Six Flags facts for kids
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Formerly
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Six Flags, Inc. (2000–2010) |
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| Industry | Theme parks |
| Founded | August 5, 1961 |
| Founder | Angus G. Wynne |
| Headquarters | Arlington, Texas, U.S. |
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Number of locations
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27 |
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Area served
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Key people
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Selim Bassoul (president & CEO) Ben Baldanza (chairman) |
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Number of employees
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1,450 full-time; 40,000 seasonal (2022) |
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is a big American company that owns and operates amusement parks. Its main office is in Arlington, Texas. Six Flags has parks in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It owns more theme parks and water parks than any other amusement park company. In 2019, over 32 million people visited Six Flags parks.
The company started in the 1960s. Its name comes from its very first park, Six Flags Over Texas. On June 13, 2009, the company had financial problems and filed for bankruptcy protection. But it successfully got out of bankruptcy on May 3, 2010, after changing how it was organized.
On November 2, 2023, Six Flags announced exciting plans to join with another big park company, Cedar Fair. This deal is worth about $8 billion. The new combined company will still be called Six Flags. It will run 51 parks, including 27 amusement parks with 292 roller coasters, 15 water parks, and 9 resorts.
Contents
History of Six Flags Parks
How Six Flags Started
The idea for Six Flags parks began in 1957. A person named Angus G. Wynne and other investors created The Great Southwest Corporation. They started building Six Flags Over Texas in 1960, and the park opened in 1961. It was open for a short 45-day season that first year.
The park first had a Native American village, a gondola ride, a train, Wild West shows, and a pirate-themed area called "Skull Island." Over time, most of these original attractions were replaced. New rides like roller coasters, swing rides, and log flumes were added.
What "Six Flags" Means
The name "Six Flags" comes from the six different flags that have flown over Texas. These flags represent Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. Even today, Six Flags parks often have different themed areas.
How Six Flags Grew
In 1966, the first Six Flags park was sold to a company called Pennsylvania Railroad. This new owner had more money to help Six Flags grow. Six Flags then opened Six Flags Over Georgia in 1967 and Six Flags Over Mid-America in 1971. These were the last two parks built by the original company.
Six Flags kept growing by buying other parks. They bought AstroWorld in Houston in 1975, Great Adventure in New Jersey in 1977, and Magic Mountain in California in 1979.
In 1984, Six Flags bought the Great America park in Illinois. With this purchase, Six Flags also got the rights to use the famous Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters in their parks. Over the years, different companies owned parts of Six Flags, including Time Warner. In 1993, Time Warner bought all of Six Flags and changed the company's name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.
In 1996, Six Flags started managing Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. They bought this park completely in 1998.
Premier Parks Joins In
Premier Parks started as a real estate company called Tierco Group in Oklahoma. In 1982, they bought the Frontier City theme park. At first, they wanted to tear it down, but they decided to improve it instead. They hired Gary Story, who helped make Frontier City much more popular.
In 1988, Tierco decided to focus on amusement parks. They sold other properties to invest more in Frontier City. In 1991, they opened a water park called White Water in Oklahoma City. The company learned that adding new and exciting rides and making parks family-friendly helped attract more visitors.
In 1992, Tierco bought Wild World in Maryland and later changed its name to Adventure World. They invested money to make it better for families. In 1994, Tierco changed its name to Premier Parks, Inc., because they were becoming a "premier" park operator.
In the mid-1990s, Premier Parks bought many more parks. These included Geauga Lake in Ohio, Darien Lake in New York, Elitch Gardens in Colorado, and Riverside Park in Massachusetts. Many of these parks also had water parks or had them added.
In 1998, Premier Parks bought Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc. from Time Warner. This was a huge deal! After this, Premier Parks started changing the names of many of its smaller parks to include "Six Flags," like Darien Lake, Elitch Gardens, Kentucky Kingdom, and Marine World. Adventure World became Six Flags America.
In 1999, Premier Parks bought some Warner Bros. Movie World parks in Europe. They also got the rights to use Warner Bros. characters in Europe and Latin America. In 2000, Premier Parks officially changed its name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc. They kept rebranding parks, turning Geauga Lake into Six Flags Ohio and Walibi Flevo into Six Flags Holland.
In 2001, Six Flags bought SeaWorld Ohio and combined it with Six Flags Ohio to create Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. They also started operating La Ronde in Montreal, Canada. In 2002, Six Flags bought Jazzland in New Orleans.
Changes and Challenges
In 2004, Six Flags started selling some of its parks to help with its growing debt. They sold their European parks (except for one in Madrid) and Worlds of Adventure in Ohio. These sales helped the company get $345 million.
