Six Flags vs. Cedar Fair

[Snowyowl1028]

Cedar Fair, next question.

[livai]

Cedar Fair, next question.

are you serious ?

[JJLehto]

Cedar Fair.

I know they are, of course, a big chain and are corporate parks, but all the Cedar Fair parks I've been too:

1: Have all their rides opened

2: Are fully staffed

Those alone put it ahead of my experiences with SF parks

3: They just seem better run

4: They have more interest in the customers, and even if they fail often (I dont think so) but it's still always been a far better experience that SF

5: Their parks seem to have a nicer "feel" to them. Oh and the CF parks seem to have most of their flats still and good diversity.

 

I enjoy the rides AND my time at CF parks, opposed to SF where I go with the mindset of "Im paying to ride a few of their rides, then leave" So while they are big time parks with issues, I feel they are well worth the price and still feel good.

 

The way I look at it, you give up some of the "nice feels" you get at Knoebels, HW, Busch Gardens and other themed/smaller parks but for that you get a huge amount of rides and stuff. While SF leave me with a bleh, corporate feel but lacking much of the good things CF has. Yeah, they are crowded and pricey and always getting pricier but look at what you get with CF! And I never leave thinking "they should level this park and move the good rides" as I do with SFgrAdv

To be fair, Six Flags has been winning life thanks to their work with RMC. If CF ever gets on board with RMC they'd be the undisputed tops. And we all know some CF coasters that can use RMC (Mean Streak, Hurlers)

[Snowyowl1028]

Cedar Fair, next question.

are you serious ?

Yes, all my points I want to make have already been said by other people so why repeat them?

[Angle O. Descent]

It's difficult to determine which is better overall, but based on current trends, Six Flags seems to be pumping out more product, whereas Cedar Fair is more selective with their spending:

 

New Six Flags rides over last 5 years:

2015 - Wicked Cyclone

2015 - Twisted Colossus

2015 - Batman (SFFT)

2014 - Goliath

2014 - Zumanjaro

2013 - Iron Rattler

2013 - Full Throttle

2012 - X Flight

2012 - Drop of Doom

2011 - New Texas Giant

2011 - Green Lantern (MM)

2011 - Green Lantern (GA)

 

New Cedar Fair rides over last 5 years:

2015 - Fury 325

2014 - Banshee

2014 - Wonder Mountain Guardian

2013 - Gatekeeper

2013 - Goldstriker

2012 - Leviathan

2011 - I-305

2011 - Windseekers

[OrlandoGuy]

Cedar Fair is the better company to me by far. Yeah, Six Flags has some great rides but they also have a lot of crap (quality vs quantity). Six Flags also seems to be lacking in the flat ride department in a lot of their parks. But the biggest thing to me is the feel of Cedar Fair's parks vs Six Flags. To me, a park should have a distinct atmosphere...once you're there, you should feel like you're in a sort of bubble away from the outside. Six Flags doesn't do this well at all, so many of their rides are just built on the sides of roads and parking lots. Shockwave at SFOT, for instance, is right on the side of the highway...at that point you feel like you'rs just on a roller coaster in a county fair, you lose that distinctive park atmosphere. Cedar Fair makes much more of an effort to create a distinct feel to their parks. The landscaping is better, everything seems fresher, more effort is put into keeping things up to date and clean. Basically, a Six Flags park is an assortment of roller coasters, Cedar Fair parks are actually pleasant places to visit (for the most part).

[SFOG1991]

Cedar Fair is the better company to me by far. Yeah, Six Flags has some great rides but they also have a lot of crap (quality vs quantity). Six Flags also seems to be lacking in the flat ride department in a lot of their parks. But the biggest thing to me is the feel of Cedar Fair's parks vs Six Flags. To me, a park should have a distinct atmosphere...once you're there, you should feel like you're in a sort of bubble away from the outside. Six Flags doesn't do this well at all, so many of their rides are just built on the sides of roads and parking lots. Shockwave at SFOT, for instance, is right on the side of the highway...at that point you feel like you'rs just on a roller coaster in a county fair, you lose that distinctive park atmosphere. Cedar Fair makes much more of an effort to create a distinct feel to their parks. The landscaping is better, everything seems fresher, more effort is put into keeping things up to date and clean. Basically, a Six Flags park is an assortment of roller coasters, Cedar Fair parks are actually pleasant places to visit (for the most part).

