Six Flags and Cedar Fair Merge

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Are lanyards a terribly huge expense for events like Coasterstock? That feels like something that could have been factored into the ticket price. 

[brenthodge]

In other news this week HFE completes acquisition Palace Entertainment “This is a landmark moment—not just for Herschend, but for every host, guest, and community we serve,” said Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend. “To us, this is so much bigger than adding attractions to our portfolio of family brands—growth is about people. It’s about creating a great place to work so our hosts love what they do and can create memories worth repeating for our guests for generations to come.”

 

Quite a different strategy coming out of an acquistion (or merger) isn't it?

[Timchat2]

It will definitely be interesting to see how the new HFE plays out in comparison to the new Six Flags.

[DonHelbig]

On 5/29/2025 at 3:34 PM, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

Are lanyards a terribly huge expense for events like Coasterstock? That feels like something that could have been factored into the ticket price. 

They are not. Someone who’s never attended an event in the industry thought they were unnecessary. 

[Gordon Bombay]

2 hours ago, DonHelbig said:

They are not. Someone who’s never attended an event in the industry thought they were unnecessary. 

Let's be real, Don—if you were still at the park and forced to cut lanyards from the budget, you'd be telling us all how it's the greatest move ever seen in the history of enthusiast events. 

[chad_1138]

As someone who wears a lanyard every visit (thank you Universal  ), I was very happy with the wristbands for Coasterstock.

[DonHelbig]

1 hour ago, Gordon Bombay said:

Let's be real, Don—if you were still at the park and forced to cut lanyards from the budget, you'd be telling us all how it's the greatest move ever seen in the history of enthusiast events. 

You’re wrong about that, Ronny. They would not have been cut from the event if I was still at the park. It’s a collectible for many attendees. And nobody forced them to be cut. That’s being real, Ronny. 

[SmartCat7162]

I think it would be cool if they did wristbands with a QR code that links to the itinerary on it.


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[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Wristbands with a QR code would have been a fine enough replacement, but I would hate to have to pull out my phone every time I wanted to see what was coming next in my day. All of the events I've been to where the decision was made to use either phones or lanyards, I enjoyed the lanyards 100% more than I did my phone. 

Some decisions Six Flags has made make me wonder who up top has set foot inside most of these parks, even just in either legacy chain. The number who have spent meaningful time in all of the parks is probably much less than that. 

[Diamondback_Is_King]

22 hours ago, chad_1138 said:

As someone who wears a lanyard every visit (thank you Universal  ), I was very happy with the wristbands for Coasterstock.

I still got mine from 2021...Universal loves their lanyards! There's not a gift shop or little pop-up store that doesn't have one!

[Gordon Bombay]

21 hours ago, DonHelbig said:

They would not have been cut from the event if I was still at the park.

Sure, Jan. 

[BeeastFarmer]

I wonder how much of the Q2 missed targets will be blamed on the Canadian wildfire smoke?

[nhimes90]

On 6/3/2025 at 11:19 AM, BeeastFarmer said:

I wonder how much of the Q2 missed targets will be blamed on the Canadian wildfire smoke?

That and “unruly behavior” will definitely be mentioned. Haha

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Would they mention it using the words "unruly behavior", or would they use something even less biting? I think it's been said that the shareholders saw right through the Investor Day euphemisms so I wouldn't expect them to be fooled by this. 

Serious question: If a majority of shareholders don't like something about the direction of the company, is there anything they can do? Anything short of selling their shares, that is.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Double posting...

Something fun to see is that Six Flags Over Georgia is directly hosting a Pride Month Celebration from 6/1-6/30, complete with Pride merchandise and proceeds donations to a local organization in Atlanta. The event is also highlighted as a big part of their Summerbration lineup. Magic Mountain is the only other Six Flags park that I've seen advertising a Pride event (in August) with their Out on the Mountain event, held in the park by a third-party organization. I know there has also been a Pride Night at Kings Island in September, but that event is not put on by or advertised by the park. Especially not like SFOG's event is. I haven't checked too many other Six Flags park websites, but this is the only event like this that I've seen anywhere across Six Flags this year.

It's really nice to see this event happening and being readily shown on their website! This year has been quite scary for LGBTQ+ folks (for obvious reasons) and a Pride celebration would have been super easy for corporate to put their foot down on and cut out of the lineup. SFOG and Six Flags America will also be holding a Juneteenth Celebration event on 6/19 (aka Juneteenth). 

Happy Pride!

Event Website: https://www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia/events/six-flags-pride-celebration

 

 

Another thought while I'm here: A number of the Legacy Six Flags parks have begun to use a different logo than the one seen pre-merger. The words are more balanced and similarly sized (still using the Neue Kabel typeface) and there is no roller coaster outline in the background. The exclamation point holding the six flags is also sometimes missing (see the event logo above). Off the top of my head, I've seen Over Texas, Over Georgia, Magic Mountain, and Great Adventure use this new variation. The usage does depend on what you're looking at, but this is a new change.

[brenthodge]

Something bigger to consider with this merger. Ohio businesses like ScenicSolutions that were contracted for things like Kings Island's 50th celebration items and Cedar Points 150th parade and stage, most likely won't be enlisted now as 1) They are no longer an Ohio-based company and 2) they will be doing less of these things like a major 50th anniversary event. 

https://scenicsolutions.com/pf/kings-island-golden-celebration/

https://scenicsolutions.com/pf/cedar-points-150th-anniversary-the-parade/

[BeeastFarmer]

47 minutes ago, brenthodge said:

Something bigger to consider with this merger. Ohio businesses like ScenicSolutions that were contracted for things like Kings Island's 50th celebration items and Cedar Points 150th parade and stage, most likely won't be enlisted now as 1) They are no longer an Ohio-based company and 2) they will be doing less of these things like a major 50th anniversary event. 

https://scenicsolutions.com/pf/kings-island-golden-celebration/

https://scenicsolutions.com/pf/cedar-points-150th-anniversary-the-parade/

Or, alternatively, as the guest experience at parks erodes, you may see more things get contracted out.  They can show investors that they have reduced headcount and categorize subcontractor work under different budget items. 

I believe they have subbed out national advertising for years ...let's hope they choose better proposals than the "Funsultant" series.  That is more painful than the Fun and Only series. 

[brenthodge]

Another great view into what really sets some companies apart from others. 

 

[WoodVengeance]

1 hour ago, brenthodge said:

Another great view into what really sets some companies apart from others. 

 

Correction: What separates a private family-owned company from a public shareholder-owned company.

[brenthodge]

2 hours ago, WoodVengeance said:

Correction: What separates a private family-owned company from a public shareholder-owned company.

True that. It will be very interesting to see how the next few years shape up with Herschend and their new growth. Hopefully the "Dolly DNA" mixed with their own core values will keep them on the path they have been on these past few years. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

With the new Six Flags mobile app scheduled to be released in July, do you think it will coincide with any other changes? I'm curious to see when the (Legacy Six Flags) websites will be redesigned. The new 2025 map style might come to those parks with the new app. They currently use a service called Concept3D for all parks on the old app. It uses icons like the Legacy Cedar Fair apps do, but the map itself is a non-exaggerated isometric 3D model of the park(s). Those maps also are not functional for some parks, such as Hurricane Harbor Arlington, while parks like Over Texas have not been updated for 2025. 

Six Flags (under the Cedar Fair developer name) also recently released two new mobile apps. One is a FUNhub social networking app and the other is an Associate mobile app. I haven't downloaded either one, but it is interesting that they are there.

[BeeastFarmer]

Wow, Kings Dominion ENTIRELY closed today due to a water main break.

I don't know their specific situation, but looks like any excuse to close a park is the rule of law now.

Q2 earnings call is going to be very interesting. With all the water park closures, parks closing early for a threat of rain etc, it will be interesting to see the numbers. Of course, they will blame everything that they can on excuses...weather, cicadas, wildfire smoke, labor shortages (we all should know that is false), tariffs, gas prices, etc. A big selling point of the merger was geographic distribution so that the company wouldn't be bound by these limitations. Well, there goes that!

[disco2000]

^There certainly seems to be a larger than normal closure of parks this year than in the past.  

So far KI and CP have escaped most of them.  I think Soak City didn't open once and closed early twice and the main park closed early once, but Carowinds, KD, and several legacy Six Flags parks made early decisions to close, in some cases based on weather that didn't happen.

But yes, they will spin it with something like this LOL:

In the second quarter of 2025, Six Flags demonstrated its continued commitment to providing world-class entertainment and memorable experiences for our guests, despite facing some unforeseen external challenges. While attendance and guest spending were impacted by a combination of adverse weather conditions, seasonal cicada swarms, and regional forest fires, we remain confident in the long-term strength of our brand and our ability to adapt and thrive through these circumstances and have positive momentum going into Q3.

While we experienced a decrease in both overall attendance and per capita spending, we attribute much of this to the unexpected weather disruptions and environmental events that significantly impacted park visitation during critical months. We view these challenges as temporary, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the guest experience, diversify our offerings, and build greater resilience will position us for a strong recovery in the second half of the year.

Key Accomplishments:

Exciting New Attractions & Experiences: Our recent investment in new rides and attractions, has generated excitement and early positive feedback from park guests. These new experiences will continue to drive future visitation as conditions improve.

Adaptation to Weather & Environmental Challenges: Despite unusually severe weather conditions and the disruptions caused by cicada swarms and regional forest fires, our teams worked tirelessly to ensure that our parks remained safe, clean, and enjoyable for all visitors. We are proud of the resilience demonstrated by our employees and the strong efforts we made to protect the guest experience.

Expansion of Digital Engagement & Services: We have accelerated our digital transformation initiatives, including upgrades to the Six Flags app, enhanced mobile reservations, and virtual queue systems, which have improved operational efficiency and offered guests more convenience and flexibility. These efforts will continue to pay dividends as we focus on the growing importance of digital channels in the entertainment industry.

Outlook:

Looking ahead, we are confident in the strong foundation we’ve built and the exciting developments on the horizon. As we enter the second half of the year, we expect favorable weather conditions and a reduction in environmental disruptions to contribute to an increase in park visitation and guest spending. Our focus on creating exceptional guest experiences, introducing new attractions, and enhancing the overall value proposition will drive strong performance in the coming months.

Conclusion:

While Q2 presented some unique challenges, we are optimistic about the future of Six Flags. Our ability to adapt to changing conditions, our commitment to innovation, and our dedication to providing fun, safe, and memorable experiences will ensure that we emerge stronger in the second half of the year. We remain excited about the potential for growth in the second half of 2025 and beyond.

We would like to thank our loyal guests, team members, and shareholders for their continued support as we navigate these challenges and look toward a promising future.

[Tr0y]

21 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

^There certainly seems to be a larger than normal closure of parks this year than in the past.  

So far KI and CP have escaped most of them.  I think Soak City didn't open once and closed early twice and the main park closed early once, but Carowinds, KD, and several legacy Six Flags parks made early decisions to close, in some cases based on weather that didn't happen.

Maybe they are boosting the metrics for parks not apart of the “core focus for growth”. With the intention of attracting potential buyers?

[DonHelbig]

5 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Wow, Kings Dominion ENTIRELY closed today due to a water main break.

I don't know their specific situation, but looks like any excuse to close a park is the rule of law now.

Q2 earnings call is going to be very interesting. With all the water park closures, parks closing early for a threat of rain etc, it will be interesting to see the numbers. Of course, they will blame everything that they can on excuses...weather, cicadas, wildfire smoke, labor shortages (we all should know that is false), tariffs, gas prices, etc. A big selling point of the merger was geographic distribution so that the company wouldn't be bound by these limitations. Well, there goes that!

Kings Dominion didn’t have a choice today. The water main break forced them to close. 

[BeeastFarmer]

2 hours ago, DonHelbig said:

Kings Dominion didn’t have a choice today. The water main break forced them to close. 

That's why I stated: "I don't know their specific situation..."

Context: numerous early closes across the chain, and days where water parks were closed entirely. Those losses will impact attendance numbers.  Granted, a Saturday close at KD will trump those numbers combined, by far. 

[Captain Nemo]

I do have to say it does seem just about everyday I see those “park update” posts from a park informing early or full closures. Before the merge this was a post I saw VERY often from Six Flags Magic Mountain (nearby park to me). This year I am seeing this type of post from parks a lot more on CF legacy parks.

[IndyGuy4KI]

21 minutes ago, Captain Nemo said:

Before the merge this was a post I saw VERY often from Six Flags Magic Mountain (nearby park to me). This year I am seeing this type of post from parks a lot more on CF legacy parks.

What would be the reasoning for that park to close?

[Captain Nemo]

2 minutes ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

What would be the reasoning for that park to close?

The majority of the “park updates” had to do with weather conditions. I began seeing these posts in my feed about 3-4 years ago. At the time it felt like an actual update trending with national weather services; however, as a few years passed I noticed a trend and so did the comment section. This started to feel like too common an occurrence.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Kings Dominion's closure today is another telling of the boy who cried wolf. Guests have seen the other park closures and thought negatively of them due to the perceived lack of severity. Now that there is a major reason for the park to be closed, it's just another disappointment from a great park during its 50th anniversary season. Instead of feeling like a sincere situation, it now feels like another casualty from Six Flags budget cuts.