maybe call the spun off division six flags while the current six flags becomes cedar fair again
News Cedar Fair Merges with Six Flags
- Thread starter horsesboy
- Start date
I have an idea:
They should sell off all of the legacy Cedar Fair parks and allow them to form their own company! I’m trying to think of a name though. If only one was staring me in the face…
They should sell off all of the legacy Cedar Fair parks and allow them to form their own company! I’m trying to think of a name though. If only one was staring me in the face…
SweetBabyJames
Conservative Coaster Connoisseur
Please, yes. Literally my thoughts.
I'm not superstitious by any stretch, but I'm beginning to think the "Six Flags" name is cursed. When a company "takes on" the name they go bottom up. Premier parks spent money out the wazoo gobbling up parks and overspending on rides. Then premier bought Six Flags, took on the Six Flags name and the shit hit the fan >>> bankruptcy. Cedar Fair may have had some debt prior to the merger, but stocks were up (higher than Six Flags by a lot), they had a great model for running their parks, loved their guests, they spent money but it paid off for them. Then they said, "hey let's merge!" Cedar Fair buys Six Flags takes on the Six Flags name, does a complete 180 with their company model, cuts costs until there's nothing left to cut, jacks up in-park pricing, and voila they have officially done the Six Flags dance to bankruptcy again!
Step right up... who's next to take a whack at the six flags bell striker to a zero money making strategy??
Sorry for the sarcasm but... sadly it's true. They just can't seem to get the formula right. Maybe Selim is having more sway than we think this time around
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Word has it that Selim is in the process of moving on. Or at least spreading out his options...
MarketWatch: Goodfood Chair, CEO Jonathan Ferrari Steps Down; Six Flags Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul to Lead Board
MarketWatch: Goodfood Chair, CEO Jonathan Ferrari Steps Down; Six Flags Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul to Lead Board
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This is what I never got. It seemed more like SF was merging into CF, not the other way around, so why keep the SF name? Is it really more recognizable as a brand? Why not rename it to Cedar Flags, Six Fairs, or something more generic like United Parks... oh wait...
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Outside of enthusiasts, Six Flags is infinitely more recognizable than Cedar Fair. Now, it may not always be recognizable for GOOD things, but there is certainly more brand recognition.
Cedar Point itself is probably as recognizable as a brand as Six Flags. Cedar Fair doesn't work because hardly anyone associates it with Cedar Point. If they went with Cedar Point Parks, that would probably work and get away from the stink of the Six Flags name.
AmyUD06
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Agreed. Around me, in Northern Delaware, everyone has heard of Dorney Park (2 hour drive) and Kings Dominion (3.5 hour drive), and many people have heard of Cedar Point, but no one has ever had any idea that they were all owned by the same company. Meanwhile, if you mention "Six Flags" to a random person here, they ask "the one in New Jersey or the one Maryland?"
Six Flags is undoubtedly more recognizable, but the brand reputation is also abominable. Six Flags, for much of the country, is the butt of jokes and brings to mind the absolute worst of the non-traveling (non-carnival) amusement industry.
Using the Six Flags brand was almost certainly right if they believed they could rehabilitate the brand. I'm sure going in that was the intention—but we certainly aren't seeing strong progress towards that goal yet. Hopefully ten years down the line onboarding and revitalizing the Six Flags brand will have looked like a great move in hindsight—but I could definitely see it going either way right now.
Also, sidenote, but I feel that taking the Six Flags name is also pretty dangerous in light of there being two Six Flags branded parks with major animal collections. All it takes is one big animal care issue (or a minor non-issue artificially inflated by bad actors *cough* Blackfish *cough*) to make the Six Flags brand far more poisonous than it already is. That's a significant, unnecessary brand risk if you ask me. I don't know that major hit pieces on SFDK's dolphin or SFGAdv's elephant care are right around the corner or anything, but I wouldn't want to risk it if I were in this industry.
Using the Six Flags brand was almost certainly right if they believed they could rehabilitate the brand. I'm sure going in that was the intention—but we certainly aren't seeing strong progress towards that goal yet. Hopefully ten years down the line onboarding and revitalizing the Six Flags brand will have looked like a great move in hindsight—but I could definitely see it going either way right now.
Also, sidenote, but I feel that taking the Six Flags name is also pretty dangerous in light of there being two Six Flags branded parks with major animal collections. All it takes is one big animal care issue (or a minor non-issue artificially inflated by bad actors *cough* Blackfish *cough*) to make the Six Flags brand far more poisonous than it already is. That's a significant, unnecessary brand risk if you ask me. I don't know that major hit pieces on SFDK's dolphin or SFGAdv's elephant care are right around the corner or anything, but I wouldn't want to risk it if I were in this industry.
