News Six Flags Introduces Flex Pay by Upgrade
- Thread starter MaxxForceFan
- Start date
isn't this the whole point of the memberships? If it works it works, I mean whatever helps them sell more passes. Just seems like the option for smaller installments was already there
It sounds like Six Flags gets paid upfront while Flex Pay manages the installment schedule and assumes the repayment risk.
I know it's the 7th not the 8th, but I hope this isn't the big announcement they said will change the industry.
Yeah there’s 2 announcements, one today about making Six Flags more accessible, and the one tomorrow that they’re saying will turn heads.
Thanks, I haven't been keeping up with it enough and it's a little awkward having two announcements this close.
Well then there's also a Magic Mountain announcement in like 3 days
NEW: Six Flags is now offering “Flex Pay by Upgrade” to allow guests to buy Season Passes via monthly installments.
How is this different than the Six Flags memberships that already offer monthly installment payments? I’m told “Flex Pay by Upgrade” can be used to purchase other things as well, like fast passes, dining plans, one-day tickets, hotel reservations, VIP experiences, cabana rentals and more.
Flex Pay is available on many purchases that are $49 or more. APRs range from 0% to 36%. Balances can be paid off early with no prepayment penalty.
Marcus LeShock FB post
36% APR???? Jesus mother of fuck
How is this different than the Six Flags memberships that already offer monthly installment payments? I’m told “Flex Pay by Upgrade” can be used to purchase other things as well, like fast passes, dining plans, one-day tickets, hotel reservations, VIP experiences, cabana rentals and more.
Flex Pay is available on many purchases that are $49 or more. APRs range from 0% to 36%. Balances can be paid off early with no prepayment penalty.
Marcus LeShock FB post
36% APR???? Jesus mother of fuck
It’s like the old payment system my company used. Everyone qualified basically.
That’s right folks! Just 36%!
AmyUD06
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Every time I've gone to renew my pass over the past several years, there has always been an option to pay in installments. I don't understand what is new here other than that it's available on everything over $49. So....basically you can payment plan daily tickets for two people? Ew.
Only for specifically memberships. This expands that ability out to pretty much everything else on offer from what I understand?
From the chain's POV, I don't really get the offering though to be honest—at least allowing it to be used for Season Pass offerings. Maybe this decreases the number of people who add a ton of stuff to their cart and then close the tab when they see the total, but that was combated previous for Season Passes by the Membership product. Offering payments on season passes seems to actively push people away from the higher-priced membership products. Isn't that just bad for the parks? Don't the parks want people on neverending, reoccurring monthly payments? Allowing people to buy a yearly product on installments requires the chain to win back those customers annually.
Maybe Six Flags makes a big kickback/commission from Upgrade for each person that uses the service on a purchase from Six Flags? Maybe that, paired with not having to administer the "loan" as they would with the membership program outweighs the upside of getting more people locked into higher priced membership offerings?
Even from an evil, big corporation, Wall St. above all point of view, I'm sorta not really seeing the vision here...?
I'm guessing this streamlines the process of destroying your credit if you stop paying.
My understanding is it allows SF to get basically the full price of those membership and add ons right away while not having to take the risk of tge customer not paying or paying late. Basically the company gives SF the full purchase price minus about 10% and then takes up all tge risk and collection related fees.
Forgive my ignorance, but my home park is not a legacy SF so I didn't even know their memberships were still a product you could buy? When I renewed my 2027 gold for Cedar Point I had a pay all now or pay monthly option. Now they're just adding Klarna for day tickets? Yeah man I guess!
The membership option is the monthly payments. If you pay in full, they call that a season pass.
They're basically the same thing, just different payment process
They're basically the same thing, just different payment process
Also, the difference is rather than fees, there is an APR. In California at least specifically, State law forbid the fees the last couple of years, so it seemed CF, and later SF, had to just offer the payment plan for free if you were from California. Now I assume this is also a loophole with an APR based on credit.
Yes, as was noted, the payment plans for Season Passes stopped for the new 2027 cycle, and you had to have a membership or pay in full for a season pass. The season pass seemed to be a little bit cheaper than a membership, so that's what I opted for.
Snail, I think CP was the one legacy park that did not offer memberships for whatever reason. The others all launched them over the summer.
Yes, as was noted, the payment plans for Season Passes stopped for the new 2027 cycle, and you had to have a membership or pay in full for a season pass. The season pass seemed to be a little bit cheaper than a membership, so that's what I opted for.
Snail, I think CP was the one legacy park that did not offer memberships for whatever reason. The others all launched them over the summer.
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For what it’s worth, I assume this is just the same scaling as Affirm, where biweekly payments are 0%, up to 12 months at 36%.
That said, if you’re doing a 12 month plan to visit a park (memberships aside), you probably shouldn’t be visiting said park.