My Idea The Phantom Theater Ride Returned...

[kingsislandfan1972]

After a phenomenal Phantom Theater Encore show at Kings Island, I know a lot of people are speculating if the Phantom Theater ride would return at some point in the future. My question to you is if the Phantom Theater ride returned, what would the new layout be? Would it be in a new area of the park? Would there be a new story within the ride? Here's what I think 

1. Location: Where Boo Blasters is currently (Old Ride locaton) or I could see them making the Old Action Theater (which has been an eyesore for over a decade) into the new Phantom Theater.

2. Name: Phantom Theater: Return Of The Maestro.

3. Storyline: In the que The Maestro can talk about the destruction of his old Theater (poking fun at Scooby-Doo & Boo Blasters) and then the actually ride we take a trip throughout the Theater in the same buggy style as before with new characters and some returning Old characters, creepy yet goofy like the original.

4. We gotta bring Back animatronics some digital effects would be good but overall animatronics.

5. The same musician number as before but with a modern tone.

6. A few jumpscares in the ride and the re-use of some of the original animatronics from the original Phantom Theater.

7. Alternate idea: what if we brought back the boat system and make it like the original Enchanted Voyage but in the style of the Phantom Theater?

So what do all of you think? Let me know down below your thoughts! 

[beastfan11]

I unfortunately think most, if not all, of the original animatronics are long gone. So that unfortunately wouldn’t be an option. 

But I love your ideas and I’d love to see them come to fruition. I also think there’s a spot for “Happy Feet” to be incorporated into the score of a new potential PT.

[KIBeast]

I also have a great love for Phantom Theater. Of course, being a kid that grew up with Hannah Barberra Land, I also loved Enchanted Voyage. I wouldn't mind either one making a return or a combination of the two. As for location, I think both could work. If they do that, I would also like to see Boo Blasters re-themed and given a refresh if it goes where action theater was.

[kingsislandfan1972]

1 hour ago, beastfan11 said:

I unfortunately think most, if not all, of the original animatronics are long gone. So that unfortunately wouldn’t be an option. 

But I love your ideas and I’d love to see them come to fruition. I also think there’s a spot for “Happy Feet” to be incorporated into the score of a new potential PT.

Thank you!  Also I was really thinking maybe the old (surviving) PT animatronics could be used on display in the que, for nostalgic purposes maybe not moving but they can be there just to look at. I do also like the "Happy Feet" idea.

[beastfan11]

3 hours ago, kingsislandfan1972 said:

Thank you!  Also I was really thinking maybe the old (surviving) PT animatronics could be used on display in the que, for nostalgic purposes maybe not moving but they can be there just to look at. I do also like the "Happy Feet" idea.

Love the idea! 

[cdubbs727]

I'll be honest, there was a part of me that wondered if the two years of the Phantom Theater show would culminate in an announcement about the ride returning in some form. Boo Blasters getting old and could use some TLC. And with KI really leaning into nostalgia in recent years, it didn't seem too far fetched. 

My fear is if they did it, it would just be a reskin of Boo Blasters, using similar animatronics and reusing as much of the sets as possible (maybe calling it Phantom Manor instead of Phantom Theatre). And I don't like BB, so I wouldn't want to see that. I think that location is the most obvious place, but it's not where I'd like to see them put it. I'd rather they take the existing Tomb Raider building (or tear it down) and build a stately old, frontier-themed theater in Rivertown and install a completely new dark ride. Give it some real attention, use animatronics and some decent effects, and treat it as a big deal (maybe even call it Phantom Theatre: Encore, in an nod to the show). KI could use a really good dark ride instead of the one that's just kind of languishing. 

