MaestroMan Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Well happy new year KIC its been a while since ive posted anything i just want to share my ideas of how we can upgrade our much broken ride Boo Blasters on Boo HIll. Well there was one thing that they did fix and that was Boocifer he actually worked at the end of last season. But this ride needs so major TLC. Now dont worry im not gonna start another Bring back Phantom Theater post because i know thats pointless. What i will sugest though is four basic things. 1. While waiting in the queue line instead of Fun TVs lets go back to organ music instead. I know everybody just loves to hear Let it Go for the 100th time while waiting in line for a haunted castle ride but i think we could all benefit from Kings Island installing some more loud speakers and just playing music from Bach instead. You know that song that sounds like its from Dracula that one. Heck maybe you could even put the Maestros voice in there somewhere. Have him taunt the guest without actually being there (then it really would be Phantom Theater). 2. When entering the long dark musty hallway for some reason Paramount thought it would be a good idea to cover the spooky faces with boards. Why? I can see how that wouldnt have fit Scooby. But now I think we should reincorporate sorry if thats spelled wrong, that peppers ghost effect. You know where the faces followed you as you walked. That would be so cool and its such a cool affect to go to waste it would deffienatly fit the Boo Blasters theme. It also would be fairly cheap but at least remove those boards. 3. During the ride there are several things that need fixing but mainly the blasters themselves. I rode it a few times last season and both times the guns hit nothing basically that ruins the whole ride for the kids and also the gimmick of the ride. Also the music is terrible because there really isnt any. This is where the Phantom Theater soundtrack could come in handy Kings Island owns the rights to it just play it over the loud speakers while ridding and its already ten thousand times better in the audio department. And lastly this isnt really necessary but i really strongly think we could use a few of the Phantom Theater Animatronics or Props on the ride. I know they dont look the best but they still have a charm to them. Just stick the Maestro or Houdelini in there somewhere you wouldnt even have to turn them on because some of them didnt move anyway and play there voices and Boocifer and Maestro would go great together. Ive always immagined Maestro at the part with the skeltons. Any of them would be fine considering they store them in the same building and the ride would really be awesome for the whole family. Or at least use the animatronics somewhere. They arent used for haunt anymore but they could be great theming for The Bat or Banshee. But keeping them inside would be best, They could just be like backrounds for the main attraction. And hopefully Maestro could go back to his empty balcony but really the only ideas that will probaly be reasonable and might work is the music and maybe the spooky faces. Really the organ music is key here and the Maestros voice would make it better to enhance to queue line experinece. Again the Dracula song. And you could have the Maestros voice at the end saying You'll be back! Overall I think these are fairly reasonable changes to help the struggling dark ride and they could be done quick and easy without little time, effort, or money. The music change in the queue and on the ride is simply a change in what music you are or arent playing and could easily be done but i really stress the queue line theming I really only want the organ music back while waiting in line. Well what do y'all think? I really think we should push for this considering we brought back The Bat and the Flying Eagles (sort of) so lets make it a major more enjoyably dark ride for everyone to enjoy with a little touch of help from The Phantom Theater. Thanks if you read even half of this Im sorry for making it a rant and going on forever but I really think this is a reasonable change that I hope the park listens to at least with the queue line organ music and im really passionate about Phantom and Dark Rides in general. And also congrats to the Buckeyes for bringing the trophy back home. Thank You that'll be all i hope they'll consider it. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Well what do you guys think about these ideas? Do you think the park will actually listen to anything? Im gonna try as hard as humanly possible to help make these changes. I appreciate any feedback or ideas that y'all have. And thanks Terp and JubJester for the likes. I think these minor simple changes will go a long way to help upgrade the lacking Dark Ride Department. Thanks Again for any feedback. I really posted this to see what y'all thought. Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Really like your ideas. I wouldn't mind if they took the "shoot em up" aspect completely out of the ride. It's distracting. I'd take it a step or two further and convert the attraction to a reboot of the Phantom Theater using The Curse of DarKastle ride technology...The Maestro in your face could be quite scary. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum91 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'd recommend breaking apart your ideas with paragraphs. Otherwise, many users - myself included - won't read it, as it's just a giant wall of text. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I agree with you 100% but unfortunatly i doubt the park is willing to put that much money and effort into recreating Phantom Theater. I know asking to recreate it is a little bit far fetched. But I think asking to put the music back into it and retheme the queue line with organ music and Maestro laughter is very resonable. First off it wouldnt cost anything you would just need to change the rides music and change the queue line to incorporate Organ music over a loud speaker. I think by adding in a few PT props and Phantom Theater animatronics considering they store them in Boo Blasters is also very resonable. Even adding just one, like maybe the Furnace Guys or Helga Bolvine or Houdelini or Maestro or any of them would make the ride so much more fun for adults and kids. Really the only thing that I would really like to see is Fixed Blasters and Organ Music with the Maestro's voice and laughter, along with the Phantom Theater soundtrack during the ride. Adding him saying you'll be back at the end would be very very cool and fun for the whole family. Waiting in line and stepping into a haunted castle playing classic Dracula themed music will entertain the entire family for years to come. Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate it. I have sent Don an email about it. I'll do whatever is needed to make it happen. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JubJester Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I would agree. Fix up all of the non working parts of the ride. One major one they need to fix is the guy getting chased by the skeleton (or whatever is chasing him.. can't think of it) because he just looks like a insane guy who thinks he is getting chase. (I always joke about it when I pass it) Another major one that would be neat to see fixed is the couple in the bed. I know it was working in 2013 but I don't think it was working this year. I really like your ideas, such as the queue line... get rid of the TVs! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 And ill do that for future refrence Im sorry I know it was really long. Thank you for your imput Im sorry again it took me like and hour and a half to type it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I really hope enough people see this to draw the parks intention i really need the communities support and hopefully we can change the Ride. And yes the Tvs are a bit stupid and out of place for that ride. While waiting in line for The Beast I love hearing 80's tunes like Michael Jackson's "Bad" and Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend" But not in an old Haunted Castle. There just needs to be Pipe Organs and The Maestro's taunting thank you for the support lets really pull for these changes i appreciate all the support and whoever reads it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'll send as many emails or whatever needs to be done to get this plan into action thank you so much for any additional ideas and support. Let's all push for this and make it a Phantom and Maestro Season at Kings Island! Thank You! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWC2003Amy Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I for one was a huge fan of Phantom Theater and wish that it was still around. The change over to Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle I think was a big let down especially when the ride started to degrade. I do think that something needs to go there similar to Phantom Theater or at least put a haunted house dark ride like the Haunted Mansion somewhere else in the park maybe in the old TRTR ?? As is the current ride is severely broken. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's still a better dark ride than Cedar Point's. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsislandfan1972 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 As for myself I liked Scooby Doo and The Haunted Castle, not as much as I liked the Phantom Theater, but I thought it went quite well with Hanna-Barbera Land, I think it was a great ride addition and because I am a big Scooby Doo fan myself. But I never really understood the concept of Boo Blasters, so the ideas above would really better the ride for right now, until a new ride replaces it, and as I have said on here before a ride sequel would be a great idea, Kings Island brought back The Bat, it wouldnt suprise me if they brought back the Phantom Theater too. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magenta Lizard Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's still a better dark ride than Cedar Point's. I liked "Earthquake!" Granted it was so long ago I have no clear memory of it... It is odd they haven't really had one all these years now you mention it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Don't forget the Pirate Ride... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBeast Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I like your ideas. In thinking about the condition of Boo Blasters, it makes me wonder when the next dark ride experience will replace it. Personally, I'm an old school kind of guy and I would like to see a boat ride come back to that location. My favorite was Enchanted Voyage. It was a great ride to slow down the pace of your day and enjoy some air conditioning. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jr for Birdy Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I miss the Smurfs. Dont judge me! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purdude86 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I agree full y with removing the tvs and adding the music back in to the queue to set the atmosphere, and remove the boards from the busts. But I don't think the Phantom Theatre animatronics would look good with the scenery already in the ride. They have a completely different aesthetic and would stick out greatly. Just fixing the current animatronics/effects and making sure the guns work would go a long way though. Though think upstop's suggestion of a Curse of Darkastle type ride for Phantom Theatre would be great. I would keep Boo Blasters though as is, maybe give it a facelift and a Peanuts theme to fit in with the surrounding area. But putting in a new dark ride in the action theatre would be a great addition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I'll send as many emails or whatever needs to be done to get this plan into action thank you so much for any additional ideas and support. Let's all push for this and make it a Phantom and Maestro Season at Kings Island! Thank You! You have great ideas...but remember to be respectful and not flood the park with emails. Also, realize there have been several attempts by enthusiasts and park fans to bring back a few rides in the past, ala Save Son of Beast (the Facebook group) that I believe tried to do a petition. Remember, parks generally will have a cap-ex for each season, in which many are set prior to the current season or a couple seasons out. To ask them to change it this year, would 99.99% be out of the question. In the next couple of years, a change to Boo-Blasters? Possible. Finally, if there is to be a better experience than current at Boo Blasters, don't look for the original Phantom Theater characters to come back. Over the past several years, the characters have either been destroyed or have sat out in the elements during Halloween Haunt, in which they were never designed to face the elements. I seem to remember a post here back a couple years ago, talking about how they were made and then their current (then) state. Again, I think you have a great set of ideas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Thank you for all the feedback. Again I really appreciate it. Yes I do realize the current state of the Phantom Theater animatronics. I also realize most of them dont fit the theme of Boo Blasters. But I think the Maestro and Boocifer are pretty similar and would work well together. There is in total from the ride at least four Maestro's from what I can remeber and one of them (the one behind the picture in the beginning of the ride) didnt move. One of them could probaly be squeezed in there somewhere although the balcony Maestro would probaly be the best fit. And I know bringing back the ride wont happen but Im not trying to do that. Really all Im trying to do is bring back elements from the Phantom Theater but really all Id like to see is the queue line music to the original one played when Phantom was there. Id love to see Maestro in the balcony but that probaly will never happen. And then the spooky bust faces need to be reincorporated to their original glory. I do realize that the park has a certain time slot and cap-ex but changing the music and removing those god-awful TVs wouldnt take longer then probaly a few hours or less of programming. All the park would need to do is install some speakers and play the Bach compostion and then that would be all. That is a simple,easy change that the park could easily do in a matter of a day. As in terms of the spooky boards. Removing them is easy but recreating that effect would take a little bit of effort and money. It wouldnt take very long but it would cost something though i have no idea how much? But that affect needs to be there. Just pay for a mirror and a light and the affect is returned to its "Peppers Ghost" self. Thats it really adding the Phantom Theater soundtrack along with maybe a few of the chracters voices would be easy as well. Again minor,small but important changes. I really think the park could do this for this upcoming season its not like brining back Son of Beast. All we are doing is adding queue line music and new Spooky Faces to the hallway. Along with maybe the Phantom Theater soundtrack and fixing what needs to be fixed, Hell Id even volunteer to go up there and fix the changes if it needs to be done. I really,really hope that the park makes these changes for 2015. Again were not bringing it back rather were morphing old and new. If we show them all this support it just might get done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Again, your ideas are good. But viable for this season coming up? I honestly don't believe so. As I stated, most of the characters from Phantom Theater are unable to be used, other than props for Halloween Haunt or have been destroyed, including the Maestros. The moment the park would put one of the ones in Boo Blasters that has been used in Halloween Haunt, people will start to complain that they aren't the best looking and they should have done something else. As far as the music, after so many years of it not being used, the rights are up, the park would have to purchase the rights gain. Seeing as Phantom Theater last operated under Paramount's Kings Island, our Kings Island of today, would not have the rights secured. The park would have to reapply for the rights to play the music inside of the park, as part of the ride experience. Just because a group says it would be much needed to improve the experience, doesn't justify the cost of reapplying for rights, which can be very expensive depending on the production company. The TVs won't be going anywhere anytime soon, unless they eventually change the ride and queue completely. The park actually has spent a lot of money on the TVs and so have the other Cedar Fair parks. Yes, even the other parks that have rides similar to Boo Blasters, have the FunTvs in their queues. As far as the quick time to do these simple changes, most people do not realize that unless it is a specific thing that has been discussed as an improvement for the year or a needed change halfway through the season, these won't just happen overnight or likely in the season. Right now, the park is getting ready to add 2 new rides, revamping a lot