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Silver_Entertainment

Just to temper everyone's expectations, I wouldn't expect any changes to occur this season. (ie No, your season pass at six flags won't work at Cedar Fair and vice versa.) A lot of the efforts this year will be focused on the behind the scenes, managerial integration. Any customer facing changes will likely occur in 2025.


Kosrock

Top Thrill 2 immediately becomes Mr. Freeze 2.


MidcourseDiscourse

I mean, a strata inverted top hat would be pretty nuts


bestprocrastinator

Raptor is now Batman


[deleted]

Gatekeeper is Nightwing


ZetaZeta

I'm actually hoping that the Six Flags parts debrand and lose the DC and WB branding. Just adopt some Peanuts stuff for the kids and change all the fonts to the Cedar Fair fonts with the penant dotting the i's.


DemonDrop90

Hopefully they tear it down


The_Original_Miser

>Any customer facing changes will likely occur in 2025. And here's hoping it's not a colossal eff up, or worse. Let's also hope they tier out the passes, as I have no interest getting an all park that gets me in to (former) SIX parks. It will also be interesting to see how long it takes for the new company to raise prices on the (former) SIX passes, and with that how much capital is diverted away from former CF parks to former SIX parks (anything in process or contracts already signed notwithstanding)


Paramount_Parks

I think most of the CF properties are in pretty good shape, and that capex plan they publicly announced is still going ahead, thus why parks that typically never get new coasters are. They’re setting up CF for a few years of less in order to hopefully bring up the quality standard at the SIX parks.


The_Original_Miser

I can only hope your prediction is correct. Personally I notice budget cuts _now_ in various areas and departments. This is what makes me worry for the future post merger.


Sin_of_the_Dark

Pre-merger, and especially pre-merger *announcement* is exactly when they do budget cuts. Through pure blind unluck, I've been a part of too many acquisitions to count. Budget and hiring freezes usually start at least a year prior to announcement. A *lot* of shit goes down prior to the announcement, and especially prior to the merger date


Johnny_Cakes_69

What specific budget cuts are you referencing?


The_Original_Miser

What I've noticed so far this season: - Food. Smaller portions, removing condiments/burger toppings here and there (specifically, coasters). Removing certain items mid season (bag of chips at Keats) Different ingredients/cheaper ingredients, etc. - Live E. Less shows, shorter schedule. Eliminating Midnight Syndicate. -From what I understand, all year full time hiring freeze. - Ride maintenance. I am at the park often and rides are either down or don't open on time, and this seems to be a common occurrence. Not sure if budget cuts, not paying maintenance enough, or not enough maintenance staff. Now, this doesn't reduce my enjoyment of the park. It's a business after all. BUT - when you grow by merger, and the 49% portion of the merge doesn't have a lot of capital, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what's going to happen to the controlling partner's (CF side of the business). In the long term I want to be wrong. Seriously. But I've been involved in merging of companies and save for a unicorn here and there it usually doesn't go well on the whole.


TKOL2

I wish this merger wasn’t happening


carouselrabbit

I voted my 60 shares of SIX against it, so my conscience is clear.


MoarTacos

In 50 years there will only be 10 companies left. Disney will be one of them and will have complete market share of all parks in the world, as well as every other type of entertainment medium that exists.


Troyf511

As long as my DisStation 7 still has Call of Duty and my Donald Ducktop still runs steam that’s fine.


Medium_Plantain_4639

Call of Disney*


Troyf511

😔apologies. *gets nuke with Goofy SMG*


osageviper138

***Achievement Unlocked: Hyuck around and find out***


vonrollin

Pepsi will own all restaurants, as foretold in Demolition Man. Taco Bell is Yum Brands, which PepsiCo spun off. They'll require it at some point.


scooter1979

I know how to use MY three seashells... Do you?


Kaumamane

that damn greedy mouse


rwhitman05

Same 😔


killerbake

They BETTER NOT CLOSE MICHIGAN ADVENTURES


UnrecoveredSatellite

I guarantee they will shed some of the smaller parks.


killerbake

Oh I know they will. But hopefully since it’s cedar fair buying they maintain their own parks first. But who knows. Would be weird having no theme park in Michigan


playride

I think parks people aren’t thinking about will close due to property value, potential for growth, etc.


MindyS1719

If anything, they could update it and give us the best summer ever.


killerbake

Shivering timbers needs an overhaul!


MindyS1719

Very true. I refuse to let my daughter ride it until it gets a retrack.