Oddly enough I prefer Six Flags for the same reason you prefer Cedar Fair parks. I feel like Six Flags parks have more distinctive character whereas Cedar Fair parks fall into this generic atmosphere, like a standard city park that happens to have a bunch of rides and game stalls.

[I305forever]

Yeah, I agree. A lot of Cedar Point parks seem really bland and characterless ( is that a word?).

[DoinItForTheFame]

I may be in the minority here, but I personally prefer Cedar Fair parks. I have never had a bad experience at a Cedar Fair park, but I have had several bad experiences at Six Flags parks.

 

To me Cedar Fair customer service has always been better than Six Flags. For the most part anytime I am at a Cedar Fair park especially Cedar Point every single employee I come in contact with actually seems to be enjoying their job. They are having fun, and you can really tell they enjoy what they do. They are motivated, and working with a purpose.

 

At Six Flags on the other hand, almost every time I am at a Six Flags park almost all employees I come in contact with seem like they would rather be any where else in the world then at work. They don't seem to be having fun, they don't seem to enjoy their job. They do not ever seem to move with a sense of urgency...

 

Maybe I am being to critical, and expecting to much of park employees? However, my vote stands based on my own experiences. I very much prefer Cedar Fair parks over Six Flags parks.

[OrlandoGuy]

^^^, ^^ well obviously it varies from park to park. I've heard Valleyfair and Dorney have poor atmosphere but I have yet to visit. But Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Cedar Point and Knotts are all very well-kept, clean places that are clearly separated from the "real world". I will admit that I think Six Flags Over Georgia is very nice, but Magic Mountain, Over Texas, and some of the smaller ones just dont cut it for me, and seem very run-down and even dirty to an extent (not like litter in the pathways but general upkeep)

[Snowyowl1028]

^^^, ^^ well obviously it varies from park to park. I've heard Valleyfair and Dorney have poor atmosphere but I have yet to visit. But Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Cedar Point and Knotts are all very well-kept, clean places that are clearly separated from the "real world". I will admit that I think Six Flags Over Georgia is very nice, but Magic Mountain, Over Texas, and some of the smaller ones just dont cut it for me, and seem very run-down and even dirty to an extent (not like litter in the pathways but general upkeep)

I have been to Valleyfair and other parks have better atmospheres, but it is a very well kept park with good landscaping. The only place in the park lacking in character is the very back, but that doesn't ruin the whole park.

[I305forever]

^/^^ When I say character, I'm not talking about cleanliness.

[canadianparkfan]

I've heard from a few enthusiasts that CF seems to be lacking in innovation lately. Some have described the triotech dark rides as "cheap video games", and personally, I'm getting a little sick of the forceless B&Ms.

 

Compare this to the SF parks lately... The Justice league rides, 4-D freespins, and of course, the RMCs

 

Sure, CF still seems to be running their parks better, however, in terms of innovation, SF might be catching up.

[DorneyKid14]

^^^, ^^ well obviously it varies from park to park. I've heard Valleyfair and Dorney have poor atmosphere but I have yet to visit. But Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Cedar Point and Knotts are all very well-kept, clean places that are clearly separated from the "real world". I will admit that I think Six Flags Over Georgia is very nice, but Magic Mountain, Over Texas, and some of the smaller ones just dont cut it for me, and seem very run-down and even dirty to an extent (not like litter in the pathways but general upkeep)

 

 

Dorney can get a good atmosphere. There are some days/nights when the atmosphere is very good and there are others when its awful. I've heard/been told that dorney is also one of the cleanliness parks in the company. My one friend said how Great Adventure looked run down and that it looked like they did no landscaping in the park, which imo is a big factor for me when i visit a park.

[VF15]

While I think the Cedar Fair parks are better overall, I agree that Six Flags has been winning the innovation battle in recent years. When it comes to large investments, Six Flags tends to spread the love among most of its parks, while Cedar Fair seems to play favorites with 4 or 5 parks.

[ShaneH]

I've had better experiences at CF parks than SF parks

CF: CP, KI, KD, Knotts

SF: NE, ST.L

[I305forever]

^ thats because youve been to the best cf parks and the mediocre sf ones

[CoasterMateo]

Well.. I haven't visited many SF parks to be exact...

