Defunctland: The History of Tomb Raider: The Ride

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In the Defunctland Season premiere, Kevin travels back to Paramount's Kings Island in Mason, Ohio to discuss one of the most unique dark rides of all time, Tomb Raider: The Ride.
Check Out Brian Krosnick's Article on Tomb Raider: The Ride:
www.themeparkt...
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Stock Footage Used:
Lava: • Lava footage
Fire: • Free Burning Fire stoc...
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Music:
"Burnt Spirit" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
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[@IRONHIDE434]

imagine getting on a brand new roller coaster, you've no idea what you're about to experience, then some jerkass next to you starts narrating everything that's going on as it's happening.

[@wolfhawk1999]

"Accidentally" unbuckle his seat belt

[@JulesNekro]

@@wolfhawk1999 deserved

[@mossyfinn9973]

LMAO

[@ellenokuda7882]

That's literally how locals are at Disneyland. Some people have ridden the rides so many times, they loudly quite the narration as it's happening.

[@jasperofthrones1310]

I hate those people at all theme parks. As someone who visits amusement parks frequently, I have experienced so many of them and most of them were children. That’s why Anakin Skywalker is my hero.

[@FlightyAphrod1te]

The fact that we/riders did NOT know what it was cannot be stated enough. We had no idea. My mom rode it first before riding with me and she couldn’t describe it. What you really miss from this video, was the people who ignored repeated warnings that this ride COULD NOT secure your stuff. You flip that first time and you hear “THUNK THUNK CLINK” and see a bright LED light tumbling end over end as someone loses their razr cell phone to Shiva.

[@MoxieMaggotbone]

Hey, he needed offerings 😂

[@Bulhbluhbuy]

Stephanie Butcher he

[@ericbazinga]

Best phrasing ever

[@eLJaybud]

Shiva accepts your meagre offering.

[@moonymonster]

Where do people put their stuff then??

[@drallimylime]

when i die, please turn my house into a seasonal haunted house attraction

[@Polymath580]

They wont have to change a thing.

[@benedictdwyer2608]

Skin my body and place it in the haunted house for the spoop effect

[@Donald38]

we’ll have to add 15 snoopy attractions first

[@Zamarae]

Will you be starring in the ride?

[@apolizzi]

Ok giger

[@yuhgetintoit3190]

"What do you say meridith?" *"YIPPEE SKIPPEE"*

[@jamescrow4915]

Last words uttered by the child before she was consumed whole by a wandering yogi bear

[@sonofcarr]

That girl was not tall enough to ride. They just didn’t want to hurt her feelings on TV. xD

[@lauren-db8zg]

So cute 😭

[@burgermasonreal]

yippee skippee

[@spencexxx]

Imagine going to India and going on a cheesy theme park ride featuring a giant statue of angry Jesus with glowing eyes attacking you.

[@tomservo9254]

>implying that wouldn't be fucking amazing

[@TychoTheAlienBaby]

It’d be hilarious.

[@kylaoleary9920]

Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t think that would be amazing

[@ericbazinga]

Fuck, now I wanna see that

[@クロウ-y9i]

First Name Last Name According to my famiy, Jesus acts JUST like that to me.

[@Nihyre]

I am Laura Croft, the heroine. Ready to find my treasure. - Some Lady

[@nessamillikan6247]

The “Laura” spelling really seals the clueless tourist vibes for me.

[@trewmartens]

That girl has definitely played tomb raider

[@regularshowman3208]

As a massive Tomb Raider fan, that part killed me.

[@m0chikim_]

for some reason I'm mesmerised by this profile picture. I don't know what it is.

[@towelclipz]

@@m0chikim_ It's the protagonist of Dragon Quest: Echos of an Elusive Age, but as a fish

[@Gold_Tail]

5:10 Whoa whoa whoa. i worked at kings island and i know for a fact that that girl is NOT tall enough to get on the ride.

[@jackstevens3123]

I thought the same

[@wolfhawk1999]

Put that on her gravestone

[@hotaru8309]

Yes. Unfortunately it can never be stressed enough. If you're not sure, make sure they're at least an inch or two over. Getting to ride the cool ride and avoiding a sad child missing out isn't worth that child's life and the life of others that may also be caused by not meeting height/weight requirements. Never pad shoes or tiptoe or "close enough" it. No amount on holding firmly onto your child can keep them safe in a ride where the restraints themselves may pose a danger to them. You might be strong, but you're not steel. Love your child and protect others.

[@chazzwozzio]

She was never seen again

[@slsthewriter1299]

Yeah, I'm hoping it was done for the video and she actually didn't get to go on.

[@sioframuirne9309]

I usually don't stop mid video to comment noted flaws, but the fact that he just brushes past a Face Off themed roller coaster is an utter sin. I require at the very least a 5 part series on how they even convinced Mr.Paramount that Nicolas Cage's aura is safe to meld with steel

[@erinhowett3630]

I grew up in Cincinnati, and Face Off was my sister's favorite ride! All of the rides had movie themes when I was growing up. I liked Top Gun the best.

[@Readyforit7723]

@@erinhowett3630 ay it’s still there :) rough as hell but amazing

[@narioreturns7603]

I love face off

[@clabbert7694]

“You’re in Merideth, what do you say?” “Y I P P Y S K I P P Y”

[@nicholastosoni707]

[with a quietly-seething Alan Rickman voice] "By Grabthar's hammer...yippee...skippee."

[@ambervalencia1210]

The cringe that must haunt her now is probably the worst form of torture known to man

[@spaghetti-zc5on]

@@ambervalencia1210 wow two minutes ago

[@tatemitchell1479]

@@nicholastosoni707 this comment is EVERYTHING omg 🐙

[@Peace_Maker]

yes

[@crazydiamond1146]

"But who would have thought that you'd find a mysterious temple...in Ohio?" That got me. there's nothing here.