In 2005, Six Flags New Orleans was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina and closed. Also, Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston was closed and torn down at the end of 2005. The company decided to sell the land where AstroWorld was located.
More parks were sold in 2006 and 2007, including Elitch Gardens and Darien Lake. Six Flags also moved its main offices from Oklahoma City to New York City, and later to Grand Prairie, Texas.
Coming Back from Bankruptcy
In 2009, Six Flags faced more financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy protection. However, they announced that the parks would stay open as usual while the company reorganized. In 2010, Six Flags officially came out of bankruptcy and became Six Flags Entertainment Corp. They also moved their main office to Arlington, Texas.
After this, Six Flags continued to grow. They made plans to build new Six Flags parks in Dubai and China. However, some of these international projects were later canceled due to financial issues with partners.
In 2017, Six Flags took over operations of Waterworld California in Concord, California. In 2018, they bought back the operating rights for five parks they had previously sold, including Darien Lake and Frontier City.
In 2020, Six Flags had to temporarily close all its parks because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When parks started reopening, they introduced new safety rules, like requiring guests to reserve their visit online. By May 2021, all Six Flags parks had reopened.
In 2021, Six Flags Great America's Hurricane Harbor water park became a separate park called Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago. This made it the 27th park in the Six Flags chain.
Big Merger with Cedar Fair
On November 2, 2023, Six Flags and Cedar Fair announced they would merge. This huge deal will create the largest regional amusement park company in the world. The new company will operate under the Six Flags name and will have 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resorts.
Marketing and Fun
TV Commercials
In 2004, Six Flags introduced a new mascot in its TV commercials: "Mr. Six." He was an old man in a tuxedo who would slowly get off a bus and then start dancing very fast to the song "We Like to Party" by the Vengaboys. These commercials were very popular!
Later, Six Flags used a "Fun-O-Meter" in their ads, showing boring things getting "One Flag!" and exciting park rides getting "Six Flags! More Flags, More Fun!" Mr. Six even came back in 2009 to use the Fun-O-Meter. In 2011, the slogan changed to "Go Big! Go Six Flags!"
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Six Flags started using a new slogan: "The Thrill is Calling."
Working with Other Brands
Six Flags works with many other companies to create fun experiences. For example, the video game Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 featured recreations of Six Flags parks.
Six Flags also partners with food and drink companies like Coca-Cola, Dole, and Cold Stone Creamery. These partnerships help the parks offer more choices and create more jobs.
Six Flags has a strong relationship with Warner Bros., which means you'll see many DC Comics characters like The Flash and Looney Tunes characters at their parks. They've even built rides like Justice League: Battle for Metropolis based on these characters.
Current Six Flags Parks
Amusement Parks
| Name | Location | Year Opened | Year Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1958 | 2018 | Six Flags owned this park before, then bought it back in 2018. |
| La Ronde | Montréal, Quebec | 1967 | 2001 | Built for a big event called Expo 67. Six Flags leases the land. |
| Six Flags America | Largo, Maryland | 1973 | 1999 | Was called Adventure World before Six Flags bought it. |
| Six Flags Darien Lake | Darien, New York | 1981 | 2018 | Six Flags owned this park from 1999 to 2007, then bought it back. |
| Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | Vallejo, California | 1968 | 1997 | Started as Marine World, then became Six Flags Marine World, and got its current name in 2007. |
| Six Flags Fiesta Texas | San Antonio, Texas | 1992 | 1998 | Six Flags started managing this park in 1996 and bought it in 1998. |
| Six Flags Great Adventure | Jackson, New Jersey | 1974 | 1977 | This park is huge and even has a safari ride! |
| Six Flags Great America | Gurnee, Illinois | 1976 | 1984 | When Six Flags bought this park, they also got the rights to use Warner Bros. characters. |
| Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor | Queensbury, New York | 1954 | 1996 | This park has been around for a long time! |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia, California | 1971 | 1979 | Known for having many roller coasters. |
| Six Flags México | Mexico City, Mexico | 1982 | 1999 | This is Six Flags' park in Mexico. |
| Six Flags New England | Agawam, Massachusetts | 1870 | 1997 | This is the oldest park in the Six Flags family, even older than the first Six Flags park! |
| Six Flags Over Georgia | Austell, Georgia | 1967 | Built by Six Flags |
One of the first parks built by Six Flags. |
| Six Flags Over Texas | Arlington, Texas | 1961 | Built by Six Flags |
The very first Six Flags park! |
| Six Flags St. Louis | Eureka, Missouri | 1971 | Built by Six Flags |
The last park built by the original Six Flags company. |
Water Parks
Outdoor Water Parks
| Name | Location | Year Opened | Year Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water parks located inside amusement parks | ||||
