Six Flags Vs. Disney

[jonahbear2006]

We got free passes to Fright Fest last year from Best Buy, so we purchased the 2008 season passes to six flags this year at that time for $20 a head. Great deal, eh?

This is where i begin to love and appreciate Disney more and more today! We went today with a group of friends, no kids, and the break down in prices is ridiculous. It's $15 to park, $18 for lockers, you can't take empty refillable mugs to the rides so additional lockers are $1 and next to every big ride, tubes are soo scarce to find you MUST rent them for the $8 a head, The food was absolutely horrible and a very small (mcdonald's sized) cheeseburger and fries was $10.99 and that doesnt even include the drink. The refillable mugs are $12.99 for the day and watching Disney prices, I am wondering how they do so good at what they do and don't gouge us in every single area!!!

Every price I saw at Six Flags today was higher than Disney's prices. The food at Disney makes me want to return, whereas this food made me want to call the health inspector. Their staff was so low that the big slides weren't running today or for the rest of the year, and as a matter of fact, the staff was so low that it slowed down our day a great deal. I am so disgusted that I almost don't want to use the kid's free passes from Read To Succeed!!

I am feeling very appreciative of what Disney does with their fantastic business and after spending about $150 in the park today, that I would NOT have to spend at Disney, after we already bought tickets, I am really starting to feel like Disney's prices are worthwhile!! They deliver great service, a fine staff, food that doesn't look like it will poison you, a place to retreat from the sun when you start to get sun poisoned, and they don't nickel and dime you to death or opt to retrieve some of their courtesies just to make you so miserable that you HAVE to pay for their 'preferred' services.
Thank you Disney for loving your Guests!!! We deeply appreciate it!!

[Strmchsr]

I totally agree. I took my church youth group to Six Flags Over GA last week and it made me appreciate WDW so much. I think next year I'll take the group to Orlando. :mickey:

[tys_mommy]

Maybe it’s just my family but we have always ranked six flags at the bottom of all theme parks. It’s ok to visit every now and again (with very discounted passes) but not something we’d plan to do too often.

[azcavalier]

When I saw the title of the thread, I thought "Why are we even having this discussion?" I have been to Six Flags once, at Six Flags over St. Louis when we lived in Illinois. My wife and I went to St. Louis for our 10th anniversary, and for one day we did the Six Flags thing. It definitely has some good rides. We rode "Batman, the ride" six times. But the park is just, well.....lower class...than Disney parks. It made us appreciate what Disney does that much more.

I grew up going to Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens in Virginia, and even though I haven't been back for almost 15 years, I still think that Busch Gardens is pretty good.

[JRock0114]

The thing we have to understand is that we should not even be comparing these 2 things in the first place. Comparing this is like comparing fine wine and Kool Aide. And I don't mean that as a knock on Kool Aide. Both serve a purpose........but they are different.

Six Flags amusement parks are basically "local" parks that are a part of a national "chain". Disney is a huge vacation destination that is meant to be explored over a course of 4 days or longer. Yeah it's easy to say that "Disney is so much better than Six Flags". But the fact is, Disney is not in places like Georgia or Ohio........Six Flags is.

I see these types of posts all the time on Disney sites where folks just want to jump all over anything but the mouse. The fact is that there are things out there for people of different tastes. Take Universal for example. People torch Universal on here. But go out and take a vote of 14 year old boys.......or Dad's on a trip without the kids. I bet you see that they would rather be on Spider-Man or the Mummy instead of Peter Pan or watching a Princess musical.

I love Disney. My wife and I visit Orlando 5 times a year, and we live in Tennessee. But there are other experiences out there......and some of those are for people who are not able to travel to Orlando or California. This is why I'm glad that places like Six Flags are out there. Are they everything they could or should be? Not by far. But we don't need to put them in a fight that we all know they can't win.

[Itchy]

I live in the St louis area, I dont know how many of you remember the Six Flags Commerical that stated " Just as good as Disney World only twice as close":ack:

Yea right! In their dreams maybe.

The only way I go to Six Flags is with my grand kids and I am kicking and screaming all the way.

Disney is such a class act I cant imagine going anywhere else:thumbsup:

24 day and counting:mickey:

[LauraF]

I had season passes for Six Flags once. I don't expect I'll get them again. BF is a big coaster freak and really wanted to go to several parks (the passes we got allowed us free admission at any Six Flags in the nation). So we went probably 10-15 times last season, including Fright Fest.

Then I took BF to WDW.
We didn't renew our Six Flags passes this year.

Enough said. :mickey:

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Six Flags does not even appeal to me, it just does not compare to disney:number1:

[disneymom15]

I agree, we live about 3 1/2 hours from Six Flags. I use to like it, that is until I discovered Disney. It doesn't compare. Six Flags is dirty, the food is horrible, peeling paint, broken benches just to name a few. My husband brought home discount coupons the other day for Six Flags, and to tell the truth, I have no interest in going. It's Disney or nothing as far as I'm concerned.

[mattandmandy]

I also agree with all of yall. I remember when I was 13 going to Six Flags EVERY weekend and LOVING it. The first time I went to Disney World was in '99 when I graduated college and of course loved it. Soon after I remember wanting to go to a theme park and went back to Six Flags and was so disapointed. I think we ended up leaving early. The rude workers, the horrible food and the chipping paint still stand out in mind too. I remember Travel Channel saying that Disney touches up paint every night to make sure that colors are bright but its not just that. It's everything about Disney. The people, the food....all the attention to every little detail....

I also agree that if you don't know what your missing then its fine and for families that can't ever afford to go to Disney World then it's nice to have near but I don't think I'd ever spend money going back to a Six Flags again.

[azcavalier]

The thing we have to understand is that we should not even be comparing these 2 things in the first place. Comparing this is like comparing fine wine and Kool Aide. And I don't mean that as a knock on Kool Aide. Both serve a purpose........but they are different.

Six Flags amusement parks are basically "local" parks that are a part of a national "chain". Disney is a huge vacation destination that is meant to be explored over a course of 4 days or longer. Yeah it's easy to say that "Disney is so much better than Six Flags". But the fact is, Disney is not in places like Georgia or Ohio........Six Flags is.

I see these types of posts all the time on Disney sites where folks just want to jump all over anything but the mouse. The fact is that there are things out there for people of different tastes. Take Universal for example. People torch Universal on here. But go out and take a vote of 14 year old boys.......or Dad's on a trip without the kids. I bet you see that they would rather be on Spider-Man or the Mummy instead of Peter Pan or watching a Princess musical.