[@anneliesem.116]

just corn

[@BashW18]

Anneliese M. And 5 moderately sized cities

[@dollenrm]

Yep ohio is so boring

[@EndMePlease]

What are you talking about? Miles of corn is pretty fucking awesome

[@carsonwashere2392]

Kings island, Cedar point some of the best amusement parks in the USA

[@VDJVivacity]

"These mothafuckas thought they was Universal." was seriously the funniest thing I've ever heard in a theme park related video.

[@jimmyoverly3512]

@Thomas Wallin I'm going to say this to my family at Christmas.

[@Niya.B649]

Im dying from that lmaoo 😂 sounds like he said "these bitches" tho

[@TheZigzagman]

That guy's a hero.

[@endless_del]

​@@Niya.B649he definitely said the n word 😭

[@Ihelpertricks]

Honestly replacin the n word with mothafuckas is completely valid and relatable lol ​@endless_del

[@catherinehepburn]

A ROLLERCOASTER THEMED AFTER FACE/OFF?!!?!? What a time to be alive.

[@YuukiTakemoto1996]

They had it at Six Flags America themed after Two-Face.

[@cryarchist4218]

Now it’s invertigo and is known for the major whiplash you can get if you sit in the right seat

[@katwernery6505]

It wasn’t that great. If there was a long line for it, I would skip it and ride something else.

[@jimmyoverly3512]

When I'm a millionaire I'm going to open a Nic Cage theme park and it will have rides themed after all of the Nic Cage movies. My favorite is going to be Escape from Wickerman. I'll invite you and you can be a VIP. It will be service animal FRIENDLY.

[@lolife3636]

FACE OFF IS THE FUCKING SHIT YOU DONT GET IT UNTIL YOU RIDE IT!!!!

[@pixelapocrypha]

Theme Park Management: *slaps abandoned building* This bad boy can fit so many seasonal haunted houses in it.

[@MorriganAtwood]

I stood in line for 2 and a half hours for this ride on opening day, and it did not disappoint. We did not know what the ride was -- outside the queue they did have a two-seater version of what the rig would be inside, so that people could test it to see if it was comfortable for them. My friend and I were certain it had to be an indoor roller coaster like the Outer Limits (Flight of Ear), another attraction in the park. We couldn't see the stage when we were strapped in because of the fog (and some of us had our shoes taken away with no explanation), and seeing the walkways fold away from the stage seating was so ominous and cool -- we couldn't wait for it to begin. Excited screams abound when the lights went out and then the first thing we could see in the fog were the statue's glowing eyes. That's when we began to move -- and lots of what they describe in the video is as it was on opening day. You could feel the chill of dripping water from the stalagtites, the blast of heat when held over the water. My friend and I were clasping hands and screaming our heads off, and it was amazing. What did disappoint was coming back only a year later to find out how much the experience had declined due to mechanical issues. MOST of the water effects were already gone within a year of Tomb Raider opening, before it was even rebranded. The fog machine was gone (so you could see the goddess statue, all the hidden effects, everything, and you didn't feel the mist from the icicles anymore. Honestly I can't even remember if the water jets in the lava part were even still there. We soon found out why: Later that day we would find out that if we'd waited to ride Tomb Raider again instead of running straight to it as soon as we got there, we might have had some misfortune: the ride had to be shut down because it had frozen with a full passel of parkgoers trapped on it until they could be gotten down. People talked about one of the reasons there were fewer water features is that it was affecting the equipment, causing it to stick in places, and I guess it still was.

[@thecoasterscoop7015]

Dang. That’s crazy. Wish I would’ve been able to experience it

[@drpicklephd]

you writing abt you and your friend holding hands on the ride the first day literally made me saw "awww" out loud, i love those awesome experiences w friends that you never forget!!

[@rachelc.2185]

I'm so glad I got to experience this ride before it went downhill as well. It was such a mysterious ride and was definitely amazing.

[@LuizAlexPhoenix]

Wow, a rare instance where the early adopters didn't get to be test subjects for those issues.

[@MorriganAtwood]

Conversely: Opening day was around when they'd just taken the loop out of Son of the Beast and with the rumors, everybody in our group just sort of collectively went "that feels like a long time to wait in line when you're just gonna die."

[@whiskeyandwaffles]

5:13 and then Meredith went flying because she wasn't tall enough for the seat. Yipee Skippee

[@danielmullins9953]

Whiskey and Waffles what I noticed is he called her babe, kinda creepy.

[@cryptidliker5294]

YIPEE SKIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEEEEREEREeeeeeEeeeeee

[@siramaytheshowgundragon]

Sol Campbell we should.make a meme out of this

[@bulbies3010]

Jesus, thats dark.

[@ewy6208]

thatRaGe It's facts

[@ENCHANTMEN_]

The narration of the riders was so inane. "WOW, WE'RE ON AN AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE!" "WOW! THERES A BIG STATUE OF A HINDU GODDESS!" "WHOA, NOW WE'RE GOING UP AND DOWN AND SPINNING!" "WOW, THAT LOOKS LIKE LAVA!" "AMAZING, WE'RE AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK! IN OHIO! ON EARTH! AND BREATHING OXYGEN!"

[@pryingeyes1551]

Yeah, we could see what was happening.

[@ldudley2]

That's just how it is in Ohio.

[@megaduck7965]

“If I had 8 arms I’d be angry too !” 😂

[@1bigbeatlesfan]

🤣

[@jamescrow4915]

Trying to over hype a piddly carnival ride will do that

[@gloriamcclamma454]

I think the show building for Tomb Raider: The Ride should've been covered with jungle foliage to make it more believable.

