Back to Formula? A Look at Cedar Fair’s Old Strategy in a Post-Merger World

[SonofBaconator]

During the 2010s, Cedar Fair had a noticeable rhythm when it came to new attractions. Every few years, one of the big four parks - Cedar Point, Carowinds, Kings Island, or Canada’s Wonderland - would get a major new ride. And often, those rides followed a pattern. A concept would debut at one park, then reappear in some form at another a few years later.

 

Leviathan opened at Canada’s Wonderland in 2012. Three years later, Carowinds got Fury 325. Then came Orion at Kings Island in 2020 - each a variation on the giga coaster model. Mystic Timbers in 2017 brought back the modern wooden coaster, while Copperhead Strike in 2019 introduced a compact, multi-launch design that seemed to set a new trend.

 

Even mid-tier parks, like Dorney Park or Worlds of Fun, would occasionally get solid additions. It wasn’t always headline-making, but it felt like part of a bigger plan.

 

That strategy didn’t just add rides - it added value. It kept fans engaged and excited. The pattern sparked speculation: “What if we got a Mack multi-launch like Carowinds?” “Could we get a dive coaster like the ones at Cedar Point or Canada’s Wonderland?” “Maybe Carowinds will get a GCI like Mystic Timbers?” The formula gave people something to dream about.

 

Since the Cedar Fair and Six Flags merger, that sense of structure seems to have faded. Some parks are getting new rides, others are quiet, and there’s less clarity around what the long-term vision is. It’s understandable - especially after the pandemic, which hit the industry hard. But in some ways, going back to that earlier approach might not be the worst idea.

 

The old formula wasn’t flashy, but it worked. It gave each park a role to play and made the entire chain feel connected. In a post-pandemic, post-merger landscape, maybe there’s still something to be said for doing things the Cedar Fair way.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

They seem to be doing just that with the B&M dive coaster model actually more in line with what they did with the B&M hyper model after purchasing the Paramount parks. Since most legacy Six Flags parks have a standard B&M hyper coaster already, it makes sense to add a dive coaster to these parks to make an immediate splash. It wouldn't honestly shock me if their long term goal is to add a dive coaster at most legacy Six Flags parks. I know there are already rumors of one potentially going to Over Georgia in a couple years. It also wouldn't shock me if Magic Mountain gets one as well. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

The dive coaster additions are good to see, but I'm a little worried about what the short-term and long-term plans are for the chain. Big coaster additions are good for a number of reasons, but also come with a huge price tag — which would be a bad move when there is already a massive debt that needs to be resolved. 

I think Six Flags should be focusing on improving their parks in other ways. Most of the Legacy Six Flags parks had the coasters to draw in their crowds, so are multiple new coasters the answer to improving the guest experience at those parks? Should the chain focus more on replacing rides that were removed during the 2024 purge and then moving on to guest experience improvements? The old Cedar Fair model where each of the Big 4 parks would get a major addition will need to change if the new Six Flags is going to adopt it. Maybe instead of a major addition every 3-4 years across 4 parks, it will now need to be 8 years across 8 parks, possibly with some upsets to who gets the "big park" status. 

Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds, Cedar Point, Fiesta Texas, Great America, Kings Island, Magic Mountain, and Six Flags Over Texas would be my guesses for a "Top 8" who are regularly likely to get major additions like that. Parks like Knott's are unique and in their own class. Parks like Great Adventure and Six Flags Over Georgia could be among the running, but Great Adventure now needs a lot of work post-purge while SFOG seems like it could be secondary to Carowinds for the moment. 

In my opinion, we won't be able to gauge what the new strategy will look like until around 2028-2030, unless Six Flags can get its act together before then. To me, it feels like the Legacy Six Flags parks need to focus more on improving their food & beverage, quality of service, and quality of guest experiences before any of them get another major coaster. Parks like Kings Island will also need to fix the quality issues that have run rampant this year before they can earn guests trust back. Cedar Fair shareholders may have taken the majority share in the merger, but some need to realize that the split is still basically half and half. If even one person from Cedar Fair agrees and votes with all of the members from Six Flags on something, that means the old Six Flags was likely to win out on that item.