Thoughts about Tomb Raider: The ride

I rode Tomb Raider: The Ride at PKI for the first time this last week and have to say I was dissappointed. After waiting for an hour the ride broke down while we were in the preshow area and had to wait another half hour before actually riding. The whole themeing and atmosphere were completely destroyed by seeing that most of the 'rocks' were made of styrofoam and having employees keep walking in and out of service doors.

The ride itself is an awesome idea, I just think that PKI fell short from maximizing the huge potential of the ride. The whole time I was in line and on the ride I couldn't stop thinking: this ride would be off the hook if it were at Disney or Universal. Your thoughts?

While it's a creative use of a Top Spin flat ride, I agree that it was a bit of a letdown. I probably wouldn't wait more than 20minutes to ride it again.

I thought the themeing was interesting, but it shows that Paramount doesn't have the budget for themeing that Disney or Universal has. When I was there last year the tomb door was stuck open, so a greeter had to stop you from entering the preshow room, which took a lot away from the themeing. The ride also could have used a couple of more flips, and a tad less haning upside down with shoulders being rammed into the OTSR's.

On the other side, at PKD they did a good job of making their new top spin into a spectator sport by having it outside. The day I was there there was always a crowd sitting in front of that little plaza watching the ride.

Tomb Raider - The Ride at PKI is a spectacular experience. What exactly are you guys expecting? Putting the ride in a gaint building with eye popping visuals is pure genius.

Tomb Raider - The Ride is a extremely technical ride. Technical glitches are bound to happend (vault doors not closing, ride breaking down, ect). Get Over It! Stuff like that may alter your experience, but that still doesn't make it a bad ride. Just ride again when these problems have been worked out. Tomb Raider - The Ride may not be a 10 on most of you guys thrill meters, but just be happy that Paramounts Kings Island actually took the time to create a unique dark, thrill ride experience. They could have just droped a typical Top Spin anywhere in the park. With absolutely no themeing. Take my advice and just accept the ride for what it is, a Giant Top Spin that's actually an experience.

I agree Tomb Raider Fire Fall at Paramounts Kings Dominion is a bit more creative. The combined use of fire, water, sound effects, and fog make this a true thrill ride experience. Instead of picking PKI and its unique attractions appart just be GREATFUL that Paramount is willing to take chances, push envelopes, and be over the top creative with the yearly additions to their collection of theme parks. Disney is Disney, Universal is Universal, Six Flags is Six Flags, and Paramount is Paramount.

Keep in mind that the TOP TWO seasonal theme parks on the planet are Paramounts Kings Island and Paramount Canada's Wonderland. I know alot of enthusiast have a hard time swallowing that, but it's true. Accept it, and embrace it. I LOVE PKI. It is my favorite park out of the 78 parks I have visited. Me and my travel partner make the 9 hour trek every summer to spend several days at PKI & Boomerang Bay.

Yeah there are some things I would love to change about the park, but I don't have that power. So im not gone lay awake at night thinking of ways to supposedly make the park greater than the #1 seasonal theme park on the PLANET! A title the park already has, and just may keep for a while. I just go, have the time of my life, and thank god I have the freedom and power to be a part of the GREATEST pastime ever created - riding coasters and visiting parks.

RIDING COASTERS AND VISITING PARKS ARE TWO OF THE GREATEST EXPERIENCES ON THE PLANET! WHY MAKE IT MORE TECHNICAL THAT WHAT IS ALREADY IS? LET THE COMPMANY HEADS WORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICALITIES. LET'S JUST GO, HAVE AN UNFORGETABLE TIME, AND BE GREATFUL THAT COMPANIES LIKE PARAMOUNT, DISNEY, SIX FLAGS, CEDAR FAIR, UNIVERSAL & BUSCH ENTERTAINMENT EXIST! *** Edited 6/11/2005 9:24:44 PM UTC by Airromeo4Ever***

I see you just joined, which is why you didn't get the post I think. The person is not in the minority when it comes to TR:TR. A lot of people - including myself - think is was an incredible waste of money and delivers a very unsatisfactory ride experience for the time spent in line. TR:F, on the other hand, is an incredible ride experience and delivers visually as well.

