Boo Blasters on Boo Hill

[benred23]

IMHO, Boo Blasters on Boo hill is wayyyyyy more scary than it was when It was Scooby Doo. I have a 2 year old and a 7 year old who rode this ride many times last year as scooby doo and they loved it. When they left on a recent experience of the ride, my 2 year old was crying and my 7 year old, even though she was trying to be brave, looked scared as well. And My 7 year old rides The Beast and The Vortex. I think Cedar Fair made a HUGE Mistake in retheaming this ride... WHat doies everyone else think?...

[rcs]

Not having rode it with the Scooby theme, I really can't compare the two. However, I though it was pretty tame as far as scares go. The hologram near the end could be scary for some small kids, though.

[FriedOreoGirl]

I have a 4 year old and 5 & 1/2 year old both rode scooby doo and loved it. They rode boo blasters on mothers day and had a blast. They werent scared at all. They begged us to get back in line and do it again. So we did it twice. We had read on here that it might be to scary and were a little worried about it but wanted to give them a shot and they loved it. Their fave part was the skeletons with red glowing eyes. I guess it depends on each individual kid and family. Just like some kids are scared to walk up to houses and trick or treat if the house is decorated. My lil boys dont scare easy, they just laugh stuff off.

[chaddie]

I liked Scooby, not because it was less scary, but because we love the Scooby characters. BBBH is really great though and has great effects.

[Shayla_KingsIsland.Luver]

IMHO, Boo Blasters on Boo hill is wayyyyyy more scary than it was when It was Scooby Doo. I have a 2 year old and a 7 year old who rode this ride many times last year as scooby doo and they loved it. When they left on a recent experience of the ride, my 2 year old was crying and my 7 year old, even though she was trying to be brave, looked scared as well. And My 7 year old rides The Beast and The Vortex. I think Cedar Fair made a HUGE Mistake in retheaming this ride... WHat doies everyone else think?...

I Agree The Scoody Do Ride Was ft For Kids Of a yougher Age

[74Gibson]

My almost 2 yr old daughter rode it and was just really curious about it. She wasn't scared, just very initrigued. I do think it's good to expose your children to some scary things and support and ecnourage them through it. Learning to manage fear at an early age is a huge asset.

My wife and I loved. I think it's way better than Scooby and the effect at the end is really cool. I scored 1620 on my first time... for what that's worth

[dakota2112]

My 9 year old son and I both find it to be quite boring and uneventful. It seems like we're so pre-occupied with trying to find and hit the little targets, that we are pretty much oblivious to whatever's going on in the ride theming itself. But I rode it again and didn't even bother with the gun, and still found it boring.

Give me Phantom Theater back, please!

[rivertowngirl]

The sound from the Boo Blasters guns is way too loud! We put our hand over the speaker on the back and it is still too loud.

[raptor]

It's a haunted house, it's suppose to be a little scary, that's the whole point. Compared to other haunted house rides I've been on it's not that scary.

[coaster_junky]

technically speaking, boo blasters on boo hill is apart of international street, not Planet Snoopy, so although it's not as kid friendly as before it's not like they did something that should have never been done. if it was part of Planet Snoopy and it scared my (hypothetical) child, then i would most likely be upset about it, but since the ride isn't i'm taking it into my own hands letting my child ride on it.

unfortunately, i haven't been able to make it to the park yet this season to see for myself, but from what i've heard boo blasters is much more tame than past attractions that have been in that very same building.

i'm terribly sorry to hear that the ride scared your children.

[HTCO]

Just thought I would share, my record is now 3,120

[chaddie]

I think part of taking kids on Boo Blasters is to remind them that it is not real. Kids are smart and they just need to be reminded that nothing in there is real. They can close their eyes if they get scared. People are too over critical of BBBH in my opinion.

[lebeau]

I was surprised by 2 things:

1. How little had actually changed

2. How the little changes added up to a much scarier ride. Pull out Scooby and replace him with scarier creatures, and the ride no longer appeals to the same demo.

I liked Boo Blasters. It's a fine dark ride. KI needs more like it. I just wish the only family-friendly dark ride on property was less scary.

[Ffej]

First off, my history...I went to King's Island every year during the Phantom Theater era, and I just couldn't get enough of that ride. I LOVED the setting, scenery, and effects...loved the unique characters and found the animatronics particularly creepy with the maestro...loved the slow, relaxing pace with great, catchy music. I can't say enough good things about that ride, and I looked forward to riding it each visit.

