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Six Flags vs. Cedar Fair


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Both Cedar Fair and Six Flags have been much maligned by numerous people, for perhaps different reasons, so how do you think they compare?

 

In my experience, a park such as Knott's Berry Farm has both benefitted and suffered from Cedar Fair ownership.

 

And yes, opinions are like...so if we can stick to the facts, I suppose that would be better. Although I do admit this is rather speculative.

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5 years ago it would not have even been close, however the more CF buys, the farther away they get from what used to make CP great. A big park with a small park feel. Now I realize SF has problems, however for me, I have had much better experiences at every SF park I have been to, then any CF park other then CP. I rip CP pretty hard, but I am also non-biased and I still feel that CP is the best park out of the 2 chains. However after CP I find EVERY SF park other then KK to be superior to every CF park. Just for reference I believe I have been to all the parks owned by each chain East of the Mississippi other then La Ronde.

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Six Flags Parks Visited: SFKK, SFGAm, SFMM, SFOG, SGA, and SFGAdv.

 

Cedar Fair Parks Visited: Cedar Point, Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Knott's Berry Farm, and Geauga Lake.

 

Six Flags by a long shot. Cedar Point is the only CF park that I've visited that I have any desire to go back to. Sometimes I slum it at Kings Island because it's my home park, but I don't really like the place.

 

Six Flags, in general, just has a *lot* better coasters. A quick trip to Mitch's poll supports this. Both parks have ugly concrete slab parks like SFA, Geauga, etc, but I don't think that CF could EVER compete with the quality of SFGAdv, SFOG, and SFGAm. Those three parks to me are all better than CP, especially SFGAdv, which may have the strongest coaster collection in North America.

 

Behemoth is the only thing that has me hopeful about CF right now. This may be the beginning of them installing great coasters outside of CP.

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Six Flags Parks That I've been to: SFMM, SFDK

Cedar Fair Parks That I've been to: KBF, Great America, Geauga Lake, Cedar Point.

I prefer Six Flags for the following Reasons.

1: I can ride their coasters in a drizzle

2: I can film in the station without a bitch operator making a scene.

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I've had both extremes from both chains really.. but as of right now, Six Flags.

 

I'ma huge CP fanboy.. but I generally liked SFNE and SFGAdv more then my favorite two CF parks i've visited.. Cedar Point and Kings Island.

 

But, KI still suffers from Paramount syndrome, so we'll see.

 

Of course, you have those HORRID parks like Geauga Lake and SFA.. which were giant dumps which deserved to be put into parking lots (besides GL's waterpark, which is quite nice tbh)

 

I'm visiting more of both next season, so maybe my opinion will change.

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Cedar Fair is better, because Six Flags mostly sucks ass.

 

Cedar Fair might have a severe trash can obsession, but thats nothing compared to the butchuring of all things rollercoaster at SF parks. Just LOOK at Magic Mountain. Its a shrine to SF's wonderful park management.

 

Cedar Point might have too many trash cans, or trims on some of thier coasters, but at least they can keep their rides open.

 

The last time I was at Magic Mountain, Freefall, X, Superman, Tidal Wave, Flashback (what a suprise), Go Carts, DareDevil Dive, Sky Tower, Grinder's Gear Works, Atom Smasher, Circus Wheel, Metro, and Half of Colossus was closed. The last time I was at Cedar Point, only Top Thrill Dragster was closed, because it hadn't been opened yet!

 

Cedar Point's multiple trash cans are a bit obsessive, but Magic Mountain has filth lying everywhere; on the ground, in the water, in flower beds, is water fountains, in toilets, on the floors of coaster trains, and so on.

 

I'd take too many trash cans any day.

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Now I have only been to 3 parks of either chain so my opinion probably doesn't count.

 

Cedar Fair: Dorney Park, and Kings Dominion.

Six Flags: Great Adventure

 

I prefer Six Flags over Cedar Fair just by what I have visited. From what I have heard SFGADV is one of the best parks in the United States so what I think really doesn't matter. I just feel SFGADV was nicer than the other parks, and has better coasters than the other two parks combined.

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Cedar Point might have too many trash cans, or trims on some of thier coasters, but at least they can keep their rides open.

I guess you've never been to Knott's or Cedar Point in the rain.

 

Six Flags builds better thrills, no doubt in my mind, and recently I've had more pleasant (and certainly more energetic) experiences with employees at the parks. On food they are about the same, but one thing that Cedar Fair has an advantage of over Six Flags is clientelle, which is something that is difficult to control to begin with.

