Following a billion-dollar move to trump Disney, a massive theme park company has sparked outrage by implementing new measures.
Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort have been staples of family fun since they opened in 1955 and 1971, respectively.
Disneyland Resort — in Anaheim, California — is home to Disneyland Park, Walt Disney’s original theme park, and Disney California Adventure. Both theme parks in the Southern California Disney Resort are packed with magical experiences for the young and the young at heart to enjoy, including breathtaking fireworks shows, parades, iconic attractions, and immersive experiences inspired by the Star Wars franchise — Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) — Avengers Campus.
In Orlando, Florida, Walt Disney World Resort houses four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom — two water parks — Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park — a shopping and entertainment district — Disney Springs — over 25 Disney Resort hotels, and more, Disney World offers an unparalleled immersive experience for guests of all ages.
With so many unique offerings, competing against Disney and its two theme parks in America is complicated.
However, guests have criticized the constant price increases and surcharges introduced by The Walt Disney Company across Disneyland, Disney World, and even Disney+, the company’s streaming service.
Earlier this year, Six Flags announced a jaw-dropping move. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, the world’s largest regional theme park company with 27 parks across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, announced that it would merge with Cedar Fair — owner and operator of theme parks like Knott’s Berry Farm, Cedar Point, and Worlds of Fun — in a billion-dollar combination to create “a leading amusement park operator” in the country.
Unfortunately, following the billion-dollar deal to trump Disney, Six Flags took a page out of the House of Mouse’s book and implemented a new surcharge, causing outrage online.
Redditor u/TheGhostofSFOT shared a picture they took at a Six Flags theme park — though they did not specify which of the 27 locations owned and operated by the company in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — which reads “$0.99 surcharge applied due to increase labor and supply costs.”
The Redditor added, “Service charge and tip option at checkout coming soon to a Six Flags park near you.”
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Fellow netizens took to Reddit to voice the surcharge at their local Six Flags theme parks, with users commenting they had seen the notice “everywhere at Fiesta Texas” during a recent visit and that the divisive surcharge was “already here” at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles, California.
Users criticized the theme parks for increasing prices that are already “absurdly high,” and some commented, “99% chance I’m not going anyway,” and “I’ll stick with Disney. Much cleaner.”
As of the publication of this article, Six Flags has not released any official statements addressing the stirring surcharge.
What do you think about this surcharge striking Six Flags theme parks across America? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments below!
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Six Flags theme park guest experience. No two guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Six Flags theme park operations.