I love Disney. My wife and I visit Orlando 5 times a year, and we live in Tennessee. But there are other experiences out there......and some of those are for people who are not able to travel to Orlando or California. This is why I'm glad that places like Six Flags are out there. Are they everything they could or should be? Not by far. But we don't need to put them in a fight that we all know they can't win.

This is true, but I think that Six Flags could do better. Disney is a larger company, but they have set the standard. I do think that Busch Gardens has very nice parks, but there are so few of them, that most people have to take trips (like we would for Disney). As a result, I would never take a trip just to go to a Busch owned property (Sea World is another example), but if I were in the area, i'd take an extra day to explore it. We were in San Antonio last summer, and decided to do the Sea World there (yes, there's a Sea World in San Antonio, who woulda thunk it?). It has some cool stuff in it, and I thought that it was clean, but we were still dissappointed. I think that after doing WDW a couple of times, it's just a bit of a let down to go to other parks, even if they do have better "thrill rides".

[Gottaluvgoof]

We were Six Flags Season Pass holders for years. Even though we go to Disney World, it was close enough for my kids to go have a good time with friends. This year though, they have just gotten ridiculous, and I refused to pay. The nickel and diming are outrageous. I also agree with the service, or lack of. It has gotten progressively worse over the years and to me, it's bordering pitiful. The food as someone else mentioned is scarey! We would leave the park and go to a nearby restaurant when we went. I realize Six Flags probably shouldn't be compared to Disney, but for the sake of it's customers, they could be a whole let better than they are. It's a shame to me, because there are people who will never be able to make a trip to Disney. They are spending hard earned money at Six Flags and deserve more than they are getting.

[indytraveler]

I haven't seen anyone mention the biggest nickel and dime thing... buying a fast pass gadget.

[Strmchsr]

The thing we have to understand is that we should not even be comparing these 2 things in the first place. Comparing this is like comparing fine wine and Kool Aide. And I don't mean that as a knock on Kool Aide. Both serve a purpose........but they are different.

While I would agree you can't compare the two in some aspects, in others you must. I wouldn't try to compare Six Flags to WDW in terms of ride quality or theming. You're right in that's fine wine to Kool Aid. I know Six Flags is a thrill ride park. That's their whole point and so that's what I go expecting. I prefer Disney's theming and rides, but that's not a reason to bash Six Flags. My problems with Six Flags are:

1.) Very poor crowd control. After they charge you an arm and a leg to get in they charge you for fast pass. I waited in line 45 min just to buy tickets to get in to the park (my fault. I should have bought and printed online, but still...). Then every line in the park was a minimum of 45 min. So crowd flow/line management is very poorly done. That's a planning issue and one in which I think you can fairly compare the two.

2.) Customer Service - I think most people would agree that WDW has slipped some in quality customer service recently (whether due to lack of oversight/training or lack of work ethic among many young people today can be debated), but they're still light years ahead of Six Flags. That's a training/corporate DNA issue, and I think you can fairly compare the two here as well.

3.) Park maintenance - again, a fair comparison. How well do you maintain what you have? I will give Six Flags props here. This year, in terms of trash being every where, they were much improved. I saw managers and employees making an effort to pick up any trash they saw and the park was MUCH cleaner than in the past. However, the rides looked dirty. There was rust all over a couple of them. Some of the buildings had peeling paint. There were cracks in the sidewalk big enough to cause me to twist my ankle when I accidentally stepped on one.

So, while for some the issue is a matter of preference, for me it's an examination of how well you run your business. I don't expect Six Flags to be WDW, but I expect Six Flags to do what they do well. If i'm going to pay $20 to park, $40 to get in per person, $14/person for a small slice of pizza and a Coke, $5 for drinks many times throughout the day so we don't get dehydrated, plus still being expected to pay for fast pass and many of the "extra" rides then I want some high quality. When you add all of that up, I actually could almost spend a day at WDW cheaper than Six Flags, so, for that reason, I really don't consider them more family friendly, even if they are closer.

[Jeff G]

My DW & I were watching TV the other night and we saw the add where they sax Six Flags is like Disney World only closer. This statement alone does allow for comparison.

I would not consider myself a Disney snob. I've been to Sea World and think it's awesome, I've been to Universal Studios and enjoyed it but with my young family it's not an option.

As for Six Flags, when I was growing up we went to Six Flags in Gurnee 2-3 times per summer and I thought it was awesome. After my first trip to WDW we went back to Six Flags and found ourselves in a line of 60 minutes to ride a roller coaster that had no theming. We couldn't help the entire time comparing the park to WDW. A couple years later we had free tickets so we went back again but we had been to WDW several times between visits. We were very disappointed in the customer service, the crowds were awful on a Tuesday and the park was filthy. We have not gone back since and that was just about 10 years ago.

[Imagineer1981]

the biggest difference is the level of service. Six Flags doesn't have CMs and they don't have the same mentality. Its hard to compare the two because they are on completely different levels

[Texas Tinkerbell Too]

Yes, I will admit even after being an ex-Six Flags employee (during my high school and early college years) that I am now a major Disney snob. :mickey:

[disneygeek84]

We only go to Six Flags Over Texas if we have free passes, or really cheap passes. We've been the last 2 years during Christmas, but only because the first time my sister's dance team was performing there and then last year we had free passes. But I do like coasters, so I enjoy going, just not all the time.

But I have seen people there who are on vacation and they take a couple of days from their trip to visit Six Flags. Makes sense if you can't afford Orlando, but TWO DAYS? No, thank you. :ack:

[mcjaco]

The thing we have to understand is that we should not even be comparing these 2 things in the first place. Comparing this is like comparing fine wine and Kool Aide. And I don't mean that as a knock on Kool Aide. Both serve a purpose........but they are different.

I love JRock makes this very valid point, and everyone ignores it and keeps on bashing Six Flags. :scratch:

You cannot compare the two. Disney was/is planned as a vacation destination/resort, whereas Six Flag parks are designed for high thrills for a day (maybe two) stay.

You're also comparing parks that heavily rely on seasonal help, many of which are high school and college students. Sorry to say, you are not going to get high quality that way. That's not to say some of the employees aren't, because I know many are. Kentucky Kingdom used to be known for it's horrendous operations, customer service and grounds. They've turned that park around, and now that management is at Magic Mountain, which is also getting rave reviews, likening it to it's hay days in the 70's.

There's new upper management in place, and you have to give it time, as the last group did the chain a major disservice by expanding too quickly and believing that large coasters at a large cost would draw in large crowds. New management isn't taking the same approach, Dan Snyder and Mark Shapiro are working hard to get things righted, and make it more family oriented, but they've got a huge hole to dig out of (especially financially)due to past management's decisions. They also don't have he luxury of a huge marketing machine, and they're own television networks.

