Tomb Blaster

[Benin]

53 minutes ago, Mega-Lite said:

If you say so...

 

Not sure how they relate at all though.

 

Only cos in one post you were praising staff and then there was one saying they're awful, surely it's obvious how they relate? (Chessie staff aren't very good)

[Mega-Lite]

4 minutes ago, Benin said:

Only cos in one post you were praising staff and then there was one saying they're awful, surely it's obvious how they relate? (Chessie staff aren't very good)

Tomb staff were crap but on the whole staff were fine and I felt very sorry for the poor ones left out in the cold outside the closed attractions.

 

Chessington opening and the poor bastards freezing their tits off is worth praising. Tomb's shambles and crap staff were a joke.

[StevenVig]

20 hours ago, Benin said:

 

(Chessie staff aren't very good)

Lol didn't you used to work there 

[Benin]

7 minutes ago, StevenVig said:

Lol didn't you used to work there 

 

OH MY DAYS THATS SOME TOP BANTZ!

[Chlo]

My god...

Whether Merlin are trying to make me say this or not, I don't think I'll ever ride Tomb Blaster again until they fix it up or take it out.

 

I genuinely got upset riding it today, I knew that it hadn't had a good start to the season but I was hopeful. Today, after being closed for the first few hours of the day, I hopped on the ride. Insanely long loading time but the poor staff looked exhausted already.

 

Where do I start?

Delayed audio cue in first room, sudden audio cue in second, then absolutely. no. audio. It was the most depressing and awkward ride I've ever been on. At one point I forgot everyone could hear me and got some glares from some parents (whoops) but it was just so sad to see. And when I just wanted to get off, the ride stopped just outside the station. Lights came up and we were there for about 15 mins until we (except for the dad and his kid that were stupid enough to get out the car alone instead of being patient) were moved back into the station.

 

If this is genuinely how it's running, that's disgusting, but even if this is what Merlin is doing to get some funding for it, it's still a ride that paying guests are going on. That's the way I see it. It's just sad seeing what it's become.

[Matt 236]

Regardless or whether the park are deliberately trying to run Tombs into the ground (for the sake of funding for a proper retheme or upgrade), I think it is a poor show for what is still one of the park’s main attractions to be operating in such an appalling state. 

 

Broken effects, lighting and audio, the ride literally feels like it is waiting to be removed in the coming years. The attraction was once a top quality leading dark ride, but now it’s just an embarrassment for both Chessington and UK theme parks. 

 

With the correct team and equipment, the ride could easily become great once more. But what’ll probably happen is they will likely announce a farewell event (perhaps similar to what they did with Bubbleworks) and rebrand it as a completely different attraction the following season. Ramesis will probably be ripped out around that time too (infavour of a new animal exhibit) I reckon.

[Coaster]

It's just rubbish.  People don't pay for such poor maintenance of a dark ride, especially one with lots of potential - they pay for the themed experience that these rides should offer.  Basic maintenance of scenes, lighting, audio, cleanliness etc - all should be covered in the cost you pay for a park ticket.

 

Regardless of whether it's down to CWOA management "proving a point", lack of funding or even just an oversight, it clearly demonstrates a total lack of care for guest experience.

 

Appalling on Merlin and Chessington's behalf.

[Stuntman707]

Tomb Blaster is really nothing like the original any more. It's actually quite upsetting riding it without using the guns knowing what it was once like. There's nothing to focus on, no story, awkward silent parts, blinding UV and the sqeeking of the ****ty guns on the ****ty targets dangling on wires like fairly lights. Actually made me say "this is complete ****" out loud several times. I'd rather they rip everything out bar the track and start again. It will never be as good as Terror Tomb even with the best restoration without the characters and story.

 

Honestly I think the best attraction at Chessington now is the Gruffalo ride. A total overhaul rather than a cheap fix up, looks great and everything on it works as intended.

[JoshC.]

I wonder what the general consensus of the ride is these days.

 

Does your average Joe guest not really care about the bright lights, miscued effects and audio, etc, because they're enjoying playing the laser shooting game too much?  No doubt people could enjoy it more, but it wouldn't surprise me if the park were happy letting things be 'just okay' if, for now, people just enjoy the ride since they get a gun to shoot things.  Then when they get the money, do the total overhaul..

[Stuntman707]

That's partly the problem of why we get left with mediocre attractions for years without any attention in the first place. Most people who don't know any better just think it's a random tomb based laser game. They don't know what the ride used to be. They just think we're moaning because it's not a thrill attraction at a park mainly aimed at younger kids, not because it used to be an elaborate and eccentric British dark ride with the soul ripped out of it and turned into a ****show.

[Coaster]

These supposed "UK-leading" parks should be aiming for guests coming off their rides in absolute amazement - it's the difference between "WOW - that was amazing, I'm going to tell everyone about how great it was" and "ehh, it was a fun laser ride I guess."

 

Should people really forget about a dark ride the minute they step off, or should it be something that captures their imagination and drives them back to go on it again and again because of how amazing it is?  Every ride in the park should aim for the highest standards possible IMO.  I always find it ironic that the company is called "Merlin" yet they've drained their parks of the magic they used to have.

 

Whilst the majority of guests may not critically analyse Tomb Blaster in the same way we as enthusiasts do, I'd suggest they would be much more impressed with it if it was maintained as a themed experience.