[@elnicko4189]

That’s what the outside looks like now even though it closed

[@erinwren465]

As someone who rode Tomb Raider a lot, but also has worn glasses all her life, this episode was both nostalgic and enlightening. I've never gotten to see the what the ride actually looked like while in motion. So neat!

[@soniaasfora3901]

8ijjjjn

[@SrGurkman]

Erin Wren eyeglass retainers rule

[@24fretsoffury]

This X 1000. Having to ask the attendants before each ride, “what about muh glasses??” is a real first world problem. You learn the hard way real quick when you get on a roller coaster for the first time at 8 years old and nearly lose your glasses. Shit, I feel your pain. Amusement parks aren’t that fun for the legally blind when you have to take them spectacles off.

[@GraveyardRomance]

@@SrGurkman my friend rode wearing those sport glasses that are supposed to stay on during like... well, sports... This ride ate those things 😂

[@snowrunetunes6252]

@@GraveyardRomance i thought i was soo slick bringing the spectacles the army gave me, the ones with the dorky headband. i mean, they're grunt proofed to stay on your noggin, right? gone in seconds admittedly it was on a local park's ride called "The Gigantic Cannon". i have only myself to blame.

[@syko.uk.]

Y I P P I E S K I P P I E

[@bearbrotha]

yibby skibby

[@peterj1979]

Get it, babe.

[@thattailsguy8142]

What is Yippee Skippe

[@willb9176]

TheCinciBoy02 A reference to 5:15

[@ryanj.p.4290]

I openly laughed at that part!

[@rattyeely]

I'm honestly so fascinated with Tomb Raider: The Ride. The concept of taking a off-the-shelf flat ride but then giving it Universal-quality theming is such a great idea, and I'd love to see more rides in this style. Why is it only roller coasters, boat rides, and omnimovers that get detailed theming most of the time? I want to see more of the common traveling fair thrill rides given this treatment

[@suspended_top_spin]

Agreed. Talocan (Phantasialand, Germany) is a Huss suspended top spin with awesome theming. Unfortunately, it has some issues nowadays with the program and effects not matching the music that well anymore, but before 2019, it was a great experience even for those who didn't want to ride it themselves and preferred watching.

[@christianscott8889]

Who knew I could become so emotionally attached to a KZbin series over broken and abandoned roller coasters. Great to have you back!

[@SnowDouble]

Watching this video breaks my heart. Ive never wanted to experience something so bad in my life and the fact that i never will be able to ride the original Tomb Raider ride hurts my soul.

[@lesigh3410]

Aight bois, we building a time machine

[@skivvy3565]

Omg. A ride that makes the act of waiting in line an immersive experience and part of the ride??? I cannot think of a better way to make the queues more tolerable. Especially with the production value it looks even better than walking into a full movie set, the level of detail was amazing. I almost appreciate that part more than even the ride itself haha

[@agxryt]

Expedition everest is a lot like this. The line for that ride is just stellar.

[@evil1by1]

Thats the 1 thing I miss about paramount operating kings island, the themeing and even the queue design was much better. The outer limits was great when it first opened between the effects and staff it really felt like you were in area 51 and "something" was about to happen. It was all promptly ruined and taken out once paramount started looking for buyers. Son of beast was pretty great too but I'm not sorry it left.

[@AuraMaster_7]

I mean, it's pretty standard at heavily themed parks like Disney and Universal. It's not some crazy new innovation. It's just rare for a seasonal park that focuses more on coasters.

[@jorunnafunebris8413]

Flight of Fear still has a themed queue line! It also seems like Cedar Fair is trying to bring it back with Mystic Timbers, Orion, and the Adventure Express revamp; but I definitely miss the Paramount days

[@GMMReviews]

Seriously though, why wasn't this called the *Tomb Rider* ?!?

[@RvBnerd618]

Well because it was technically based off the movie, but Tomb Raider is a video game series so hey, why not throw us gaming nerds a bone and say this was a good example of how a ride based off a video game should be.

[@WendY-hd3fd]

@@RvBnerd618 name me one ride that's based on videogames except this one

[@endryus4269]

Scadadle scadodle

[@ericbazinga]

@@WendY-hd3fd Until Universal finishes their upcoming Nintendo-themed park sections, I got nothing

[@WendY-hd3fd]

@@ericbazinga exactly

[@DokkaChapman]

That's such a sad tale. The Tomb Raider ride seems to be the perfect way to create an attraction. Shame that a load of guys in suits had to ruin it.

[@Shiirow]

thats usually how it goes. people who know so little about something and never experience it, have control of its future and subsequently ruin the experience because focus testing gives them a false impression. Im pretty sure all of these defunctland episodes can be summed up as "loads of guys in suits, ruined the fun".

[@hudsonk1racer]

that's viacom for you: making sure every good thing is ruined somehow!

[@AlphaAndDeltaCh]

I swear, these days, these men in suits ruin everything! And it's not just theme park rides!

[@ashleyshim2078]

hudsonk1racer ikr I hate Viacom!

[@iluvyurbles]

all that money spent on this ride? down the toilet. Sad isn't t

[@majoraswrath8316]

"...saw guests searching for the Triangle of Light, an object that can manipulate time." Shouldn't... that... be the Triangle of TIME?

[@lindzmiester9698]

Triforce confirmed!!!

[@CdrChaos]

Traveling at light speed allows you to travel through time.

[@annalisa32]

@@lindzmiester9698 To be fair the Triforce hasn't got anything to do with time manipulation 👀

[@blackheartzerotheundergrou3225]

@@annalisa32 As a Wish-Granting device, one might guess the Triforce _could_ in-theory do Time Travel, but yeah; that isn't all it can do...