When I heard it was being rethemed to Scooby Doo & the Haunted Castle, I was horrified. I couldn't believe the park was axing one of their best rides, but I thought that maybe Scooby would make up for it with cutting edge special effects, animatronics, and ideas 10 years more advanced.

I rode Scooby for the first time and was utterly disgusted. I found the cardboard cut-out style very cheap & lifeless...was annoyed by the lack of special effects, and I felt the ride in general was a huge step backwards. The redeeming factor was supposed to be the guns, but I found them inaccurate and a distraction to the ride experience.

Fast forward to Boo Blasters this year. I still generally feel the same about the ride (dull & uneventful), but it has improved over Scooby, no doubt. The fog screen is cool, and I like the addition of more animatronics. Generally though, I felt disconnected from the ride...you're just mindlessly scanning each room for targets and pulling the trigger. It could have been flowers popping up and down throughout all the rooms, and I don't think it'd make much of a difference. I just can't get over that we moved from Phantom Theater to this. This ride might have been cool for 1980, but it's so underwhelming for 2010. Again though, all these comments could have been applied to Scooby as well. The changes for 2010 were all for the better.

[bkroz]

It is very true that the ride had as Scooby and has now a "cardboard" feel. However, I think that's what both Paramount's Kings Island and Sally Corp. were going for - a cartoon-ish, 2-D style shooting game. It wasn't meant to be heavy on story or flashy effects, just a fun family ride with a much-loved character. And I believe it succeeded in that - based just on the outrage when it was first learned that Scooby was leaving, it seems that the ride did work its way into our hearts. Not necessarily because of the effects (or lack thereof), but because of Scooby's presence. Take a look at Sally's website if you don't believe me. If they wanted to do "better" or different, they could have. They have the skill to create a ride that's not blacklight and carboard cutouts, and have done it many times. It's clear that that's the look they were going for with Scooby Doo.

Boo Blasters is a fantastic ride and actually has what Scooby Doo lacked - a storyline; a villain; a goal; special effects. You'll notice that the effects that Sally added this time around are not 2-D, cartoonish figures. The skeleton scene? The roundtable chasing scene? The final Boocifer? They are real, frightening scenes enhanced by realistic, non-comical audio. Also keep in mind that beacuse of our omnimover system (as opposed to the other Paramount Park's one-car-in-a-room-at-a-time system), we don't have the same effects they do - the blacklight to regular light transition finale, the steam that erupts in front of Boocifer, the not-knowing-about-the-smoke-screen-until-you're-right-in-front-of-it, etc. The ride is great, our version just had a couple of reductions because of our ride system.

In some areas, Boo Blasters would be better off if it weren't interactive. Particularly in the second half, it's actually got a really great storyline, intense effects, and great scenes that are actually worth looking at. If the guns were removed, you could hear the really interesting sound effects, you might notice the skilled craftsmanship, and actually take in the story. On the other hand, if the guns were removed the ride would lose its much-touted "interactive" campaign, and the first half would be boring.

Also keep in mind Phantom Manor was removed partly because it had Disney-quality animatronics in a seasonal park. Do you think they would've survived to this point, anyway?

[The Interpreter]

Phantom Manor?

Also, the guns and interactive were added largely due to the fact that many, many guests were misbehaving on the old ride...so much so that Paramount attempted to limit ridership to adults accompanied by a child (of all things). This lasted...about a day...though the sign proclaiming said policy lasted longer (resulting in the ridiculous result that those sans child who abided by signs could not ride while those who ignored them could. The park at the time claimed that it did not want to damage the theming by marring the existing sign post by removing the sign. So much for those who think only current management sometimes tells tall tales!)

[Gturner94]

Phantom Manor?

Also, the guns and interactive were added largely due to the fact that many, many guests were misbehaving on the old ride...so much so that Paramount attempted to limit ridership to adults accompanied by a child (of all things). This lasted...about a day...though the sign proclaiming said policy lasted longer (resulting in the ridiculous result that those sans child who abided by signs could not ride while those who ignored them could. The park at the time claimed that it did not want to damage the theming by marring the existing sign post by removing the sign. So much for those who think only current management sometimes tells tall tales!)

Wow I never noticed that sign. Ive riden that ride for years too. Hmm I learn somthing new from you almost every day Terpy.