[Mark9]

35 minutes ago, Stuntman707 said:

That's partly the problem of why we get left with mediocre attractions for years without any attention in the first place. Most people who don't know any better just think it's a random tomb based laser game. They don't know what the ride used to be. They just think we're moaning because it's not a thrill attraction at a park mainly aimed at younger kids, not because it used to be an elaborate and eccentric British dark ride with the soul ripped out of it and turned into a ****show.

 

They don't care what the ride used to be. Merlin don't care if we just moan about it etc or if it used to be a fantastic futuristic dark ride with a robot entering a TV set or an explorer trying to steal an ancient jewel or a quest to defeat an ancient curse. It never had a soul, it never had a legacy. It went from unpopular 80's kitsch to unpopular (but beloved by some) Egypt narrative to a relatively popular shoot em up. I think its wrong (if its true) that they are letting Tomb Blaster fall to ruin to prove a point but to be honest I don't think there is a master plan at work. I think there is quite literally no money for Tomb so they are keeping a dying ride running at zero cost as a dying ride is better then no ride at all.

 

It's not how theme parks should be run but then if people were that incensed by this they'd stop visiting.

 

[Stuntman707]

Disagree with it never had soul. It was a great example of a British dark ride at the peak of creativity, bold ideas, massive set pieces and it was something you can’t find anywhere else. You can find a generic laser ride at any major theme park in the world.

You’re quite right there are probably no plans or budget other than just to keep it running for the sake of having an extra attraction.

I guess this Alton Tower’s Twitter quote sums up the current situation: “It’s better than nothing”

[Flipper]

Regardless of what or how Tomb is perceived, by guests or the park or whomever there’s no doubting it could be far better for little effort.

 

I’m unsure how many on here have been to Gardaland, but for those who haven’t I’d recommend watching a video of Ramses: il Risevigo - it was a simple Egyptian dark ride that got a wacky overhaul. It uses the same guns and targets (to memory) as Tomb. It’s pretty static. And it plays a song throughout on loop. BUT it’s a fun, tidy, shoot ride. Tomb could do the same with a little effort. It would almost be simplifying it to make it reliable, and that’s kind of okay? I’d rather have a simple ride that had working lighting sound and simple effects, over something that doesn’t perform as expected.

[Coaster]

Dear oh dear.  The audio in the biggest scene (after axe alley) was jumping on the same 5 second loop constantly, instead of triggering as the train enters and playing the full theme.  You could hear it at the end of the ride as well - very very poor.

 

Also, they had re-added a scream to the mummies but it's the wrong one (same as the wolf noise) - and too quiet.

[Matt A]

Tomb Blaster has all of its effects working well this year, boulder is working, even the werewolf that was broken all of last year is fixed, and some lighting improvements have been made in the station. Audio on the other hand, not so good, still poor looping happening in some sections and the trommel had no audio at all. On the flip-side some areas are perfectly synced up and at a good volume.

[Mattgwise]

49 minutes ago, EpicSmatty said:

Tomb Blaster has all of its effects working well this year

Certainly not this year, just recently. I literally only a month ago had an awful ride consisting of 6 min dispatches, half the effects broken, sound off in places and a broken ceiling (which later fell down) 

[Matt A]

17 minutes ago, Mattgwise said:

Certainly not this year, just recently. I literally only a month ago had an awful ride consisting of 6 min dispatches, half the effects broken, sound off in places and a broken ceiling (which later fell down) 

Should have said recently rather than this year! Seems to be a consistent theme that the effects only get fixed a few months into the season.

 

10 minutes ago, Ivsetti said:

So EpicSmatty, which press event you got your eye on this year?

Ah if only such a great company like Merlin would invite me to a press event, they take such great care of all their parks I could only wonder how amazing their press events are and how I could express how 'sick' they are to the world.

[Mattgwise]

17 hours ago, EpicSmatty said:

Should have said recently rather than this year! Seems to be a consistent theme that the effects only get fixed a few months into the season 

And then break just days later! 

[Mysta Ghoul]

On 5/21/2019 at 10:02 PM, EpicSmatty said:

Tomb Blaster has all of its effects working well this year, boulder is working, even the werewolf that was broken all of last year is fixed, and some lighting improvements have been made in the station. Audio on the other hand, not so good, still poor looping happening in some sections and the trommel had no audio at all. On the flip-side some areas are perfectly synced up and at a good volume.

Thats interesting, sounds like something has changed since start of the year. People are at least trying to make it not-terrible then with what little resources to hand, that's nice though

[Vince800]

I must try to get over to Chessington at some point to ride this if improvements have been made. I haven't visited the park since 2016 but from what I've seen on YouTube it has been getting worse every year so it'll be good if they've at least made some improvements.

 

It was becoming very "Office - The ride" for me though with the over bright, over the top LED lighting. Get a false ceiling up and LED Panels and it'll finish the job.

[Matt 236]

The only improvements they’ve made is the remarkable duration of time it takes them to dispatch a vehicle at a time.

 

It’s astonishing how this ride used to run on five vehicles and reach an hourly throughput of 1000 PPH. These days it’s 500 on four vehicles and by the time you’ve sorted Fastrack and RAP you are probably looking at just 250 from the main queue.

 

As for the ride itself, the state is something of an embarrassment especially considering what it once was.

[yeah]

It appears Tomb Blaster has had some updates

 

 

High praise indeed!

[Benin]

I'm not too sure that there's much competition for "best UK dark ride" these days. Especially when the usual winner is currently closed.

[SteveJ]

High praise from random Twitter bloggers paid in free tickets to say good things about the park

Let's all wait to see what it's actually like in person. Who knows