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Credit: Rich Fury, FlickrOne of California’s largest theme parks in the world has officially eradicated teenagers visiting alone.
On July 1st, 2024, the amusement park industry experienced a monumental change as Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and Cedar Fair LP successfully merged. This long-anticipated union, first announced in November 2023, has united two major players in the industry under the single banner of Six Flags Entertainment Corp.
The newly formed Six Flags Entertainment Corp. now boasts an extensive portfolio of entertainment destinations, offering guests access to a combined 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resort properties across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Importantly, the company has assured that each park will maintain its current branding, with no name changes expected in the near future.
Selim Bassoul, who has taken on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for the merged company, expressed his excitement and commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment experiences. “By merging the best of both Six Flags and Cedar Fair,” Bassoul stated, “the new Six Flags can offer an unmatched level of joy and excitement for regional park guests.” He also underscored the potential for growth and increased operational efficiency with the expanded portfolio.
Trading of Six Flags Entertainment Corp.’s common stock began on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on July 2nd under the ticker symbol “FUN.” As per the merger agreement, Cedar Fair stockholders received one share of common stock in the combined company for each unit they owned, while Six Flags shareholders received 0.5800 shares for each of their shares.
This results in Cedar Fair’s former stockholders holding a controlling stake of about 51.2%, while Six Flags’ former stockholders retain 48.8%. The newly formed board mirrors this distribution, with six directors appointed from each company.
Theme parks worldwide have increasingly implemented chaperone policies to address disruptive guest behavior, particularly among younger visitors. Cedar Fair, a leading theme park operator, was among the first to adopt such a policy, followed by other major chains like Six Flags and Universal Orlando.
Carowinds, a Cedar Fair park, introduced its chaperone policy in 2022 in response to a series of altercations involving young guests. The policy requires guests aged 15 or younger to be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old. This applies from 4:00 p.m. until closing and requires the chaperone to remain within the park for the entire visit.
The policy has been adopted by other Cedar Fair parks, including Knott’s Berry Farm, Worlds of Fun, Kings Island, and Kings Dominion. Universal Orlando Resort has implemented a similar policy for its Halloween Horror Nights event.
Now, Six Flags is adopting the policy for its theme parks.
Multiple Six Flags parks like Six Flags Over Georgia (which has been notorious for its poor guest behavior) and Six Flags America, have shared the new chaperone policy that went into effect on July 26, 2024.
Now, Six Flags Magic Mountain is adding the same policy during Fright Fest Extreme nights.
The new policy has been alerted to all guests via social media:
“The safety of our guests & associates has always been our top priority! We’re dedicated to keeping our park a place where thrill-seekers can enjoy fun & immersive experiences. That’s why we’re introducing a chaperone policy on Fright Fest Extreme nights starting Sat., 9/7/24.”
The safety of our guests & associates has always been our top priority! We’re dedicated to keeping our park a place where thrill-seekers can enjoy fun & immersive experiences. That’s why we’re introducing a chaperone policy on Fright Fest Extreme nights starting Sat., 9/7/24. pic.twitter.com/IP0HEBvnVS
— Six Flags Magic Mountain (@SFMagicMountain) August 26, 2024
After 4:00 p.m., any guest aged 15 or younger will be denied entry into the park unless accompanied by a chaperone, who will be held accountable for the conduct of the guests under their supervision.
The chaperone must present a valid government-issued photo ID with a listed date of birth at the ticket entry. A single chaperone may accompany up to 10 guests, must stay inside the park throughout their group’s visit, and be reachable by phone. This policy applies to both one-day visitors and season pass holders.
Six Flags has introduced this requirement in response to a rise in incidents of “unruly and inappropriate behavior” within the theme park industry and other entertainment venues.
Do you think a chaperone policy should become theme park standard?