PKI shows off giant props for Tomb Raider: The Ride

Ok I am offically excited. I Have been to several other sites now I even though this isn't going to be a rollercoaster I think *starts to pout but Dries up the tears* They will give up something unique. Prototypes are cool so this has to have some amount of coolness to it. This might turn out to be pretty cool or something.

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Jordon "the jackal" Dunham
Team Berserk Blue

This ride DOES have track. I can't tell you what kind though.
P.S. Think Land Rover

robvia said: "So what's the big deal if they release the ride stats now? It's not like some other park is gonna come along and order the same thing. I've never heard of this being a problem, someone stealing a design before the first ride is released."

Ever hear of a little Disney plan called Beastly Kingdom, including a Fire Mountain ride that sounds a lot like Dueling Dragons @ IOA? Here's a hint, BK was thought of first, but you see what exists now...

Anyway, dark rides RULE! They have been around long before hyper-giga-flying-dive machines, and will be around much longer too (see Knoebles Haunted Mansion). People already say that some hypers suck (Magnum, Wild Thing, SD2K) but most still think the dark rides are great (Indy, Spidey, Ghost Hunt).

My only disapointment with this Paramount announcement is that the ride is going into Kings Island, not Kings Dominion. Though I hope we will be next.
lata,
jeremy
note 1: I *personally* do not think the above listed hypers suck
note 2: Has anyone noticed that this is to be the second Paramount dark ride in as many years? (Scooby's @ Carowinds; not to mention the Iwerks films)
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DJ play my mutha(bleepin) song!

I already think that both Adventure Express and Flight of Fear are cool themed rides with effects, and since I tend to favor dark rides anyways, I think this ride sounds awesome. Since the park is run by the movie company Paramount, it is fitting that it'd have a ride like this to better compete with say Universal.

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Matt's Homepage for la jolie fille de France et le gâteau de Marie:
http://www.bw.edu/~mzarzecz

I strongly agree with Jeff about the instant gratification comment. PKI, or any other park for that matter, doesn't owe anyone any information before they want to release it. They are trying to build excitement, and there may be changes before the ride opens.

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Batwing-Bow Down

Intamin Fan, you are correct.
The internet as a whole has always been an "I want answers NOW" type of place.
When someone witholds info, then we immediately jump on them. Dont do this. PKI is making a great ride even better by hyping it up. Although I do not know what this is, I do know that its being introduced in the right park.
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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den

Let me clarify my position....I do think PKI needs a decent steel coaster with a unique layout, and FOF and Vortex just don't cut it anymore. There ARE some people who enjoy the "wind-in-your-hair" thrill of riding a coaster and being able to see the outside world around you. High-tech sims and dark rides rely too much on theming, computers and visual aids to produce/enhance a ride - it is not a naturally fun thing to do to sit and watch a bunch of images fly by inside a building. Know what the scariest part of The Beast is? It is when you are diving into the helix, and you are going so fast you think the track is going to bust apart when you slam into the tunnel. It is a real physical element of the coaster that makes it such a great ride. Dark rides don't offer that real physical element - it is all based on a computer fooling your brain.

I don't care if PKI does this dark ride thingy, but they have totally ruined the theme of what Rivertown used to be by doing this. They should be building it either in Action Zone, or in a new section of the park. They took out a great water flume ride, and have messed up the whole old town frontier feel of that part of the park. I could care less if TR is a coaster or not - it does not belong in Rivertown. And though it won't matter - I intend to let PKI know that I will most probably not be visiting their park anymore. All they are doing these days is either theming to stupid super-hero stuff, violence-oriented/action movies or making rides that appeal only to extreme-thrill seekers. Where am I supposed to take my dad, mother, or grandmother? PKI is NOT a family oriented park - regardless of what they say. If they were - they would be doing some fun rides with more gentle theming. And they also would NOT be removing such nice things as the bridge over the lake, half the antique cars or the covered/lighted walkway. They have totally forgotten about a segment of society that used to think it was fun to go to an amusement park.

Jeff, I still don't know why you jumped on CoasterFanMatt. But since it is your site, I suppose you can do whatever you want.

1. This is just one ride. This in no way means that PKI won't be building coasters in the future. I'm sure that in a few years, PKI will get that big mega steelie that everyone wants.

2. You can't really judge wether PKI has ruined Rivertown or not, considering that no one even knows what the building will look like. As far as I can tell, if the building is done right, it could look very cool within the natural setting of Rivertown. Tomb Raider: The Ride, has not been built, yet. (TM)

3. What stupid super hero stuff are they theming their rides to? Point it out to me, or something, please, because I don't see it.

4. Take your dad, mother, or grandmother anywhere you want, but I will be taking both of my coaster enthusiast parents to PKI many times this summer, and many times next summer.

5. What do you mean by "gentle theming?" I'm not trying to offend you or anything, but a lot of the stuff you are saying is kinda unclear.

