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A new policy has kicked in at Six Flags theme parks this week, which may mean some guests will be rejected at the park entrance.
This summer has been huge for Six Flags. Earlier this month, it merged with Cedar Fair LP to become Six Flags Entertainment Corp – a behemoth theme park group consisting of a combined total of 27 amusem*nt parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resort properties across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
That means that theme parks such as Cedar Point, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Kings Island are now all officially Six Flags theme parks – at least in theory. Six Flags Entertainment Corp has emphasized that this merger won’t impact any park’s branding,with no name changes anticipated in the foreseeable future.
One thing that theme park enthusiasts had hoped would change was the Annual Pass. At present, you can get passes for Six Flags theme parks and former Cedar Point theme parks, but not both groups combined – despite them now all being under the same umbrella.
However, as per an FAQ uploaded onto each park’s website, the company is apparently considering a season pass that would allow you to visit all the parks under the Six Flags banner.
“It’s clear our guests see tremendous value in the season-pass programs. There are no plans to offer a new season pass with access to all parks in 2024. However, we believe there may be an opportunity in the future to offer expanded park access to season pass holders,” it said.
The Walt Disney Company previously offered a similar pass system. The Disney Premier Passport gave pass holders entry to Disneyland Resort (Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park) and Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom). However, this was scrapped in 2021, with Disney CEO Bob Iger confirming that they had no plans to reintroduce the system.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Six Flags bucks the trend and embraces an all-park pass system. However, even if it is introduced, there may be some restrictions about who can enter which park and when.
As of Friday (July 26), Six Flags has enacted its new chaperone policy at multiple theme parks. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags Over Georgia, and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (the Atlanta outlet of the Six Flags water park chain) have now restricted access to guests aged 15 and younger.
“Guests ages 15 years old or younger who are found inside the park unaccompanied by a chaperone when the Chaperone Policy is in effect will be ejected,” says Six Flags.
Parkgoers may also be asked to provide identification to prove that they’re over 15, while the chaperone must prove that they’re over 21. Any accompanying chaperones must stay with their guests for the entirety of their visit and can only serve as chaperones for up to 10 guests at a time.
Related: Six Flags Great America Reportedly Scrapping Two Rides
This policy will kick in each day from 4 p.m. until the park closes. However, Six Flags has made it clear that they may adjust the start time on select days. While Six Flags hasn’t clarified why they’re introducing the policy, it did insist on its website that it’s for the wellbeing of all guests.
We believe these changes will help ensure that Six Flags Over Georgia continues to have a positive atmosphere where generations of families and friends can gather for a day of safe fun and good food. Millions of guests have counted on us for exactly that, and we will continue to deliver on that promise for generations to come.
Cedar Fair theme parks have boasted something similar since 2022. This mandates that all guests aged 15 or younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old – again, after 4 p.m.
In recent years, Six Flags theme parks have witnessed numerous incidents of disorderly conduct. One night in March 2024, around 500 to 600 guests were engaged in a large-scale brawl. Although law enforcement managed to guide the crowd out of the park, an unknown group later fired shots at Cobb County police officers. In reaction, one officer fired back and hit a 15-year-old, who was later hospitalized.
Earlier this month, a situation occurred at Six Flags New England in which a family was “jumped,” sending a guest to the emergency room.
A Redditor allegedly involved in the incident explained: “A bunch of them cut the line and I looked their way. One of them didn’t like how I looked at him and he got in my face. I didn’t back down, so he called his brother with face tatts. We went in front of them and a woman slapped my wife twice and I went to report them and got sucker punched and jumped.”
Do you think theme parks should introduce stricter chaperone park policies?
