Six Flags facts for kids
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| Public | |
| Traded as |
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| Industry | Theme parks |
| Predecessors |
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| Founded | July 2, 2024 |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
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Number of locations
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41 |
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Area served
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Key people
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Selim Bassoul (executive chairman) Richard Zimmerman (president and CEO) |
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Number of employees
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5,000 full-time, 93,000 seasonal and part-time (2024) |
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is a big American company that runs fun places like amusement parks, water parks, and resorts. Its main office is in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. This company was created on July 2, 2024, when two older companies, Cedar Fair and the original Six Flags, joined together. Now, the new company owns and manages 41 different properties across North America.
Contents
The Story of Six Flags
Before the Big Merger
How Six Flags Began
The original Six Flags company started in August 1961. A man named Angus G. Wynne and his partners opened the very first park, Six Flags Over Texas. Over the next 20 years, more parks were built and bought. In 1984, Six Flags bought the Great America park. This deal also gave them the right to use Warner Bros.' famous Looney Tunes characters in their parks. Later, Time Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery) owned Six Flags for a few years.
In 1998, another company called Premier Parks bought Six Flags. Premier Parks then started changing the names of its own parks to Six Flags. By 2000, all their parks were known as Six Flags.
Challenges and Changes
In the 2000s, Six Flags faced some tough times. They had a lot of debt, which means they owed a lot of money. To help with this, they sold off some of their parks, including those in Europe. Some of the company's owners wanted changes. In 2005, a group led by Daniel Snyder took control of the company's board.
The new leaders continued to sell parks. However, the company still struggled financially. Because of a big economic downturn in 2008, Six Flags had to reorganize its business in 2009. They kept the parks open during this time. In 2010, Six Flags became a new company, Six Flags Entertainment Corp. They moved their main office to Grand Prairie, Texas. This change helped them reduce their debt.
New Ideas and Global Plans
After 2010, new leaders like Jim Reid-Anderson and later Mike Spanos took charge. They tried to build new Six Flags parks in other countries, like Six Flags Dubai and parks in China. However, these plans did not work out. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many Six Flags parks to close for a while.
In 2021, Selim Bassoul became the CEO. He tried a new plan to make the parks better for guests. This meant raising ticket prices to have fewer people in the parks each day. The idea was to make the experience more enjoyable for those who paid more. However, this plan led to a big drop in visitors, so it was stopped in 2022.
Cedar Fair's Journey
Cedar Fair also has a long history of owning and operating popular amusement parks. They grew by acquiring many well-known parks over the years. Their focus has always been on providing great family entertainment.
The Big Merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair
Coming Together
For many years, Six Flags and Cedar Fair were rivals. There were a few attempts for them to join forces before. In 2010, a deal with another company for Cedar Fair did not happen. In 2019, Six Flags tried to buy Cedar Fair, but Cedar Fair said no. In 2022, another company, SeaWorld, also tried to buy Cedar Fair, but that offer was also turned down.
Finally, in 2024, Six Flags and Cedar Fair officially merged. This was called a "merger of equals." The new company kept the Six Flags name. It became a huge company worth $8 billion. It now owns 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resort properties.
New Leadership and Headquarters
After the merger, the former owners of Cedar Fair became the main owners of the new company. Richard Zimmerman, who was the CEO of Cedar Fair, became the President and CEO of the new Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Selim Bassoul, the former CEO of Six Flags, became the executive chairman. The main office for the new company moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Some important business operations are still handled at Cedar Fair's old office in Sandusky, Ohio. The merger was completed on July 1, 2024.
Recent Changes
On May 1, 2025, Six Flags announced that the Six Flags America park would close. It officially closed at the end of the 2025 season on November 2, 2025. This was part of a plan to make the company's parks work better. On August 6, 2025, Six Flags announced that Richard Zimmerman stepped down from his role as CEO and president. The company is looking for a new leader. Mr. Zimmerman will still be a director on the company's board.
Six Flags Properties
Year acquired lists the year the property was acquired by the property's previous respective owner among the current company's two predecessors.
