A Tomb for the Crypt?

[kjkjkj]

That's such a simple fix, I just don't understand why the park won't do it!

[bkroz]

Very true - and in the scheme of typical theme park installations, it costs almost nothing. Again, we're not asking to install some crazy water-cycling system or to put in all these special lights - they're already there!

I'm not saying that there's not something I don't know about - it's very possible that the ride's current setup can't clear the icicles based on their former location, or that the waterline in the pool has been disconnected. Something like that is possible. But if it hasn't happened, it's painful to think that they won't use what's already there. The lights are already pointed at the stalactites location. The pool of water is rigged with fountains and Hollywood-style lighting.

I'm not sure anyone (myself included) appreciates the complexities of that room - there are lights positioned everywhere, specifically placed so that they don't cast shadows from the ride vehicle, etc. There are multiple high-powered fog machines specifically placed and timed to burst out huge clouds of fog while the gondola is facing away. The volcano still has tons of smaller fog machines and lights positioned within it. Thats multi-million dollar lighting and sound systems. It's not only a shame, but an outrageous lie to say that the Crypt lacks potential. They could likely shut the ride down for three days (or use the remainder of the off-season) to fill the lava pits, re-installed the "stalactites," try out Kings Dominion's music, and fix some of the lights that have gone out. In the scheme of things, it would be nothing, but it would make a whole new ride.

Talk about a sign I'd like to see outside of The Crypt: "This ride now has more theme!"

[kjkjkj]

It's hard to believe a ride that looked like this 8 years ago

Now looks like.....this

I think you should just keep mentioning how the theming is already there and ready to use on Kings Island's Facebook page. Or send them your ideas in emails.

[bkroz]

The "pit of blood," with hundreds of lights placed underwater... All still there.

Stalactites that were embedded with hundreds of lights that changed from blue to red, then strobe lights from within went off as the gondola fell.

[KIBOB]

The "pit of blood," with hundreds of lights placed underwater... All still there.

Stalactites that were embedded with hundreds of lights that changed from blue to red, then strobe lights from within went off as the gondola fell.

[kjkjkj]

Even this POV taken of Tomb Raider the ride. Obviously a lot farther into it's lifetime than the Discovery Channel video, people are still cheering and yelling, laughing, and having a good time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lofaayFIF0Y When I ride the Crypt, it's normally like completely silent except for the horrible soundtrack..

* My two favorite flips/drops on the TRTR program were, when you were face to face with the stalactites, and then you would drop. And the other is when you are "released" after being held above the lava.

[bkroz]

See also,

It's the same video, but with the ride's musical score synched up to it, and with a few clips from the Travel Channel special to fill the very dark parts. :] Courtesy of yours truly and a little iMovie magic. I especially like the part where the lava is just lightly bubbling until, just when the music crescendos, it actually shoots up fountains.

And KIBOB, I would make the argument that, if Cedar Fair's intention is to have you giggling and shouting inside a crypt (a burial tomb, a resting place for loved ones) while a demonic bat snarls at you, than having a pit of blood is only a small step beyond that. And it's not like they need big signs with arrows pointing at it that read "BLOOD." Red water is ambiguous enough, right?

[Jasper]

I remember my first time riding The Crypt, then TR:TR, and I waited in line for about an hour and a half. I didn't know what the ride was nor the experience. When we got into the chambers and the pre-show was running I was like, this is gonna be pretty amazing. During the ride I was having a blast, when I got off I was like, wow that was really fun. The theming really made that ride what it WAS. The theming used to be amazing and to this day I still have the pre-show track on my iPod. When Crypt was TR:TR it was a one of a kind experience, now it's painful to even ride.

Posted from my iPhone!!!

[bkroz]

The themeing is the biggest victim of the Cedar Fair's purchase of the park, and likely the biggest external change that took place in the entire chain. There's no denying that the lack of theme during the ride is the most crippling factor.