Cut them some slack.

[MichaelMouse]

There is absolutely no comparison between the two. It is a joke that anyone would even consider comparing the two to eachother. Six Flags is an oversized street fair, whereas Disney is a 5 Star Fantasy World, where Magic lives.....

If the prices at Six Flags are higher then Disney, someone in the front office is on some serious meds. Yes, Six Flags is a place to get on great thrill rides. But Six Flags needs to step off, their not even in the same category when rating Theme Parks.

If you want to compare any theme park to Disney, go to Universal. And even then, Disney takes the Crown. There is no other PArk that can compare.

Disney: a Rolls Royce

Six Flags: a Pinto

:mickey::mickey::thumbsup:

[JRocker]

I used to go to Six Flags Over Texas quite a bit, and enjoyed the heck out of it. My last trip there was about 14 years ago. It was then I vowed to never give them another dime of my hard earned money.

Some argue that there is no comparison to WDW. Whose fault is that? I disagree that it is like comparing a fine wine to koolaid. The better analogy would be maybe comparing a fine wine to a drug store wine. They both want to be wine, but one of em just plain stinks at it.

I feel that the Universal parks, and the Busch parks are comparable to WDW in a lot of areas. (WDW being the better of the three) Six flags falls flat in almost every comparison.

Fifteen years ago Six Flags was a great regional theme park. They took care of business and showed you a good time. Today, they are a mere shadow of themselves.

Six Flags customer service is rotten.

Paying the price of a dinner to park in a lot with little or no shuttles is robbery. But this in itself isn't much different than other parks...

Their maintenance is atrocious. Peeling paint, rusty bolts, overflowing trash cans, and on and on and on. Is the grounds maintenance reflective of the ride maintenance? I'm not real sure how comfortable I would feel on one of their rides.

Bottom line, Six Flags is in the theme park business they should be compared to others in the theme park industry. Just because others do a better job of it shouldn't make them excempt from comparisons.

[Disney Doll]

So, while for some the issue is a matter of preference, for me it's an examination of how well you run your business. I don't expect Six Flags to be WDW, but I expect Six Flags to do what they do well. If i'm going to pay $20 to park, $40 to get in per person, $14/person for a small slice of pizza and a Coke, $5 for drinks many times throughout the day so we don't get dehydrated, plus still being expected to pay for fast pass and many of the "extra" rides then I want some high quality. When you add all of that up, I actually could almost spend a day at WDW cheaper than Six Flags, so, for that reason, I really don't consider them more family friendly, even if they are closer.

Exactly! Just because Six Flags can't be WDW doesn't mean they shouldn't try to improve their parks. I understand that WDW and Six Flags are completely different, but I still expect to get a quality product. The nickel and diming irks me more than anything. I understand that you get what you pay for. If I were getting off cheaply then I wouldn't complain as much, but Six Flags is not cheap.

[Mousemates]

But Six Flags needs to step off, their not even in the same category when rating Theme Parks.

If you want to compare any theme park to Disney, go to Universal. And even then, Disney takes the Crown. There is no other PArk that can compare.

Disney: a Rolls Royce

Six Flags: a Pinto



I agree with you on most of your thougths except the final one.

Six flags (at least on our visit earlier this year) does not equal a Pinto...it equals an exhaust smokin, oil drippin, rusted out Yugo with a broken antenna and a cracked windshield. We used to go every year or so for the coasters, but this years trip was likely our last. The place was dirty, the staffing was rude, and the ride maintenance/cleanliness was poor. For example, the clean up on a ride after a biological disaster (i.e a boy :ack: in the ride car) was a bucket of water that didn't even remove all the "hazard." from the floor of the vehicle.

Maybe its not fair ot compare SF to WDW, but even with that said, we've been to more than a few parks over the years (Kings Island, BGF, BGE, SW, USF, Carowinds, Camp Snoopy, etc) and all have beaten SF's hands down.

[mcjaco]

Maybe its not fair ot compare SF to WDW, but even with that said, we've been to more than a few parks over the years (Kings Island, BGF, BGE, SW, USF, Carowinds, Camp Snoopy, etc) and all have beaten SF's hands down.

No. It's not fair to compare. I may be coming off as a Six Flags fanboy, but it's because I believe the theme park industry needs all sorts of parks. Six Flags fills a need for local thrill ride oriented parks.

Are they a shadow of themselves. Yes. In some of the parks, not all of them. You can't lump them all together if you've only visited one.

King's Island is known to be one of the worst parks in the country for operations. Camp Snoopy is no more, and they've rebranded as Nickolodeon Universe (which costs you $30) and is absolutely a horrendous park now.

Try going to Kiddieland or Little-A-Merrick-A. If you describe Six Flags as a oily, smoky, Yugo, I can't wait to hear your description of some of the really small parks. :mad:

[jonahbear2006]

We were Six Flags Season Pass holders for years. Even though we go to Disney World, it was close enough for my kids to go have a good time with friends. This year though, they have just gotten ridiculous, and I refused to pay. The nickel and diming are outrageous. I also agree with the service, or lack of. It has gotten progressively worse over the years and to me, it's bordering pitiful. The food as someone else mentioned is scarey! We would leave the park and go to a nearby restaurant when we went. I realize Six Flags probably shouldn't be compared to Disney, but for the sake of it's customers, they could be a whole let better than they are. It's a shame to me, because there are people who will never be able to make a trip to Disney. They are spending hard earned money at Six Flags and deserve more than they are getting.
I agree. someone on top is making a lot of money and not doing anything with it for the park. The food literally makes Mcdonalds look like a 5 star restaurant. The winding paths of the coaster lines smell horrible of body odor and need some severe cleaning. There is no way that they are coming out with so little money that they can't possibly offer food that is edible. They are eating the money and not putting any of it into the park. I am not saying the two parks can be compared, I am just saying that I feel much better now being able to rationalize spending more money on tickets, to get a much better experience in the parks. I will return to Six flags to take my kids and finish enjoying it with my friends this year but I won't but passes again next year.

[JRock0114]

[QUOTE=mcjaco;1707141]I love JRock makes this very valid point, and everyone ignores it and keeps on bashing Six Flags. :scratch:[QUOTE]

Thank you very much for being the only one to notice this.

I've tried a million times on these types of boards to get Crazed Disney fans to understand that there are different strokes for different folks. No Dice.

Yes I agree.......if Six Flags is using a tag line where they say "....like Disney only closer" then that is a joke. The guy who came up with that should be fired.

Here's the bottom line:
Six Flags = local amusement park- thrill ride heavy

Disney World = World wide vacation destination with resort hotels, dining, and multiple theme parks

Have we run out of things to talk about on these boards where we have to just bring up things that have nothing to do with Disney World just so we can bash it? What's next?

