Six Flags facts for kids

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is a big American company that runs amusement parks. Its main office is in Charlotte, North Carolina, with other important offices in Sandusky, Ohio. The company started on July 1, 2024. It was created when two large park companies, Cedar Fair and the original Six Flags, joined together.

Today, Six Flags owns and operates 34 parks across North America. These include 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks, and nine resorts. Six Flags also helps manage two parks in Saudi Arabia. It is the biggest regional amusement park company in North America. Globally, it is the fifth-largest amusement park operator. In 2024, over 50 million people visited its parks. Six Flags has special agreements to use popular characters like the Looney Tunes and DC Comics heroes from Warner Bros.. You can also find Peanuts characters at some of its parks. The company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FUN."

Quick facts for kids
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Logo used since 2024
Administrative offices at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio
Type	Public
Traded as	NYSE: FUN Russell 2000 component S&P 600 component
ISIN	[https://isin.toolforge.org/?language=en&isin=US83001C1080 US83001C1080]
Industry	Amusement parks
Predecessors	Cedar Fair Six Flags
Founded	July 1, 2024; 22 months ago (2024-07-01)
Headquarters	Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Number of locations	34 (2026)
Area served	United States Mexico Canada Saudi Arabia
Key people	Richard Haddrill (executive chairman) John Reilly (president and CEO)
Services	Amusement parks live entertainment lodging water parks zoological parks
Revenue	US$3.10 billion (2025)
Operating income	US$−1.38 billion (2025)
Net income	US$−1.60 billion (2025)
Total assets	US$7.80 billion (2025)
Total equity	US$0.55 billion (2025)
Members	5 million (2026)
Number of employees	95,225 (2025)
Footnotes / references Financials as of December 31,  2025 (2025 -12-31)[update].

The Story Behind Six Flags

Cedar Fair's Journey

Cedar Fair started in 1983. It grew from Cedar Point, a popular amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Point bought another park, Valleyfair, in 1978. The company's name, "Cedar Fair," came from these two parks.

Over the years, Cedar Fair bought many other amusement parks across the United States. In 1997, when it bought Knott's Berry Farm, it also got the rights to use the fun Peanuts characters in its parks. In 2006, Cedar Fair bought five more parks from CBS Corporation. This helped the company grow even bigger.

Before joining with Six Flags, other companies tried to buy Cedar Fair. In 2019, the original Six Flags company tried to buy Cedar Fair, but the offer was turned down. In 2022, another company, SeaWorld Entertainment, also tried to buy Cedar Fair. To help manage its money, Cedar Fair sold California's Great America park in 2022.

The Original Six Flags Company

Six Flags Over Texas was the first Six Flags theme park, opening in 1961.

The first Six Flags park, Six Flags Over Texas, opened in August 1961. It was created by Angus G. Wynne and other investors. Over the next 20 years, more parks were built and bought. In 1984, Six Flags gained the rights to feature Warner Bros. characters like the Looney Tunes at its parks. Later, Time Warner owned Six Flags completely for a few years.

In 1998, a company called Premier Parks bought Six Flags. Premier Parks then started changing the names of its own parks to Six Flags. By 2000, the company was fully known as Six Flags.

During the 2000s, Six Flags faced some money problems. It sold off some of its parks, including those in Europe. In 2009, Six Flags had to file for bankruptcy protection. This allowed the company to reorganize its finances while still keeping its parks open. Six Flags came out of bankruptcy in 2010.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted operations.

New leaders at Six Flags tried to build parks in other countries, like Dubai and China. However, these plans did not work out. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 also caused many Six Flags parks to close for a while.

Later, a new CEO tried a different plan. He wanted to raise prices and have fewer visitors to make the park experience better for those who paid more. This idea was not popular and park attendance dropped a lot. The plan was stopped in 2022.

A New Chapter: The Merger

How the Companies Joined Forces

The headquarters of Cedar Fair (top) and Six Flags (bottom) prior to the 2024 merger.

