The Crypt at Kings Island

As many of you know, Tomb Raider has been closed for what seems like forever at Kings Island. This year it opened as 'The Crypt', and boy does it deserve respect! Now I know that many were not BIG fans of TRTR but I think that this new version of the parks Giant Top Spin will persuade you otherwise.
The Queue is the same as Tomb Raiders except that all Paramount related objects are gone. The Entry to the cave has been revamped. The cave is missing the triangle but has the same stuff. You enter the Pre-show room which was where you watched the movie back in the TRTR days to find that the room has been changed drastically. You are getting deeper into the crypt and two demons overlook you as you wait to enter the Main show area, The Crypt! Now Things have changed. First off there are only two rows now, and the repetitive drum beat music is now gone and now has this techno beat. Techno is not my cup of sugar but at least it is not Rave Techno! You will see that most themeing is gone such as the Durga goddess and the Ice-field. I for one was never a fan of the Durga goddess because there were so many things wrong with that picture. First off I don't think the Hindus would be very happy if they rode to find that their god is attacking you with fire and ice, How would you feel if it was your god attacking you? Anyway, you will find that the new program is much more intense and in many ways does the same stunts that most other top spins do, only difference is that this is on a larger scale and takes place in (almost) darkness.
So that is The Crypt, I guarantee you will like this version.

Is that a money back guarantee?

Sounds good. I always felt there was no reason for a top spin in a box to not be a good ride, it was just that lousy program holding it back. Maybe they've also made some changes that could make it a bit more reliable.

Matt, "reliable" is a word I would use sparingly. Fact is, it is still a top spin... which is made by Huss. You be the judge.

When you say only two rows, do you mean just the preshow area? Or are they only loading two rows on the ride as well?

You must have ridden today and hurried up with this post. The ride was down last Sunday. I think I'll ride it tomorrow.

If such changes were in store for this new and improved Crypt, you would think that information would have landed somewhere in the pre-season publicity, -or did it?

I DID like the whole fire and ice thing though...

So there's nothing that happens in the box now other than lots of flipping and music?

^Yeah, that's what I don't understand. Does it now just look like a big box? Does the music play through the entire ride? Does it still hold you upside down for 5 minutes?

So many questions...

How is removing theming and making the ride totally dark an improvement? How can you guarantee that we will like this version when the description you have given makes it sound a lot less interesting?

---

LostKause said:
How is removing theming and making the ride totally dark an improvement?

---

---

CoasterHoster said:
Anyway, you will find that the new program is much more intense and in many ways does the same stunts that most other top spins do

---

I'm hoping the Crypt will not be a total disappointment. Because from the description I read above I'm more puzzled than ever about what I'll see and experience this year. That is if the ride even remains open for the entire season.

If it doesn't I wonder if they might think about using the crypt as a haunt for HH this fall?

Come on everyone!...why are you all doubters? CoasterHoster guarantees we'll like it more than before...what more do you need? lol

^Well, Moosh, I think that much is a guarantee. I thought the original Tomb Raider was pretty scary, due to the sheer size of the Giant Top Spin, but at the same time not so much because of the mediocre program. The scenery and effects were cool, especially the first couple of years when they actually worked, but like a lot of movie themed attractions grew tiresome for repeat rides. So the last year or so we've skipped TR altogether due to lack-o-interest.

So, let me be the judge of this. I feel prompted to head down there tomorrow and give it a try. If I do, I'll post. IMO a Black Box with a really great Top Spin in it would be better than what we had.

And thank God it's only techno music instead of that dreadful Rave Techno, because otherwise I don't think I could take it.

ummmm... what?

Looks like I'll have my critic badge on during my experience with The Crypt today. I've had many rides on Tomb Raider, as well as many other top spins. All of my experiences have been mediocre at best. I'll follow up this post with a mini report on The Crypt tonight...or tomorrow night.

What else could they have done but to amp up the ride program. The original ride program was synced with the effects. Now that the effects are gone, and the ride is in complete darkness, they are free to run through a more intense program.

...And that may be super-awesome-fun to some people (matt.). It all comes down to what we have been talking about in many other threads, Theme vs. Thrill.

Wouldn't it be crazy-cool if the ride was removed from the box? The box serves no purpose now, imo. A Giant Topspin would be quite exciting to watch!

---

LostKause said:
It all comes down to what we have been talking about in many other threads, Theme vs. Thrill.

---

It's not that simple. It would be one thing if the park were sacrificing cool theming to make a more physically thrilling ride, but it sounds like that's not happening here. Tomb Raider as a concept was pretty cool and I applaud the designers for trying to come up with something coherent with a beginning, middle, and ending on a ride that isn't linear in nature, but for many it just didn't work as a full experience.

It's more like "iffy theming + iffy ride" vs. "gutted theming vs. better ride." Usually I'm gonna take the later but it depends on how good the new cycle really is.

Well looking at where the new coaster will be it either will be on both sides of Tomb Raider or Tomb Raider is gone.

I really liked the Tomb Raider theme, and I thought the effects and program were coherent. The theme elements did a lot to both give you a frame of reference and confuse you (at least the first couple of times you went on it). If it's just a Giant Top Spin in a box in the dark, I think that'd be boring. I fully believe that half of the ride's thrill is the visuals.

I'm skeptical.

Skeptical even after a guarantee? wow! :)

IMO, any change to the ride program is going to make the ride overall, better - even if the theming is completely gutted. The ride program sucked. It was very uncomfortable being held upside-down for that long, and I didn't appreciate the "crotch shot" you get when the rotation of the gondola suddenly and abruptly stopped and... that area of your body... was thrown into the restraint.

However, with the theming gone and the ride being in near darkness now, it just seems like the visuals, which are a lot of what make regular top spins fun, are going to be non-existent. Guess I'll have to make my decision once I ride it next month.

^The crotch shot, depending on how the restraint comes down on your body, is absolutely brutal.

I hope it's gone. Ouch.