Kings Island Phantom Theater Awakens as No Legs Larry and Maestro Debut in Animatronic Form
The spirits of Kings Island’s past are stirring once again. During a packed reveal at the IAAPA Expo in Orlando, Kings Island and Sally Dark Rides unveiled the first animatronic characters for Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare, the highly anticipated interactive dark ride arriving in 2026. For the first time ever, fans witnessed No Legs Larry and Maestro materialize in full animatronic form, marking a major milestone in the return of one of the park’s most beloved story worlds.
No Legs Larry, the theater’s ever-loyal head usher, and Maestro, the grand pipe organist whose performance sets the entire adventure in motion, were introduced live on the show floor to overwhelming fan excitement.
The character reveal was hosted by industry leaders including Tony Clark of Six Flags, Lauren Weaver and Drew Hunter from Sally Dark Rides, and Sally Chairman and President John Wood.
“Seeing No Legs Larry and Maestro interact for the first time was really special,” said Tony Carovillano, park manager for Kings Island. “Sally Dark Rides’ craftsmanship and their dedication to honoring the original attraction is unmatched. This reveal brings us one step closer to sharing Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare with our guests.”
Lauren Weaver, vice president of marketing for Sally Dark Rides, added that bringing Phantom Theater back to life is not only an honor but a chance to blend classic characters with cutting edge technology. “This attraction introduces updated animatronics, projection mapping and interactive elements like the spellbound flashlight. Fans are really going to love what both teams have created.”
The story launches on a stormy night as the Phantom Theater prepares for a long-awaited reopening. Maestro’s big performance is moments away when a lightning strike unleashes the ghost notes, a swarm of mischievous musical spirits that scatter through the theater causing chaos.
With No Legs Larry leading the way, guests will board enchanted opera boxes and use special spellbound flashlights to capture the ghost notes and return them to the organ before the curtain rises.
Along the journey, riders will explore backstage corridors, dusty hallways, dressing rooms glowing with paranormal energy and a blazing boiler room. Throughout the ride, familiar performers return in updated animatronic form including Houdelini, the Great Garbanzo, Hilda Bovine and Lionel Burymore. Maestro’s feline companion, Arpeggio, also joins the story with new surprises around every corner.
Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare will feature twenty six interactive scenes with multi sensory effects, hidden Easter eggs and a grand musical finale bringing the entire cast together. Guests will feel wind, hear shifting audio cues and take part in a frantic effort to wrangle every last ghost note before the performance begins.
“Families who visited Kings Island remember how special the original Phantom Theater was, and they have always hoped it would return,” Carovillano said. “This new version brings that magic back in a whole new way.”
Stay tuned to Coaster Nation for more updates, behind-the-scenes coverage and first look reveals as Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare prepares to take the stage in April 2026.