Amusement Parks
Former Cedar Fair parks Former Six Flags (1961–2024) parks
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes | Roller coasters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California's Great America | Santa Clara, California | 1976 | 2006 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 2006. It is planned to close by 2033. | 9 |
| Canada's Wonderland | Vaughan, Ontario | 1981 | 2006 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 2006. | 18 |
| Carowinds | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1973 | 2006 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 2006. | 13 |
| Cedar Point | Sandusky, Ohio | 1870 | – | This is a very old and important park for the company. | 18 |
| Dorney Park | Allentown, Pennsylvania | 1884 | 1992 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 1992. | 8 |
| Frontier City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1958 | 1981 2018 |
The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1981 and again in 2018. | 5 |
| Kings Dominion | Doswell, Virginia | 1975 | 2006 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 2006. | 13 |
| Kings Island | Mason, Ohio | 1972 | 2006 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 2006. | 15 |
| Knott's Berry Farm | Buena Park, California | 1920 | 1997 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 1997. | 10 |
| La Ronde | Montréal, Quebec | 1967 | 2001 | Built for Expo 67. Six Flags bought the right to operate it in 2001. | 8 |
| Michigan's Adventure | Muskegon, Michigan | 1956 | 2001 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 2001. | 7 |
| Six Flags America | Woodmore, Maryland | 1974 | 1992 2025 |
The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1992. It closed on November 2, 2025. | 9 |
| Six Flags Darien Lake | Darien, New York | 1981 | 1995 2018 |
The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1995 and again in 2018. | 8 |
| Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | Vallejo, California | 1968 | 1997 (lease) 2007 (full ownership) |
The original Six Flags company started operating this park in 1997 and fully bought it in 2007. | 10 |
| Six Flags Fiesta Texas | San Antonio, Texas | 1992 | 1996 (lease) 1998 (full ownership) |
The original Six Flags company started operating this park in 1996 and fully bought it in 1998. | 11 |
| Six Flags Great Adventure | Jackson, New Jersey | 1974 | 1977 | The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1977. It also has a safari park. | 13 |
| Six Flags Great America | Gurnee, Illinois | 1976 | 1984 | The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1984. This is how they got the rights to use Warner Bros. characters. | 16 |
| Six Flags Great Escape | Queensbury, New York | 1954 | 1996 | The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1996. It was known as Storytown USA before. | 6 |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia, California | 1971 | 1979 | The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1979. | 19 |
| Six Flags México | Mexico City, Mexico | 1982 | 1999 | The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1999. It was called Reino Aventura before. | 9 |
| Six Flags New England | Agawam, Massachusetts | 1870 | 1997 | This is one of the oldest parks in the company. The original Six Flags company bought it in 1996. | 11 |
| Six Flags Over Georgia | Austell, Georgia | 1967 | – | Six Flags manages this park and will fully own it by 2027. | 12 |
| Six Flags Over Texas | Arlington, Texas | 1961 | – | This was the very first Six Flags park ever built. | 13 |
| Six Flags St. Louis | Eureka, Missouri | 1971 | – | This park was once called Six Flags Over Mid-America. | 10 |
| Valleyfair | Shakopee, Minnesota | 1976 | 1978 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 1978. | 8 |
| Worlds of Fun | Kansas City, Missouri | 1973 | 1995 | Cedar Fair bought this park in 1995. | 8 |
Water Parks
Outdoor Water Parks
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Located inside or next to amusement parks | ||||
| Carolina Harbor | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1982 | 2006 | This water park is inside Carowinds. Cedar Fair bought it in 2006. |
| Oceans of Fun | Kansas City, Missouri | 1982 | 1995 | This water park is next to Worlds of Fun. Cedar Fair bought it in 1995. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Queensbury, New York | 1995 | 1996 | This water park is inside Six Flags Great Escape. The original Six Flags company bought it in 1996. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Darien Lake | Darien, New York | 1990 | 2018 | This water park is inside Six Flags Darien Lake. The original Six Flags company bought it in 1995 and again in 2018. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor New England | Agawam, Massachusetts | 1997 | 1998 | This water park is inside Six Flags New England. The original Six Flags company opened it in 1997. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Austell, Georgia | 2014 | – | This water park is inside Six Flags Over Georgia. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Eureka, Missouri | 1999 | – | This water park is next to Six Flags St. Louis. |
| Soak City | Doswell, Virginia | 1992 | 2006 | This water park is inside Kings Dominion. Cedar Fair bought it in 2006. |
| Soak City | Mason, Ohio | 1989 | 2006 | This water park is next to Kings Island. Cedar Fair bought it in 2006. |
| Soak City | Shakopee, Minnesota | 1983 | – | This water park is inside Valleyfair. |
| South Bay Shores | Santa Clara, California | 2004 | 2006 | This water park is inside California's Great America. Cedar Fair bought it in 2006. |
| Splash Works | Vaughan, Ontario | 1992 | 2006 | This water park is next to Canada's Wonderland. Cedar Fair bought it in 2006. |