[@annalisa32]

@@blackheartzerotheundergrou3225 Oh that's true

[@-cosmicrogue-]

I tried to ride Tomb Raider on three different visits. Each time it was closed for maintenance. Then I finally rode it....as the Crypt. * Sigh * Now I finally get to see what it was like in all of its glory. And I'm truly sad I never got to experience it.

[@clsnip017]

Man I rode it several times, it was amazing. Such a shame. I almost fell out of it a few times because I was tall but had very narrow shoulders (I was around 8 at the time) its was one of my favorite rides along with son of beast. I'm sorry you only got to ride the ruined version

[@xingcat]

As an amateur set designer, I wish I could get my hands on all the defunct themed rides' props and set dressings. What a waste to have things just sitting there, unloved.

[@emjenkins464]

Me too. I love the look of some of the props.

[@YokiDokiPanic]

Same! I spent 5 of my 9 years in art school doing visual merchandising and set-design. Things like these break my heart ='C

[@definingimage]

xingcat you'd cry if you saw what happened to the Phantom Theatre props

[@clairetaylor8929]

Tony Amdi what happened to em?

[@definingimage]

Claire Taylor shoved in the old house at the beginning of to property till all the latex melted off of they props

[@nekopaganasmr9021]

Worked here as a ride op in 2004 and just found this video :) By that time a lot of the theming elements were already broken or on their way out (mostly lighting effects), and the ride was having a lot of issues. We had to manually open and close the big round door (unless it decided to work that day) until they gave up and just left it open. The ride itself had a lot of power and hydraulic problems and would randomly e-stop itself. Seats were blocked off to help with some issue causing it to e-stop, which helped, kind of. There was a LOT of downtime in general though. While the ride was REALLY cool, I’m not surprised that Cedar Fair put zero effort into the retheme and gave up on it.

[@Stickstack99]

That's maybe the saddest defunctland episode ever. What a waste of a ride. Could've challenged the monopoly of Universal and Disney

[@topdamagewizard]

For the life of me I don't know why King's Island didn't just lean into Star Trek.... HARD

[@ariloveshouse]

Topdamagewizard I agree! No one in the comments seemed to catch that Klingon at 17:32 I thought it was so odd lol

[@AussieDragoon]

@@ariloveshouse One of the montages showed people in Starfleet Uniforms on ice skates. I want to know what that was a bout. Was Ice Trek a thing?

[@Clay3613]

They did, but not at Kings Island. Carowinds had a Borg coaster.

[@mollyb6762]

@@AussieDragoon I've heard about there being a Star Trek on Ice show based on The Next Generation.

[@workself1487]

@@AussieDragoon I'm almost 100% sure the clip of the people in starfleet uniforms on skates are from the short lived Star Trek on ice. I believe there is a clip from it on here somewhere.

[@PsychedelicCharm]

It's sad to see such a unique and innovative approach to creating immersive rides go to waste like that.

[@andyjay729]

"Who would've thought you could find a mysterious temple in Ohio?" You'd think the producers of Mysteries at the Museum and Expedition Unknown would've known about the Mound Builders.

[@Whatlander]

HONESTLY.

[@JustinY.]

I'm glad I found this channel, these videos fulfill my niche interests

[@kiand9433]

Look! A Justin Y. comment with no replies! Oh wait-

[@gothicwebby2097]

HES HERE TOO???

[@shalonanwar6882]

Wow is this the least liked Justin Y. comment?

[@sugarrusheb]

H-how??? You are EVERYWHERE!!!

[@keonbush6135]

Top 5 comment replies :)

[@browneyes3464]

It is sad that this great ride was destroyed. I remember begging my mother to be there opening day to ride it. It was my favorite ride in the whole park. I remember riding it after the changes and it was not the same, I was severely disappointed and saddened by the changes. I honestly believe Kings Island will probably never get another ride as great as Tomb Raider again.

[@TheVegetarianBaker]

Didn’t know how lucky I was to be able to ride this ride years ago.

[@jimbabwe8070]

The Vegetarian Baker when I went to Kings islands the ride was closing the year I went

[@Katecrumbs]

Same! It was my first “thrill ride”

[@MagikRabbitt]

Same. This video really took me back and appreciate those parts of my childhood.

[@Puddicure]

Same for me! It really changed my entire MO for amusement parks for the rest of my life. I only learned about the change after going back to the park in late high school for Fear Fest.

[@ryanocerus7853]

Yeah, I got to ride it. My brother-in-law was not happy after riding this thing. Lol. Is it still around as The Crypt? Bc it'd be the same thing. It was a original yet generic premise. Fictional goddess engraving, and then the stalagtites and lava. That's it. Think of Tomb Raider 1 and the generic, copy-paste blocks that made up a tunnel. Then there's the ride's room, then another generic tunnel and...the end. The only diff would be the name and a lack of a Lara Croft standee out front. I forget if it was the game's or Angelina Jolie, actually. I'd say game. Jolie's likeness would only add to the cost of the copyright, which they didn't seem to keep for too long.

[@nicholasbarbera3879]

A new Defunctland season? YIPPIE SKIPPY!

[@fwl8871]

Nicholas Barbera u

[@Juniperjellybeans]

As a born and raised Cincinnatian, this video was like going through the twilight zone. I grew up right next to this and rememberer this theming vividly! I never thought kings island was on the same level as universal or Disney but learning this history is wild for me. So interesting

[@jacyraynebow3173]

Why would a Hindu goddess be copyrighted?