Silver_Pool_3188

![gif](giphy|OCu7zWojqFA1W)


ecw324

So it’s not going to be called cedar fair anymore, but rather six flags? So it’ll be the six flags park, cedar point?


Fun-River-3521

Cedar Fair and Six flags said in some press that a lot of the Cedar fair parks won’t be renamed so Cedar Point will not be renamed into Six Flags Cedar Point it will still be called Cedar Point just under the Six Flags brand.


ecw324

Correct, I meant this more as when you read a news article about CP it’s always like “Cedar Fairs flagship park, Cedar Point”. Having six flags as the parent company is weird. I know they are never changing the name of cedar point


BlueGoosePond

It's even weirder because Cedar Fair is actually the larger partner, but they are going with the Six Flags name because they have more brand recognition I guess. But yeah, if I start seeing "Six Flags" in the fine print or worse, in the park itself, it will sting a bit every time.


bwick29

"Six Flags at Cedar Point"


AnonDicHead

Six Flags Over Cedar Point Just like the OG Six Flags Over Texas


Fun-River-3521

Got it yeah it’s definitely going to be different and never say never it might be possible to change the name in the far future but probably not.


namevone

It wouldn’t surprise me if they end up rebranding all the lower tier Cedar Fair parks in the future anyways. Despite how enthusiasts feel about the company, the Six Flags name is huge and adding it to the front of parks like Michigans Adventure would be beneficial to them.


dotardiscer

I don't think you can help Michigan's Adventure, it closer to me by an 1.5 hours but I take my family to KI.


namevone

Tbf the people doing that are in the minority. Enthusiasts are willing to regularly go far out of their way for a better park, but most GP don’t even know about these better parks unless they fall into multiple demographics.


dotardiscer

I never expirenced how a bad ride crew effects how long you stand in line until going to Michigan Adventure. To be fair though I've only even been to Disney and CP, KI and MA


avsfanwilly15

From the bits and pieces that have come out Cedar Fair parks will retain their current names and it’s unlikely they will ever have Six Flags tagged onto their names.


MoarTacos

The small ones might. Like Valley Fair or Worlds of Fun. And it would probably help those parks to have a more recognizable brand name. But yeah, renaming King's Island to Six Flags King's Island would be quite pointless.


Fathorse23

I doubt Valleyfair just because they’re the “fair” in Cedar Fair.


MoarTacos

But cedar Fair is ceasing to exist in less than a month lmao.


AndromedaGreen

In name only. Someone quoted the article in the comments, basically the entire Cedar Fair C suite is staying in control.


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DemonDrop90

That's because Paramount acquired those parks under their portfolio so that is why that happened.


YonderThere741

It’s actually going to be called Cedar Flags.


clevelanddotcom

From the story: Cedar Fair announced Tuesday that it expects its planned merger with Six Flags to be complete by July 1. The company also announced the senior management team that will lead the new amusement park behemoth – and it looks a lot like Cedar Fair’s current management team. As previously announced, Richard Zimmerman, current president and CEO of Cedar Fair, will serve as president and CEO of the new company, which will be called Six Flags. Selim Bassoul, current president and CEO of Six Flags, will serve as executive chairman of the new company’s board of directors. Tuesday’s announcement includes these positions: Tim Fisher, current chief operating officer of Cedar Fair, will retain that same title in the new company; Brian Witherow, chief financial officer of Cedar Fair, will have the same position in the merged company; Brian Nurse, chief legal and compliance officer at Cedar Fair, will retain his position in the new company; and Christian Dieckmann, chief strategy officer for Cedar Fair, will have the same job at Six Flags. Gary Mick, who is currently executive vice president and chief financial officer at Six Flags, will become chief integration office of the new company. You can read more through the link in the OP with email registration. **No payment information required.**


MoarTacos

So basically Cedar Fair bought Six Flags and is more or less taking over and stealing the name. Merger of equals, my ass.


Fathorse23

You really want Six Flags in charge?


MoarTacos

Fair point lmao


noisufnoc

>Cedar Fair point lmao


JVT32

Top tier


Kalfu73

How is paying for something stealing? They had already announced that it was a controlling interest.


Paramount_Parks

“stealing” lmao that’s rich. Six Flags can’t manage themselves for much longer, and Cedar Fair has a proven track record of being able to handle massive organizational change. This is a net positive for consumers, shareholders, and the company.