Disney vs. Going to the Mall?
Disney vs. Having a tooth pulled?
Disney vs. Pumping Gas?
Disney vs. Washing Clothes?

I just don't get it. And again.....I am a huge Disney World fan. Heck I even got married there. So I'm not a Hater by any means. But there are things in this would that do not live up to the "Disney Standard" for many different reasons.....and I'm fine with them being in this world.

[mcjaco]

I agree. someone on top is making a lot of money and not doing anything with it for the park....... There is no way that they are coming out with so little money that they can't possibly offer food that is edible....... They are eating the money and not putting any of it into the park.

Um, No.

From the Wall Street Journal:


Six Flags, one of the nation's largest amusement-park companies, is under serious financial strain. It hasn't posted an annual profit in years. It's weighed down by $2.4 billion of debt, and faces a $288 million payment to preferred stockholders next August.

[Mousemates]

No. It's not fair to compare. I may be coming off as a Six Flags fanboy, but it's because I believe the theme park industry needs all sorts of parks. Six Flags fills a need for local thrill ride oriented parks.

Are they a shadow of themselves. Yes. In some of the parks, not all of them. You can't lump them all together if you've only visited one.

King's Island is known to be one of the worst parks in the country for operations. Camp Snoopy is no more, and they've rebranded as Nickolodeon Universe (which costs you $30) and is absolutely a horrendous park now.

Try going to Kiddieland or Little-A-Merrick-A. If you describe Six Flags as a oily, smoky, Yugo, I can't wait to hear your description of some of the really small parks. :mad:

Not sure what got your dander up, especially since I'm not "against" the other amusement parks...most of the ones I mentioned I would be glad to go back to (really all of them but SF and KingsIsland-it was also dirty, just not as bad as SFs was when we visited in June).

I also can't speak to the variances of the parks from year to year...when we were at Camp Snoopy it was whistle clean, the workers were friendly, and the lines were short...my wife and duaghter thought it was adorable. So, I realize that my opinions are not based on "Who's known for horrible operations today" but only on what I saw on the particular day i attended.

However, as for my disdain for SFs all I can say is that "that is my opinion"...again based upon my admittedly non-scientific sample of attendance...who knows, maybe i just got lucky at the other parks I mentioned and caught them all on their best days and got unlucky at six flags and caught it on its worst and busiest day...maybe six flags really is more like "you think it is" than it is like "I think it is"...but honestly all I can go by is what I experienced when I was there...and my last experiences at six flags over georgia have not been good ones.

Also please note that in my attendance at other parks , I'm not going in expecting things to be Disney....however, there are certain expectations I have for any park i go to, expectations that I don't think ought to be peculiar to WDW, and those expectations are helpful employees, well maintianed facilities and clean grounds. And truth be told, many of the smaller parks have done a wonderful job in those area...Busch Gardens Europe while still a relatively small thrill park, was absoultely wonderful and clean when we visited there for a weekend last spring. I'd go back in an instant.


As for other small regional parks, I have also found some of them to be quite enjoyable experiences...and while I'm not sure you really meant it....here are my evaluations of a few others.

Dollywood - (Pigeon Forge, TN) generally clean, so-so rides, good entertianment.

Storyland (somewhere in the mountains of NEw Hamsphire...I think the town is Glenn or Glenn River)...so adorable you can't help but stop when your driving down the road (which is how we wound up there)...not a place for teens, but small children would love it.

Ghost Valley in the Sky - Maggie Valley (which has reopened after a long siesta) NC---generally clean, kind of like a county fair without the rough edges, it actually reminds me of the old Goldrush Junction in Pigeon Forge, which became Silver Dollar City, which became Dollywood).

Lake Winapesauka(not spelled right) - near Chattanooga... apark on the small side, seems to have some issues, but overall I still had good time.

So i guess we will have to agree tro disagree about six flags (or maybe just disagree to disagree about six flags :), but there is one thing we both agree on, in spite of our differences...and that it that disney rises above all the competition.

[MichaelMouse]

Well put everyone. After some thought, I guess it is wrong to not include Six Flags into the ratings, even if they are at the bottom of the list.

But as a huge Disney fan, it kinda makes me vomit to compare theme parks like Six Flags to a place like Disney World.

Disney is a one of a kind that in todays world is hard to touch.

Keep up the good work, Disney:mickey::thumbsup:

[JasonH]

Wow, this amazes me on the responses to this age old question. Looks like I'll be one of the few that will stand up, somewhat, for Six Flags.

I've lived near St. Louis my whole life. And starting out as a one source income family, to have any thrills, we were very fortunate to have Six Flags nearby. My mom had gone there several times during her teenage years and wanted her 2 sons, me being one of them, to experience the fun she had too. I've actually been going to Six Flags since I was 2 years old, which means for 29 years, I've enjoyed Six Flags for what it is.

Ex: Back when Colossus first came there, and still is there to this day, they teamed up with Krogers grocery store to hold a coloring contest around St. Louis. At the store I submitted my picture to(which was a pre-printed picture with Colossus and Bugs and a few other things I don't remember, but was huge, like the size of 4 pieces of paper put together) I wound up winning first place there and had won a 4-pack of season passes for the fam. That was a HUGE thing back then.

I still remember that my mom would always MAKE our main meal for Six Flags the day before and we'd load up the cooler and have lunch underneath one of the trees out in the parking lot b/c we didn't have much to spend.

I remember my first looping coaster I ever went on was the Ninja. Talk about excellence for that time. Wound up buying a t-shirt to show my enthusiasm. Makes me sad though that I never went on the Jet Scream, Six Flags St. Louis first looping coaster.

I remember going to Fright Fest for the first time and Country Fair Days being held with wrestling and a demo derby at the arena they specially built for it. And for several years after that, it just got better and better.

My first job was at Six Flags. I was a parking lot attendant. I started in 1995, the year Batman first opened. It was the most themed ride Six Flags had to date. Talk about one heck of a year that was. Not a single day went by that we had almost at least 20,000 people. It was also during the time that Warner Bros. used to own the Six Flags parks. The people I worked with were fantastic. We treated each other not just as friends, but as an extended family. We cared about our jobs back then.

Now Six Flags during that time was a very excellent amusement park. It was also during that time that I was introduced to WDW at the young age of 7. Sure, there was no comparison between the two. Six Flags heavy into local thrills and family fun and WDW being THE vacation spot to be. But I loved both for what they were.