| WildWater Adventure | Muskegon, Michigan | 1991 | 2001 | This water park is next to Michigan's Adventure. Cedar Fair bought it in 2001. |
| Wildwater Kingdom | Allentown, Pennsylvania | 1985 | 1992 | This water park is part of Dorney Park. Cedar Fair bought it in 1992. |
| Wild West Water Works | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 2017 | 2018 | This water park is inside Frontier City. The original Six Flags company bought it in 2018. |
| Separate admission or property | ||||
| Cedar Point Shores | Sandusky, Ohio | 1988 | – | This water park is next to Cedar Point. It was renamed in 2017. |
| Knott's Soak City | Buena Park, California | 2000 | – | This water park is next to Knott's Berry Farm. |
| Schlitterbahn Galveston | Galveston, Texas | 2006 | 2019 | Cedar Fair bought this water park in 2019. |
| Schlitterbahn New Braunfels | New Braunfels, Texas | 1979 | 2019 | Cedar Fair bought this water park in 2019. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles | Valencia, California | 1995 | – | This water park is next to Six Flags Magic Mountain. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Arlington | Arlington, Texas | 1983 | 1995 | The original Six Flags company bought this water park in 1995. It is across the highway from Six Flags Over Texas. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor New Jersey | Jackson, New Jersey | 2000 | – | This water park is next to Six Flags Great Adventure. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oaxtepec | Oaxtepec, Mexico | 2017 | 2016 | This water park reopened in 2017. It is about an hour away from Six Flags Mexico. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord | Concord, California | 1995 | 2017 | The original Six Flags company bought this water park in 1996 and again in 2017. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix | Phoenix, Arizona | 2009 | 2018 | Six Flags operates this water park. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown | Spring, Texas | 1984 | 2018 | The original Six Flags company bought this water park in 1999 and again in 2017. |
| Six Flags White Water | Marietta, Georgia | 1983 | 1999 | This water park is about 15 miles from Six Flags Over Georgia. Six Flags will fully own it by 2027. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1981 | 2018 | Six Flags operates this water park. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Rockford | Cherry Valley, Illinois | 1984 | 2019 | Six Flags operates this water park. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago | Gurnee, Illinois | 2005 | – | This water park is next to Six Flags Great America. It became a separate park in 2021. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 1992 | 1998 | This water park is next to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It became a separate park in 2023. |
Indoor Water Parks
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castaway Bay | Sandusky, Ohio | 2004 | – | This water park is inside the Castaway Bay resort. |
| White Water Bay | Queensbury, New York | 2006 | – | This water park is inside the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge. |
Safari Parks
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Wild Safari Adventure | Jackson, New Jersey | 1974 | – | This safari park is next to Six Flags Great Adventure. You can drive through it to see animals. |
Resorts
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castaway Bay | Sandusky, Ohio | 2004 | – | This resort is about a mile from Cedar Point. It has an indoor water park. |
| Six Flags Darien Lake Hotel & Campground | Darien, New York | 1954 | 1995 2018 |
This resort has a hotel, campground, and cabins. It is across from Six Flags Darien Lake. |
| Six Flags Great Escape Lodge | Queensbury, New York | 2006 | – | This lodge is across from Six Flags Great Escape. It has an indoor water park called White Water Bay. |
| Six Flags Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa | Jackson, New Jersey | 2024 | – | This resort is located inside Six Flags Wild Safari Adventure at Six Flags Great Adventure. |
Upcoming Properties
Amusement Parks
| Name | Location | Year Opening | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Qiddiya | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 2025 (expected) | This will be the first Six Flags park in Saudi Arabia. It will also be the first Six Flags park outside of North America since 2004. |
Former Properties
| Name | Location | Year opened | Year closed/sold | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags America | Woodmore, Maryland | 1974 | 2025 | The original Six Flags company bought this park in 1992. It closed on November 2, 2025. |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Maryland | Woodmore, Maryland | 1982 | 2025 | This water park was next to Six Flags America. It closed on September 6, 2025, before Six Flags America closed. |
Fast Lane and The Flash Pass
Fast Lane System
Fast Lane is a special system used at parks that used to be part of Cedar Fair. It lets visitors pay extra to wait in a shorter line for most rides. This means you get to enjoy the attractions faster! It was first tested in 2011 and then used in all Cedar Fair parks by 2012. There is also "Fright Lane" for haunted attractions during Halloween events.
The Flash Pass System
The Flash Pass was a similar system used at parks that were part of the original Six Flags company. It was named after the DC Comics character, The Flash. Guests used a handheld device or a mobile app to reserve their spot in line. They would get a notification when it was their turn to ride.
Future Changes for Ride Systems
The Flash Pass system is being phased out by the end of the 2025 season. All former Six Flags parks will switch to the Fast Lane system in 2026.
See Also
- Holiday in the Park
- Incidents at Six Flags parks
- Six Flags Fright Fest