But again, we have to recall the other things:

1) A faulty, if not doomed ride mechanism - The Giant Top Spin has been put through more than probably another other ride of its caliber: Four different ride cycles (each having to be specially designed - other top spins can chose from a pool of pre-approved ride programs. Since ours is an 'only,' each desired new program must be custom designed from scratch), one of which had it flipping far more than the gondola could handle (or so it seems), resulting in easily the most tame program on any top spin today.

2) A lack of surprise - Surprise was really the defining factor of Tomb Raider. Correct me if I'm wrong, but no one outside of its construction and creation knew what it was before opening day. And even then, it's hard to explain. I could tell my friends "It's spins you upside down and its like two arms that hold a giant gondola in a big room." It means nothing to them. I could even say "It's a top spin." And it means nothing. I could say "It's like Texas Twister / Thunderhawk / etc." but that doesn't really begin to explain what it was. With the rising door gone and with the word out that it's not only a top spin, but a poorly-operating one at that, all of that surprise that made the ride so unique is gone. My first time riding, even as an enthusiast, I didn't know what it was even while seated on it, because it's so different from anything else. I imagine others felt the same. However, the door was removed, again, because it was "one last thing to worry about." When the ride is closing every other day for technical issues and a fun (but admittedly unnecessary) detail like a rising wall breaks, there comes over the mechanics a level of frustration that anyone would experience where they say "We're not shutting the ride down for an unnecessary detail - just take it out."

3) A lack of storyline - No matter how vague Tomb Raider's story was, it gave something to the folks who thought that sort of thing could never exist outside Floridian and Californian parks: a search for an ancient Triangle of Light, capable of altering time. The story was all there, it only required someone with an inquisitive mind to put it together. The newly discovered temple with the Triangle insignia on the exterior, the Triangle on the rolling door locking people inside as if to say "Yes! This is it! You have found the right temple, and you're getting closer!" Even the ride vehicle (though i'm not sure if they even intended for this) was set amid excavation equipment and digging lights that, for some odd reason, were still functioning perfectly despite the fact that they'd been lost for decades. Almost as if time in the chamber had stopped in the eye of the Triangle. Then, when the goddess is awoken by the commotion and, without words, makes it clear that you're about to be thrown around a bit by her powers over the elements as she protects the Triangle. Even at the end, for a good amount of time, upon being "defeated," the goddess let out one last poof of fog from the Triangle as she screeched, seemingly almost reaching the gondola, but not quite close enough.

I guess the caveat to all this is that I'm saying "Well it's not necessary Cedar Fair's fault. The rising wall broke at a bad time; the lava was drained because it was one less thing to worry about during its turbulent season in 2008; Cedar Fair tried their best to input theme sans storyline with the Crypt."

However, these are not excuses. They're merely things that buy Cedar Fair time - in all fairness, the ride is now operating well. It's now that one would expect thing like the rising wall, the fountains, etc. to be put back. Because it made sense to remove them then, but doesn't make sense to leave them out now.

[kjkjkj]

Who knows...with the 5@5 questions on facebook. A lot of people were asking about the Crypt, and giving suggestions to improve it. Maybe this will open the park's eyes, and they will realize that people do care about the Crypt, and that giving us some theming would improve the overall guest satisfaction. Maybe, just maybe, when KI opens for the 2010 season, the Crypt will have some theming, and maybe the sliding door reinstalled. Maybe not extensive theming, but they could turn a few switches that have been turned off for quiet some time now (the fog, the lava pit lights, the steam, some effect lights.) And hopefully they even listen to your suggestion about painting the stalactites brown or grey, and using them as cave stalactites.

[The Interpreter]

From what I hear, do not expect moisture to be reintroduced into that room.

And yes, insiders and enthusiasts knew that Paramount Parks had bought a Giant Top Spin from Huss, to be installed at Kings Island.

[kjkjkj]

By moisture I assume you mean fog and water pool? Is it because it affects the ride in a negative way, like damaging the structure or something? Or from what you've heard, the park just doesn't want to do it because of they just don't feel like it?

