Six Flags [FUN] Corporate Discussion Thread

[bert425]

since Dr Pepper was created right up the road in Waco, at least in Texas you'll discover that places that carry Pepsi, will typically offer Dr Pepper as well.

 

Imagine if Waco was actually famous for Dr. Pepper instead of a cult massacre. It'd be a tourist trap.

 

 

 

 

it's both!

 

tho the city doesn't focus much at all on David Koresh/the cult stuff, there IS a Dr. Pepper museum (as well as the Texas Rangers Museum is there)

[wsixflags]

2 - Ride operations. Not only does everyone know that ride crews at Six Flags are, aside from the rare exception, slow and terrible, but everyone also knows that you're not guaranteed to see every ride operational on a day-to-day basis. AND NOW everyone knows that Six Flags can't be bothered to install their new attractions in a timely fashion!

 

ahahahahahahahahahahahahah you're not OK

[ElvisLuv]

since Dr Pepper was created right up the road in Waco, at least in Texas you'll discover that places that carry Pepsi, will typically offer Dr Pepper as well.

 

Imagine if Waco was actually famous for Dr. Pepper instead of a cult massacre. It'd be a tourist trap.

 

 

 

 

it's both!

 

tho the city doesn't focus much at all on David Koresh/the cult stuff, there IS a Dr. Pepper museum (as well as the Texas Rangers Museum is there)

 

Here you go, explains how Dr. Pepper is handled by 7UP/ coke and Pepsi bottlers alike.

 

https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1975/september/dr-pepper-takes-on-coke/

 

 

It is still a tit for tat going on today as bottlers consolidate and independents fade.

 

 

Some of us still get the the real sugar product as well

 

https://www.npr.org/2012/01/16/145290301/the-last-word-in-business

[KBrylczyk]

2 - Ride operations. Not only does everyone know that ride crews at Six Flags are, aside from the rare exception, slow and terrible, but everyone also knows that you're not guaranteed to see every ride operational on a day-to-day basis. AND NOW everyone knows that Six Flags can't be bothered to install their new attractions in a timely fashion!

 

ahahahahahahahahahahahahah you're not OK

 

Thank you for that well-informed and thought out response. You truly are the future.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^^ That's an interesting article. You don't see such in depth stories very often any more.

[ElvisLuv]

^^ That's an interesting article. You don't see such in depth stories very often any more.

 

 

That's because it's from the mid 70s and tells you the state of journalism today.

[prozach626]

Imagine if Waco was actually famous for Dr. Pepper instead of a cult massacre. It'd be a tourist trap.

 

I agree with you on your analysis of Six Flags. Xcalibur at SFSTL has been closed for two years. It may, or may not, open this spring. You forgot to mention park Six Flags parks state of cleanliness and aesthetic maintenance. Also, the clientele which seems to consist of a higher volume of obnoxious kids, like the girl I literally saw piss herself in the line for The Boss and then hop in. Luckily, HITP is a temporary reprieve from that scene. It was one of my two visits this past season, with our cumulative time in the park being about 6 hours between both visits.

[bigboy]

Imagine if Waco was actually famous for Dr. Pepper instead of a cult massacre. It'd be a tourist trap.

 

 

You obviously haven't been to Waco since the emergence of the Fixer Upper craze and the opening of the Magnolia Silos. It's already a tourist trap.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^^ That's an interesting article. You don't see such in depth stories very often any more.

That's because it's from the mid 70s and tells you the state of journalism today.

That was kinda the point I was making, but yeah.

[CoasterGuy06]

News flash - When you advertise "new for 2019" rides and the star attraction doesn't open until CHRISTMAS, the public trust will falter. These dingalings screwed themselves. Nobody trusts Six Flags on two major issues -

 

1 - Guest service / experience. Everyone knows "having a Six Flags day!" means "yay rides but F!$# everything else about this place!"

2 - Ride operations. Not only does everyone know that ride crews at Six Flags are, aside from the rare exception, slow and terrible, but everyone also knows that you're not guaranteed to see every ride operational on a day-to-day basis. AND NOW everyone knows that Six Flags can't be bothered to install their new attractions in a timely fashion!

