“We’re the same sad story that’s a fact

One step up and two steps back”

-Bruce Springsteen

While The Joker has captured most of the attention this year at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, and deservedly so, the park also quietly reopened the Iwerks Theater with a new presentation, Pacific Rim 5D. It wasn’t available during the Joker preview, but recently I was able to stop by and give it a look.

The attraction is based upon the Guillermo del Toro film Pacific Rim. I managed to watch the film as research for my visit, and was able to get a grasp on what was happening. It’s pretty complex, but I shall attempt to sum up the plot.

Giant robots with controlling humans inside repel alien sea monsters.

Well, guess that wasn’t so hard after all; let’s move along.

Not much has changed on the building’s exterior since the Dino Sphere days. There are some banners and signs for the new show, and some props from the old one.

A few illuminated views of the robots are seen once inside, and there are screens for the inevitable preshow at the doors leading into the main theater.

This briefing seemed awfully familiar to me. Had I seen the film in theaters back when it was released, I may have wondered if they were merely recycling some of its scenes for our briefing. But having seen the film only three days earlier in my living room, I knew for a fact that they were merely recycling some of its scenes for our briefing. So. OK. Well, yeah I guess it is a scene that introduces novices to the previously mentioned complex plot, so, sure, why not. Besides, we’re really just waiting to enter the theater……which hasn’t changed a bit.

With seat belts fastened and lights dimmed, we continued to, oh look, more scenes from the film. It’s not a bad scene, one of the more exciting ones, in fact. Yet, what are we, the audience, doing in this story? One would think that, like Transformers: The Ride, we would be inside the robot. Cripes, the basic plot line of the Pacific Rim movie is that humans are inside the robots. But this is just watching a clip from a film in a moving seat that occasionally sprays one with water. And since there’s no single point of view that could put our presence into context, we’re either seeing multiple camera angles, or, um, teleporting around the scene? Trying to make sense of it all is trying indeed.

And remember when your humble narrator noted that the theater appears unchanged? That goes beyond mere aesthetics since there is nary a smidgen of evidence that any technical upgrades were made to the Iwerks Theater. The image is dark, lacking contrast, and compared to the clarity that is the current norm in 3D, simply doesn’t have any business being in a modern theme park environment as a new attraction. There were only eight people in the show, and guests walking by the entrance tended to have no knowledge of its existence.

The temptation to compare Pacific Rim 5D with Mass Effect New Earth down the freeway at California’s Great America is both natural and fair. There is no comparison, California Great America made the investment on the audio, video and theater interior, plus unique imagery to create a compelling experience that one wants to repeat. While watching Pacific Rim 5D, I really just wanted it to end. Seems there may be a reason this has been kept on the down low. Joker is packing them in, though.

And a bit of breaking news about what’s coming to the park this Fall:

The ultimate interactive Virtual Reality (VR) coaster experience, featuring Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus, is coming to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom this fall as demonic creatures battle terrified riders in the all-new Rage of the Gargoyles debuting on Kong, the park’s floorless looping roller coaster, just in time for Fright Fest® starting September 24. “Six Flags is the leader in innovation and thrills and we are excited to introduce the VR coaster experiences to our guests at Discovery Kingdom,” said Don McCoy, park president. “In Rage of the Gargoyles, the experience is immersive and terrifying as riders shoot at the demons throughout the entire ride ‒ the perfect addition to our Fright Fest line-up.”

California’s Great America will be introducing a new event this summer, Taste of Orleans. There is also a new nighttime presentation at Gilroy Gardens, Lumination. I’ll be on the scene for both, and report back with the results on another Day By The Bay.

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