of International Street, redoing the Coca-Cola Marketplace, planning for CoasterStock, among normal off season maintenance on rides, stores, buildings, restaurants, facilities, grounds, etc. to the point, where they have only the people working in the park that are needed to complete the above lists. There really isn't anyone to jump in on projects that are suggested by enthusiasts. This is the way it is, up until about two to three weeks of the park opening when the seasonal staff comes in. At this point, they are training for their jobs and the full timers and other staff are focused on getting the things that are a necessity ready for the park to open. Once the park opens, from the time the ride ops, merch associates, food associates, what have you arrive, until they leave, they are focused on providing the best day for the guests, safety and all. Unless they shut down the ride, to have someone come and make the changes from the park on the ride, it won't happen. Most likely they won't shut down the ride to do theming because the higher the rides are in up time, the better guest experience there is. Once the park closes, everyone cleans up there area, prepping it for opening procedures for the next day and they go home with the exception of Security and Maintenance. To start all over again the next day. KIC has had similar discussions in the past with how we'd like to fix up theming on certain attractions and at one point we had several people if I remember correctly volunteering to help "spruce up" Tomb Raider:The Ride/The Crypt. It simply couldn't happen as it would be a huge liability for the park to let random people come in and do "construction" and upkeep on attractions that they are not contracted to do so. I would give anything for something as similar to Phantom Theater as possible to come back, but I know the reality of that is very slim. Just because we as the KIC community see where things are lacking and could be changed on a ride, doesn't mean the park will see it as a priority or a necessity. Let's say they decide to listen to your post and make these changes....but then they announce for 2016 that a brand new dark ride experience will be replacing Boo Blasters, would they waste the time and effort for one season or would they let it go? I'm not saying there is something coming for 2016 to replace Boo Blasters, but the attraction does have a shelf life and may not remain for much longer. The best way to let the park know your concerns is to contact them at this point on their website with a statement in the contact us, with what you would like to see and leave it at that. You don't want to bombard them with info of conversations here to the point they stop replying to you and/or find the connection here and the relationship between KIC and Kings Island suffers. TL:DR: Phantom Theater Characters are not in a good shape to place back into a ride. Music rights are most likely up and the park would have to spend money on them to play the music in the attraction again. TVs won't go anywhere until the ride/queue changes. The park has a huge undertaking with this year's Cap-Ex, and doesn't have the staffing in the off season to really make changes. Once the season starts, there is a very slim chance that these ideas could be done through temporarily closing the ride. Volunteering to do the changes as an enthusiast community failed in the past due to insurance and liability, most likely wouldn't happen now either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Yes, I do agree with you. But dont you think it would be well worth it to pay the rights to play the music? it cant cost anymore then it did to paint The Bat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 The Bat was going to be painted anyway. Cost of painting it different colors than silver and battleship gray? ZERO to very little more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 It depends on the cost if they would have to buy the rights again. But then again, they have to look to see if it's worthwhile. If not they could play generic music for the time being. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 You got me Terp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 That classic horror theme is what I'd like to hear. Thats very generic and they could just play that in the queue line while waiting. The song is called Tocata/Fugue by Bach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Do you think they could play that? I also thought they could include the Maestro saying What are you looking at?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 The music itself is in the public domain. That particular arrangement may not be, though. Whether or not Kings Island would have to pay royalties to the performer(s) is a different question. Same as to the exit recording. The original contracts would likely govern. The author is not engaged in the private practice of law in Ohio, the District of Columbia or any United State. There is no legal advice meant for a particular client contained herein. Consult a competent attorney in your jurisdiction if you have, or think you may have, a legal problem. This is a disclaimer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 So your saying their is hope regardless of the significance of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaestroMan Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 I sure hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I didn't say that. Frankly, Boo Blasters is approaching its end. I don't see the park freshening an experience that is due a complete revamp. If it did, it might well delay a much needed total re-imagining. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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