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Terror (Forbidden) Tomb


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  • 3 weeks later...

At some point in the late 90s I think lots of rides at Chessington changed their name/brand for no reason at all. For example, Smuggler's Galleon became Black Buccaneer, Dragon River became Dragon Falls and Terror Tomb became Forbidden Tomb. The rides themselves stayed the same, although they probably had a few minor changes made.___________________Pretty much everything in Tomb Blaster now is from Terror Tomb. Here are all the changes:I think the queueline was pretty much the same, except the dimly lit room next to the queueline when it goes indoors used to be Abdab's office, I think. Abdab would be seen sleeping on a chair or something. Can anybody correct me on this? I can't remember myself.On to the ride itself. Firstly, all the animatronics of Abdab (the central character from Terror Tomb) have been removed, leaving a few random gaps in some of the scenes. Also, previously riders would go inside the tomb to search for an ancient green jewel, meeting with Abdab along the way who wanted it to himself. The jewel can still be seen in a few places around the ride, if you look closely.In the opening scene, there is a little ledge next to the track before the train goes up the ramp. Abdab used to be positioned here, holding a lamp, shouting at riders to get out of the tomb because "the jewel IS MINE".Posted ImageThat ledge is still there today.Snake scene. Again, there is a gap where Abdab used to be positioned, under a little arch to the left of the scene. He used to be pulling on a rope, lifting the hatch to let the snakes in. Today, the hatch is still there, but now moves by itself without any rope pulling. Magic, I guess?In the spike scene, originally, Abdab would be on the rotating platform holding a metal ring, shouting "Now you're gonna get spiked!" One of the spikes on the floor would move at that point, I think. When he pulled the ring, the platform would suddenly rotate, taking him by surprise and sealing him behind the wall. So it was in reverse to what happens now, if you like. Then the coffin would light up behind the scrim (again in reverse, so it would start in the open position instead of already shut as it is today). You would hear Abdab shout "I think I've found it!", as supposedly he can see the jewel in the coffin. Somehow he then falls into the coffin (I am not sure how this was achieved, I can't remember this scene and the now removed POV video did not show it very clearly). A skeleton then shuts the lid of the coffin on him, holding the jewel in its hand. It all linked together, and made much more sense than the sequence that plays out now. The only things that remain of this sequence is the skeleton holding the jewel behind the coffin. Where Abdab used to be on the platform, the mummy with the laser now stands.The fire pit scene, in which the big statue of Anubis with laser eyes appears, you may notice a wobbling obelisk to one side. Abdab used to be clinging on to this wobbling pillar, trying to reach for the jewel which is now embedded in the paw of the statue. Why does it keep moving to different places!? And how did he get out of the coffin for that matter? Anyway, you can see it in this photo...Posted ImageThe biggest change is the finale scene, which has been completely gutted except for the set itself and the moving stone heads on the walls. Now, there is a large snake animatronic that hisses a lot. Before, there was no snake at all, instead a very strange and probably rather amusing 'rock band' sequence. Abdab would be seen standing in an iron maiden with the lid open. Next to him was a mummified guitarist playing a heavy metal song about how they are going to kill Abdab for trying to steal the jewel. Then a shiny strip curtain would rise up behind them, revealing several mummy animatronics that would dance along, which I remember being very scared of! After the song, the iron maiden would shut on Abdab, supposedly killing him, and the jewel would be seen embedded on the other side of the iron maiden, glowing, in a rather ironic moment. Poor chap, he got so close.One last thing, you know that bit where the trains stop momentarily to view the on ride photos on the screens? On the right of that corridor, a "ghost" Abdab would appear holding the jewel, with glowing holes in his body, taunting riders because he did get the jewel in the end, even though he got killed. The trains would then carry on into the offload station, after passing some flying heads on poles (similar to the screaming room in Alton Towers' Heaunted House/Duel). Recently I had a look and the pole mechanisms are still there above the track!Hope that helps! :( It is all I can remember from when I visited myself in 2002, and all I could tell from the POV that was on YouTube a few years ago (now removed by the user).

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  • 4 months later...

I remember that, they ahd something similar in The Revenge Of The Mummy ride at Universal Studios Orlando in the queueline!

I remember that, I think there was some hand prints on a pyramid shaped thingy and if several touched it all at once, the lights would dim etc.
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  • 1 year later...

But riders' satisfaction still relied on whether they cared for the story or not, and therefore Terror Tomb went exactly the same way as the Fifth Dimension - which arguably had better characters and sets anyway.

I don't think there is any arguably about it. Every time they have changed something on that ride they have made it a bit lot worse. Fifth Dimension was a stunning ride, all it needed was to be run and marketed correctly.

For other examples of the same thing happening see every ride at Chessington (maybe except Wild Asia).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow, what a difference audio and lighting makes.

I wish they would restore the sound effects for the various characters that remain in Tomb Blaster. The mummy with the axe, for example, just stands there in silence these days and is unconvincing. The caged jackal is obviously much better if you don't hear him start up 10 seconds before you even see him!

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I had seen that video a couple of years ago too, but it really is great to see it again. To be honest I think the finale must have made more sense to me as a child than it does now, it's so random! The video also helped make my day as the suggestions after watching included a couple of 5th Dimension videos I had not seen in a while either. :D

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