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The day that I spend more time analyzing the rides than screaming my head off like a moron is the day that I hope someone will kick my in the love sausage and tell me not to be a moron. - Jeff

Tomb Raider is a cool name and theming will be great. Why is it bad if a name implies death. As long as the coaster doesn't cause death it does nothing but create a little fear. Some fear is a necessary element of any thrill ride. I would go on a coaster or ride called the Grim Reaper if it was a great thrill. Similar to CP not using the name "Banshee", why not, I want to be scared. Death invokes fear, and this isn't necessarily a bad thing with a thrill ride.

Aquila: I didn't jump over anyone, but I would add that you are guilty of the same thing Matt is. You're dissing a ride that you don't know anything about. You're basing your opinion on a couple of things here:

1. That the theme of Rivertown will be destroyed. Since you haven't seen the finished product in place, I'm not sure how you conclude this. If the theme overall is changed, then it doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad change, but may instead better server the needs and wants of the customers.

2. You're referencing a simulator ride, which has so many potential meanings that it weakens your argument. I've yet to talk to anyone who didn't find Spiderman at IOA one of the greatest rides ever made, while a "simulator" at the local mall would certainly be a joke.

3. What you consider thrilling, such as the Beast entry to the helix, isn't a universal thrill for all people. That's certainly a narrow definition of a thrill. I often think kiddie coasters are more of a thrill than your average Chaos, but it depends on who you ask.

I guess you've pretty much got your mind made up you won't go to PKI anymore, and no one will convince you otherwise. Funny how I was telling my wife yesterday while roaming the park that I'd like to visit more often, and we're die hard Cedar Pointers!

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

All I've got to say is I hope the ride has some "curves" as great as Lara Croft's. Wink-wink.

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Word to your mothers

One: If Vortex, FOF, Beast, SOB, Face/Off, Racer and Drop Zone arent enough to please a thrillseeker, then I really dont know what will please that person.

Two: Dark rides and funhouses are as much a staple of amusment parks as coasters and cotton candy

Three: The "theming" of PKI specifically by 'sections' was thrown long ago; with Adventure Express and Outer Limits. You could have quit going back then for that reason.

Four: My mom and dad actually loved Sonny. I dont know what your parents like but I would think that there is *something* for them. Hell, take em to a show!

Five (warning OPINION ONLY): PKI is the second most well rounded park I have been to, bested only by BGT because of the animals. I'm sure PKI doesnt want to lose anyone's business, but in this case, I dont think it was possible for them to have pleased you. TR:TR, OTOH, is going to please many (self included if I can get there!)
lata
jcsn
--who is tired of talking coasters and is going to ride!

Okay, from what I've seen over the last 24 hours, this may be one of the greatest marketing ideas in recent times. Here's how I see it:

PKI knows what us enthusiasts want (coasters) and announce their attraction next year as something completely the opposite: Something we've never seen before, and something not a coaster. They don't give us many details about the specifics of the ride, just that it would be on a scale of cost and themeing unlike anything ever seen at their park. Some of us get very disappointed, others of us get very intrigued, and still others who don't have formed opinions either way are at least talking. We're going to spend the next 10 months talking about this ride, not because it's record-shattering, but because we don't know what it is. And like the ride's idea or not, we are talking about it, and next summer, when any of us are considering a trip to Ohio, we're going to remember, "Hey, there's that Tomb Raider ride down at PKI!", and that may influence our decision of where to go. Even if the way this is working out was unintentional, it is definitely working to the park's advantage.

About the ride: Obviously this ride has to be something remotely special, because if it weren't, why would the park be so secretive about it after their announcement? And no matter what we think of it, TR:TR must be a good enough idea that PKI is going to spend more than $15 million on it. They wouldn't spend that large an amount on something that wouldn't gain them national attention. Someone somewhere in the upper levels of PKI management thinks that this is going to bring the park to the forefront of the public's attention next year.

And my own personal opinion on the announcement: After reading post after post in the forums last week about how this was more than likely to be a Tomb Raider-themed ride, I was hoping more than anything that it wouldn't be a coaster. Anyone can just stick a coaster in the middle of a field and call it Tomb Raider. I didn't want what could potentially be a great theme for a ride to go to waste on something that was just a coaster. I say, let the coasters take care of themselves, and leave the theming to dark ride and simulator-style attractions. I got what I was asking for, at least I hope. And as much as I'd like a new coaster at PKI, I can get coasters anywhere. I'm happy that a more traditional amusement park has decided to put something out there that might be on the level, or maybe even near the level of some of the themed attractions at Disney or Universal. Whatever this ride ends up being, I can't wait to ride it.

And for those of you who think that 'Tomb Raider' conjures up images of death, I believe that you're a small minority. If you reside in the USA and haven't been living under a rock for the last six months, 'Tomb Raider' should almost instantly bring images in your mind of computer games, movie screens, and Angelina Jolie.