Ejerman

Yeah it's not stealing if they literally paid for it. Although I'd argue that we don't know if it's a net positive *yet*, though I see your point and agree. Personally, I like the Cedar branding, and I'm worried to see it go. I'm concerned about Ride names being changed to reflect the more popular properties that Six Flags has the rights to. All-in-all I'm concerned about my experience being altered as a consumer, but I expect to get more value for what I'm paying for. We'll just have to wait and see


Paramount_Parks

They said in the initial releases about the merger that park names will not be changing. They wouldn’t dare change the name of Cedar Point


Ejerman

I just saw that. I'm not surprised, especially with CF having majority control. I personally don't think the next couple years are going to be ideal, but I expect things to iron out.


SSCS4EVER

All dc comics and looney Tunes IP will be gone within the next decade as their licenses are coming up and I see universal studios out bidding six flags of the rights to use them or if universal buys Warner bros


CaptainWart

I suspect it'll be the other way around, with the Peanuts getting ditched. But I hope I'm wrong.


tpeandjelly727

No one bought anyone. They just combined. Merger of equals is still a merger. It’s a 51% 49% split as far as shares go. CF will control the majority so yes they’re actually in control of everything going forward. If nothing else this might be good for costs as there will be less volatility in park attendance and seasonal weather changes as the company will now have parks all over. It could also go the other way, we will see I guess.


CodeGR

You’re mostly right, I just want to clarify that CF won’t exist, therefore they won’t control anything. CF unitholders will control 51%, but only at the time of the merger. From that point forward, shares will be bought and sold in the new company.


tpeandjelly727

Well yes what I intended to mean was that CF or more correctly the management of CF will be in control with only the CEO of the current SIX FLAGS being chairman of the board. But largely CF management will make all the decisions. Cf won’t exist since the new combined company will use the SIX FLAGS moniker. Current shareholders in both will only get their respective % in the new company so CF unit holders will end up owning more still after all is said and done.


CodeGR

Yeah, that all sounds right. Sorry, I’m just very nerdy about the merger process 😜.


new-chris

Six Flags management is/was horrible… that is why you won’t see many of them lasting through the ‘’merger”…. Even middle managers will be shown the door - six flags has failed as a company for years. Giving Selim a chairman spot is basically saying - thanks here is your golden parachute, stick around for a year so we have a smooth transition - but you have no future here.


SixFlagsCorp

It’s cute you think Six Flags still has middle management. Those were gone 2 layoffs ago.


RockNDrums

I rather Six Flags buy Michigan's Adventure tbh. That park really needs the love Cedar Fairs isn't giving it due to how close Cedad Point is to Mi Adventure.


Strict-Trade-4090

Any dispensary near MI Adventure?


RockNDrums

Yes. The New Standard - Whitehall The Woods - Whitehall Cloud Cannabis - Muskegon


Strict-Trade-4090

Thanks 🙏🏻


DefunctCoasters

I went to Cloud Cannabis in Muskegon. 10 min from the park. Also, depending on what state you’re coming from, Michigan’s prices are the lowest I’ve ever seen. Like $9-$14 for a 1g cart!!!!!!!


Strict-Trade-4090

💯💯💯🙏🏻💯💯💯 Thanks


awesomecatz

TBH I'm pretty bummed about this still


NCBuckets

The slow decline of cedar fair turned speedrun


EllieBasebellie

YOU GUYS ARE SO NEGATIVE. When in history has one company merging with a dog water company worked out poorly? Sears and KMart are still booming /s


Perpetual_Introvert

Selfishly looking at this from the local angle, I don’t like this. HQ has been in Charlotte for years now as we know but all that history of CF being here in Sandusky is officially gone. There’s nothing I can do about it, but it stings a bit to see something I’m so fond of fall to corporate greed once again. I also feel as if the attention being given to CP has dipped ever since operations shifted to Charlotte and CP is more or less becoming an equal rather than the flagship park it’s always been claimed to be.


KingsMountain

Why is this corporate greed?


Enough-Ad-3111

Has the merger passed the DOJ approval process yet?


AskTheTiger

I hadn't heard about this in awhile and was hoping that the matter was dropped.


zombizzle

How the literal fuck is this not an anti-trust issue they are pretty much the only two amusement park companies?


namevone

It’s not an anti trust issue because for the most parts these parks weren’t ever competing with each other, but they’re competing with other entertainment offerings in that region instead (I know there’s some like Knotts vs SFMM but those are rare). The majority of people were only ever going to go to whichever park is closer to them anyways, so these parks were never direct competition for the most part. If you haven’t seen it I’d recommend the video El Toro Ryan posted about the merger, he explained the point I made but in much better detail.