Six Flags has gone downhill it seems after I left for a better job in 1998, mostly b/c they don't have the WB backing anymore and b/c the help is more seasonal than ever, usually not finding anyone that will stay there longer than one or two seasons. But, I still like and enjoy the place. I go about 3-4 times a year so I do get the Season Pass with parking pass to make it worth going to.

Is there room for improvement? Of course!! What place in the entire world doesn't? Personally, I think they do need to get back to basics and reevaluate their outlook of Six Flags and what it meant to actually go there as a family and have some thrills at the same time...and also bring down some of the prices even though they do have that debt to pay off. Like the old saying goes, you'll attract more flies with honey, or in this case, more guests with lower prices and more consideration for quality, not quantity.

[tinksmom02]

The thing we have to understand is that we should not even be comparing these 2 things in the first place. Comparing this is like comparing fine wine and Kool Aide. And I don't mean that as a knock on Kool Aide. Both serve a purpose........but they are different.

Things have probably changed (it HAS been 14 years), but when I worked at 6 Flags it was drilled into our heads that 6F wanted to be the next Disney. I couldn't see it even at the time...Great Adventure here in NJ doesn't even really have any hotels nearby. It's just not the kind of place you want to visit for days at a time.

So I agree with you that you can't really compare the parks, but the higher-ups at 6Flags think that you can...

We go to 6Flags just once a year (and not at all this year)...even with free passes the day runs big bucks. I'd heard that they won't let you drop your bag on the coasters anymore; you have to rent a locker at each ride. Won't be spending any money at that park anytime soon.

[thrillme]

Disney and Six Flags are two totally different animals. One is world known theme park the other a local amuzement park.

Our Fiesta Texas is quite a little bargin. I only live a few minutes from there and it's fun on a boring summer day to trot on over. It has some nice coasters and a nice little water park. We usually always get passes to both Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld. Both have water parks, some nice shows and SeaWorld has some GREAT halloween shows we always enjoy.

Disney had BETTER be BETTER...shucks I spend close to $3000 for a family of three to go there for a few days. Fiesta Texas it's only about $150 plus parking for the whole season. I rarely bother eating there because just outside of it they have tons of really nice resturants that are great to go to. Since we have passes we just enjoy a few hours, go eat and go home. My son can take friends because they often offer tickets to passholders for as little as $5 for the day...many already have passes.

Don't get me wrong...I do enjoy Disney but it's "special"...it's not an AMUZEMENT park. Maybe if I lived closer to Disney I would get passes.

[chrisb26]

The way I view this is that Six Flags and Disney are two very different things. Disney is a vacation spot where Six Flags is a one day thing.

I had heard about them being in trouble and losing alot of money however the way I view it is like this.

If you are is such debt I don't think the way to get out of it is by price gouging the people coming to your park all that is going to do is make people not want to return.

What they should be doing is take a look at why they are doing so poorly. If other parks don't charge more and they make profits there is obviously a reason for it.

I live near Six Flags Great America and I went last week and paid $30 which I got a ticket from a friend who's dad's work was having a discount day for the park.

I hadn't been last year and wasn't real impressed with what I saw. Parking is a joke at $15 for the back lot which until now I had never even seen a car parked in. The Front lot or "preferred" was $25 which until this year had always been the normal parking. So we had to walk a long ways to actually get in the park.

It wasn't the cleanest park I've been to and it seems to always have this unpleasant smell when we go.

Since last year they have removed about 4 rides and they replaced them with nothing. Now I understand that they are going to build in their place possibly next year although that is big empty spaces where you could have something better.

The food wasn't all that great especially for the price.

With all that being said it was an alright day I look at it like this, I don't go to Six Flags for the same reason I go to Disney. I go to Six Flags because they are a thrill park with all the roller coasters however I still think they could do alot better. Especially with them raising prices every year and not giving us all that much for our price.

[jonahbear2006]

I wasnt comparing reasons for going or comparing the ideas of the parks or them in general. I was comparing the lengths disney goes to keep their park clean, the quality of their food, and the fact that their staff is always adequate. I think that no matter what the place is, you can always compare their amount of care and lengths you go to try. You can be rich and not take care of yourself and you can be poor and be clean and well kept. I love going to Six flags for the day because we are big thrill seekers, we love the roller coasters, and the water park is fantastic since we never get to make it to Disney's since our family is so small. I was just simply saying that I was disgusted that with a park this size that is suppose to be an entertainment venue, cannot follow through with any of the important areas and that I now appreciate these areas of Disney more than I did, because I didn't realize how much trouble they go to to keep their park looking perfect and smelling great and their food being fantastic. I am not a Six Flags Basher. I am however, more prone to spend my money at Disney, more than ever, now. I am sorry that Six Flags is doing poorly, but it is obvious why they are having trouble; no one leaves happy.

[mcjaco]

You people do realize they dropped their prices to $35 if buy them online. That's the kids admission price. They know that to get people in the door in the economy they had to make some serious changes. Dropping admission was one of them. Management is trying to do the right thing, it's just going to take a lot of time.

I love Disney parks because they are an experience unlike any other theme park in the world. I don't, however, discount any Cedar Fair, Six Flags, or other managed parks. Everyone of them is a different experience. Do they have problems? Sure! So do the Disney parks.

[bruin1344]

i would pick WDW thousand times over 10 over Six Flags New England even though its closer to me than WDW, i could give you a million reasons but here are a few:
-all the big attractions at Six Flags are 1-2 hour waits
- rollercoasters are mediocre compared to EE or RnR
-there are no decent tame rides like POTC or HM
-food is terrible
-rude workers
-no attention to detail
-i always wish i am at wdw when i am there

[MaxPower]

Below is an article from St. Louis's newspaper in May 2008 about the current troubles faced by Six Flags and how the executives plan to combat them. Bottom line: They are in debt and are trying to get customers to spend, spend, spend. So expect more $12 dollar hamburgers and paying $15 to park. Management's concern is not making the customers happy; it's getting them to spend more:

New York-based Six Flags Inc., the world's biggest regional theme park operator, is deep into an effort to shore up its finances, endure a weak economy and pull more families to its 20 parks in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Time is short, and patience on Wall Street is running thin. The company has lost two-thirds of its market value in the last year.

Now, Six Flags' goal is to "replenish" and "re-position" its brand, improving customer service and giving visitors more bang for their buck. The idea is to speed up waiting lines, provide more high-octane thrills, and offer an experience that is still friendly and affordable for families squeezed by high gas prices.

In addition to opening the Evel Knievel Coaster in mid-summer, Six Flags St. Louis is expanding its concert series and slashing ticket prices at the 500-acre park. To be announced today: Ticket prices for adults will be cut by $10. Adult tickets at the main gate will be $35; online tickets will be $30.

"What we've done the last two years is (provide) better service, better value," said chief executive Mark Shapiro.