Take it from someone who knows all too well, you sound highly manic. I mean that seriously. And please, don't type stuff in capital letters because it's considered shouting and looks stupid as well. *** Edited 6/12/2005 9:16:04 PM UTC by Intamin Fan***

Though a good ride, this ride never is working. Honestly, how can this ride break down so much. If it were a coaster people would be calling foul all the time

The issue with the ride, jar, is the brakes.

Don't you mean. "Tomb Raider: The Riiiiiiiiiiiide!!!!!"

Lol.

Attendants of BeastBuzz will know what I mean ;)

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jar said:
Though a good ride, this ride never is working. Honestly, how can this ride break down so much. If it were a coaster people would be calling foul all the time

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Because it's... not a coaster? It's a huge topspin, and each arm is operated individually. The seats don't spin thanks to a motor, it spins when the arms stop and inertia takes over. If the arms aren't perfectly synchronized, then the ride faults.

After PKI put the ride in, they realized two things: one arm is heavier than the other, and the computer system the ride uses isn't fast enough. And at the moment, PKI can't obtain a faster computer system, but they're waiting for one.

The arm weights were added this offseason, it's awaiting testing with 77 employees for several cycles to test it.

Yes, It actually is an extremeley technichal ride,almost TOO techinal in fact. With all the spinning parts and peices it is bound to break sometimes.My opiniion is they should have made it in a much different layout.This isn't one of those rides that after the 1st couple of months it's going to start running, they made this ride way to complicated. and if they don't change the layout, Then good luck Tomb Raider fans.

CoasterMania.

You complexity experts have no idea what you're talking about.

As Ian mentioned, the issue with the ride is the synchronization of the two arms. If they can't be kept synchronized, the ride shuts down so as not to twist the gondola. That would be bad.

On our secret tour yesterday (and people thought we were wasting time having beers at Lt. Dan's for a couple of hours... the roving bachelor party and CPLady's crew would disagree), Siebert mentioned that they did discover the one arms is actually a little heavier and they've been able to load more of the ride now that they know this. Still, the problem is that the computers can't calculate the adjustments fast enough and translate that into the motors (which are apparently a little underpowered). That said, it's a lot more reliable than it used to be.

Regarding the ride experience, I think it's really outstanding. The preshow is well executed, the ride is exciting without being too intense, important since people can't really see what the ride actually is.

Tomb Raider is what it is. I thoroughly enjoy it.

I thought it was really fun, even with my glasses off and almost totally blind. I think people expected too much from it, but I went in with no expectations, and I really liked it.

Jeff Seibert also said the technology that controls the arms is the most sophisticated there is, and they are number two for the new technology, i.e. computers that can distinguish and calculate between the two arms fast enough to detect and fix the synchronization between two differently weighted arms. The first to get the technology will be NASA.

It's a very complicated bit of machinery, as we saw during out tour. And I, for one, think the ride is great. There is a huge difference between your normal Top Spin and one with all the special effects.

Some people are just hard to please! TR:TR was one of the reasons other than Delirium I began riding rides other than coasters. What an awesome concept, and the theming...stop comparing everyone else to Disney!

PKI has done great with that ride. And if you have been riding TR:TR since the beginning you know it's a whole lot more reliable than it used to be. The people notice it too! It was nearly a walk-on for the first 2 seasons, now it's always got a wait. At BeastBuzz last night we went to ride it in the evening and were told the wait was an hour and a half.

As far as PKD, I'll be there the first week of July, and TR:Firefall is my no. 1 non-coaster ride to hit while I'm there, (and of course, Dropzone).

Yesterday's secret tour gave me a whole new look at the ride that I have not seen before. PKI has created something that for now will not be duplicated. When the technology advances enough for this ride to operate as intended, look out. PKI was ahead of the game with this and I am glad they had the foresight to even try such a project in a seasonal park.

By the way the tunnel tour kicked butt......