 

 

Not every SF park is like that though. SFOG never seems to have issues with getting rides open on time. Obviously you had Deja Vu in 2001 and I think Hurricane Harbor opened like a week late back in 2014, but they always seem to get their rides p[en by their Memorial Day weekend goal every year. Their staff always seems to be good when I go. The only rides that seem down when I go are very rarely down all day, except for occasionally Acrophobia and there was a few day period when Goliath was down after a lightning strike. Even then It was down less than a week. Plus at this point they have refreshed about 80% of the park with their additions since 2014.

[prozach626]

I honestly think it has become Six Flags' standard practice to open new attractions so late in the season that there's really no reason for them to create any sense of urgency, anymore. "It will get done when it gets done." As far as West Coast Racers goes, no one should be surprised that any project in California is poorly managed...

 

Meanwhile, Orion will probably start making test runs within a couple weeks.

[Lemur]

I honestly think it has become Six Flags' standard practice to open new attractions so late in the season that there's really no reason for them to create any sense of urgency, anymore. "It will get done when it gets done." As far as West Coast Racers goes, no one should be surprised that any project in California is poorly managed...

 

Meanwhile, Orion will probably start making test runs within a couple weeks.

 

Or ... why open a new ride when the kids are still in school, the weather is still dodgy, the park is half-staffed and you have to compete with another chain for the coaster nerd community? Use the new ride to drive the gate and in-park sales. The false sense of urgency to get a ride open on the park's opening day has it's own pitfalls, like when your opening day coincides with a snowstorm and gets pushed back a week. Or when you haven't staffed up enough to handle even the enthusiasts and then get smeared all over the enthusiasts boards as having the wOrSt oPs EvAr! It's two different philosophies, neither one right or wrong. (Now, if we wanted to discuss philosophies on international franchisement or membership programs or stock buy backs ...)

[prozach626]

Ah. I understand. I was under the impression that West Coast Racers opened when kids were in school.

[Lemur]

Ah. I understand. I was under the impression that West Coast Racers opened when kids were in school.

 

Ahh, yes, let's take the exception to the rule - which would the 365-days-a-year park that had the screwed up ride launch due to manufacturing issues - to try to disprove a generality. You could have just posted "bUt WeSt CoAsT rAcErS" and saved yourself some words.

[AmyUD06]

Ah. I understand. I was under the impression that West Coast Racers opened when kids were in school.

 

Ahh, yes, let's take the exception to the rule - which would the 365-days-a-year park that had the screwed up ride launch due to manufacturing issues - to try to disprove a generality. You could have just posted "bUt WeSt CoAsT rAcErS" and saved yourself some words.

 

Had they started construction at a reasonable time, then the "manufacturing issues" (which haven't even been confirmed) wouldn't have caused the "New for 2019" ride to open in the very last week of 2019. There's no explaining away their crap. They're doing the same thing with Jersey Devil at SFGAadv now...just last week they finally finished clearing the land to pour footers, and their opening day is 3 months away. I can't see it being ready to carry passengers before July.

 

Six Flags just doesn't care to have their "New for X" rides open in time to enjoy them for the entire season that year. Cedar Fair, Hershey, and just about everyone else does try to have rides open for opening day of their season, so it looks bad on them.

[Lemur]

 

Had they started construction at a reasonable time, then the "manufacturing issues" (which haven't even been confirmed) wouldn't have caused the "New for 2019" ride to open in the very last week of 2019. There's no explaining away their crap. They're doing the same thing with Jersey Devil at SFGAadv now...just last week they finally finished clearing the land to pour footers, and their opening day is 3 months away. I can't see it being ready to carry passengers before July.

 

Actually, they have most of the footers poured and are waiting on them curing. They only had a couple left to pour as of their third construction update which was posted last week.

 

Six Flags just doesn't care to have their "New for X" rides open in time to enjoy them for the entire season that year. Cedar Fair, Hershey, and just about everyone else does try to have rides open for opening day of their season, so it looks bad on them.

 

Can I reword that for you? "Six Flags doesn't cater to me and my coaster nerd buddies and I think it's wrong." That's right, the only people who think it looks bad on them are all posting right here, have a highly skewed perception of what actually looks bad, and think the parks exist to cater solely to them.

 

Again, it's not wrong. It's just different and it's clearly not what you think you're entitled to.