Six Flags still faces serious challenges. It carries $2.2 billion in long-term debt and $132 million in current debt, compared to $12.7 million in cash and $131 million available under a credit agreement.

Six Flags sustained a $150 million loss in the first three months of the year. Higher average spending by guests helped narrow the loss compared to the same period a year before, but the company lost $275 million last year and $328 million in 2006.

Shapiro insists his company is pulling itself out of the hole, and that bankruptcy is not looming. Shapiro, a former ESPN executive, says Six Flags can "grow into this balance sheet by improving our core business."

A slowing economy poses its own challenges. Six Flags relies on discretionary spending from its core clientele, blue-collar families. Attracting families with less money to spend is a major goal.

Theme parks have historically been recession-resistant but not recession-proof, according to Stifel, Nicolaus analyst Kit Spring, who cautioned that a recession featuring a big dropoff in consumer spending may hurt Six Flags more than earlier downturns.

If Six Flags cuts its operations too deeply, customer satisfaction and revenue could drop, Spring said in a note to investors. Six Flags aims to trim about $55 million this year, cutting back on labor costs and axing "inefficient" rides.

Shapiro is betting that a down economy could help Six Flags attract local families as they shrink from taking more expensive trips to theme parks in places like Orlando or Anaheim.

"As parents elect to stay closer to home, we want to give them a family-friendly offering that's a better value," Shapiro said. "When the economy tightens, I think we're well-positioned."

Executives predict the company this year will come within $25 million of generating positive free cash flow. Reaching that milestone would mean Six Flags is able to churn out cash even after subtracting for money spent to build and maintain attractions.

Six Flags recently inked a licensing agreement in Dubai — a deal that executives hope will generate cash flow with little risk to the company.

But according to Standard & Poor's, risk remains on the company's balance sheet. Last week, the international credit rating group said it might cut Six Flags' credit rating deeper into speculative territory. A rating cut would send a signal of financial vulnerability.

In the third year of new management — Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is chairman and one of the biggest investors — Six Flags is trying to broaden its appeal. Years ago, the company might have plunged $30 million or more into a single roller coaster to attract thrill-seeking teenagers. Now, the company's aspirations are more down-to-earth: boosting customer satisfaction by offering cleaner parks, faster lines, a longer operating season and more concerts.

"Management has some good reasons for optimism," according to Spring. High internal marks for customer satisfaction, resilience in a relatively weak economy and expected increases in oversees licensing deals bode well, and recent cost cuts "worked splendidly," Spring said.

Six Flags needs people to spend more when they come to the parks. "In-park spending," including money spent on food and beverages, games and merchandise represent most of a theme park's profits, said John Gerner, managing director of Leisure Business Advisors LLC in Richmond, Va.

Six Flags is rolling out more Papa John's, Johnny Rockets and Cold Stone Creamery units in its parks. It has had some success: average guest spending grew 13 percent to about $39 in the first quarter.

But the gap between the time needed to burnish the Six Flags brand and Wall Street's thirst for fast improvement is the crux of Six Flags' dilemma, said Gerner. "They have the right idea, but people are anxious," he said.

If Shapiro is anxious, he doesn't let on, arguing that his company's parks are prettier, cleaner and easier to get around than ever.

"We feel good," he said.

[Disney Doll]

I love Disney parks because they are an experience unlike any other theme park in the world. I don't, however, discount any Cedar Fair, Six Flags, or other managed parks. Everyone of them is a different experience. Do they have problems? Sure! So do the Disney parks.

Okay so yes the Disney parks have their problems, but some things I am just not willing to compromise. Cleanliness is a huge one for me and that is the main reason I will never return to a Six Flags park. Overly full trash bins with flies all over and gum stuck on every possible surface makes me :sick:. I feel like I don't want my kid to touch anything because it's gross. I'm not talking about the occasional piece of trash on the sidewalk. I'm talking about nastiness. I see no reason why Six Flags cannot keep their parks better maintained. I used to go to Six Flags as a kid myself, but it seems like they have really gone downhill in the last 15 years or so. It's just not an experience I enjoy and I refuse to cut them any slack in the maintenance department.

[mcjaco]

Ugh. I feel like a broken record.

^ You can't lump all of the Six Flags parks together, just because one of the parks, one day was dirty. Like I've posted before, there are Six Flags parks that are clean, well maintained, and on par with Disney in terms of cleanliness.

To admonish a chain of parks for one of their park's failures is close minded.

[GrmGrninGost]

That's like comparing filet mignon to rocks! :mickey:

[Gottaluvgoof]

That article is interesting regarding Six Flags St. Louis. If only they were doing the things they are saying in the article. Yes, they do have Johnny Rockets and it would be an improvement if they staffed it with enough people and kept it semi-clean. The place is disgusting, with trash piling up, dirty tables and lazy employees. Like I said before, my family has had season passes for what seems like forever, but this year, I refuse to pay more for less service. The whole idea of paying $1.00 each time you go on a coaster to me is absurd. I called to complain and got no satisfaction whatsoever. Basically, they fed me a ton of lies for their reasoning. To me, they are basically charging another admission to teenagers who generally spend their entire day on the big coasters. The one person I talked to from guest relations suggested one of the kids stay off the rides and hold the others things. Hmmm, which kid wants to do that all day?

[joelkfla]

You can't lump all of the Six Flags parks together, just because one of the parks, one day was dirty.
Of course you can.

Consistency is key.

As a consumer, if I go into a local chain supermarket and it's smelly, has dirty floors, and the employees are rude, then I am unlikely to go to another of that chain's stores.

One of the key points drilled into new Disney cast members is not meeting, but exceeding guests' expectations. Visitors expect a level of care and quality when they visit a Disney park, and meeting or exceeding that is what keeps Disney special. And that applies to every Disney park around the world.

It's called brand protection.

Now, Six Flags former management got themselves into a bind by buying up every park they could get their hands on, but that was their strategy, and current management has had long enough (3 years?) to introduce consistency to the operations.

[yjgirl32]

I haven't been back to Six Falgs since one of the customer service people told me I was just being a pain in the butt (but didn't use that word). I love the thrill rides at Six Flags- but the overall experience isn't quite worth it. Disney has defiantely spoiled me. The only park that has close has been Busch Gardens in Williamsburgh- at least for me.

[mcjaco]

Of course you can.

Consistency is key.

As a consumer, if I go into a local chain supermarket and it's smelly, has dirty floors, and the employees are rude, then I am unlikely to go to another of that chain's stores.

One of the key points drilled into new Disney cast members is not meeting, but exceeding guests' expectations. Visitors expect a level of care and quality when they visit a Disney park, and meeting or exceeding that is what keeps Disney special. And that applies to every Disney park around the world.

