What does Six Flags do better than Cedar Fair?

[Rivertown Rider]

^ I agree with all of your points.  One thing I think CF could take away from SIX is that they give higher merchandise discounts based upon the membership tier. 

CF upping the merchandise discount on platinum passes up to 15 or 20% versus the current 10% would be a nice perk for platinum pass holders.

[BeeastFarmer]

20 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

Maybe I'm just a Cedar Fair fanboy but I'm not too fond of how Six Flags' operates their parks.

Quantity over quality is obviously their business model as evident with their numerous parks, cheap reproductions, endless supply of sponsorships on rides and mostly non original IP rides. I wish they would sell off some of their smaller parks and focus on delivering a higher quality of attractions to their larger ones. I'd argue their smaller parks would receive more love under another chain like Herschend and Sea World or if they were independently run like Adventureland or Kentucky Kingdom. 

The DC themes seem kinda tacky to me. The rides themselves are fine, most of them are extraordinary as a matter of fact. It just seems like a lazy and cheap practice to keep naming rides after comic book characters. For example, Great Adventure's 4d freespin was going to be named "Total Mayhem" but instead they opted to name it Joker. I'm sure they get some cash from WB to theme their rides after their characters but it just seems effortless. Compare them to Cedar Fair who've created original IPs like Mystic Timbers, Maverick, Copperhead Strike, Orion, Banshee, Steel Vengeance, and so on. 

Also cloning. Now I've talked about how Cedar Fair should buy cloned rides for their smaller parks but Six Flags does it for most if not all of their parks. Almost every park has a Batman clone, a 4d freespin, a larson loop, a giant frisbee and so on and so fourth. They've gotten a little better at this with their larger parks but its still mind blowing.

I know being the discount chain is kind of their thing but I'm honestly not a big fan of that mentality.

Does SIX pay WB or does WB pay SIX for the use of the IP?

[BoddaH1994]

10 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Does SIX pay WB or does WB pay SIX for the use of the IP?

SIX pays WB. 

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, BoddaH1994 said:

SIX pays WB. 

I'm curious as to if that ends up saving them money vs having to create and file all original IPs. They have some original IPs but a lot of their coasters this past decade have been DC

[BoddaH1994]

11 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

I'm curious as to if that ends up saving them money vs having to create and file all original IPs. They have some original IPs but a lot of their coasters this past decade have been DC

They feel like they can sell based on the IP recognition. You can create your own IPs easily, but no one would know who they are. Holiday World does it. But no one goes just to see the Holidog. 
 

I almost feel like CF works the other way. That kids get excited about the Peanuts stuff on TV because that associate it with the parks. Lord knows they aren’t in the vernacular that Batman and Superman are. Although, before anybody asks, Cedar Fair pays handsomely to use the characters - not the other way around. 

[SonofBaconator]

On 9/8/2020 at 11:55 AM, BoddaH1994 said:

They feel like they can sell based on the IP recognition. You can create your own IPs easily, but no one would know who they are. Holiday World does it. But no one goes just to see the Holidog. 
 

I almost feel like CF works the other way. That kids get excited about the Peanuts stuff on TV because that associate it with the parks. Lord knows they aren’t in the vernacular that Batman and Superman are. Although, before anybody asks, Cedar Fair pays handsomely to use the characters - not the other way around. 

The issue I have with Six Flags using WB IPs is that they are constantly going through changes. Their movies have been getting mixed reviews this past decade and I feel like that can affect the ride's reception. Look at 2011's Green Lantern and the infamous coaster that debuted along with it. Their characters go through so many reboots and changes that it doesn't work in my opinion.

Also not everyone might not like DC. I'm not saying Marvel fanboys wouldn't go to Magic Mountain because of their DC rides, but I feel like the chain is limiting their demographics in a way. Batman might only appeal to a handful of people but an original concept like Mystic Timbers, Steel Vengeance, or Copperhead Strike might cast a wider net.

The Looney Tunes are fine because they've stayed timeless much like the Peanuts have for us.

My two cents

[dbackdreams]

1 hour ago, SonofBaconator said:

The issue I have with Six Flags using WB IPs is that they are constantly going through changes. Their movies haven't been getting mixed reviews this past decade and I feel like that can affect the ride's reception. Look at 2011's Green Lantern and the infamous coaster that debuted along with it. Their characters go through so many reboots and changes that it doesn't work in my opinion.

Also not everyone might not like DC. I'm not saying Marvel fanboys wouldn't go to Magic Mountain because of their DC rides, but I feel like the chain is limiting their demographics in a way. Batman might only appeal to a handful of people but an original concept like Mystic Timbers, Steel Vengeance, or Copperhead Strike might cast a wider net.

The Looney Tunes are fine because they've stayed timeless much like the Peanuts have for us.

My two cents

Bacon man I like scooby doo dog more than snoopy dog and bugs bunny fun too!

[rhyano]

Six Flags stays ahead of the game in terms of season pass benefits, and boosting guest experiences, right now, they are going to try out virtual queuing, which they have said on a conference call that they are planning on keeping it after the pandemic, I am willing to bet money Cedar Fair will be doing this within the next few seasons as well. 

[CoastersRZ]

In my opinion, Cedar Fair has the better guest experience compared to Six Flags.  Cedar Fair parks just seem better kept.  Six Flags parks (at least the ones I have been to which is Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags Great Adventure, and Six Flags Magic Mountain), all seem to have a cheap feel to them.  From the theming to the way rides are placed to even the way that the buildings are painted.  Now I have never been to a Six Flags park for their Christmas event, or for their Halloween events.  But Cedar Fair parks just feel like they are built and maintained better with more thought on how things are laid out.