have done that -- maybe kicking it whilst getting in?

 

This was our first ride on one of these new fangled woodies and while it was very short and relatively tame, it was much more fun than some of the other rides there. But I heard so many people talk about how smooth it is and we both felt that for a wooden coaster, yes, it was smooth -- but still hammered it's way around some of those low bumps pretty violently. I still think the track layout and design of Ghostrider is superior, if only it wasn't so incredibly rough. Really enjoyed the quick start of the pre-drop thingy but found that final figure 8 part that goes around the queue to be too spread out -- right before it you're getting thrown from side to side, up and down through the station and that tunnel, then it's big, sweeping turns. Would loved that last part to have been a continuation of complete madness and twisting track and disorientation.

 

All in all, a fun and enjoyable family-style coaster and a good stepping stone to the bigger stuff.

[ebl]

I'm really sorry and angry at the same time to see Terminator's equipment and facilities already going to crap because of people who just can't respect it. Even if they recorded it, I don't know how they'd catch and prosecute the perpetrators.

 

I'd have liked to have slapped the crap out of the people who let their Little Gangbanger pee on the wall while in line (I mentioned that in another post).

 

Eric