It's called brand protection.

Now, Six Flags former management got themselves into a bind by buying up every park they could get their hands on, but that was their strategy, and current management has had long enough (3 years?) to introduce consistency to the operations.

I can honestly tell you that there are Dominick's (grocery store chain here) that I wouldn't step foot into, but there were others I would. And I do. Frequently. I don't fault the entire chain for one store. Different management, different stores. It's the same at Six Flags. Jay Thomas at Magic Mountain has done a ton to revitalize that park. He was plucked after he turned Kentucky Kingdom around.

Again, we're dealing with two completely different pools of employees. It's not fair to compare them. A group that's mostly full time, to seasonal high school and college kids. You just can't expect the same quality. And trust me, I know some really good kids that are working at a few of the Six Flags parks. Unfortunately, they're the minority.

And Six Flags didn't buy up all the parks. Premier started it, and Six Flags ended up with them.

Look, all I'm arguing is that comparing Disney to Six Flags isn't fair.

[MickeyChick]

I grew up near Six Flags Great Adventure and loved it as a kid. I was there a few years ago on a comp pass and hated it. Garbage everywhere. Gum stuck to everything. Some of the enclosed line areas reeked of URINE. It was absolutely and completely disgusting. I will never go there again.

[texasteacher]

I laughed when I read "Six Flags is like Disney, only closer." There is no comparison.
While both parks take your money, only one really considers their guests and gives back.
I feel respected at Disneyworld but ripped off at Six Flags.

[mcjaco]

I give up.

Disney is the greatest thing since sliced bread. No other park in the world compares or will ever come close. Even though they keep raising prices (more than double a Six Flags admission now), and the parks are not at the same quality they used to be, they are still the most magnificent places to ever grace god's green earth.

[Cookie123]

I remember being in a Six Flags park a few years ago. In the Ladies' room they did not have containers for sanitary napkins. Instead they had see-thru, long bread wrappers taped up to the side of the stall walls.

You would never see anything like that at Disney !!!

[joelkfla]

I can honestly tell you that there are Dominick's (grocery store chain here) that I wouldn't step foot into, but there were others I would. And I do. Frequently. I don't fault the entire chain for one store. Different management, different stores. It's the same at Six Flags. Jay Thomas at Magic Mountain has done a ton to revitalize that park. He was plucked after he turned Kentucky Kingdom around.

Again, we're dealing with two completely different pools of employees. It's not fair to compare them. A group that's mostly full time, to seasonal high school and college kids. You just can't expect the same quality. And trust me, I know some really good kids that are working at a few of the Six Flags parks. Unfortunately, they're the minority.

And Six Flags didn't buy up all the parks. Premier started it, and Six Flags ended up with them.

Look, all I'm arguing is that comparing Disney to Six Flags isn't fair.
Actually, I think it was Premier that bought Six Flags and assumed the name, which is when they really started to go downhill -- but that's irrelevant, what it is is what is, and it's not what it was when it was.

I still say current management has had enough time to make their imprint. You accused people of condemning the chain based on one park, but you are saying one good park makes the chain good.

Remember the weakest link idiom.

I personally have not been in a Six Flags or Premier park in at least ten years, but it seems the perceptions expressed here show current serious problems in customer service and operational quality.

[Disney Doll]

Ugh. I feel like a broken record.

^ You can't lump all of the Six Flags parks together, just because one of the parks, one day was dirty. Like I've posted before, there are Six Flags parks that are clean, well maintained, and on par with Disney in terms of cleanliness.

To admonish a chain of parks for one of their park's failures is close minded.


Maybe we need to agree to disagree, but I don't consider it close minded. I think that's the way the business world works. If the customer has a lousy experience they are unlikely to return. Yeah maybe another six flags park MIGHT be better, but I'd rather not chance it. Instead I'll take my business somewhere that has not disappointed me in the past. And while it may be different management from one park to another it's the same company. Plus, from all the negative posts I see it doesn't seem that it was just one park on one day. Ultimately I'm not comparing theme parks (Disney vs six flags), but I'm comparing corporate philosophies. That in my book is fair. Every company has the responsibility to offer a quality product be it fillet mignon or ground beef. I like ground beef, but I expect the ground beef I buy to be fresh and of good quality.

[Mackflava99]

If i want a slurpee- i go to 7-11
if i want a lobster, i go to a seaside restaurant

Both are good- based on expectations-

BUT if the slurpee cost the same as the lobster, then it would not be to great-

Six Flags in NJ costs more than WDW per day-
And its no where near the same experience.

On another note:
I was working in Singapore and they had a park that was " just like Disney "
after i went on the 7 deadly sins roller coaster-
and the cave of dead spirits, it was easy to see it sucked.

So maybe Six-Flags is better than that but not in Disney's stratesphere.

[honeybear]

I recently went to Six Flags Great Advenuters in NJ. I have read some posts where it has been said that you can't compare the two parks. However, it is hard not to when Six Flags has obviously taken a couple of visits to the Orlando area and brought back a few ideas. For example, the Glow in the Dark Parade, The dramatic film in the begining of the New Dark Knight Coaster and the "Flash Pass System" (that you have to pay an arm and leg for) kind of reminded me of someplace I visited before. I will agree with the original poster about the prices. Six Flags tends to Nickel and Dime you once you are inside.

[Darbylew]

We would go to Disney in a heartbeat over six
flags any day. Mickey :mickey: and the Magic
:magic: is where we will be! :number1:

[mcjaco]

I still say current management has had enough time to make their imprint. You accused people of condemning the chain based on one park, but you are saying one good park makes the chain good.

See, I don't think three years is enough when your $2.2 billion in debt. Would you hold the same expectation for an airlines, which are in the same boat?

I'm certainly not saying one park makes the chain good. There are parks that are worse, and parks that are better. I'm lucky to live by one of the better parks. I've been to the dumpier ones too. Ihave never found them to be as "disgusting" as some have stated. Then again, everyone's that made the statements don't seem to have a good frame of reference since they haven't been back in years. The sample size for current conditions at SF seems to be small here.

I will argue the point about cost per day. With Six Flags price cutting on admissions, they are much more affordable per day to get in. Unfortunately, they gouge you on food, etc.


Maybe we need to agree to disagree....

Which is fine. I'm just tired of seeing "close mindedness" from Disney fans. And I am one of them, so I can be as much at fault as anyone. They are the greatest parks in the world, but as I've stated quite a few times before, you cannot compare them to Six Flags. I would compare them to Universal or Busch parks, but not Six Flags. Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks are in a tier amongst themselves. Kind of like AA baseball. :D

I'm a theme park fan, more os than a Disney fanboy, so I try to take what I can from each park experience. Some parks, and chains, excel in certain things, others in something else. Trust me, I've been to some parks that make Six Flags look like Disney. But, I wouldn't compare them against each other.