[@okami6399]

I haven't seen the Tomb Raider movie all the way through, so this is just a guess but maybe the statue was designed JUST like how it appeared in the movie so using it was technically copy write infringement. But yeah, you'd think that ancient deities would be public domain.

[@sinistropteryx3113]

IKR, it’s like copywriting the crucifix

[@sinistropteryx3113]

Though the depictions this ride has of Hindu deities is... questionable.

[@ericbazinga]

Maybe the specific design of the goddess was copyrighted

[@SamuraiX6288]

Jesus Christ ©️

[@lionessblack]

Being a Midwesterner, there are so few rides I see on this channel that I've actually ridden, but I rode this one multiple times, and damn, it was fun. I have very vivid memories of the first time I rode it.

[@RM_VFX]

It's surprising that the IP issues couldn't be fixed with a pretty inexpensive reskin--it was basically down to the design of the statue and the triangle, and the movie footage in the pre-ride. So project a static logo on the screen, cover up the most recognizable bits of the pre-show set with some generic hindu-esque garden statues, and record a new intro voiceover. Keep the soundtrack for the ride without the specific movie samples and drop in a more generic music track if needed. Even draping strategic pieces of cloth or overgrown foliage with a repaint here and there could have changed the statue design enough to save the ride. If Paramount wants to sue after that, THEN you shut it down.

[@eins2001]

The company that took over didn't give a flying fuck, though.

[@johnepants]

eins2001 Dick Kenzel had a real issue with theming for some reason. I remember that Flight of Fear lost it’s que line story as well. After he retired, Kings Island has done a better job at theming their rides, unfortunately Tomb Raider was already gone by that point.

[@eins2001]

@DamageIncM I mean they didn't care about the ride itself. Instead of trying to keep it similar minus the IP they just let it go to shit.

[@elnicko4189]

@@eins2001 yeah we have Adventure Express and they could’ve just used molds from there or retheme it after it

[@commandernomad2817]

I cant get over the fact that at no point in this 22 min video did even _mention_ the tomb raider coaster at Canada's wonderland. It was a different kind of coaster but it went through all the same business stuff. And it actually was reskinned and is still around today and changed to time warp. All the old rides at Canada's wonderland that were based off of movies were kept but reskinned, like the top gun coaster being renamed to flight deck, or the Italian job coaster changed to Backlot stunt coaster. Its actually frustrating Canada's wonderland wasn't even mentioned in passing in this video.

[@fyrfyter33]

Live in Cincinnati and rode this many times. It was truly an awesome ride. It was also a maintenance nightmare. It spent many days closed or only open for a few hours. That’s why the first row was removed. Trying to lighten the gondola and cut down on maintenance and issues. As Tomb Raider I loved it. As the crypt it was awful. By far, the best effect was the lava. The lights and fountains wouldn’t come on until you were upside down and lowering towards it. They added zippered pockets in front of the seats, due to the number of dropped items from hanging upside down. We were riding it once when it went it went into shutdown mode at the end of the cycle. A loud buzzer went off, we did an extra flip and all the normal lights inside came on. You could see everything. They had to get maintenance to inch the ride back into place with controls, lower the ramps one at a time, and then release us from the OTSRs. That was interesting. They did it really quickly. I’m guessing it wasn’t the first time.

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

fyrfyter Imagine how much rings fell victim to the lava

[@fyrfyter33]

Probably not as many as you think. Rings are usually fairly tight on most peoples fingers. It sounds like they lost more cell phones to it than anything else.

[@frankeewagner]

fyrfyter I remember your username from PKI Central! Lol.

[@CoasterMasterMedia1]

Thank you for giving me credit for the queue video! I am glad I could contribute to this video. Keep up the good work!

[@legendofhayden]

I can’t imagine riding this on the first day and having absolutely no idea what was about to happen

[@aidenn3602]

This series I legitimately so well put together

[@Foxy02016]

Aiden N yeah

[@futuremiIf]

*screams into my empty house* DEFUNCTLAND SEASON 2!!!

[@Rose-zd3rs]

dank memes same

[@therealZThaDon]

Lol

[@bulbies3010]

Dank Memays.

[@CorporalPig22]

17:44 WAIT A MINUTE!!! They had a LazyTown-themed ride?!

[@sentientblender]

YAR HAR FIDDLE DE TEE DOIN’ A PARK RIDE IS ALRIGHT WITH ME PAY TO GET IN ‘CAUSE A TICKET AIN’T FREE YOU’RE ON A PARK RIDE

[@eins2001]

@@sentientblender that was beautiful!

[@bowlofpasta8846]

What if we kissed 😳 in the sportacoster ♥️🤔

[@ninjapistol14]

Yep! It was alright but it was for the Lil kids

[@johnnyweissmuller5559]

And even a Fairly Odd Parents coaster.

[@SabresRockfilms]

oh my god... i never realized Drop Zone was named after a movie...

[@jordynfreetage]

Jamie Rogers it's still named that too

[@NotAHero123_7]

Nah, its drop tower now

[@TammieSuehiro]

Me neither! This video is the only way I found out lol

[@soidigress]

I’m absolutely stunned, floored by this review. It feels like the late owners either did not understand the appeal of the tomb raider ride or just couldn’t afford the replacements to maintain its exquisite delivery. Such an incredible case study! Mind blowing research as always Defunctland!!! Bravo

[@LostInNumbers]

*A dark Top Spin!* It was a frigging dark Top Spin! That's amazing.

[@amishcar]

Giant Top Spin aka the only one ever to have existed on the planet Earth. (Never been to any other planets). It Was AMAZING.

[@TheSkepticalmonkeys]

Its amazing how much better you are at editing and adding effects to the videos since the first one. you deserve way more subs for the quality you're putting out

[@RRRRRaa]

'She's talking in hindu now' Gotta love Americans.

