We received the following message from Terminator Fan Alan Murillo earlier today:
“Rumors are abound of the unannounced closing of T2-3D @ Universal Hollywood at the end of the year. Plans are to create the Minion Mayhem ride for this park . I am sure you can find out more but reliable sources have agreed T2 will close. Sad day. As of right now, T2 @ Orlando will remain open.”
So we decided to look into it ourselves:
The end of T2:3D is something that has been on the cards for a while and it has been something we have been predicting as a website in the last few months. So, we come to ask the question… why? Well time has dated the ride for one but more so fans of Terminator can thank Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Terminator Salvation (2009) for ending the ride. This franchise is currently so damaged it needs a great 5th Terminator movie to repair the damage caused.
First to get Terminated will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s version of the ride.
So after a good 13 year long run this is what Universal Hollywood have to say on questioning of the rides closure:
“Yes it is. After 13 years of thrilling our guests, T2:3D will celebrate its final performance on December 31, 2012. A new venue is in development for the T2 site and details will be shared in the coming months.”
Speculation followed after a notice was posted backstage for the workers at the theme park stating that Terminator 2 was due to be closed down.
There are plans to convert the T2 Ride Site into a completely new attraction… possibly a clone or near-clone of Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem which opened at Universal studios Florida in June of this year.
So where does this leave us in regard to T2:3D Florida and Japan? We don’t know… this could be the start of the end for the ride but the possibility of the ride lingering a good while in Japan is possible with the clout actors like Schwarzenegger and Stallone have over there. Although for the entire Halloween period T2:3D and the Cyberdyne Systems building have been converted into Racoon City and The Umbrella Corporation… so it doesn’t bode well really does it?
R.I.P. T2 3-D: Battle Across Time Hollywood. If you still want to try the ride at Universal Hollywood you have until December 31st 2012 to do so.
For those that didn’t get the chance you probably never will.
We call for a 3D Blu-Ray release of the ride attached to a new special edition of the T2 movie… maybe the upcoming 3D conversion Jim Cameron keeps talking about but always seems too busy with smurf movies to actually do.
Thanks to Alan and Coaster-Net for the information.