Apocalypse: The Ride facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Apocalypse: The Ride
Previously known as Terminator Salvation: The Ride (2009-2010)
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Location	Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section	The Underground
Coordinates	34°25′17″N 118°35′59″W / 34.4213°N 118.5998°W / 34.4213; -118.5998
Status
Opening date	May 23, 2009 (2009-05-23)
Cost	$10,000,000
Replaced	Psyclone
General statistics
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	Great Coasters International
Designer	Jeff Pike
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

Apocalypse: The Ride is an exciting wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It was built by a company called Great Coasters International. This thrilling ride first opened on May 23, 2009.

Before it was called Apocalypse: The Ride, it was known as Terminator Salvation: The Ride. It's located in the park's Cyclone Bay area. This spot used to be home to other roller coasters like Psyclone, Shockwave, and Sarajevo Bobsleds. Apocalypse was special because it was the first wooden roller coaster to have sound playing right on the ride!

Discovering Apocalypse: The Ride's History

Let's explore how this awesome roller coaster got its start and how it changed over time.

The Terminator Salvation Ride (2009–2010)

The sign for Terminator Salvation: The Ride

When this roller coaster was first planned, it was going to be called Terminator: The Coaster. But its name was changed to match the movie Terminator Salvation, which was coming out soon. Six Flags spent about $1 million to make the ride feel like the movie. Most of this money went into making the waiting line area super cool!

• Pre-show Fun: While waiting, guests would enter a special room. Here, they watched videos with actors from the Terminator movie.
• Story Time: The ride's story was about people training in a world after a big disaster. Machines would attack them at the amusement park. The roller coaster was their way to escape to a safe place.
• Special Effects: As you rode, you would see fireballs burst out! You also zoomed through three tunnels filled with a cool, misty fog.
• Onboard Sound: A really neat feature was the sound system on each train. This was the first time a wooden roller coaster had sound playing during the ride!

Terminator Salvation: The Ride first opened for media on May 21, 2009. It then opened to everyone else two days later. Sadly, the onboard sound stopped working in early 2010. It was never fixed, but the other cool effects stayed.

Apocalypse: The Ride Today (2011–Present)

The updated entrance to Apocalypse

In late 2010, Six Flags decided to change things up. They wanted to use fewer movie and TV show themes for their rides. This was a way to save money. So, on January 8, 2011, Terminator Salvation: The Ride became Apocalypse: The Ride.

• New Look: All the Terminator robots and decorations were removed from the waiting line. The ride got a brand new sign.
• New Story: A new video was made for the pre-show room. The updated story is about people surviving a big global war. The roller coaster helps them get to a safe underground bunker.
• Effects Stay: The awesome fire and fog effects from before stayed with the new Apocalypse theme.

In early 2017, Apocalypse closed for a while. It was getting a big update and repairs to its track. The ride reopened in May 2017, ready for more riders! Later, in 2018, the park announced a new roller coaster called West Coast Racers. Apocalypse and its area closed again for a bit. But it reopened in September 2019, just before West Coast Racers debuted.

Awards and Recognition

Apocalypse: The Ride has been recognized for being a great roller coaster. It was ranked among the best new rides of 2009 by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards. It came in fourth place that year!