[@kellyweingart3692]

lol

[@kellyweingart3692]

hindu 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@lindzmiester9698]

These idiots don’t represent all of us at all

[@carolingian5736]

To be fair Hindi is a legitimate language

[@Spameggssausage]

@@carolingian5736 so is Hindustani, but Hindu is a religion!

[@tinglesrosyrupeeland]

this is absolutely heartbreaking!! I forgot I was watching defunctland for a while and got so excited at how awesome this attraction seemed...

[@LadyWhiteRabbit]

It pains me so much to have never experienced a Tomb Raider ride. Lara's my hero and it would mean the world to me to experience something from her world. Thanks for opening season 2 with this one.

[@clubmayday]

H E A V I L Y T H E M E D T O T A L L Y I M M E R S I V E D A R K R I D E A D V E N T U R E

[@mariopikaman1]

T O M B R A I D E R T H E R I D E

[@jameskkm]

BUZZWORD BUZZWORD DESCRIPTION OF RIDE TITLE.

[@valkyriev8559]

JUST TELL ME W H A T I T IS

[@TheMadjake50935]

I A M L A R A C R O F T T H E H E R O I N E

[@kevinpenfold1116]

I can barley imagine how face off got made as a movie. The fact that it needed up being a ride is just WILD

[@RobsRides]

Great video! Thanks for the shout out!

[@Defunctland]

Thank you for making great videos!

[@HamptonHorsewear]

I tried to ride this when it was still Tomb Raider and it broke down while we were in the restraints, the gimble-platform had disengaged from the locked position by about 3 feet and….we were stuck. Loud pounding drums, tight restraints that allowed for no movement other than forearms and legs. I had the most frightening claustrophobic panic attack of my entire life. I even had trouble watching this video, my experience was so terrible. I screamed and cried trying to get out. We were stuck on this ride for over 20 minutes while they re-booted it 3 times and the operator finally just had to override it to get the platform locked back into place. Before this I did not know I was extremely claustrophobic. I would consider myself a person with a pretty good bead on life (in general😉) but my experience on this ride did a number on me, and to this day, 14 or 15 years later, it’s still something I can’t recall without feeling some pretty intense fear. I’m glad the ride was removed but still pretty pissed that after all the terrible panic and fear, I never got to ride the damn thing.

[@ernie39]

thats such a bummer agh!

[@37Dayzzz]

"These b*tches thought they were Universal Studios."

[@dockingtwo3403]

I have a weird fear of unused big things. I don’t know what it is but stuff like that huge statue just sitting there in the dark right next to you freaks me out

[@heelstevenmaggle5615]

"You hear Angelina Jolie's lips."

[@KarstensCreationsKC]

14:48 "Looking at a line of seats...resembling a Little Caesar's advertisement." "You hear Angelina Jolie's ....LIPS!" Can I buy some pot from you?

[@CoasterStudios]

Very nice video! I never got around to riding Tomb Raider, and did not realize just how cool of an attraction it was. It's too bad it's no longer around, but the Crypt at Kings Dominion isn't half bad! Glad my footage could be of some use to you- keep up the good work!

[@AlexLikesToons]

Coaster Studios Oh hai Taylor!

[@ThrillRider247]

taylor is nothing special we have the floorless model.. at our park. and from rumors they about to take it out.. like what knotts did to theirs. if you been on one you been on them all. i call it the head banger. i get really bad headaches after it ..

[@Lost_n_Found_1]

ThrillRider247 It's one of those "you just had be there" type of things. It was a unique experience for the time, and was not like any top spin I had been on before. It didn't just swing around. The movement was programmed as if you were repelling and spelunking in a tomb. The darkness, effects, pre-show, and soundtrack also really submerged you with the experience. So, I must inherently disagree with you. You haven't ridden them all if you've ridden one type of it, lol.

[@littleferrhis]

IDK the Crypt at kings dominion is fun when the line for the volcano is way too long, but I would not be surprised if it got torn down soon because no one rides it really.

[@reillymcwriting]

Coaster Studios Hi Taylor! You’re awesome!

[@Adamguy2003]

My cousins and I went on it once when it was the Crypt. We were so unbelievably disappointed with it that I christened it with a new nickname: The Crapt.

[@jamescrow4915]

Having run my share of top spin rides if you get it going just right it could be the "taking a crapt" of course the smaller models can be manually controlled

[@TheLambdaTeam]

No wonder. It could NEVER compete wit' Tomb Raider.

[@charlieapples9373]

*DAMN YOU COPYRIGHT LAW* *IS THERE NOTHING SACRED THAT YOU WON’T DEFILE?*

[@jonathansparks882]

I had NO idea what this rise was when I was a kid and first got on it. My dad sat next to and noticed the giant arms on the side connecting into the platform on seats. He then leaned over and said " This whole thing is going up " and he laughed when he saw the look on my face as I turned over to him. I can still remember how much I screamed when the whole PLATFORM was doing 360 spins.

[@ChaoticRaze]

Yes the genius commentary was brilliant, I especially love how he commented on which way the ride was going.

[@AnonymOus-ss9jj]

@brmbly Hindi is a real language, and so is it's register Hindustani. To slip up and say Hindu is easily understandable, and vowel substitutions are often considered part of an accent not an error anyways. However, if Shiva wasn't speaking Hindi at all then I guess it is kind of funny.

[@sabrinabiot7030]

The version at Canada's Wonderland was/is completely different. You climb a step or two onto this flat contraption, stick your head onto a headrest, and the ride operator closes the cage thing on the back so you don't fall out (all while the cart is moving). Then it lowers so you're lying on your stomach and doing all kinds of flips and turns.

