I have a basic ‘Gold’ annual pass for Six Flags over Texas. I’ve been going fairly regularly (like 4 times a year) since about 2019. I grew up near there and would go at least once a year in my formative years. 1988-1992 were my ‘golden times’ for SFOT:
The park has gone though lots of shakeups and changes in the last 6 years. More has been done since 2019 than the previous 2 decades before that. Not necessarily for the better (IMO).
Starting in 2021 the park got some much needed ‘retro’ love and saw some improvements to it’s infrastructure in multiple nods to the past (thanks to a park president that was a former boots on the ground employee). With the recent merger of Cedar Fair it was back to business as usual, rising prices, cutting visitor benefits, and homogenizing the park. I will give it props for injecting some money into the park, but throwing more rides isn’t the way to transform an ailing park. Not to mention making visitors pay $27 for a 4 piece chicken tender meal with a drink… I KID YOU NOT.
Before this turns into a ‘what they need to do is…’ post (which this kinda is in a passive aggressive way) I just wanted to make a note about getting surveys. I get one after each visit since I use my pass and they have my email attached to that.
I just wanted to share what I put down when they asked me what new ride, attraction, event could I suggest that they add to the park… this was my unhelpful response to their question:
“With expansion and changes, the landscaping/theming continues to shrink to a smaller and smaller area. The theming/landscaping in the Texas area gives SFOT it’s signature look (not the sterile front of the park, or bland Gotham) but the heavy growth, rock walls, and water features of the Texas section. You need to do more of that level of buildup in the park. It makes it seem cozy, full of adventure, and overall memorable. You guys have plenty of rides.”
There you go. I search in my mind for what would turn this park around… “what can it do to make it more desirable like Disney?” Ofcourse they can’t compete but they can do much better than they are doing. I think starting with making it an enjoyable place to simply walk through is a fundamentally important START. Take a look at Silver Dollar City… it’s like the Texas section of SFOT but through the WHOLE park. It is a pleasant place to simply walkthrough. Is the State Fair of Texas enjoyable to walk through? Heck no. Looks like concrete jungle. Six Flags has more in common with that.
So no new rides, please. Just make it a nice place to be.