News Cedar Fair Merges with Six Flags
- Thread starter horsesboy
- Start date
My take on why CF is going down the SF playbook is that the legacy SF parks (and some CF parks) are financially unviable longer term and are in the middle of a downward spiral they can't escape. When almost every legacy SF park needs $100-200M investments to clean up and fix the park and replace dying rides, that's not remotely viable absent getting a whale to come in and buy the place.
CF execs' choices were to either cut expenses to the bone and slow the bleeding or make massive investments in mediocre performing locations, capital they can't easily get. Selling off or closing lower performing locations is likely one of the only strategies to save the bigger parks and the company longer term.
CF execs' choices were to either cut expenses to the bone and slow the bleeding or make massive investments in mediocre performing locations, capital they can't easily get. Selling off or closing lower performing locations is likely one of the only strategies to save the bigger parks and the company longer term.
For park enthusiasts, of course it was. The writing was on the wall for most before the deal was even finalized. For shareholders? Jury is still out.
Not sure if we've already discussed this on this forum (this is my first time posting to this discussion), but I've been thinking a lot about the Q3 results and what it means. With $5B in long-term debt, weak-performing parks dragging down cash flow, and upcoming maturities, divestitures seem like the quickest way to generate cash and cut weak links.
If they go this route, I’d expect them to start discussions with potential buyers between now and next May/June, aiming to execute sales over the next 12–18 months, likely timed with off-season to avoid major operational disruption.
Here’s my take on parks that might be prime candidates for divestiture:
I think these parks are (relatively) safe: Cedar Point, Knott’s, Magic Mountain, Canada’s Wonderland, Great Adventure, Dorney, Kings Island, Carowinds, Over Georgia, the Texas parks, Great America, and Worlds of Fun.
Curious what everyone thinks. Are there other parks that should go first, or any you think are actually worth keeping?
If they go this route, I’d expect them to start discussions with potential buyers between now and next May/June, aiming to execute sales over the next 12–18 months, likely timed with off-season to avoid major operational disruption.
Here’s my take on parks that might be prime candidates for divestiture:
- St. Louis: small market, limited growth potential
- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom: high operating costs, regulatory complexity, weak attendance.
- La Ronde; limited expansion potential.
- Six Flags New England; not as much of an obvious pick, but older infrastructure, medium attendance, maybe not worth heavy investment.
I think these parks are (relatively) safe: Cedar Point, Knott’s, Magic Mountain, Canada’s Wonderland, Great Adventure, Dorney, Kings Island, Carowinds, Over Georgia, the Texas parks, Great America, and Worlds of Fun.
Curious what everyone thinks. Are there other parks that should go first, or any you think are actually worth keeping?
The question is, who is buying large amusement parks in this economic climate of uncertainty?
Herschend just acquired Silverwood today, and acquired Palace Entertainment not too long ago. Will they continue their buying spree and pick up some of these attractive, but non-core Six Flags parks?
I'm hopeful buyers will appear when Six Flags tries to divest these parks, and that they are given more opportunity to grow and expand under new management.
Herschend just acquired Silverwood today, and acquired Palace Entertainment not too long ago. Will they continue their buying spree and pick up some of these attractive, but non-core Six Flags parks?
I'm hopeful buyers will appear when Six Flags tries to divest these parks, and that they are given more opportunity to grow and expand under new management.
id like to hop in here and say SFNE absolutely dominates new england. there are a lot of competitors but nobody is nearly as big as SFNE, plus with a included waterpark its a no-brainer to keep imo.
that's what I hope (maybe they can continue doing their upper expansion by picking up Michigan adventure and if possible six flags st louis)
While this is likely true, this is also what was said multiple times before this recent purchase.
New CEO announcement coming soon?
"NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JANA Partners LLC ("JANA"), which along with its partners collectively own an economic interest of approximately 9% in Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) ("Six Flags" or the "Company"), today announced that Dave Habiger has de-grouped from the JANA-led investor group to enable him to pursue a complementary opportunity involving the Company."
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jana-partners-provides-six-flags-131500178.html
"NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JANA Partners LLC ("JANA"), which along with its partners collectively own an economic interest of approximately 9% in Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) ("Six Flags" or the "Company"), today announced that Dave Habiger has de-grouped from the JANA-led investor group to enable him to pursue a complementary opportunity involving the Company."
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jana-partners-provides-six-flags-131500178.html
Attachments
Looks like a serial job hopper
I have no idea who this guy is or what his future involvement with Six Flags might be, but to his credit, it looks like most of those positions are board positions that he held simultaneously. That doesn’t seem terribly out of the norm for these well-connected business folk.
Has anyone gotten any images for Knotts and WOF's surveys? I've heard some people claim that they both released one.
I can’t look right now but I’d recommend checking Facebook groups for both of those parks, that’s where a lot of these other surveys were shared first before making it here and to Reddit.
Around noon today, Great Adventure made the decision to close tomorrow on account of expected inclement weather. It is now 9 PM EST and the operating calendar STILL indicates that the park will be open.
The app should be a reliable source of up to the minute park information. How about spreading the word on social media too, instead of posting a hype video about your rides? Pretty unacceptable conduct there.
The app should be a reliable source of up to the minute park information. How about spreading the word on social media too, instead of posting a hype video about your rides? Pretty unacceptable conduct there.
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AmyUD06
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And of course is a glitchy mess. It shows my pass (purchased at a legacy CF park) when viewing legacy CF parks, but not legacy SF parks, does not show any information when viewing the "My Account" settings (nor does it let you update them), and pops up red error codes doing virtually anything.
I'm pretty sure it's not meant for public use yet.
I would certainly hope that's the case. The KD app now tells you it has moved to the Six Flags app, but new new SF app is incomplete at the moment. At least it doesn't tell me my home park is SFoT like it did all last year.