Record-Breaking Crowds Flock to Kings Island: What’s New at Ohio’s Premier Theme Park in 2025

Kings Island fans, start rehearsing your screams: the park confirmed today that a brand-new dark ride, “Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare,” will take center stage in spring 2026, reclaiming the storied show building currently housing Boo Blasters on Boo Hill. A haunting favorite returns The original Phantom Theater thrilled guests from 1992 to 2002 with ghostly animatronics and theatrical set pieces. Ever since its closure, enthusiasts have pleaded for a revival—and park leadership says they listened. “Families who have visited Kings Island will remember how special the original Phantom Theater was, and they’ve always wanted it to return,” park manager Tony Carovillano said in today’s release. Ride experience and tech upgrades Guests will board enchanted opera boxes alongside head usher “No Legs Larry,” wielding spell-bound flashlights to collect floating “ghost notes.” Fully dimensional scenes—backstage corridors, dressing rooms and haunted hallways—will feature updated animatronics of fan-favorites Houdelini, The Great Garbanzo, Hilda Bovine and Lionel Burymore, plus the debut of Maestro’s mischievous cat, Arpeggio. Last chance for Boo Blasters Boo Blasters on Boo Hill will give its final rides through September 1, 2025. After Labor Day weekend, construction walls will rise as crews begin transforming the interior for the new production. A stage steeped in history Before the Phantom first emerged in 1992, the building hosted The Enchanted Voyage (1972-1983) and Smurfs’ Enchanted Voyage (1984-1991). Each incarnation highlighted cutting-edge storytelling for its era, making the space one of the most beloved—and most frequently reinvented—addresses in theme-park lore. Park growth beyond the theater Phantom Theater isn’t the only project in the spotlight. For the 2025 season, Kings Island’s Soak City water park will open Bluegill Lagoon family pool and RiverRacers dual water coaster, part of a multi-year investment in new attractions and infrastructure. Plan your visit • Final Boo Blasters ride: through Sept. 1, 2025 • Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare soft-opens: spring 2026 (exact date TBA) • 2026 season passes and single-day tickets: on sale this fall at KingsIsland.com With nostalgia, upgraded effects and a fresh storyline, Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare is poised to draw long-time fans and first-time visitors alike—before the Maestro cues the curtain next spring.