[The Interpreter]

From what I have heard, the ride has difficulty coping with moisture, which is one of the reasons it is housed in a building to start with. Note that many steel coasters that once had mist have had it removed, as well...and those things get hit with rain!

[kjkjkj]

Well if they knew it couldn't handle moisture, and that's why it's housed indoors in the first place, then why were the effects installed in the first place? The fog has been missing from the ride for quite some time now, but the lava pit and geyser remained a lot longer than the fog. Since the geysers or lava pit didn't really actually touch the ride (after the geysers shot to a lower height in it's later years) then I don't really see why that couldn't ever return....

[coaster_junky]

wouldn't the heat the ride gives off cause evaporation of the water in the "lava pit"?

and is that why it's so cold in the ride chamber, to prevent sweating of the ride parts?

[KIBOB]

See also,

It's the same video, but with the ride's musical score synched up to it, and with a few clips from the Travel Channel special to fill the very dark parts. :] Courtesy of yours truly and a little iMovie magic. I especially like the part where the lava is just lightly bubbling until, just when the music crescendos, it actually shoots up fountains.

And KIBOB, I would make the argument that, if Cedar Fair's intention is to have you giggling and shouting inside a crypt (a burial tomb, a resting place for loved ones) while a demonic bat snarls at you, than having a pit of blood is only a small step beyond that. And it's not like they need big signs with arrows pointing at it that read "BLOOD." Red water is ambiguous enough, right?

My mistake, upon reading the comments on facebook i realized that the pit of blood was a reference to what could be, not what was. When i read that, it just made me think of someone saying "I miss Tomb Raider, especially the part were you were hung over the pit of blood!!" but now that you mention it, i had never thought of that before, and that is an excellenct, inexpensive, no-brainer way to bring back the water. Change the bulbs from orange to red, add water and walla!!! you have the pit of blood from the sacrifices of the demon bat.

[catzdrummer09]

Ok, I asked one of the first questions about the crypt and gave them some ideas from a post by (I think) goodyellow. Having read this would anyone mind if I posted a link to this thread in a question to them to see what they say then?

[Coolangatta]

Does anyone think that if they exposed the ride to the elements it would be a crowd lure? Might divert some of the masses away from other rides.

[coaster_junky]

it might be a lure, but it would be completely unusable.

[Gordon Bombay]

Does anyone think that if they exposed the ride to the elements it would be a crowd lure? Might divert some of the masses away from other rides.

I don't in any way think it would be a "lure." RIght now its a "lure," because people don't know what it is and they step in line to experience it. Unfortunately, if they have any memories of how it once was both as TRTR and Crypt 1 they're left disappointed. Even those who haven't experienced it before are generally turned off by the exposed styrofoam, rock wall paper thats falling down, lack of theming in a room that you can clearly tell is used for maintenance storage and completely bogus ride cycle.

I think the benefit of having it outdoors would be people could see what it is before getting in line, more younger kids looking for a more moderate ride would be more apt to ride it and people would see that it goes upside down and probably secure their articles better. However, as the ride currently stands, lets be honest.....it sucks.

"If you can't do something right, why bother doing it at all?"

[bkroz]

But it would be a helluva 6 hours while it worked!

[The Interpreter]

And we should also mention the hellacious noises that thing puts out. I cannot imagine the public being drawn by that...

[bkroz]

I LOVE that noise (if you're talking about what I think you are). That purring noise as it speeds up or slows down... mmmm... I dream about it. I watch

all the time. And I listen to it just to hear that purring. Hahha.

Now if you're talking about all the resistor banks... Yes that's loud. Hahah.

[coaster_junky]

goodyellowkorn, this one?

[bkroz]

Yes haha I went back into my post and added the link. But awesome. Keep it posted so everyone can enjoy the gentle purr of the world's only Giant Top Spin. What a sound!

[coaster_junky]

it is a great sound, for some reason i always find myself in love with the misfits of the amusement/theme park industry.

top thrill, mean streak, Son of Beast, the crypt... and the list goes on.