[@brianfoss571]

Yes...and? This video is about the Kings Island ride, which was much more advanced / unique. Canada's Wonderland got a Zamperla Volare, a cheap (mostly horrible) carnival-scale coaster with a dozen-ish installations worldwide, which had no business going to a major seasonal park. When it's removed, it will not be worthy of a Defunctland episode. Not even slightly.

[@runawayz28]

​@brianfoss571 they're just pointing out how different the rides are even though they're both named tomb raider and they're both at paramount parks. I live in Canada and have been on Wonderland's tomb raider ride many times, including the season when the ride first opened. So before the video started I thought it would be about that ride (though you're right in that it's not that interesting so I wasn't sure WHY there would have been a video made about it)

[@AroundIndiana]

We use to go to Kings Island every year and the Paramount years were my favorite. I loved the movie theming at the park.

[@L_Qu]

ReviewsTechNow I feel the same way about Kings Dominion

[@ratrap1984]

Its totally the same for Kings Dominion. Hopefully they hold on to some of those pre-Paramount rides.

[@abiwonkenabi7027]

I still call Top Gun, Face-Off, and all those rides by their Paramount names. Cedar Fair makes some great coasters, but I always preferred theming in my theme parks. Guess that's why I've always favored Disney.

[@L_Qu]

Abiwon Kenabi I agree, my wife and I just got back from Universal Studios. I’m not a Harry Potter fan by any stretch, but my wife is. I have to say I was very impressed by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

[@YuukiTakemoto1996]

@@abiwonkenabi7027 That's why I love Six Flags (I'm a DC Comics nerd)

[@MKLettis]

That was probably the most depressing ending for a ride ever. Damn you licensing and copyright!

[@thedevilgoose2482]

*"yippy skippy!"* I wish I felt that level of happiness in my life..

[@mightyfilm]

Did...did that guy just say "Scooby-Doo and all those people?"

[@MattGarZero]

mightyfilm "Those people". Blatant toonaphobia.

[@theresacherco9543]

Lol

[@xwaterlilyx]

Season 2! and a full 20 minute episode! My day couldn't get any better.

[@lumenlights3384]

i miss when kings island was owned by paramount. all the themed rides were so cool. and i loved this ride. you had no idea what it was until it started which made it even more fun. you just had to wait in the dark strapped into your seat and see what happened lmao

[@ElectedNews]

I’m serious man. How have you not pitched this series to any tv networks??

[@Supersquigi]

I bet lots of parent companies wouldn't like the stuff that he dishes out about the truth of these attractions and companies, even if it is relatively unbiased.

[@aww2593]

@@brutallyhonest123 lmao holy shit man, enjoy life, no need to get so pissed at nothing

[@LostApotheosis]

@@brutallyhonest123 Had a rough day?

[@edenjaycollins6055]

@@brutallyhonest123 bad day?

[@moonkingdomify]

because you can make more money independently than on a tv network currently.

[@oIRONITEo]

Part of the problem with Tomb Raider was that Paramount didn't get the chassis weather treated because it was indoors, but it couldn't handle the effects because of this, and then when they had to change everything to the crypt they upped the intensity to deal with the lack of effects. Because the Giant Top Spin was a prototype by Huss it couldn't handle the intensity of the ride cycle and tore itself apart. The ride was rarely operating during the parks hours, and eventually it became unpopular and then it didn't open the next year and was removed. So tired of seeing this big ass box, and random cave in the middle of rivertown

[@dylanwalters9255]

I've been going to to Kings Island for numerous years now and feel the same way. With Whitewater Canyon's new entrance, you always pass by the bloody thing. It's also funny to realise that there's a black tarp of sorts over The Crypt sign.

[@oIRONITEo]

Dylan Carroll never understood why they just didn't take it down lol

[@dylanwalters9255]

I know they tried their damnedest to save the ride in 2011 by turning the lava pit back on and illuminating the goddess, but it wasn't enough.

[@oIRONITEo]

Dylan Carroll yeah by that time the ride had torn itself apart so much they had to go to such a basic ride cycle to avoid down time it was pointless to keep it around.

[@frankeewagner]

The Thomahawk The real problem was calibrating for weight. You needed to spread the weight out evenly between 70+ passengers. Any time one side was heavier the ride would shut down. This is why they removed one of the rows to try and make it easier to have the weight spread out evenly. But ultimately it didn’t help much.

[@KyrieFortune]

"Instead of Jaws, they had Face/Off" that sounds like a win to me

[@mariopikaman1]

Wow! Wasn't that amazing? But hey, it's magic!

[@ARMIV4]

Aw man, Tomb Raider had this ride and I never even knew about it. There's no hope for that Legacy of Kain darkride I've been dreaming about all these years then...

[@Skullkan6]

Arik Morales at the very least cut the sound and talk over it

[@Shiirow]

even if there was a legacy of kain darkride, it would be around for a couple years until some guy in a suit decided to chase another money trail and destroying it for a new fad ride.

[@PhazonEnder]

This was an amazing ride, the world is a sadder place without it.

[@MrKenpachiRamasama]

I’ve only just discovered your channel but god damn. You have an insane amount of production value and the videos are actually well thought out and properly researched for. Fucking awesome job man

[@robertmckinnon7003]

Cedar Fair doesn’t understand story; theming; or, immersive experiences.

[@coast2coasterreviews540]

Well, I mean, that is true at some level, but I don't know if it's fair to blame them for this. KI's transition from Paramount to Cedar Fair wasn't smooth, certainly, but what were they supposed to do with ride like this that was essentially a product of a very specific movie?

[@RY30DM]

It's not their wheelhouse, so to speak. I think it's a shame what happened to The Italian Job rides too.

