Identical twins share Phantom Theater bond
Not only do identical twin sisters Cayla and Mylee Simmermon share the same birthday, but they also share a strong bond to the former Phantom Theater ride which operated from 1992 to 2002 at Kings Island.
The Knightstown, Indiana natives were just two years old when they first rode Phantom Theater and it quickly became their favorite ride at Kings Island. They’d ride it over and over again every visit.
“We loved anything to do with ghosts – anything that was scary – so we loved Phantom Theater,” the twins told the Kings Island Blog. “It was our first-ever dark ride. We loved the animatronics. They were fantastic! And Pepper’s ghost. That was our favorite part of Phantom Theater.”
The twins were both sad when Kings Island closed Phantom Theater in 2002, but with the launch of YouTube a few years later were able to relive the ride by watching videos and listening to the attraction soundtrack while jogging.
As they grew up they continued to make the 180-mile trip to Kings Island for a day of fun and thrills and took interest in the shows, always checking the park’s website before the start of the season to see the entertainment lineup.
This year the twins were watching a NCAA basketball tournament game on TV (Duke head coach Mike Kryzewski’s last game) when they had to pause the TV after scrolling through Kings Island’s website and seeing Phantom Theater Encore among the shows listed.
“We were crying. We had to pause the game and get it out,” Mylee said. “We were so excited. We couldn’t believe they were going to take something that was our favorite ride and turn it into this fantastic show.”
“We had no idea how they were going to translate a ride into a show, but they did a fantastic job,” Cayla said.
Cayla (left) and Mylee (right) have watched Phantom Theater Encore more than 50 times this summer.
When the twins would ride Phantom Theater, they’d hurry through the line so the Maestro, perched above the queue, wouldn’t turn around from playing the pipe organ and see them. As they watched the show for the first time, that memory was rekindled.
“When the show started and the Maestro turned around and looked out into the audience where we were sitting, and then the opening number (Meet the Cast), we started crying,” Mylee said.
The twins say the theater production stays true to the ride with the characters acting as you’d expect them to act.
“Maestro’s our favorite,” they said in unison, noting he’s the key to the who thing.
Cayla (left) and Mylee (right) with their favorite Phantom Theater Encore character, Maestro
They’ve seen Phantom Theater Encore over 50 times, logging enough round trip miles on their visits specifically to see the show to have traveled the equivalent of driving from New York to Los Angeles and back. They especially like the way the characters add different things, not knowing what they’re going to say in each performance.
“It’s always the same energy, which we love,” Cayla said.
2025 Update: Phantom Theater Encore was part of the 2022 Anniversary Season Entertainment Line-up that left the audience wanting more. The show returned for the 2023 season.