[Goes4FastPass]

Why are we discussing Six Flags on a Walt Disney World discussion site?

I would expect a Six Flags fan site to be people who like Six Flags.

I don't understand the question.

[Mousemates]

McJAco:

Compiled:

everyone ignores it and keeps on bashing Six Flags.

I may be coming off as a Six Flags fanboy.

Ugh. I feel like a broken record.

To admonish a chain of parks for one of their park's failures is close minded.

I'm just tired of seeing "close mindedness" from Disney fans.

Sometimes when we love something or have a sense of ownership of it because of proximity, nostalgia, etc. we have a tendency to see it through rose colored glasses and be a bit defensive of it. Folks do it with sports teams, hometowns, etc. all the time. Your close to your Six Flags, you love it, and you want it to do well and prosper...which is great.

However, when you read the number of experiences of people who's view of SF's has consistently been subpar....some like mine which are very recent, others who have been several years back...instead of considering it unfair or dated criticism, it might actually just point out that things have been going downhill for quite some time and the problems are still very real and ongoing.

And again if you care about something that can be hard to see and painful to fully admit...however, sometimes the closedmindedness that we accuse others of, can reveal our own unwillingness to see how truly bad things are.

WE used to go to SixFlags once a year, often taking down youth groups from various churches...am hopeful that at some point in the future we can do so again (due ot the convenience from our location)...but until the problems at SF over GA are fixed, our entertainments dollars will go someplace else.

As a final thought I say visit your local six flags and enjoy it...andif other folks think its not up to par...don't get miffed about it, stress about it, or get :mad:....I love my hometown of Gatlinburg, Tennessee (but it often gets bashed as a tourist trap all the time)....I also love the Tennessee Vols (but the folks North (KY), South (Ga, ALA, Fla), East (SC) and WEst (Vandy, Memphis, ARK) think we stink like a rotten egg. I don't care, I still get back home whenever I can and buy season tickets for the Big Orange.

[mcjaco]

Ugh. For the last time, I have not said Six Flags is in a good state. Great America has it's issues, it's not even close to being what it once was. I didn't renew my pass this year. I didn't feel it was worth my money.

All I'm trying to say is, you CANNOT compare the two chains. Apples to oranges. And for the people that are comparing Six Flags frm ten years ago, that's even more unfair!

[Grim Grinning Marathon Runner]

Can't we all just get along? :P

To me, Disney is an immersive experience, one that the Disney company, through its' castmembers, strive to create. I love it, and I would go every week if I could. It's a happy place where I can go and, even at 35 years old, feel like a kid.

Six Flags is fun too, but in a different way. I'd be fine to go there once every ten years or so.

[mcjaco]

Six Flags is fun too, but in a different way.

Exactly. I'm done. :razz:

[Stu29573]

The sad thing is that Six Flags Over Texas (the original) WAS supposed to be a kind of Disneyland based on Texas history (hence, the six flags that have flown over the state) The builder went to Disneyland in the late 50's and came up with the idea.
At first things went pretty well. I can remember going in the 60's and early 70's and it was clean, the different "flag areas" were very well themed, distinct, and the employees were dressed in appropriate costumes, etc.
It had a few firsts as well. The log flume, the Runaway Mine Train, the Speelunkers Cave (not misspelled, by the way). It was a really cool place to go.
Unfortunately it was sold repeatedly and greed took over. There was a total loss of vision and purpose. It became just another amusement park, as evidenced by the fact that they were able to make a chain out of it with parks from all over the country.
It's really sad to see what was and what could have been.....

[MickeyandTink]

The sad thing is that Six Flags Over Texas (the original) WAS supposed to be a kind of Disneyland based on Texas history (hence, the six flags that have flown over the state) The builder went to Disneyland in the late 50's and came up with the idea.
At first things went pretty well. I can remember going in the 60's and early 70's and it was clean, the different "flag areas" were very well themed, distinct, and the employees were dressed in appropriate costumes, etc.
It had a few firsts as well. The log flume, the Runaway Mine Train, the Speelunkers Cave (not misspelled, by the way). It was a really cool place to go.
Unfortunately it was sold repeatedly and greed took over. There was a total loss of vision and purpose. It became just another amusement park, as evidenced by the fact that they were able to make a chain out of it with parks from all over the country.
It's really sad to see what was and what could have been.....

:exactly:

Having grown-up in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area in the 70's and 80's, I well remember having a ball at Six Flags. Back then, the claim of like Disney, but closer would have rung true. Heck, Six Flags is the park that started the one price for all rides. Disney took that idea from Six Flags.
However, that was then. Today, Six Flags has been resold, reorganized and overexpanded so many times in the last twenty years it is barely recognizable as the park it used to be. Sad for us former Six Flags fans, but does make my family and me appreciate Disney that much more.

[Stu29573]

Yep. Six Flags Over Texas should serve as a warning as to what can happen to a really good theme park when things are allowed to slip, and the original spirit is lost.

[atnextc]

I live 10 minutes away from Six Flags over GA and drive by it every day, but I would never go there. One b/c I don't do roller coasters, and Two, I would much rather drive 8 hours to DW where I know I will have fun, and not have to deal with...."Rude people" not that there aren't those at DW cause lord knows there are, but they arent the nasty "white trash" people that you would see all over six flags.

:mickey:

Not to be mean but thats just my opinion.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

Speaking on behalf of all poor white trash(I have lived in a trailer park a couple of times), I resemble that remark. No I am not rude (at least I don't think so) and I love Disney. :mickey:

[wilshade]

I don't need to compare Six Flags to Disney in order to bash it. I can bash Six Flags just fine on its own merits.

I have been to a Six Flags park on three occasions in my life and that is three too many.

Six Flags parks are the kind of park that inspired Walt to create Disneyland in the first place.

Bad crowd control. Bad sanitation throughout the park, especially the bathrooms. Overpriced. A hundred other things that make me hate and despise anything and everything about Six Flags.

Whew . . . glad I got that out of my system.

[atnextc]

Speaking on behalf of all poor white trash(I have lived in a trailer park a couple of times), I resemble that remark. No I am not rude (at least I don't think so) and I love Disney. :mickey:

You assumed I meant people in trailer parks, b/c thats what everyone does when you say "white trash" but thats not what I meant, I know plenty of people I deem to be trashy and they live in 200k+ homes, just goes to show you that looks can be deceiving.

:mickey:

Again not trying offend