 

ETA: Before you call me a homer or a fanboy or a whatever the coaster nerd equivalent is of someone who is hopelessly and mindlessly devoted to one park/one coaster/whatever, I'd love for all of SIX's new attractions to be open from Day 1 of the season. However, I also understand why it's dumb too. I don't see a point in doing a big media and crowd push when you can't even hope to accommodate the crowd.

[bengalsguy]

regardless of opening absurdly late like WCR. Opening mid summer doesn't seem like the best business model. The slowest time of the year for most seasonal parks is the first couple of months like April may and even the beginning of June. If you open a brand new massive rollercoaster I would think you would want it to open for those months so you can try and maximize attendance early when its slower. Hence why Cedar Fair likes to have a gold pass last day sales date to incentives people to buy their pass before summer and hopefully come earlier.

[Haymaker]

I think they're saying Candymonium is looking like a June opening if I recall correctly, so even HP isn't perfect in that regard.

[AmyUD06]

Actually, they have most of the footers poured and are waiting on them curing. They only had a couple left to pour as of their third construction update which was posted last week.

 

My bad then for misinterpreting that update. Still kinda unacceptable when Orion is completely assembled and Candymonium isn't far behind.

 

Can I reword that for you? "Six Flags doesn't cater to me and my coaster nerd buddies and I think it's wrong." That's right, the only people who think it looks bad on them are all posting right here, have a highly skewed perception of what actually looks bad, and think the parks exist to cater solely to them.

 

Again, it's not wrong. It's just different and it's clearly not what you think you're entitled to.

 

If it's just "me and my coaster nerd buddies," why does every other theme park chain in the US, possibly the world, target opening their "New for Year X" rides towards the beginning of that season? Six Flags caught plenty of flack from the "GP" on Facebook for WCR, so it's not just us.

 

Also, check your tone, newbie. We're not entitled to anything more than what they advertise. Had they come out and said "WCR won't open until the very, very, end of 2019," this wouldn't be an issue.

 

ETA: Before you call me a homer or a fanboy or a whatever the coaster nerd equivalent is of someone who is hopelessly and mindlessly devoted to one park/one coaster/whatever, I'd love for all of SIX's new attractions to be open from Day 1 of the season. However, I also understand why it's dumb too. I don't see a point in doing a big media and crowd push when you can't even hope to accommodate the crowd.

 

You clearly are a Six Flags fanboy if you're defending this practice, which, again, no one else in the industry does. You might try to write off SFMM since they're a year-round park, but you don't announce something in 2018 as a "New for 2019" ride and then open it at the end of December regardless of your operating calendar.

 

regardless of opening absurdly late like WCR. Opening mid summer doesn't seem like the best business model. The slowest time of the year for most seasonal parks is the first couple of months like April may and even the beginning of June. If you open a brand new massive rollercoaster I would think you would want it to open for those months so you can try and maximize attendance early when its slower. Hence why Cedar Fair likes to have a gold pass last day sales date to incentives people to buy their pass before summer and hopefully come earlier.

 

This guy gets it.

[A.J.]

ETA: Before you call me a homer or a fanboy or a whatever the coaster nerd equivalent is of someone who is hopelessly and mindlessly devoted to one park/one coaster/whatever, I'd love for all of SIX's new attractions to be open from Day 1 of the season. However, I also understand why it's dumb too. I don't see a point in doing a big media and crowd push when you can't even hope to accommodate the crowd.

Like it or not, there is a very real guest expectation that a "new for 20XX" ride at a seasonal park will be open for the majority of that park's season.

 

For year-round parks it's a little more fluid, of course. Disney, to their credit, at least lets guests know of opening delays pretty far in advance, and also sets confirmed opening dates far enough in advance to give people a chance to grab FastPasses or book their vacations around the opening date.

 

The most recent example of this is Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney's Hollywood Studios - it had a bunch of delays but was eventually confirmed for March of this year back in December, and, sure enough, FastPass booking for a March 4th opening just opened up a few days ago (I didn't get one, sad face).

[Lemur]

If it's just "me and my coaster nerd buddies," why does every other theme park chain in the US, possibly the world, target opening their "New for Year X" rides towards the beginning of that season? Six Flags caught plenty of flack from the "GP" on Facebook for WCR, so it's not just us.

 

No they don't. The comments on their pages are entirely people tagging their friends and the occasional coaster nerd sucking their teeth and complaining about a ride note being open. Man, you just *love* that hyperbole.