CF Parks: CW, CP, KI, Caro

SF Parks: SFGAm

 

I can however comment on the infrastructure of how each company is run. For new additions, Six Flags gives at least every park something, even though it may be a low budget addition, it's still something. As for Cedar Fair, they don't always give a park something because they are spending more money on one park, In years past the major investments have gone like this for Six Flags and CF

 

2013: CF-Gatekeeper, Cedar Point ~$25mil

SF- IRAT, Full Thr*ttle ~$10mil each; $7mil for FT

People's majority opinion: FT+ Irat>GK

 

2014: CF- Banshee, Kings Island ~$24mil

SF- Medusa Steel Coaster~ $10mil

People's majority opinion: Medusa>Banshee

 

2015: CF- Fury 325, Carowinds ~$30mil

SF- WiCy, TCol ~$10-12mil

People's majority opinion: Fury=WiCy, TCol*

*It can go either way.

 

So, even though Six Flags spends less, they usually get the better ride.

[blk_mamba]

I've been to

SF - American and Great Adventure

CF- Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, Carowinds and Dorney Park

 

I feel like with both brands I've been to one of their top tier and lower tiers parks and I have to it give to Cedar Fair. IMO the operations always seem better, the food taste better, and the parks are more well maintained. It is clear that CF has a model and a clear protocol that they follow through out the park chains.

 

I did enjoy SF Great Adv but it was just b/c they have some amazing coasters, aside from that it was a pretty crappy park that did not have alot of rides and most of the coasters look like they needed paint jobs. In SF Great Adv defense both times I've been it rained. I feel like in order to give Six Flags a fair shake I have to visit one of their TX parks and Magic Mountain but given my experiences so far, I am not clamoring to make the trips from the east coast.

[Bedholm]

Honestly it's hard for me to decide between the two. They're pretty equal cause while SF may have better rides on average, CF is cleaner and nicer. Both have really nice parks and some parks that kinda like um this isn't that great. I've had an equally opportunity to get an fair opinion of them at I've been to 9 of each.

CF parks I've been to: CP, KD, KI, MIA, KBF, WOF, CW, Carowinds, and Dorney

SF parks I've been to: SFNE, SFMM, SFFT, SFOT, SFGAM, SFSTL, SFGADV, SFA, and SFOG

One things I've noticed is both have that one park that is severely overlooked but really amazing. For CF that's WOF and for SF its SFFT. I like both I guess equally but I'll give SF the slight edge due to price and their parks being in better locations relative to where I live.

[Canobie Coaster]

I prefer Cedar Fair by far.

 

Their parks are cleaner and are run better. In terms of rides, the two chains are fairly comparable. These are the Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks I've visited (ranked in order):

 

Six Flags- Magic Mountain, Great Adventure, New England, Discovery Kingdom, Great Escape, America

Cedar Fair- Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, Knott's Berry Farm, Canada's Wonderland, Dorney Park, Great America

[ShaneH]

^ thats because youve been to the best cf parks and the mediocre sf ones

 

I know. I'm going to SFOT, SFFT, SFOG, SFGAm, SFA, SFGAd, and TGE next year and my opinion may change

[thrillseeker4552]

I've only been to one Six Flags park (SFMM) and three Cedar Fair parks (KBF, CP, KI), so my opinion is probably unfair, but from what I've experienced I prefer Cedar Fair. As much as I LOVE Twisted Colossus (and assumedly every other RMC), Cedar Fair parks just seem much more well-rounded and clean. Both have advantages and both have flaws.

[CCook129]

Cedar Fair by far! I've never been to a six flags park but cedar fair less incidents and accidents to go national every year.

 

PS: What happened to the wishlist thread?

[Password121]

^Do you realize the only major accident in either chain in 2015 was a death at Cedar Point? And that these "accidents" are the park's fault less than 1% of the time? Come to think of it, the only other "accident" I can think of from either chain outside of the Raptor incident was the first Raptor airgate incident.

The fact of the matter is that both chains have nearly impeccable safety records. I wouldn't consider an incident like those at Raptor to be a negative on the park at all--in fact, I give the park credit for handling it as professionally as they did.

 

Regardless, I'd recommend at least visiting a SF park before claiming your distrust in them. Most of the time, you'll enjoy your time at the park (especially if it's at one of their better parks--Fiesta Texas, Over Georgia, Great Adventure).