[MaestroJr]

Yeah, I definitely think they should bring it back and some form I kind of figured they would after the phantom theater returns show but at this point I’m not sure and it’s a shame because they have such a good IP and they don’t use it to me is a extremely large waste of opportunity

As for the current state of the old animatronics, I would wager that most of them. If not all of them have been removed from the property because as of 2013, they no longer get out the animatronics during Halloween Haunt not to mention the few animatronics that were on display last year at the play, only featured a few characters, and none of them were in their complete form, and the maestros partial head mold was in there the first year, but it was gone as of last year, so these things seem to become very easily either stolen or lost

[brenthodge]

My opinion - it was a fun ride that was great for its time, and I wish it would make a comeback in some form, but to act like this was a groundbreaking dark ride that needs to be memorialized with old animatronics in the queue is a bit too much credit. Even when you look at the concept art, a lot of the original ideas were toned down or budget cut. It was a cute story that was in many ways a lower budget copy of Disney's haunted mansion at least in effects and illusions used. With the "museum" in the lobby of the show it made sense and gave a historical reference to the inspiration, but I think at this point it would actually be odd to have a  I think with the brewing merger we aren't going to see this come to fruition soon (if ever) and I feel like if it wasn't announced this year after riding on the nostalgia and popularity of the show from the 50th and last year, it ain't happening. 

[MaestroJr]

Completely agree that I doubt it’ll come to fruition however it holds a nostalgic place in people’s hearts and was a fairly advanced and groundbreaking ride for a seasonal amusement park, to have a ride such as it at a seasonal park. Be considered anywhere near close to Disney is pretty incredible.

[brenthodge]

I’m not saying it was close to Disney in quality. Just copied Disney on effects. There were other dark rides of that caliber or better at seasonal parks around that time. Monster plantation at SFoG would be one. Again, it was a cute ride in its early years, but “groundbreaking”? No. It tread ground already cleared by Disney with the haunted mansion. They even copied the basic shape of the ride vehicles. 

[MaestroJr]

Non the less Kings Island needs another high caliber dark ride of its type imo, every park should have a decent dark ride at least one that’s not just shooting at cardboard cutouts 

[super7]

Unfortunately, if this ride ever does come back, I don’t believe it will have many animatronics. Look at what Cedar Fair did when they brought back Knotts Berry Tales as a shell of its former self

[beastfan11]

I think the merger (should it/should it not go through) will have a serious effect on any new, major additions. That being said, Six Flags’ newer track record with dark rides is actually kind of impressive. Something like Pirates of Spleelunker Cave gives me hope that CF/SF hypothetically has the ability to create a really special updated PT or other new dark ride. 

But do I think they will? NOPE. But between CF/SF, they have the ability to do things the right way. It’s just up in the air on whether or not they do. 

Regarding the PT effects, a large scale Pepper’s Ghost scene featuring an entire theatre, stage, performers, balconies, and audience members/was is incredibly impressive for a seasonal park outside of Cincinnati. And to say that the effect was a “copy” of the Haunted Mansion is kind of a flawed argument. 

1. The Haunted Mansion at the Disney parks is literally one of the top tier attractions in the history of the industry. Emulating that is a good idea. 

2. The Pepper’s Ghost effect isn’t even a “Disney” thing. It’s been around for hundreds of years: 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper's_ghost

That all said… To be honest a lot of the animatronic effects weren’t that terribly intense. That’s not to say the ride experience, atmosphere, and story were weak. But many, myself included, tend to look back in time through rise colored glasses and align PT with Haunted Mansion in terms of their effects. 

But for what PT was, it was beyond impressive in my opinion and certainly has earned its spot in the history of well beloved dark rides that really deserves to still be around, should the park have taken care of it appropriately. It was a perfectly level of tech/effects for a park like KI and there’s a reason there’s such love for it still. 

I think one of, if not the, most major hole in the parks lineup is a great dark ride. Boo Blasters ain’t it, kids. At this point I’d be excited for any kind of dark ride update/addition. I’d love that to be PT, but like others have mentioned, it would probably be more in vein of the new Berry Tales at Knott’s. Which would be a bummer. 

Prove me wrong, KI! 

[cdubbs727]

2 hours ago, beastfan11 said:

I think the merger (should it/should it not go through) will have a serious effect on any new, major additions. That being said, Six Flags’ newer track record with dark rides is actually kind of impressive. Something like Pirates of Spleelunker Cave gives me hope that CF/SF hypothetically has the ability to create a really special updated PT or other new dark ride. 

But do I think they will? NOPE. But between CF/SF, they have the ability to do things the right way. It’s just up in the air on whether or not they do. 