[SOB_TOM]

The On ride (while illegal as hell!) made me tear up. I have so many memories of that ride, ones that will never leave me as a ride op on TRTR in 03....

But lets go over some facts here goodyellowcorn:

Some of the lights were removed from TRTR to be used in the queue line of The Beast during the 25th anniversary (I think it was that anniversary, but regardless, they were removed.)

The old sparker was designed to be only maintained by the company that built it, meaning that if KI employees would try to replace the welder components (all that thing is is a giant ARC welder...) the sparker would have to be completely rebuilt. This goes for replacing the sodder that was used to create the spark effect.

The water in the lava pit does NOT have to be drained in order to access the gondola when the platforms do not drop. The access is from the front row via a maintenance staircase that is located within the ride area itself. You roll it up, get the people off, roll it away. (Or maintenance just pulls themselves up.)

The reason the ride program has been changed is because of a fundamental flaw within KI's ordering of the ride: Huss recommended a pnumatic braking system, however KI insisted on a hydraulic braking system (for the gondola. Rumor has it when ordered, KI did not want the extra noise on the outside of the building.) Because of the pressure needed on the hydraulic system, a brake hose routinely "popped" every year on the unload arm, causing a massive "bleeding" of the ride. I know for a fact this has happened in 03, 04, and 05, every time around late June-Mid July.

Removing the stalagtites has nothing to do with the clearances of the ride. The closest clearance during the TRTR ride cycle is 8", and that was achieved when the gondola was pulling back to the lava pit, passing the ground.

While the weight changed on the gondola, KI was smart and removed the seats directly above center of gravity, therefor, yes, in theory the TRTR ride program would still work. HOWEVER, because of the change in weight, the arms would have to swing harder to get the same flips that TRTR had, therefor, more strain on the arm motors.

KI spent a FORTUNE on fog when TRTR was running. I know while working in tech services, we would go through a 55 gallon of fog juice on the horizontal sliding door in about 6 months, meaning we had to replace the barrel at least twice throughout the year, depending on downtime.

Also, to expand on Terpys point, if you remember, it was muggy inside that ride chamber during the TRTR years. This was caused by the mix of the water fountains, fog, and the dripping staglities. This not only took a toll on the metal frame (which is already trying to support an 8-ton gondola,) but also on the motors and braking system (a braking system that was already overtaxed.) This is why you will not see moisture re-introduced.

As for the temp...... I heard that it was kept low to try to combat some of the moisture buildup. Even though that there were exhaust fans at the top of the chamber, I don't remember them working that well. So to cut down on some of the moisture buildup, the temp was kept low.

After all this, I am now going to go cry to the POV of TR:TR, remembering the good ol` days.....

[kjkjkj]

That was really informative! It's sad that design flaws inhibit the special effects, and the ride itself.

[kjkjkj]

After seeing Firefall at Great America (which was installed after the CF take over) I would really just rather The Crypt be torn down, along with the deteriorating queue. And just start over and put in a regular Topspin, facing the midway outdoors, and theme it just like Firefall at Great America. Our current Crypt can't get most of it's effects back due to licensing, and moisture problems. The queue is falling apart. The ride cycle is boring. Our Crypt sucks. They should just start from scratch.

Here is Firefall at Great America. This themeing was all done by Cedar Fair, no matter how surprising that may be! http://www.viddler.com/explore/Sacramento_Bee/videos/20/

[SOB_TOM]

The only real "design flaws" I can think of that was caused my Huss (and I cannot completely believe that it is Huss's fault since Paramount did decide to go with a different braking system,) is when the ride was fully loaded first run of the morning, the brakes would give out when coming back for the lava pit, which would cause the ride to E-stop itself coming out of that effect (the gondola not being in the right position for the next effect,) and the "Home-ing" issues, where the gondola could not find the home position, and would E-stop itself. Both of these flaws, however, can be directly related to the braking system. I am curious what would happen if those brakes were never changed from air pressure to hydraulic...