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SweetBabyJames
Conservative Coaster Connoisseur
I agree, the Six Flags name is much more recognizable with the masses. While it carries negatives it does carry with it some good connotations including, thrilling rides, a whole bunch of "firsts" in the industry, and is so popular that one saying, "I'm going to Six Flags" is almost synonymous with saying, "I'm going to my local amusement park." That's some pretty strong brand recognition!
If I were Six Flags, I'd be starting to think about taking the strategy of "underpromote overdeliver". Let's face it, their recent promotions over hype and underdeliver. I'm especially thinking of the MVP sale teasers and many of the new for 2026 rides now being delayed. Basically by underpromoting SF will set lower expectations and then exceed those expectations at the park by creating a positive experience for customers in multiple areas. This approach can build customer trust and loyalty back fast. This will also save some wiggle room for unforeseen issues such as delays or a necessary budget cut. But the key to this is that the company actually has to deliver quality. If they still deliver a cheap product, people will see it. Even if they market themselves as cheaper than cheap and change nothing, the quality or the lack there of will show.
I'm still hoping the best for SF, but I too see a "revitalization" going either way. It's still too soon to say especially with many moving parts such as core vs. non-core parks, company strategy, investments, board members still finding their fitting or being let go at corporate etc.
If I were Six Flags, I'd be starting to think about taking the strategy of "underpromote overdeliver". Let's face it, their recent promotions over hype and underdeliver. I'm especially thinking of the MVP sale teasers and many of the new for 2026 rides now being delayed. Basically by underpromoting SF will set lower expectations and then exceed those expectations at the park by creating a positive experience for customers in multiple areas. This approach can build customer trust and loyalty back fast. This will also save some wiggle room for unforeseen issues such as delays or a necessary budget cut. But the key to this is that the company actually has to deliver quality. If they still deliver a cheap product, people will see it. Even if they market themselves as cheaper than cheap and change nothing, the quality or the lack there of will show.
I'm still hoping the best for SF, but I too see a "revitalization" going either way. It's still too soon to say especially with many moving parts such as core vs. non-core parks, company strategy, investments, board members still finding their fitting or being let go at corporate etc.
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Among the general population outside of Ohio? Very doubtful. I hadn't heard of Cedar Point until well into my adulthood. I had already been to several Six Flags locations by then, and we didn't even have one in my state.
I had only heard of it as a kid because of a book I had. When I went for the first time in 2012, telling people I went to Cedar Point after I got back usually resulted in “what is that?”
Was talking to one of my bosses who’s in the early stages of becoming an enthusiast in her 40s about it a while back after getting over a lifelong fear of coasters. Of course it’s now at the top of her list for vacations alongside Epic Universe, but she had no idea it even existed 6 months ago.
This is obviously a highly biased article/editorial and I haven't been able to find any independent verification of any if this but I think it's worth throwing out to see if anyone else can dig in and find anything.
Also it's worth noting that one can be the chairman of multiple companies as long as they don't have business relations and don't compete.
Also it's worth noting that one can be the chairman of multiple companies as long as they don't have business relations and don't compete.
I only ever heard of Six Flags as a kid because of the commercials; still to this day have never been to one (pre-merger). I grew up going to Busch Gardens, Kings Dominion, Universal, Disney, and even Cedar Point.. I remember when Kings Dominion was bought, I knew about Cedar Fair because of Cedar Point and was excited about it, but 99.99% of people I talked to had no clue who they were. I don't disagree with taking on the Six Flags name, but I hope (and continue to) that it comes with a rebranding of parks that people expect from Cedar Fair.
This is interesting context since it was announced that Richard Zimmerman won’t be leaving SF entirely, and that after finishing his role as CEO he will serve on the board. I wonder if the two role changes are connected. Maybe there’s a world where Zimmerman becomes chairman?
I believe that this is what could likely replace Boo Blasters at KI for 2026 since it had already closed, as it bein an Indoor/Outdoor Dark Ride Coaster. Intresting to see that the 2026 addtions like the Giga dive at SFOT, and the Mack Extreme Spinning Tower Strata for SFGAdv (delayed to 2027), are comming straight from the survey released last year. Wouldn't surprise me that the other parks, who also that had their own surveys released also like SFOT and KI for example, with it having been released sometime last year in the summer, would be what they plan and get for 2027, with the options being the same but different on its own at each park.
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paintervision
Coasters: 653 🎢
Hearing Knotts has dropped all previously-scheduled Wednesday dates off the calendar for Knotts Scary Farm for 2025. The event runs during select nights (mostly Thurs-Sun), Sept. 18 - Nov. 1, 2025. Over in the Theme Park Stop Discord, someone called and confirmed this was changed. Even better, he was told that there were no plans to contact people who already bought tickets for these dates. Yay, more budget cuts.
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Knotts isn't the only one being affected by this for SoCal. While I don't know if it was from the getgo or not, Six Flags Magic Mountain has cutback event operations of Fright Fest considerably, only running now on Friday's to Sunday's.