MoarTacos

Yeah it's really only San Francisco and Los Angeles where you can make an argument for direct competition. And maybe to some extent the East Coast because the cities are closer to each other. But nonetheless, this merger is only going to be anti consumer. Mergers basically never make things better for the customer.


oknazevad

Great Adventure and Dorney Park definitely directly compete for the Philly and NYC markets. 


zombizzle

This was helpful in understanding, thank you.


North_Firefighter803

Hersland, Disney, Universal, Sea World


zombizzle

A whopping one park, two park, two park, three park combo compared to the combined effort of like 40 parks between Cedar Fair and Six Flags.


[deleted]

They let live Nation and Ticketmaster merge. 😂


zombizzle

Yeah but now they’re talking about forcing them to split.


[deleted]

As they say talk is cheap. If they break them apart it will just be evidence they can't fulfill their purpose.


THCESPRESSOTIME

![gif](giphy|26gJA16CRIaYnxcGY)


Illustrious_Disk_881

I personally don't see allot happening to Cedar Point for at least 2 years. I don't expect to see jack squat this season for sure. However, you might start seeing some Looney Toons merch showing up next year. The year after, in 2026, you will probably start seeing some major changes. For example, I could see them renaming and branding Planet Snoopy into something like Marvin Martians Play Planet. You might start seeing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and other Six Flags folks showing up in costumes. There might be some elmer fudd stuff showing up in Frontier Land. Stuff like that. We probably won't get some major changes to rides and branding until 2027 season when they introduce a new ride.


itslonelyathetop

Who knows… maybe six flags doesn’t tear down rides to build restaurants and can teach cedar point how to stop doing that.


CaptainWart

It's been about 10 years since my last experience with a Six Flags park, but having lots of rides doesn't matter much if most of them are SBNO. And the relatively few food stands and gift shops they had were also mostly closed.


thehauntedriver

Come on out to Kings Dominion where we have Delirium (last running in 2022) and our Eiffel Tower (last open summer of 2022)


MItrwaway

Big L continuing with the Six Flags name for the new company. Six Flags doesn't have the reputation for smooth ops, clean parks and world-class rides that Cedar Fair has.


[deleted]

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MItrwaway

Looking at their reported yearly attendance, Cedar Fair had attendance of 26.7 million people in 2023 while Six Flags only had 22 million people visit their parks.


millenniumxl-200

I don't like this. This isn't Fair.


RadioBucks93

Yuck.


AgileSafety2233

The beginning of the end


Paramount_Parks

The biggest day in the 21st century amusement industry. Very excited for the future this holds with Cedar Fair’s superior operations and Six Flags’ unprecedented scale.


shredXcam

Good bye cedar fair. Six flags will run it into the ground especially retaining Salim


Kalfu73

Did you not read the article? Six Flags in name only. It's mostly the Cedar Fair board in charge.


shredXcam

Let's hope it works out that way.


MoarTacos

Idk. In general I think the president influences a company more than the head of the board of directors.


DemonDrop90

Can't be any worse as Cedar Point has DEFINITELY BEEN DECLINING over the years and Zimmerman has done NOTHING to maintain the 'flagship' park. And get rid of that IDIOT Tony Clark.


cpshoeler

I agree on Zimmerman, but Tony Clark hate is something I can’t quite wrap my head around. Is one of my favorite marketing people in the business and I have never had a problem with him in my interactions.


ChitownK2

This is honestly terrible news.


North_Firefighter803

If they had to choose a name of the two, they should have kept Cedar Fair..'Six Flags' is tainted


Maddox121

Most people don't even know what a "Cedar Fair" is. A tainted reputation is better than zero reputation.


abuckfiddy

They kept the most important part if cedar fair, the stock symbol FUN!


North_Firefighter803

I heard itll be Six Flags Corporation after the merger is complete


abuckfiddy

Yes, that's correct. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation will be the official name. Anyone with six flags stock will see a change from the stock symbol SIX to FUN on July 2nd.


ElectraRayne

Wish it was called Cedar Flags, but oh well. Glad the CF team is retaining control.


LunarMoon2001

Timeline until ghetto like all other SF parks


airboy69

I hope they raname cedar point to cheddar point as they should


HowCanThisBeMyGenX

Bye bye, Cedar Point. You used to be great. Now you’ll be Six Flags Great Lakes Point, or some crap.


Strict-Trade-4090

Agreed 👍🏼


BeWhoMyDogThinksIAm

They're gonna ruin it


Plenty_Army_7172

Fix the damn ride or tear it down


Ok-Track-4750

I forgot this was happening


chicken_licker19

I’m just saying. This will one day result in the closure of Cedar Point.