T2-3D: Battle Across Time (also known as Terminator 2: 3D) was an attraction at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan. The version of the show in Hollywood had its final performance on December 31, 2012; the show then closed January 1, 2013. The version in Florida had its final performance on October 8, 2017; the show then closed October 9, 2017. The version in Osaka closed on September 14, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the show on September 13, 2020, the final performance.

The attraction is a mini-sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day and reunites director James Cameron and the main cast from the movie, including Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator, Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, Edward Furlong as John Connor, and Robert Patrick as the T-1000. The show was presented in two parts; a pre-show where a Cyberdyne Systems company hostess shows guests a brief video presentation about the company's innovations, and the main show, where live performers interact with a 3D film. The attraction marked James Cameron's final involvement with the Terminator franchise until Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019.

History

The attraction was originally developed for Universal Studios Florida, with producers pushing for a second installation in Universal Studios Hollywood during development. The original attraction cost a total of $60 million. With a total run time of 12 minutes, the film alone cost $24 million, making it one of the most expensive films per minute in the world.

On May 30, 1995, Universal Orlando announced that they would be receiving Terminator 2 3D: Battle Across Time. The attraction opened in the Hollywood area of Universal Orlando on April 27, 1996, to very positive reviews. Additional venues were later announced for Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan.

Construction for the Hollywood venue forced the closure of Fievel's Playland and An American Tail Theatre, which were built atop a parking structure. The attraction opened on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood on May 6, 1999. In the year of the attraction's opening, attendance at Universal Studios Hollywood remained steady at 5.1 million; however, other parks in the region saw declines in revenue, such as Disneyland which experienced a 5% drop. The Terminator stage was subsequently used for the annual Halloween Horror Nights event, with The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute being shown in 2009.

At Universal Studios Japan, the attraction was added as one of the debut attractions in the New York section of the park. It opened to the public on March 31, 2001. California-based firm Technifex provided special effects and show equipment for the attraction.

In late 2012, Universal Studios Hollywood announced that their version would close on December 31, 2012. The version at Universal Orlando had its final performance on October 8, 2017. This attraction premiered on June 30, 2020.

The version in Osaka was temporarily closed on September 14, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, on May 16, 2023, Universal Studios Japan announced the park had no intentions to reopen the attraction.

Cast

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator
  • Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor
  • Edward Furlong as John Connor
  • Robert Patrick as T-1000

Experience

Queue

The queue features dozens of television monitors that show a series of video segments (which are being presented on the "Cyberdyne Interactive Network", or C.I.N.). The queue media sets the scene in the lobby of Cyberdyne and the company propaganda is playing all around the audience. The segments are about the latest innovations and products of Cyberdyne Systems. The video also includes several special musical segments, including two songs from the film; "Bad to the Bone" and "Guitars, Cadillacs", as well as a "live" video feed from Costa Rica of a performance of the song La Bamba. Mixed into the video cycle are live images of the waiting audience (in the manner of a closed-circuit security system) and two brief comical sketches of "guests" running afoul of Cyberdyne security – either being electrocuted by a security device or being arrested by security staff.

Queue video also contains a brief appearance of Dr. Peter Silberman played by Earl Boen.

Just before entering the pre-show auditorium, guests pass an unmanned kiosk where they pick up a pair of "safety visors" (3D glasses)

Main show

Guests are ushered from the pre-show auditorium into a large theater that seats 700 where they are to see a demonstration of Cyberdyne's newest creation, the "Cyberdyne Series 70 Autonomous Infantry Unit" (T-70 Terminators). Once guests are seated, they are told to put on their "safety visors" to watch a demonstration of the T-70 Terminators in action, presented by Duncan. After this brief demonstration, John and Sarah arrive and disrupt the proceedings. After disabling the security alarms, they force Duncan to shut down the T-70s. However, they are confronted by a T-1000 Terminator (Robert Patrick) from the future whom they engage with automatic-weapons. Duncan is killed by the T-1000 while attempting to stop him, mistaking him for a police officer. In some shows, Duncan flees the auditorium instead of being killed. A T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) bursts through the movie screen through a "time portal" on his signature Harley-Davidson motorcycle – via actual actor/stunt double riding into auditorium – to rescue John. He takes John back through the portal and into the future war between humans and machines while Sarah stays behind in the present, with the T-1000 in pursuit. After defeating him, John and the T-800 make their way across the war-ravaged landscape as they head towards Skynet. Along the way, they are chased by a flying Hunter-Killer, four Mini-Hunters, and a Terminator endoskeleton.

A full-scale mock-up duplicating the dimensions of the planned Florida venue was created in an airplane hangar at the Van Nuys Airport in the San Fernando Valley. A total of six SimEx-Iwerks projectors were used to run the 3-D, 70mm film simultaneously at 30 frames per second.

The film was shot at the abandoned Eagle Mountain iron ore mine, just north of Desert Center in California. The cast and crew from the first two Terminator films returned for the shoot, including Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator, Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, Robert Patrick as T-1000, and Edward Furlong as John Connor. It is a large spider-like

See also

  • List of amusement rides based on film franchises

Notes

References

  • Terminator 2: 3D Battle Across Time at Universal Studios Japan