New Wooden Coaster to have a Terminator Theme?
UPDATE 10/23 – Six Flags Announces Details of the Terminator Coaster
For a while now there have been confirmed mentions from Six Flags that Magic Mountain will get a new Great Coasters International (GCI) wooden coaster in 2009. Apparently at an American Coaster Enthusiast conference, Mark Shapiro CEO of Six Flags spilled the beans about the new coaster. He announced that the new GCI woodie will be themed after Terminator. This will likely coincide with the release of the 2009 Terminator: Salvation movie starring Christian Bale and directed by McG (from Charlie’s Angels!)
One glance at Magic Mountain’s lineup and you can see the park’s lack of wood. SFMM boasts an incredible 15 roller coasters, but only one woodie. When Mark Shapiro ascended to the throne of Six Flags, he said the days of the large, ultra expensive thrill rides would be over. He wants the chain to focus more on family rides and attractions. For these two reasons a wooden coaster for Magic Mountain makes a lot of sense.
But one themed after Terminator seems a bit weird. I’m usually all about theming and at least its better than recycling another one of their overused names like Vortex or Goliath. But how will they theme a good old traditional wooden coaster after a movie about a dark future where robots hunt humans down and terminate them like pests. It doesn’t really fit the family feel their going for.
And I can’t fault Six Flags for trying to do a tie-in, but it’s not really working out with the Dark Knight coasters at Great America and Great Adventure. Those coasters are getting hammered by my readers. As I wrote in the ‘Does Theming Matter’ round table discussion it all comes down to the quality of the ride.
What do you think about Magic Mountain’s Terminator coaster? Leave a comment below.
July 5, 2008 at 09:58
If its 'Terminator' on a name-only basis with a few Arnold cutouts, then fine. But otherwise, its open to what they could do. Paramount did a pretty poor job with its Waynes World themed-woodie Hurler, I might add.
August 23, 2008 at 04:29
I guarantee it won't have Arnold's image at all. It's still not confirmed if he's doing a cameo, but even if he was, he's very protective of how his image is used for marketing. Even for T2:3D at Universal when he stars in the ride itself, they could not use his image on promo materials or signs for the ride.A wood coaster actually makes some sense in that T4 will have a visual style that is more gritty and less slick than T2 or T3.
August 26, 2008 at 10:45
does theming matter? sure, at disneyland, or on a steel ride without any substance to it , but wood? who cares .. it's wood, and that's ALL that matters.. sure i went when the opened x, and again for tatsu, but THIS is what i've been waiting for since they let psyclone go to crap in the mid 90's!!!!!!!
August 26, 2008 at 13:17
Interesting point about Terminator 4's visual style. It makes the choice of matching the new T4 movie with a woodie make a little more sense, but it's still weird. If it were some other type of action or even sci-fi movie I'd be easier to swallow. But metal (steel) is so central in the Terminator movies, that it's a bit weird their tying it in with wooden coaster. It IS good for Magic Mountain though, like anonymous said they haven't had a good one since Psyclone was good.
September 28, 2008 at 09:37
ALL I care about is that California is getting a descent wooden rollecoaster.