[CoastersRZ]

To be clear, that sign is not there now. It was added to Phantom Theater. I truly miss that ride. It was a really unique ride and I vividly remember riding it for the first time. I always seemed to ride it on almost every visit to the park. Unfortunately, Scooby Doo and Boo Blasters just isn`t as grand of a ride as what Phantom Theater was. Maybe that is in part because of Phantom Theater`s uniqueness.

[The Interpreter]

The sign lasted about three months after the one day that the policy was enforced. I am told Guest Relations got more complaints about that policy that one day than it had about anything else in years....

[flightoffear1996]

The sound from the Boo Blasters guns is way too loud! We put our hand over the speaker on the back and it is still too loud.

LOL thats why half the speakers are blown

[thejoker34]

I got into 2 cars with broken guns......

[HTCO]

I remember riding Phantom Theater for the last time... People were throwing drinks at scenery, and they had to shut down the ride. Kick them off. And start it back up again.

[Diamondback96]

I remember riding Phantom Theater for the last time... People were throwing drinks at scenery, and they had to shut down the ride. Kick them off. And start it back up again.

I don't see how that's possible. Weren't ride ops supposed to check for loose articles back then?

[HTCO]

Back then, It was much easier to carry stuff on board anywhere.

[lebeau]

I rode Phantom Theater once when I was in my late 20s. I have to admit, I thought it was pretty cheesy. But I was comparing it to Disney's Haunted Mansion and my fond memories of Enchanted Voyage. I watched a You Tube video just now to try to give it a more fair appraisal. And while I would hardly say the animatronics were Disney-level, they were certainly above what I expect from KI. All these years later, I owe PT an apology. I judged you too harshly.

[Gturner94]

To be clear, that sign is not there now. It was added to Phantom Theater. I truly miss that ride. It was a really unique ride and I vividly remember riding it for the first time. I always seemed to ride it on almost every visit to the park. Unfortunately, Scooby Doo and Boo Blasters just isn`t as grand of a ride as what Phantom Theater was. Maybe that is in part because of Phantom Theater`s uniqueness.

i know it isnt. I rode it alot as Phantom and i never saw it then. Thanks though

[Coney Islander]

It wasn't meant to be heavy on story or flashy effects, just a fun family ride with a much-loved character. And I believe it succeeded in that - based just on the outrage when it was first learned that Scooby was leaving, it seems that the ride did work its way into our hearts.

Most people who were angry about Scooby leaving were angry about losing "a part of KI's history", not about losing Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle. I'd say most people welcomed the SDATHC change... Though many were worried Cedar Fair would just close the attraction, for good.

Phantom Manor?

Also, the guns and interactive were added largely due to the fact that many, many guests were misbehaving on the old ride...so much so that Paramount attempted to limit ridership to adults accompanied by a child (of all things). This lasted...about a day...though the sign proclaiming said policy lasted longer (resulting in the ridiculous result that those sans child who abided by signs could not ride while those who ignored them could. The park at the time claimed that it did not want to damage the theming by marring the existing sign post by removing the sign. So much for those who think only current management sometimes tells tall tales!)

You know, there must be a better way to fix this problem. The most common fixes are horrible. Chicken wire, glass, crazy new park policies...

[Delirium13]

The past 2 times I've visited the park and ridden Boo Blasters, about 2 weeks apart, I've noticed that certain scenes are not lit up at all by black lights anymore and that the fog effect is no longer working. I really hope that something is done about this soon, especially with the holiday weekend coming up...

[Reon]

*Finally back to posting here after I dont even know how long*

I actually like the changes on BBoBH. Sure it may not be the best shooter ever, but keep in mind this is STILL supposed to be a family attraction. I think that the more generic theme is better for everyone than just catching the Scooby Doo crowd, and some of the stuff like the mist projection and strobe lights really add to the experience. Definately a solid attraction, and I make a point to ride it atleast once everytime I go to KI...

[Pillsberry123]

The Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom is farrrrr worse than BBoBH. I remember being terrified (in a good way) when riding that as a kid. That's the fun of amusement parks! You experience stuff you're not able to on the outside. I can also vividly remember riding Phantom Theater as a 2 or 3 year old and being terrified by it, but it didn't mentally destroy me. Looking back at it, it is probably my favorite memory of a kiddie ride at King's Island.