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Credit: Six Flags Six Flags Great America has introduced an all-new, park-wide policy for the 2025 season, and theme park fans aren’t happy about it.
The Illinois theme park officially opened for the season on April 18, 2025. Roller coaster enthusiasts flocked to Six Flags Great America for its newest attraction, Wrath of Rakshasa: “the steepest and most inverted dive coaster in the world.” It boasts five full inversions and reaches speeds of nearly 67 miles per hour.
But Wrath of Rakshasa isn’t the only surprise Six Flags had in store for its Illinois fans. On April 16, Six Flags Great America/Hurricane Harbor posted a policy update on Facebook. It read:
SMOKING POLICY
Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor Chicago are committed to promoting a healthier, safer, and more welcoming environment where thrill-seekers of all ages come together to enjoy a one-of-a-kind park full of fun experiences.
To support this commitment, we are implementing a smoke-free policy inside our theme park and water park.
Smoking is not permitted inside the park, including e-cigarettes and vapes. A designated smoking area is available outside of the theme park’s ticket-taking entrance. Six Flags prohibits smoking marijuana at any time, even in designated smoking areas.
Six Flags is hardly the first to completely ban smoking inside theme park areas. In 2019, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort banned smoking and vaping inside theme park areas, forcing guests to exit and use single designated smoking areas near the park entrances.
Despite no-smoking policies becoming more commonplace, many theme park fans were furious at Six Flags for controlling what they did with their own bodies.
“How ridiculous for an outdoor venue,” Lisa A. Kraus Lennon commented. “You have designated smoking areas that people use. Glad we didn’t get season tickets for this year.”
“So no smoking areas at all anymore. But all the parents with the alcohol drinks who walk around and leave them sitting around aren’t a problem…K,” Charlene Meserve replied.
Some argued that the policy would actually cause more rule-breaking because guests wouldn’t be willing to walk to the park entrance to smoke.
“A little silly considering now people will most definitely try to light up and vape wherever they want trying to get away with it, whereas before they could go to an actual designated area where you could choose to avoid if you don’t smoke,” Lindsey Timony said. “Let’s not forget that the furthest point in the park from the entrance is also over a mile away, so good look getting people to actually go with that.”
“Don’t understand what the issue is with having designated smoke areas in the park,” Zachary James agreed.
“If you don’t smoke then don’t go off path into the smoking areas. I don’t even smoke. Just seems a little strict. That’s a long walk to the front especially if you’re back by Eagle. Especially if you’re just vaping. If you have designated smoking areas I feel like people would be more willing to just go to those areas and smoke VS lighting up wherever and smoking anywhere. Because that’s exactly what they’re gonna do now.”
Still, many fans were excited about the new policy and hoped Six Flags Great America/Hurricane Harbor would strictly enforce it.
“Great, now enforce it strictly,” William Stoub wrote. “Kick violators out without a refund.”
“It’s amazing how many people have such a problem with this..,” said Katie Willner. “When your cigarettes are literally harming everyone around you… doesn’t only affect you. It’s sad really, if u can’t go one day without one… y’all have a real problem.”
Read the rest of Six Flags Great America’s guest policies here.
Should Six Flags Great America walk back its no-smoking and no-vaping policy? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments!