Non-Attractions Post-Merger Results

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Disclaimer: If this would fit better in an already existing thread, then please direct me there! I couldn't find somewhere else to fit it and would be happy to move the conversation if need be.

Now that we're nearly SIX months (pun intended) after the official merger between Cedar Fair and Six Flags, what noticeable changes do you think will come to the park(s)? We have seen some definite changes and sharing of ideas popping up since the Legacy Six Flags parks released their new 2025 pass/membership options that mirror the Legacy Cedar Fair model. Now we are in the holiday season with Winterfest and Holiday in the Park in full swing. Some LSF parks are using shows from LCF Winterfest, the Cedar Fair All-Season Drink Bottle plan appears to be coming to LSF parks next year, and now all post-merger Six Flags websites include a park selection among their menu bars. I posted in another thread about this and thought it would be nice to have a separate discussion for the little things that might change.

What changes do you think/would you want to see brought over from either chain that aren't related to roller coasters, rides, or IPs (characters)? Think about things guests can pick up or directly interact with every day in the park. Things like what the maps, paper cups, plate covers, advertisements, menus, websites, etc. could each look like. Which of the map art styles is your favorite and which do you hope will be used going forward? Are there any events or celebrations that you would like to see brought over from LSF parks? What might not change within the next 5 years?

 

I think things will be consolidated and standardized across the company more and more as time goes on. My short term predictions/hopes are for new physical map art, some new-to-KI events, and more refreshed restaurants. My long term predictions/hopes/dreads are new park logos (could be good or bad), changes to company investment in the parks, and more expensive ticket/season pass prices.

Some proof for the rumor of things changing given below (for topic placement purposes).

Magic Mountain 2025 Season Pass Options (https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/store/tickets)

Kings Island's Modified Website Menu (https://www.visitkingsisland.com/)

Statement from SFEC about an "Enhanced Guest Experience" (https://investors.sixflags.com/overview/default.aspx)

[IndyGuy4KI]

It will be interesting to see how they update the legacy SIX parks websites with a new theme and colors. Does not look like any of that has changed yet.

 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

It looks like the Cedar Fair-ification of Six Flags is well underway on the non-attraction side of things. Park policies have been updated across the chain, all-season meal and all-season bottle programs have been mostly standardized, and events are being shared across all of the parks under the new Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Also in classic Cedar Fair fashion, one park will be permanently closed now that the merger has taken place; although, unlike Geauga Lake, visitors of Six Flags America have received ample notice. No word yet on when California's Great America will officially close, but I hope they are able to have their 50th Anniversary celebration next year alongside Six Flags Great America. Most Legacy Six Flags park maps have stayed the same (except for Great Adventure) while all Legacy Cedar Fair parks have updated to the new 2025 map style. Ride operations within each park have moved to using the system that Cedar Fair parks have been using. Parking has been largely standardized to include a dedicated Preferred Parking section. Smoking is now prohibited within all parks under the Six Flags umbrella, with a dedicated smoking area located outside each park gate. Events such as Viva La Fiesta, Tricks and Treats, and Winterfest will now be offered at parks from both chains. So much has happened so far, and yet so much has stayed the same.

I would suspect any changes to Legacy Six Flags park websites will start to take place closer to 2026, with each website being rebuilt from the ground-up to better match the Legacy Cedar Fair / new Six Flags Corporate style. Ticket and Pass offerings will also hopefully be fully standardized for the 2026 season. Individual park mobile apps and maps may be rolled out for 2026 once those teams have had more time to develop them. I'd love to see paper guides make a comeback, even if it is in smaller quantities than before. The paper map guide from Winterfest 2024 was very nice to have. If any Legacy Six Flags parks are to be fully re-branded, I could see that happening between 2026-2028. Some contenders include SF Great Adventure, SF Great America, SF Magic Mountain, SF Darien Lake, and SF Great Escape. Parks like Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Over Georgia will probably not be rebranded/renamed since they are original Six Flags parks whose names are actual references to the six individual flags that have flown over their states. Finally, SF Fiesta Texas and SF St. Louis could go either way, although SF St. Louis could revert to Six Flags Over Mid-America to keep Six Flags in the name. Anything that will reduce the size of that massive Six Flags logo for those parks would be great. We may still see some ride removals as the new Six Flags works to balance their budget sheet, but I hope we're past the worst parts of it. 

 

For standardized Season Pass and other offerings I'd love to see, read below. 

• Cedar Fair pass structure (mostly currently implemented)
  • Pre-K Pass (not currently available at all parks)
  • Silver Pass
  • Gold Pass (All-Park Passport eligible)
  • Prestige Pass (All-Park Passport)
  • All-Park Passport
  • former Six Flags membership programs would be integrated into the Cedar Fair payment plan system (simply a name change).  
• 2025 Legacy Six Flags meal plan program offerings
  • 1 meal/day
  • 2 meals/day (4hr apart)
  • All-Park, 2 meals/day (4hr apart)
• Cedar Fair drink plan program offerings (all have 15min intervals
  • Drink Plan (Fountain & Freestyle Coca-Cola products)
  • Drink Plan+ (Fountain & Freestyle Coca-Cola products, ICEEs, coffee, hot chocolate)
  • All Season Souvenir Drink Bottle (Fountain & Freestyle Coca-Cola products)
• Cedar Fair One-Day add-ons 
• FunPix integration across all parks 
• a new Return Time-based Fast Lane system 
  • guests would walk up to a kiosk (popping up at the entrance of most coasters), scan their Fast Lane, and get a return time. Or just stick with the Fast Lane system as it now stands. 
  • All Season Fast Lane add-ons could still exist
• Cedar Fair Season Pass Parking benefits
  • Parking is included at all parks when a season pass is scanned.
• Cedar Fair Season Pass Locker Rental
• Six Flags VIP Tours 
  • these seem to work similarly to VIP Tours at Universal Orlando, where a tour guide takes a group through the park and provides information throughout the day. 
  • VIP Tour perks include 
    • VIP Parking
    • Park Admission
    • Priority Ride Access (seems to be different from a THE FLASH Pass)
    • one Lunch meal/person
    • one Dinner meal/person
    • unlimited snacks 
  • Would probably be an easy money maker for the parks that could offer it.
• new After Hours events