In July 2023, Cedar Fair and Six Flags, who had been competitors for a long time, started talking about joining together. On November 2, 2023, they announced their plan to merge. This happened because amusement parks were finding it hard to attract visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic. Both companies wanted to be more financially stable and work together to save money. They expected to save about $120 million within two years.

The merger created a huge company with 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resorts. This made the new company the largest amusement park operator in North America. The companies called it a "merger of equals." Cedar Fair shareholders owned 51.2% of the new company, and Six Flags shareholders owned 48.8%. The new company was named Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and started trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FUN."

Getting Approval for the Merger

The leaders of both companies approved the merger right away. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) reviewed the merger to make sure it was fair. Mexico's competition commission approved it in January 2024. Six Flags shareholders voted to approve the merger in March 2024. The DOJ gave its final approval on June 26, 2024. The merger was officially completed on July 1, 2024.

Some investors did not agree with the merger. One investment firm, Land & Buildings, thought the deal was not the best for Six Flags' owners. Another firm, Neuberger Berman, felt that Cedar Fair's owners should have had a chance to vote on the merger.

After the Merger: New Operations

The company's headquarters were relocated five miles northeast of its Carowinds park (pictured) in Charlotte, North Carolina.

After the merger on July 1, 2024, Richard Zimmerman, who was the CEO of Cedar Fair, became the CEO of the new combined company. Selim Bassoul, the CEO of the old Six Flags, became the executive chairman of the board. The main office for the new company moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, near its Carowinds park. Important financial work is also done at Cedar Fair's old office in Sandusky, Ohio. Six Flags said that all parks would keep their original names.

In late 2024, Six Flags started looking at how to best manage its parks. This might mean closing or selling some locations. The company filed plans in December 2024 to take full ownership of Six Flags Over Georgia, Hurricane Harbor Atlanta, and Six Flags White Water by January 2027.

On February 10, 2025, Six Flags announced a partnership with Qiddiya Investment Company. Six Flags helps manage and license its brand to two new theme parks in Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia. These parks are Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia water park.

Six Flags America in Woodmore, Maryland, permanently closed on November 2, 2025.

On May 1, 2025, the company announced it would permanently close Six Flags America and its water park, Hurricane Harbor Maryland, in Woodmore, Maryland. The company said these parks did not fit its long-term plans. Hurricane Harbor Maryland closed on September 6, 2025, and Six Flags America closed on November 2, 2025. In May 2025, Six Flags also reduced its full-time staff by about 500 employees. This included removing the park president role at all 27 amusement parks.

Richard Zimmerman, the CEO, stepped down at the end of 2025. Selim Bassoul, the executive chairman, also stepped down at the end of 2025. John Reilly became the new president and CEO on December 8, 2025. Marilyn Spiegel became the non-executive chair on January 1, 2026.

Six Flags St. Louis was sold to EPR Properties on April 6, 2026.

Valleyfair was sold to EPR Properties on April 6, 2026.

On January 5, 2026, Six Flags decided not to buy the remaining shares of Six Flags Over Texas. The company announced on March 5, 2026, that it would sell seven of its theme parks to EPR Properties. These parks included Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, Michigan's Adventure, Schlitterbahn Galveston, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags Great Escape, and La Ronde. The sales of the U.S. parks were completed on April 6, 2026, and La Ronde's sale was completed on May 14, 2026.

Richard Haddrill became the company’s executive chairman on March 25, 2026. In April 2026, Six Flags decided to bring back the park president role at 10 of its parks.

Six Flags Parks and Resorts

As of 2026, Six Flags operates 34 properties. These include 20 amusement parks and 14 separate water parks. They also have nine resorts in North America. In addition, the company helps manage two parks in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia.

Amusement Parks for Fun Seekers

The table below lists the main amusement parks that Six Flags operates.

     Parks that were originally part of Cedar Fair
     Parks that were originally part of Six Flags (1961–2024)

Cool Water Parks to Explore

The table below lists the separate water parks that Six Flags operates.