There, I think I covered it all.
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Life's too short to mind,
Just keep on with the sweet up and down *** This post was edited by dmb-crush on 7/3/2001. ***

Real nice pic of the overview, how did you get that one Jeff.

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Army rangers lead the way

That's from up in the restaurant over the gates. That's where the media event was.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

I believe that Kings Island is doing a GREAT job with their PR work.

Once upon a time Jeff Gordon (famous NASCAR driver) was very down about the hateful comments and boos coming from the stands. The late Dale Earnhardt while consoling Jeff said...

"As long as the fans are making' noise (good or bad), you are doing your job"


The advertising people at Kings Island are WIZARDS. I'm sure we are making way more noise than they hoped for. Just look at how many postings there has been on this web site alone.

Tomb Raider: The Ride may be the most talked about theme park ride until a year after it has opened.
And I can't wait to stand in line for hours to ride it!


As for slamming the ride before it has opened...
Most all arguments made so far are lame at best.

For a very short time I was concerned about a new ride messing up the atmosphere in river town. Then the announcement was made about the new attraction. I can now see how the folks at Kings Island will be able to make everything on that side of the park fit into an "Adventure" theme.
Sure, I may miss river town... but we will be getting something way better in exchange.
Who knows maybe they will preserve the River town theme and work TR: Tr into it.

Whatever record breaking or trend setting ride they decide to build is fine with me.... It's not my park!
Give them a chance to build it before you slam it.

I AM PUMPED AND READY TO RIDE IT IN THE SPRING!
See ya there...

I am hoping for a complete overhaul to the back portion of the park. Why just add TR and not give the surrounding area a facelift. If the Beast is incorporated into the TR project it could receive a grand entrance that it so deserves. I know that some may cream to leave it alone, but why not improve on the Beast. With TR opening it's ridership will increase quite a bit. The queue isn't that large. TR looks to be quite impressive.

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BMCOASTER

bmcoaster@wi.rr.com

Wow I hope Cedar Point doesn't get a coaster next year because nobody will want to go to the park ;).

Seriously I think PKI knows what they are doing with thier investment. I agree with 2Hostyl about his comment on how if you think Vortex, Fof, etc. are not thrilling, then what is enough to please a thrillseeker? I personally think PKI has a great lineup of coasters! Why do they need to go and build another coaster for the third year in a row? I think Koaster King said it best that it was us who over hyped the announcement. Many of you guys were so sure that you were getting the mega-steel coaster, that anything else would not be suitable.

Bottom line: PKI knows what they are doing. If they are smart enough to get $35 dollars from all of you to come to thier park, then it's pretty safe to assume that they know what they are doing.


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***Why can't all parks have a Millennium Force?***

Remember how everyone was talking about that new coaster Kings Island is getting? Like the one in PKD? I think this is it. In Dayton Daily Newsx, my local paper, it says this:

The journey begins with a ride into a foreboding ancient temple. Once inside the enterance, stone walls give way to others, as guests proceed through a series of mysterious chambers engraved with strange, runic symbols and the debris of failed expeditions.

With only seconds to spare before certain calamity, guests strap into the only vehicle of escape. Their flight involves rocketing upward for a close encounter in an ice cave with menacing razor-sharp stalactites and a face first plunge straight down towards a pit of boiling red-hot lava.

Does this not sound like a Hyper Coaster? This is going to be just like the one at PKD, except it will be indoors with theming. It is possible. With a lot of cranes and a really tall tower. I think this wil look really cool. I also like the fact that it's indoors, because then that won't spoil the Beast by giving a close look at it as you get to the top. Anyways, thats what I think it is.

Kings Island has only put in one decent ride since Paramount took over (Son Of Beast) the park. If you are disappointed they decided to put in some themed dark ride then boycott the park next year and call the park to let them know why. Tell them if you would have played the games or ate food while there because that's where the profits are and that is all Paramount cares about. The management at PKI is not sure what they want to do. They can't decide if they want to compete with the coaster parks or with the theme parks like IOA and Disney. The problem with trying to do an award winning themed dark ride like Spiderman ($100 Million) or Indiana Jones (Disney does not release official figures but estimates were around 50 Million) is the expense of building and maintaining these rides. Paramount's budget for this ride is around 15 Million so do you think it will be able to compete with the other immersive themed dark rides. I know this ride is supposed to be unique according to PKI's PR but they told you that FOF was the first coaster to use a LIM launch and it is not. Space Mountain in Disneyland Paris opened in 1992 and uses LIM for its launch. So why should we believe PKI when they tell us this new attraction will be unique. I had a season pass when I was younger and I worked at the park both before and after Paramount bought it. I love Kings Island and hope that I am wrong but Paramount's track record speaks for itself.