[@randomfools808]

They destroyed the super Six Flags/Sea World park too.

[@Amsayy]

Yeah Canada’s wonderland was a lot cooler when paramount had it branded

[@abiwonkenabi7027]

@CSJDrums Yeah let us Midwesterners just pop over to a Disney or Universal theme park. Not like the closest ones are 8+ hours away. Like Rob's Rides was saying, Cedar Fair kind of has Ohio hostage. They are the only options for miles, other than I believe a Six Flags in Louisville I think? Which, again, they are thrill ride parks, not particularly skilled at the theme side of things.

[@lubs-ridesattractions3137]

With the help of this video, I was finally able to recreate a full virtual recreation of this legendary ride. It truly was the best attraction in the Midwest during the Paramount years. Thanks for the research help, Defunctland! 🙏🏼

[@pizzafroth1521]

Your recreation is INCREDIBLE!!! I owe you immensely for it.

[@pizzafroth1521]

I hope you read this one day. I can't thank you enough for your recreation.

[@MinddKidzag]

11:52 - 12:12 Him describing everything reminds me of Arnold Schwarzenegger's play-by-play DVD commentaries.

[@drebbmebben5322]

I was just going to say, sitting next this guy would be a nightmare. I know we're being lifted up. I know that's a big goddess statue! YES! I know we are spinning now!

[@maxpowers3993]

JoJo narration. He reminds me of Speedwagon lol.

[@JigglyCox]

Great video! Been dying for defunctland to return!!!

[@alexandria1663]

I'm so beyond happy I got to ride this in it's original state, it immediately became one of my favorite rides. I was so heartbroken to come back year after year and watch it get worse each time. Look how they massacred my boy you guys.

[@Karasaph]

great video. And it shows once again: "Copyright destroys art"

[@TriWaZe]

They could sell the rights with the park but clearly in this case and in most cases they didn't include it in the deal. Even though they paid crazy money for it. Maybe they had the option and just weren't willing to cough up the funds but more than likely CBS was just like nah you can't use it period.

[@epicphail2926]

YES KINGS ISLAND! This is my home and God do I remember this ride haha

[@bishopalexander6617]

This takes me back to when i had a season pass to great america. The ride was rebranded to firefall and you could ride it over and over again because there was hardly ever a line. In my opinion, it was the best ride in the park. It sucked coming back the next year to see that it had been taken out of the park entirely with no warning...

[@Soonjai]

Great Video, the Ride looks awesome and the original ride program just sound nuts. I would kill to ride this in it´s original form without knowing what´s coming. That being said there is still a licensed Tomb Raider Ride left. It´s called "Tomb Raider: The Machine" and it is in Italy´s Movieland Park. It´s a Zamperla Windshear, a variation of the Top Spin Ride that can tilt the gondola by rotating both arms into different positions and it will spin gueasts around while at those wierd angels. Not nearly as well themed as the original ride shown here, but the ride program itself makes it worth a ride if you are at the park.

[@WickedWonder1979]

Soonjai I rode Tomb Raider without knowing what was supposed to be inside or anything about Tomb Raider itself. I don't know if it was during opening season or not. I just remember loving it and being totally awed at the car motion itself, let alone the theming.

[@DanVillainFilms]

Do Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton! A man can dream. Great video as always.

[@wstine79]

Elijah Grimes and possibly The Borg Assimilator rollercoaster from Paramount's Carowinds?

[@edgarlealz]

Elijah Grimes Yes Yes Yes!

[@Imperius__Rex]

Dude, yes please! Fond memories of that as a kid!

[@hausdrache4054]

As a huge Star Trek fan, I will forever cry over the lost Star Trek themeing at Carowinds. 😭

[@Squirrelitis]

If one is going to do anything Star Trek they need to go back to the original "Star Trek Adventure" that was at Universal Hollywood in the 80's. I still have my video from being in it.

[@watcherzero5256]

Alton Towers did a great implementation of the 40 seat version called Ripsaw, opened in 1997 closed in 2015. While it didn't have elaborate theming (though the ride itself was themed well) what was great about it was it added water with the ride slowly lowering you upside down and face first towards fountains before spinning you through them several times. There was also a similar themed haunted house dark ride in the hall called Hex where the room span around the riders while they were sat in a mild pirate ship style swing creating the illusion of a fully vertical ride.

[@somebarf]

I love this channel so much, thank you

[@daveyboi4344]

This was one of my first amusement park rides and it's still one of my favorites. I will literally never forget the immaculate theming and how crazy it was. RIP.

[@linz0mbie]

This ride was seriously amazing! I still own my Tomb Raider The Ride hat from back in the day.

[@TheZigzagman]

"Get ready to experience the Far East in the Midwest." Oh no...

[@AreGeeBee]

Foreboding

[@boooster101]

If you look at the corona statistics as rollercoasters, that would be a theme park putting six flags to shame

[@PassTheMarmalade1957]

I remember watching the Son of Beast unveiling, and the crowd was SHOOK. The people at the Tomb Raider unveiling just seem to be standing there in confused silence.

[@t.a.d.k.d6580]

The intro was literally the ride. *I get it now*

[@TimperialBroadcastingAgency]

Aww, I caught Tomb Raider: The Ride right at the end of high school. It was great.

[@MagikRabbitt]

This video filled me with nostalgia and made me so so sad!! I grew up going to Kings Island every year. I loved going and hugging Scooby and Dino and they would just be randomly walking around all over the place! I loved watching the movies that the rides were named after then going and riding those rides! Tomb Raider was one of my favorites and I feel so lucky to have ridden it and to have been able to enjoy that moment of Paramounts Kings Islands life for it contributed so much to my life.