Regarding the PT effects, a large scale Pepper’s Ghost scene featuring an entire theatre, stage, performers, balconies, and audience members/was is incredibly impressive for a seasonal park outside of Cincinnati. And to say that the effect was a “copy” of the Haunted Mansion is kind of a flawed argument. 

1. The Haunted Mansion at the Disney parks is literally one of the top tier attractions in the history of the industry. Emulating that is a good idea. 

2. The Pepper’s Ghost effect isn’t even a “Disney” thing. It’s been around for hundreds of years: 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper's_ghost

That all said… To be honest a lot of the animatronic effects weren’t that terribly intense. That’s not to say the ride experience, atmosphere, and story were weak. But many, myself included, tend to look back in time through rise colored glasses and align PT with Haunted Mansion in terms of their effects. 

But for what PT was, it was beyond impressive in my opinion and certainly has earned its spot in the history of well beloved dark rides that really deserves to still be around, should the park have taken care of it appropriately. It was a perfectly level of tech/effects for a park like KI and there’s a reason there’s such love for it still. 

I think one of, if not the, most major hole in the parks lineup is a great dark ride. Boo Blasters ain’t it, kids. At this point I’d be excited for any kind of dark ride update/addition. I’d love that to be PT, but like others have mentioned, it would probably be more in vein of the new Berry Tales at Knott’s. Which would be a bummer. 

Prove me wrong, KI! 

I 100% agree on your statement about the Pepper's Ghost illusion in the big theater scene. 

No, PT didn't reinvent the wheel. And, let's be honest, in terms of animatronics, much of it was typical dark ride stuff. But that theater scene was impressive for a regional  park; I went to Disney World for my first time right around the time PT opened, and I was really impressed that the ride pulled off a Disney-caliber effect in that sequence. It's something that seemed a bit more ambitious than what they've done since, since Boo Blasters is largely just some shoddy animatronics and cardboard set pieces. 

But I also think PT was a much more imaginative ride than people gave it credit for. The fact that someone cared enough to write a whole show about it almost 30 years later speaks to the fact that it had some real nostalgic appeal. And there were characters that people remembered...as opposed to Boo Blasters, which is just...Boocifer? 

[BeeastFarmer]

I mean, phantom Theater is an IP in its own right.  If they were forward thinking, they could trial it at ki and roll it out to other parks in the (probably soon to be bigger) chain.  No fees to use!  Boo Blasters is the same thing, but I think it is owned by Sally because there are one or two Boo Blasters outside of Cedar Fair. But BB is such a downgrade from PT.

[beastfan11]

1 hour ago, cdubbs727 said:

But I also think PT was a much more imaginative ride than people gave it credit for. The fact that someone cared enough to write a whole show about it almost 30 years later speaks to the fact that it had some real nostalgic appeal. And there were characters that people remembered...as opposed to Boo Blasters, which is just...Boocifer? 

Spot on and well said! Couldn’t agree more. 

[kingsislandfan1972]

Yeah it's funny 

2 hours ago, cdubbs727 said:

I 100% agree on your statement about the Pepper's Ghost illusion in the big theater scene. 

No, PT didn't reinvent the wheel. And, let's be honest, in terms of animatronics, much of it was typical dark ride stuff. But that theater scene was impressive for a regional  park; I went to Disney World for my first time right around the time PT opened, and I was really impressed that the ride pulled off a Disney-caliber effect in that sequence. It's something that seemed a bit more ambitious than what they've done since, since Boo Blasters is largely just some shoddy animatronics and cardboard set pieces. 

But I also think PT was a much more imaginative ride than people gave it credit for. The fact that someone cared enough to write a whole show about it almost 30 years later speaks to the fact that it had some real nostalgic appeal. And there were characters that people remembered...as opposed to Boo Blasters, which is just...Boocifer? 

Yeah you felt a real connection with the Maestro and it seems like everyone who rode the original ride remembers him 20 years later. Now if Boo Blasters gets removed in the next upcoming years, I don't see 20 plus years after that people will remembering Boocifer! 

