Phantom Theater
Who wasn't ecstatic when we heard the news that Phantom Theater is returning to Kings Island? This was a no-brainer for Ceda...Six Flags. How rare is it that a regional theme park attraction becomes so popular, so well-remembered, that it takes on legendary status? Most of the credit goes to the designer, Rick Bastrup, who shared the backstory in his Adventures of a Theme Park Designer. Here's the Reader's Digest version:
Shortly after work had wrapped on Adventure Express, KI manager Dave Focke mentioned they were interested in replacing Smurf's Enchanted Voyage with an Omnimover-type of dark ride, themed much like Disney's Haunted Mansion, but in a theatrical setting. Morgan Manufacturing, coaster builder, would take care of the ride system.
Never interested in designing haunted, scary attractions, Rick developed a storyline based on the idea about old vaudevillian performers who refused to leave the theater, eventually transforming into phantom characters. And so The Maestro, The Great Garbonzo, Hilda Bovine, and Houdelini came to life (well, you know). Kurt Kress helped design the faces while Kevin Nadeau produced a musical score (he also did the Yosemite Sam attraction at Six Flags Over Texas). Richard Doyle provided the voices (with a few bits by Rick himself).
Phantom Theater featured built-sets with animatronics. Lots of visual effects and tricks were employed, including the old stand-by Pepper's Ghost.
The attraction had seventeen scenes and thirty-eight animated characters. It only ran ten years, closing in 2002. But nobody forgot it, and after much dreaming, begging, and speculating, it's coming back in some form for the 2026 season as Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare.
When I was digging through the archives at Kings Island, word was spread around the park that "some guy was working on a book about the park...bring any stuff you have lying around." And somebody walked in and plopped Houdelini's head on the table. You just never know.
Learn more about Rick's attraction designs in Adventures of a Theme Park Designer.