 

Also, check your tone, newbie.

 

Ooooooh, look, it's an internet tough guy. Or what? You'll call out the 102nd Chairborne?

 

We're not entitled to anything more than what they advertise. Had they come out and said "WCR won't open until the very, very, end of 2019," this wouldn't be an issue.

 

So you're saying what? That SIX intentionally kept stringing people along with the open date of a multi-million dollar project? Don't you think they would have opening it earlier if they could? Would have advertised a hard and fast date if they could? Do you think they wanted to have happen to that project what happened to American Dream? How does that make them money, Mike? Because that's the point, it's to make money.

 

You clearly are a Six Flags fanboy if you're defending this practice, which, again, no one else in the industry does.

No, I'm a realist and not a frothing-at-the-mouth coaster nerd. Again, let me ask the question ... why would you open on the same day *every other chain* is opening? Why split your hardcore 10% coaster nerd fan base who will show up in the cold and the wet? Why make someone choose between Hershey, Great Adventure or Kings Dominion? Someone has to lose that contest, so why bother competing?

 

You might try to write off SFMM since they're a year-round park, but you don't announce something in 2018 as a "New for 2019" ride and then open it at the end of December regardless of your operating calendar.

 

No, I'm writing off an anomalous event in an anomalous park. You can't compare Jersey Devil to West Coast Racers, even when it comes to construction practices because the circumstances surrounding the two projects are so divergent. Different parks, different operating season, different climates, different manufactures, different coaster models.

 

regardless of opening absurdly late like WCR. Opening mid summer doesn't seem like the best business model. The slowest time of the year for most seasonal parks is the first couple of months like April may and even the beginning of June. If you open a brand new massive rollercoaster I would think you would want it to open for those months so you can try and maximize attendance early when its slower. Hence why Cedar Fair likes to have a gold pass last day sales date to incentives people to buy their pass before summer and hopefully come earlier.

 

This guy gets it.

 

Again, different business practices. Memorial Day is the traditional start of summer, so to call it "mid-summer" is disingenous, unless you're referring specifically to Jersey Devil's rumored late June opening, and even then it's still a bit much to be calling it "mid-summer". Furthermore, you're talking about a coaster in a park that had to claw back it's operating season last year because of spring snows. And there are other ways to drive attendance that don't involve competing with every other park for the hardcore 10% of coaster nerds who will turn out for this sort of event, such as an opening day membership pin event. Also, for a bunch of park nerds, you'd think you guys would keep in mind how much time you spend complaining about early season staffing and ops to know that jamming a partially staffed park full isn't a really good idea for building long-term good will.

 

That said, whether or not you *like* these practices, but they aren't wrong. They just aren't what you want.

[bengalsguy]

^ I'm not sure how it affects year around operating parks but if I am a seasonal park I have a certain amount of days to get people to come visit that year after they bought their pass or planning to come with tickets. A major new attraction is going to influence when a guest visits the park. Someone with season passes who visit the park each year are going to go more during the begging of the year if there's something new for them to ride. Someone buying tickets might say I don't want to go yet until the new ride is open. This is a huge missed opportunity as you never want people postponing visits or visiting less. In terms of staffing when I worked at Kings Island we never had staffing issues in the beginning of the year. All of the staffing problems came in August and during Haunt. It's not just a bunch of Coaster Nerds who care about a new roller coaster. New ride are very important to the general public too.

[Manic Monte]

I see nothing wrong with opening a new attraction in June or even July. WCR is an extreme example that other parks in the chain shouldn't have to take the blame for.

[KBrylczyk]

A whole bunch of angry crap that makes him feel superior

 

You OK, guy? Because you seem irrationally angry about mechanical flippy-doo contraptions. All we're trying to say is that when a park uses a large new attraction to drive annual pass sales, then fails to open said attraction in a timely fashion, they're kind of a dick and toes the line for false advertising laws.

[A.J.]

You OK, guy? Because you seem irrationally angry about mechanical flippy-doo contraptions. All we're trying to say is that when a park uses a large new attraction to drive annual pass sales, then fails to open said attraction in a timely fashion, they're kind of a dick and toes the line for false advertising laws.

And even then, annual passholders wouldn't have been able to ride it in 2019, right? Didn't they only open it for people in their membership program?