[3dgyrat]

I never got the chance to ride phantom theater as it was replaced by scooby by the time i started going to KI when i was younger. but after hearing about it for years and seeing old clips of it it intrigued me. after watching the show last year i was beaming at the thought of them reviving it. id love to see it come back modernized, with Happy feet playing as you reach the end of the ride

[johnjniehaus]

On 3/11/2024 at 2:25 PM, 3dgyrat said:

I never got the chance to ride phantom theater as it was replaced by scooby by the time i started going to KI when i was younger. but after hearing about it for years and seeing old clips of it it intrigued me. after watching the show last year i was beaming at the thought of them reviving it. id love to see it come back modernized, with Happy feet playing as you reach the end of the ride

Same here friend! Only ever heard parents and their friends talk about the ride and the show got me interested in finding out more and the old ride looked like a lot of fun and with some good storytelling and good quality animatronics this would be one heck of a ride return for KI. PT has some of the best original characters in a dark ride and it's crazy that it's been over 20 years and everyone who rode the ride still remembers the characters. I'm talking about non-KI nerds who remember the characters' names and everything! Not just the Maestro...my dad and aunt are not enthusiasts at all but they still remembered and could tell you about Hilda bovine and no legs Larry and the rest of the PT cast all these years later

[kingsislandfan1972]

On 3/13/2024 at 12:49 AM, johnjniehaus said:

Same here friend! Only ever heard parents and their friends talk about the ride and the show got me interested in finding out more and the old ride looked like a lot of fun and with some good storytelling and good quality animatronics this would be one heck of a ride return for KI. PT has some of the best original characters in a dark ride and it's crazy that it's been over 20 years and everyone who rode the ride still remembers the characters. I'm talking about non-KI nerds who remember the characters' names and everything! Not just the Maestro...my dad and aunt are not enthusiasts at all but they still remembered and could tell you about Hilda bovine and no legs Larry and the rest of the PT cast all these years later

That's because it was such a memorable ride, hopefully a revival ride is in the works and the Maestro can put on one more performance because "the show must go on!" 

[MaestroJr]

If it doesn’t happen this year, I doubt it will happen ever because this would be the best time to do it in my opinion

[brenthodge]

2 hours ago, MaestroJr said:

If it doesn’t happen this year, I doubt it will happen ever because this would be the best time to do it in my opinion

Agree. I think the ship is sadly sailing off into that harbor of lost possibilities. Honestly I think they blew it by not either 1-having it budgeted and announced last year at the close of the show or 2- give PTE another run with a few tweaks to the live portions (dialogue) to “announce” it during this years run. I think not having the show or any real presence of it is pretty much an indication that it’s done. 

[BeeastFarmer]

Hark! What's that sound I hear? It's the clock of eternal doom striking 13 times! 

[brenthodge]

1 hour ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Hark! What's that sound I hear? It's the clock of eternal doom striking 13 times! 

Hark… it’s the sound of impending mergers and shifting priorities . I believe the bell tolls six times before all theming dies!!!!!!!!

[super7]

I just saw on a video last night that the high quality Phantom Theater was only there for 10 years.   That awful, cheap replacement has been there for over 20 years.    How can a piece of garbage like the current ride exist for that long?

[MaestroJr]

Honestly I miss Scooby at this point, at least Scooby worked and was a lovable character, we need a new dark ride hell  make it two new dark rides enough with coasters for a while 

[brenthodge]

11 hours ago, super7 said:

I just saw on a video last night that the high quality Phantom Theater was only there for 10 years.   That awful, cheap replacement has been there for over 20 years.    How can a piece of garbage like the current ride exist for that long?

Because it’s cheaper to keep it than replace it. Sad but simple. 

[kingsislandfan1972]

It makes me wonder if Kings Island actually has a plan to replace Boo Blasters, or if they are just going to keep it until it eventually deteriorates like Garfields Nightmare at Kennywood?

[BeeastFarmer]

Don't give them any ideas!  It could get so degraded that they bring in some cheap Phantom Theater cardboard cutouts and theme it to demons, death and destruction. They would probably call it Maestro 's nightmare!

[kingsislandfan1972]

1 hour ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Don't give them any ideas!  It could get so degraded that they bring in some cheap Phantom Theater cardboard cutouts and theme it to demons, death and destruction. They would probably call it Maestro 's nightmare!

Oh no! Definitely not!