Resorts for Extended Stays

Parks Six Flags Manages for Others

Past Parks: Where the Fun Used to Be

How Six Flags is Run

Six Flags is a company whose shares can be bought and sold by the public. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FUN." Its main office is in Charlotte, North Carolina. It also has important offices at the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.

Who Leads Six Flags?

The Board of Directors

As of May 26, 2026, these people are on the Six Flags board of directors:

• Richard Haddrill – executive chairman
• Marilyn Spiegel – lead independent director
• John Reilly – president and CEO of Six Flags
• Jonathan Brudnick
• Sandra Cochran
• Michael Colglazier
• Felipe Dutra
• Steven Hoffman
• Chieh Huang
• Rehan Jaffer

The Executive Team

As of June 3, 2026, the main leaders at Six Flags are:

• John Reilly – president and chief executive officer
• Tim Fisher – chief operating officer (manages daily operations)
• Christopher Bennett – chief legal and compliance officer (handles legal matters)
• Amy Martin Ziegenfuss – chief marketing officer (leads marketing)
• Dave Hoffman – interim chief financial officer (manages company money)
• Ty Tastepe – chief digital officer (handles digital technology)
• Seenu Sarma – chief procurement officer (manages buying supplies)

Ash Walia will become the company's chief financial officer on June 17, 2026.

Who Owns Six Flags?

As of March 31, 2026, these are the ten largest shareholders in Six Flags:

Six Flags' Money Matters

Six Flags earns money in a few ways. About half of its income comes from park admissions. Another big part comes from food, merchandise, and games sold inside the parks. The rest comes from things like hotel stays and other services.

How Many People Visit Six Flags?

Company-Wide Attendance

The numbers below show how Six Flags ranks among amusement park operators by how many people visit.

Most Popular Six Flags Parks

These are the Six Flags parks that were among the top 20 most visited amusement parks in North America in 2024.

How Six Flags Makes Money

Admission gates to Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California in 2025.

Six Flags earns money mainly from three things: park tickets (51.1%), money spent inside the parks (33.5%), and other income (15.4%). The company often sells season passes at lower prices than other parks. Even though people with season passes spend less per visit, they visit more often, so they spend more money overall each year. Six Flags tries to get more people to visit and spend more money inside the parks.

They also make money from special events like Fright Fest for Halloween and Holiday in the Park for winter. These Halloween events often use popular characters to attract more visitors. Another popular paid extra is Fast Lane. This system lets guests pay extra to get into a shorter line or a virtual line for certain rides.

Marketing and Special Characters

Marketing Fun for Everyone

Travis Kelce serves as Six Flags' brand ambassador.

In April 2025, Six Flags launched a new national ad campaign called "We're Serious About Fun." It introduced a new mascot, the Funsultant, who is known for being very serious about fun. This campaign was shown on TV, online, and on social media.

Famous American football player Travis Kelce became a special partner for Six Flags in March 2026. He helps the company with its marketing efforts.

Using Famous Characters and Working with Partners

The DC Universe themed area at Six Flags Great America.

The Planet Snoopy themed area at Dorney Park.

Six Flags has special rights to use characters from Warner Bros. and Peanuts. This means they can use Looney Tunes and DC Comics characters in their North American parks. However, they cannot use them in Las Vegas or Florida. The Peanuts characters are used at some parks in the United States and Canada that were originally Cedar Fair parks. Six Flags renewed its agreement to use Peanuts characters until 2030.

Six Flags also works with an online travel company called Tripster. This partnership helps guests book park tickets and hotel packages easily.

The Six Flags brand is also used for Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia. Six Flags helps operate and manage this park. Also, EPR Properties can use the Six Flags brand at the parks it bought from Six Flags for the 2026 season.

Other partners include food companies like Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, The Icee Company, and Mars Inc. Six Flags also works with different companies for on-ride photos and ticketing systems.

See also

• Incidents at Six Flags parks