cdubbs727

I feel like you could probably lose Action Zone, as I'm not sure there's anything too memorable there that you couldn't just move elsewhere. Losing Antique Autos would take a really great, Christmas-y attraction. It's fun to drive through there with all the lights ... would definitely be missed. And if they ever had to close the train, I feel like that would be the final nail in the coffin for Winterfest. I think it's personally a bit too short of a train ride, but it's probably the most traditional Christmas attraction you can have an amusement park. Feels like it's essential. I wonder if they're actually losing money on the Winterfest buffet on International Street. I'm sure they sell out, but I'm also sure it's a lot of money to make all that food. I wonder if they'd be better to make it a drink-and-dessert place. Stop in, do hot cocoa with a toppings bar. Some deserts. Maybe open up the bar. Limit people to 30 minutes in there to warm up, enjoy their drinks and enjoy the view, and then keep people moving through and spending money.

Glad to see this. I like Looney Tunes, but the innocence of Peanuts has always been a nice fit with the kids' area. And honestly, anything to keep the legacy CF parks from having to appear any more like a Six Flags.

Concept art definitely seems like "Maestro Babies". But like you said, I think that's probably better for the kids.

Based on the concept art, I think you're going to be disappointed in that. But it makes sense -- this is a kids' ride. It always has been. It's probably going to be spooky, but not scary, with some humorous moment scattered throughout.

I think there's probably a lot of elasticity in what's meant by "family thrill attraction." They can say this is spooky and "thrilling" and bases are covered.

I think that interactive element is here to stay...that's what the kids seem to want. Disney has several of them; they're popular and encourage people to re-ride. I don't mind the shooting element, so long as the flashlights/blasters actually work. I'm sure this is going to be pretty screen-heavy. I do hope there are some animatronics throughout. Even Universal seems to understand the days of screen-centric rides are ending, and animatronics are the bigger draw.

Posted this in the BB thread, but I'll put it here, too: I'm a bit bummed that this apparently is going to use the same layout as BB. I really wish they'd make it a bit more fast-paced and fun (maybe I was spoiled by MIB at Universal and its spins). I also hope that, since it appears they're going to continue making it a shooter, the blasters/flashlights get a major upgrade and actually work. I would have loved for them to have placed this in The Crypt, but this is likely the cheapest option, so we'll have to sit with that eyesore empty for another year (the building itself isn't too distracting, but that empty entryway sure is). But, the concept art makes me smile. I like the new designs and the idea seems like it will straddle the line between honoring the past and making a fun new experience for families. I'm hopeful it's going to be a fun addition to the park.

On the one hand, I kind of am bummed that it sounds like this will use the same layout as BB, and will even keep the shooting concept (the flashers will probably continue to be blasters that might or might not work...hopefully they'll be overhauled). On the other hand, fun! I like the reimagined look -- definitely going for an energetic, family friendly ride, and it will hopefully straddle the line nicely between honoring the past and giving families a fun, new attraction. Not bad!

I don't know, I think you're underselling some of those and forgetting others. Orion's been a good addition to the park. Is it the biggest, most thrilling coaster in the world? No, but it's a very fun addition to the lineup. Adventure Port gave a retheme to a fairly dead area of the park. The Camp Snoopy addition is popular with kids and Soapbox Racers is a really good family coaster. They also have added good restaurants in the Brewhouse and Coney BBQ, and you left out that in 2022 they also gave International Street some much-needed improvements. They've added Carnival. I kind of hate this idea that a great investment has to be a major coaster or thrill attraction. A major part of theme park audiences is not thrillseekers but families and people who are coming to get a dose of nostalgia. I think the park's additions have been good for that -- and it might be an investment that only pays off years down the road when today's kids are old enough to bring their kids.

I'll admit that I'm kind of surprised how much love this one has, but I guess by the time it opened, I was a teenager and already was getting to be "over" the kids' section. If you were a pre-teen when this ride was operating, I can see why it has a nostalgic pull. PT was charming. Yes, it was an attempt to replicate what Disney did with Haunted Mansions. But it was a solid attempt -- it had a fun story, original characters, a genuinely good Pepper's Ghost sequence, and some fun animatronics. It was spooky without being scary. It was Disney on a regional park budget, but you could feel the creativity and love put into it. Compare that to Boo Blasters, which is Temu Haunted Mansion mixed with Temu Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. My kids like Boo Blasters because it was the first ride either of them rode at Kings Island. But I doubt there will be calls 30 years later for it to come back. My fear, though, is that PT fans might be expecting a bit too much. That original ride they loved isn't coming back; I doubt we'll see the same or even similar animatronics, and I also guess that screens will be prevalent (I really hope they change the ride system and ditch the shooting element). Maybe I'm wrong -- and at least there's still the hope they'll honor the original IP and designs, with a few musical Easter eggs. But there's also the chance this is a cheap way to placate fans and save money by slapping a Band-Aid on BB.

