Apocalypse: The Ride

This article is about the wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. For the steel stand-up roller coaster of the same name at Six Flags America, see Apocalypse (Six Flags America). For the freefall tower ride at Drayton Manor, see Apocalypse (Drayton Manor). For other uses, see Apocalypse (disambiguation).
Apocalypse: The Ride
Previously known as Terminator Salvation: The Ride
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section Cyclone Bay
Coordinates 34°25′16″N 118°36′00″W / 34.421078°N 118.600123°WCoordinates: 34°25′16″N 118°36′00″W / 34.421078°N 118.600123°W
Status Operating
Opening date May 23, 2009
Cost USD $10,000,000
Replaced Psyclone
General statistics
Type Wood
Manufacturer Great Coasters International
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 95 ft (29 m)
Drop 87.3 ft (26.6 m)
Length 2,877 ft (877 m)
Speed 50.1 mph (80.6 km/h)
Duration 3:00
Capacity 1000 riders per hour
Height restriction 48 in (122 cm)
Trains 2 trains with 11 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 22 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Apocalypse: The Ride at RCDB
Pictures of Apocalypse: The Ride at RCDB

Apocalypse is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It is located in the Cyclone Bay section of the amusement park, on a plot of land formerly occupied by the Psyclone (1991-2007), Shockwave (1986-1988) and La Vibora (1984-1986) roller coasters. Apocalypse is currently the only wooden coaster operating at Magic Mountain, as Colossus is being transformed into Twisted Colossus.

History

Terminator Salvation: The Ride sign.
Apocalypse entrance.

Terminator Salvation: The Ride (2009—2010)

Apocalypse was originally announced as "Terminator: The Coaster" but was later changed to suit the then-upcoming Terminator Salvation movie. It debuted to the media on May 21, 2009, and opened to the public two days later.[1] Magic Mountain spent $1 million adding the incongruous Terminator-factory-turned-safe-house theme to the wooden coaster, mostly in the pre-show queue areas. The original storyline featured a series of videos encouraging riders to "join the resistance" and help fight the Terminator robots.[2]

Apocalyse is a wooden roller coaster.

Apocalypse (2011—present)

Late in 2010, Six Flags announced that as part of its post-bankruptcy corporate restructuring, it would be moving away from its intellectual property licensing agreements, outside of those involving DC comic book characters, Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters or Looney Tunes cartoon characters. Accordingly, rides such as Terminator Salvation: The Ride, which had been branded under those agreements were re-themed in a generic fashion. On January 8, 2011, the roller coaster began operation as Apocalypse. The debranding removed the animated Terminator robots from the queue, forcing the park to re-shoot the pre-show videos as well as change all signs for the ride. The new storyline is based on the premise that riders are survivors and must head into a bunker to prepare to battle. Apocalypse retains the existing pyrotechnic and fog effects from the previous theming.[2]

Ride elements

The ride had on-board audio via speakers in the back of each car, a first for any wooden roller coaster. The audio for the coaster was linked to an audio box at the back of the train.[1] The ride also consists of two tunnels, one a "fly-through station" where the trains pass through over the top of the ride's boarding area and other guests. Other elements include several detailed pre-show rooms and pyrotechnic effects during the coaster's lap.

Entrance to Apocalypse. Unlike Colossus, Apocalypse is not a family friendly ride. Although Colossus and Apocalypse are both wooden roller coaster, Apocalypse is more aggressive and intense.
Apocalypse line waiting area.

Fourteen months after its opening, the ride's audio no longer functioned properly.[3] Currently there are no plans to run audio effects again and the speakers have been removed.

Height requirements

In order for guests to ride Apocalypse, riders must be at least 48 inches. Each seat includes an individual lap bar for the guest. Each row contains a seat belt which is shared by two guests. Due to the aggressiveness and high speeds of this ride, it is not labeled by Six Flags Magic Mountain as a family friendly ride.

Awards

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year20092010201120122013
Ranking 43[4]27[5]36 (tie)[6]28[7]49[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Marden, Duane. "Terminator Salvation: The Ride  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 MacDonald, Brady (December 3, 2010). "Six Flags Magic Mountain renaming Terminator wooden coaster". LA Times. Retrieved December 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ Hart, Lance (July 14, 2010). "Six Flags Magic Mountain". Screamscape. Archived from the original on August 28, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 14 (6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Top 50 wood roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  8. ↑ "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2013.

External links