TRTR - Theming of the Best and the Worst

In my personal opinion TRTR has GREAT theming, but in some places it's just terrible. For example, when outside in the queue, you're around all this great landscaping, rock formations and other theming. Then you look at the plain building and it is just sad. I think the should have and could have painted this in a paint that makes it look stone, then have vines growing down from the top. Also the "lava" is just terrible. I don't know how they'd fix it but they need to. What you guys think about these and other problems?

The Building yes but the lava?

Ok I thought it looked as much like lava as water can, whats the deal yo?

-----------------
Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?

For anyone that has ridden, how does it compare to the Nemisis "lava".

-----------------
What's life if you never get to the PO!NT

I don't think the Lava is water is it? It should kinda be a small pool, with jets to make it bubble, and smoke machines to make it steam, or heat the water and keep the building cool, but thats tough!

Its water, the lava shoots up at you and gets ya wet. It's either red dyed or has red lights in it, I couldn't quite tell. But it was definitely water.

-----------------
Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?

What do you suggest they do with the building?

-----------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Jeff, The building is the one thing Kneemeister and I commented on, it is just too imposing and did not fit into the theming. I think all that would be needed would be a high fence with some trees behind it, Nothing more. Belive me, TR:TR doesn't need much to make it better. I am still blown away by how big the actual ride was.

-----------------
Does CCI know how to make a bad coaster?

The lava is water. It was made to be able to splash you. I don't think anyone wants red goo all over themselves.

-----------------
www.PKIGuide.com

I honestly don't even pay attention to the large building when walking past that area or while in line. Yea, the theming is great in that area, but I don't find the building to look out of place anymore than the large train the travels by while standing in line. It also sounds like the park may have removed the tarps while standing in line. Those tarps are there to provide shade and to make the larger building less visible.

I also don't find the building to be that much different than what houses Flight of Fear. I don't hear many complaints about that building. Kind of odd if you ask me. The way I look at it, PKI could have not themed ANY of the outside area of Tomb Raider and I would still liked it just as much. After all, I think the best parts of the attraction happen inside.

As far as the lava, I am not sure how they can make the lava look more real considering it is water and it does (or used to?) splash riders. If they used some sort of coloring, chances are guests wouldn't like coming off the ride with orange/red clothes. I know I wouldn't. Plus, at this time, I can't name another ride with more real looking lava that actually gets that close to riders.

Can you?

If the park were to try and hide the building by painting something or installing a facade of some sorts, I know there would still be people complaining about it.

-Sean (who doesn't mind the large building or the lava at all)

The building would have looked much better in my opinion if it would have been given a stucko or other masonary exterior, but you are right when the canapies go up it wont really be as noticeable. I guess now it just looks sorta like someone found an old temple and quickly placed a steel building over it to protect it from furter distruction, yeah thats it, right?

As to FoF its supposed to look like a cheap low bidder government building, and that it does.

Having just been to Universal Hollywood, I was thinking that TR:TR should have a building much like Jurasic Park.

-----------------
Whats life if you never get to the Po!nt?

kneemeister said:

Having just been to Universal Hollywood, I was thinking that TR:TR should have a building much like Jurasic Park.

Does anyone remember the back half of the Posidions Fury show building? If you don't than it will help me prove my point here. It sticks way up above the rest of that side of the park. It is pianted a certian shade of blue that more or less blends in with the sky no matter what the weather is like.

When I worked at IOA I always noticed that odd shade of blue. You could always see it but you had to notice it first as it was hiding in plain view.

What if TR:TR did something like this? Something may still be done later. Remember Exterminator at Kennywood?

It is hard to hide a building of that size

However, they could put dense, tall foliage around the paths clase to the building. From the pictures I've seen, the walkways near TRTR aren't exactly covered in trees and bushes.

For the building paint it masonery stone with vines down the side. It just seems like it was an unfinished project, everything else looks so amazing. And for the lava, they need to make the fountains larger, more like canons, and angle them so they make an arc. The also need to have an "x" pattern, or something like it, where the water comes out of the canon. This will make the water seem more junnky, separated, thick, and more like lava. They could still have the red lighting, they could still have pure water, and people could still get wet!

-----------------

*** This post was edited by PkI FaNaTiC on 4/14/2002. ***

i just rode tomb raider last night, look in the trip reports!!

-----------------
Pki rox Man!!!

Even Six flags painted the building for Skull Mountain (well the visible part at least). I found it odd seeing the big white building in the pictures amongst the "immersive" theming.

I agree, they should have done more with the building. I understand the theming is great but when claiming its up to Disney/Universal standards...well, the building just isn't. It sticks out like a sore thumb and you find something like that at IOA or Disneyland. Of course, the park never themselves compared TR to the Orlando parks or anything, but it still leaves a lot lacking in that department. I'm sure it was a $$$ issue, but the ride would just look 100% better with a facade similar to say, Poseidon, or like previously mentioned, even Skull Mountain.

-----------------
If the shoe fits, find another one.

Haven't been to PKI, nor been on Tomb Raider, but perhaps they could put a stucco exterior on it to make it look like stone or a cave. Of course that is quite expenisive, and probably not worth the effort.

As for lava, that sounds like it is as good as any lava can be. The "lava" on Indiana Jones is just lights and fog, not even water.

My only suggestion, and it sounds like what they are already doing, is put water, red lights underwater and on the roof, and jets in it to make it bubble.

-----------------
Xcelerator-
0-82 in 2.3 seconds! =Wow!

Sombody said Universal quality? Well that huge building for Jurrasic Park River Adventure shur is no different than TR:TR. Also, I don't even notice the building except when your in the outside Q line. and that will have a tarp.

Chuck

-----------------
Charles Nungester
Americana (Now called The great americana amusement park at Lesourdsville Lake) is opening in 2002. Indivdual visits are very improtant to the parks survival.

According to one Douglass Adams, there are ways to make things dissapear. One of them is painting them pink.

-----------------
Texas Coasters... wow I'm lucky... IM me if you feel like talking about coasters.

After riding it again yesterday, I tried to look at the building in someone else's eyes that would think less of an attraction for the way it looks. Yes, the building is visible, and the tarps have indeed gone away, but while in line with the tarps added, you really don't see the building. I still don't see what the big deal is. That's just me though.

As for as improving the lava... yesterday, it was greatly improved IMO due to lots of smoke and lights that weren't shown for the media preview. The water still doesn't come up as close as it did on my first two rides, but it still shoots up.

-Sean