Don and Ryan both seem pretty confident it's a Phantom Theater reboot even before the teaser, and the breadcrumbs have been there for a bit. I think them bringing the Phantom Theater Encore show a few years back was a nice way to gauge interest (it's a shame they didn't make it a permanent addition; it was a fun show...maybe they can bring it back?). I wouldn't be surprised if they've been talking about brining Phantom Theater back for awhile, even before the Six Flags merger; it's in line with what they did a few years back with bringing the Antique Autos back and honoring the park's history. My guess is they've been figuring out the best way to do this. As much as I'd love the use of The Crypt building at the end of that video to mean they're finally going to do something with that building (beyond a maze that's used for one month of the year), I do think you're right that it's going to be a retheme of Boo Blasters. There's no reason to close that building in September if they're putting the new attraction elsewhere...unless they plan to raze part/all of the building or do something with it as part of the retheme to Looney Tunes (which I still think is happening). Will it use the same omnimover system? I hope not. It's been in use for decades and, honestly, that system feels so cheap and out of date to me. I'd love it if they could gut the building, put a new track in, maybe add some spins (ala Men in Black at Universal). Seems like if they were going to use the same ride system but just dress Boo Blasters up with screens and a few animatronics, they would be able to start after Haunt or Winterfest. Maybe they are going to clear all that out. Who knows!? It's exciting!

Park's social media announced an announcement coming 8.28. Interestingly, in the video, a crew member is walking around Boo Blasters and stops at the organ and finds a music sheet, which I would think all but confirms it's a Phantom Theater return. More interestingly, the final shot of the video was shot in The Crypt. Not sure if it's just an ending for the video or if it's teasing something going into that area (it's a very obvious cut, but could just be for dramatic effect...but it's so obviously The Crypt that it feels weird they'd include it if something wasn't coming there...they could have easily shot that moment in the queue or elsewhere in the ride instead of a wholly new building). What if the Boo Blasters building is going away and the new Phantom Theater is in the Crypt building? (But that wouldn't explain why they have to close BB in September)

Did our annual family trip from Detroit to Kings Island this year, something we've been doing for more than 40 years as a family (I was the first to go, at age 3, in 1982). We always go the final week of operations because Michigan schools aren't back in session yet, and the lines are usually less crowded this final week. Because the tennis tournament drives up hotel prices, we've started renting a large house in Hamilton; the drive's about 30 minutes from the park, but it's a good price and we don't mind the extra drive time. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about going this year, as the reports about cleanliness and operations haven't been encouraging all summer. But honestly, it felt like a good, normal Kings Island visit. The park was clean, trash wasn't overflowing, and there weren't any operations issues we noticed as out of the norm. It's a bit of a bummer that some of our favorite restaurants -- the French restaurant on International Street, particularly -- weren't open and there were no shows, but that's just the reality of going at the end of the season when staffing is a bit limited. Lines were down, particularly Thursday, when I don't think we waited longer than 15 minutes for anything except for Boo Blasters and the log flume. The Beast was running ridiculously smooth for the most part, aside from what felt like a nasty bump going into the double helix. I was worried about being too big to ride Banshee, but the expanded restraints in rows 4 and 5 were fantastic. Food was largely great. The pub burger at Brewhouse was just standard, but the tots were good. We ate at Chicken Shack for our first time and really enjoyed it. The burrito bowl at Enrique's was fantastic. But I think the honey-soy glazed beef and Brussel sprouts I got from Grain and Grill might be my favorite meal I've ever gotten at Kings Island. We did the dining plan, which saved us a good deal of money, and you get a lot of food for that price. We did a final ride on Boo Blasters, several great runs on Mystic Timbers, and what will probably be my last ride on Adventure Express because that one decided to give me unrequested chiropractic work. Staff was great. There were many people who said it was their first week -- assuming they were moved over to different locations when staff went back to school -- and aside from a few minor exceptions, they were friendly and on the ball. A good trip; I was glad to see my worries from earlier this season were unfounded.

I wonder whether the expiration of the Peanuts license plays a role. It's possible they had two areas earmarked and just recently made a decision not to renew Peanuts (if that's the way they go). If they're overhauling that area of the park, a new attraction adjacent to it is a good way to really brand it as something new. Assuming they do let the Peanuts license lapse and do plan to use that building for an attraction in 2026.

Bugs Bunny and the Phantom Theater