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Queensbury, New York | 1995 | 1996 | Located inside Six Flags Great Escape. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Maryland | Largo, Maryland | 1982 | 1992 | Located inside Six Flags America. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Darien, New York | 2010 | 2018 | Located inside Six Flags Darien Lake. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Agawam, Massachusetts | 1997 | 1998 | Located inside Six Flags New England. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Austell, Georgia | 2014 | N/A | Located inside Six Flags Over Georgia. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Eureka, Missouri | 1999 | N/A | Located inside Six Flags St. Louis. |
| Separate water parks (need a different ticket) | ||||
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles | Valencia, California | 1995 | N/A | Next to Six Flags Magic Mountain. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Arlington | Arlington, Texas | 1983 | 1995 | Across the highway from Six Flags Over Texas. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor New Jersey | Jackson, New Jersey | 2000 | N/A | Next to Six Flags Great Adventure. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oaxtepec | Oaxtepec, Mexico | 2017 | 2016 | Reopened in a former water park location, about an hour from Six Flags Mexico. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord | Concord, California | 1995 | 2017 | Six Flags started managing this park in 2017. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix | Phoenix, Arizona | 2009 | 2018 | Six Flags operates this park. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor SplashTown | Spring, Texas | 1984 | 2018 | Six Flags operates this park. |
| Six Flags White Water | Marietta, Georgia | 1983 | 1999 | About 15 miles from Six Flags Over Georgia. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1981 | 2018 | Six Flags operates this park. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Rockford | Cherry Valley, Illinois | 1984 | 2019 | Six Flags operates this park under a lease. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago | Gurnee, Illinois | 2005 | N/A | Next to Six Flags Great America, became a separate park in 2021. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 1992 | 1998 | Next to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, became a separate park in 2023. |
Indoor Water Parks
| Name | Location | Year Opened | Year Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark | Queensbury, New York | 2006 | N/A | This park is part of a resort. |
Future Six Flags Parks
Amusement Parks
| Name | Location | Expected Opening Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Qiddiya | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 2024 (expected) | This will be the first Six Flags park in Saudi Arabia! |
Past Six Flags Properties
These parks are listed in alphabetical order by their last name under Six Flags.
North America
| Park | Location | Year Opened | What Happened | Year Closed/Sold | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags AstroWorld | Houston, Texas | 1968 | Closed | 2005 | Closed and torn down in 2005. |
| Six Flags Atlantis | Hollywood, Florida | 1982 | Destroyed | 1989 | A water park that was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. |
| Six Flags AutoWorld | Flint, Michigan | 1984 | Closed | 1985 | An indoor park that closed after only six months. |
| Six Flags Elitch Gardens | Denver, Colorado | 1995 | Sold | 2007 | Sold to another company in 2007. |
| Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom | Louisville, Kentucky | 1987 | Lease ended | 2010 | Six Flags closed this park in 2010. It later reopened under new management. |
| Six Flags New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 2000 | Destroyed | 2005 | Badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and never reopened. |
| Six Flags Worlds of Adventure | Aurora, Ohio | 1887 | Sold | 2004 | This park was sold in 2004. Its water park stayed open until 2016. |
| Wild Waves and Enchanted Village | Federal Way, Washington | 1977 | Sold | 2007 | This park was sold in 2007. |
| Wyandot Lake | Columbus, Ohio | 1896 | Lease ended | 2006 | Sold to the nearby Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 2006. |
Europe
These parks were all sold in 2004.
| Name | Location | Year Opened | Year Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellewaerde Park | Ypres, Belgium | 1954 | 2004 | Now owned by another company called Compagnie des Alpes. |
| Six Flags Belgium | Wavre, Belgium | 1975 | 2004 | Was renamed Walibi Belgium after it was sold. |
| Six Flags Holland | Biddinghuizen, Netherlands | 1971 | 2004 | Was renamed Walibi Holland after it was sold. |
| Warner Bros. Movie World Germany | Bottrop, Germany | 1967 | 2004 | The Warner Bros. theme was removed after it was sold. |
| Warner Bros. Movie World Madrid | Madrid, Spain | 2002 | 2004 | Six Flags stopped operating this park in 2004. |
The Flash Pass
The Flash Pass is a special system at Six Flags parks that lets you save your spot in line for rides. It's named after DC Comics character The Flash, who is super fast! You can buy access to the Flash Pass in addition to your park ticket.
Guests get a small device or use a mobile app to reserve a spot for a ride. The device or app tells them when it's their turn to ride, so they don't have to stand in a long line. This system was first used at Six Flags Over Georgia in 2001. There's also a version for water parks called Q-band, where you wear a waterproof wristband.
Images for kids
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Six Flags AstroWorld was demolished after its closure in 2005.