 

I'd rather visit Magic Mountain before Cedar Point, and rather go to SF Great America, SF Great Adventure or SF Over Georgia before ANY Cedar Fair park again.

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SFMM has been improving as of late, it's not as dirty as it was not too long ago. Some saw the closing of Psyclone as a step in the right direction as well. That's only true if a better coaster soon occupies that spot, and there are no plans as of yet that we know of. Psyclone was probably salvagable, but that may have been cost prohibitive.

 

I just hope GhostRider at Knott's is a little better when it reopens...anyone know anything on that subject?

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I've been to 4 CF and 4 SF parks (also one former). Here's how I'd rank them:

 

CP

SFMM

SFGam

SFoT

KBF

SFDK

GG

GA

(EG)

 

Yes, CF does have CP which is amazing, but SF seems to have good quality throughout the chain (with a few outliers SFA, SFKK). I think that SF greatly improved when they sold EG, DL, and their other properties.

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Cedar Fair is better, because Six Flags mostly sucks a$$.

 

Cedar Fair might have a severe trash can obsession, but thats nothing compared to the butchuring of all things rollercoaster at SF parks. Just LOOK at Magic Mountain. Its a shrine to SF's wonderful park management.

 

Cedar Point might have too many trash cans, or trims on some of thier coasters, but at least they can keep their rides open.

 

The last time I was at Magic Mountain, Freefall, X, Superman, Tidal Wave, Flashback (what a suprise), Go Carts, DareDevil Dive, Sky Tower, Grinder's Gear Works, Atom Smasher, Circus Wheel, Metro, and Half of Colossus was closed. The last time I was at Cedar Point, only Top Thrill Dragster was closed, because it hadn't been opened yet!

 

Cedar Point's multiple trash cans are a bit obsessive, but Magic Mountain has filth lying everywhere; on the ground, in the water, in flower beds, is water fountains, in toilets, on the floors of coaster trains, and so on.

 

I'd take too many trash cans any day.

 

This would be better if you had actually talked about any other park other than SFMM. The thread talks about the chain, not just one park. Plus you also blast SFMM constantly on other sites so try to find some new material and try visiting some new parks. Spend a day at MIA, VF, PKI, GL and tell me how awesome CF is, not just CP.

 

Everyone says Cedar Fair is better than SF. I think I have to agree with them!

 

Everyone, except for 5 people on the first page alone. Try making an intelligent post.

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Cedar Fair is better, because Six Flags mostly sucks a$$.

 

Cedar Fair might have a severe trash can obsession, but thats nothing compared to the butchuring of all things rollercoaster at SF parks. Just LOOK at Magic Mountain. Its a shrine to SF's wonderful park management.

 

Cedar Point might have too many trash cans, or trims on some of thier coasters, but at least they can keep their rides open.

 

The last time I was at Magic Mountain, Freefall, X, Superman, Tidal Wave, Flashback (what a suprise), Go Carts, DareDevil Dive, Sky Tower, Grinder's Gear Works, Atom Smasher, Circus Wheel, Metro, and Half of Colossus was closed. The last time I was at Cedar Point, only Top Thrill Dragster was closed, because it hadn't been opened yet!

 

Cedar Point's multiple trash cans are a bit obsessive, but Magic Mountain has filth lying everywhere; on the ground, in the water, in flower beds, is water fountains, in toilets, on the floors of coaster trains, and so on.

 

I'd take too many trash cans any day.

 

I don't think it's fair to judge all of Six Flags based on one of their worst parks. That's like judging all of Cedar Fair based on Geauga Lake.

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I've been to Camp Snoopy, Valleyfair, Cedar Point, Knott's Berry Farm and Dorney Park. I've been to Kings Island and Great America, but not since the the CF purchase.

 

The only probelms with CF is too much cement , and too many trash cans. Valleyfair!, Cedar Point, and Knott's Berry Farm were all fantastic. Dorney was really good, but needs some more landscaping. To be honest, Michigan's Adventure looks pretty bad, with its extreme lack of foliage, but Worlds of Fun look excellent.

 

CF is a tad irrational about not operating in the rain, but its crazy how quickly a rain shower can turn into a potentialy dangerous thunder storm. Better safe than sorry. When it's not raining at a CF park, most, if not all, of their rides are operating. a handfull of rides at any giver Six Flags park are not operating for various reasons.

 

SFKK, SFMM. and SFMW are all pitiful and need some work. SFOG, on the other hand, was beatuiful and highly enjoyable. SFOG is on par with most CFparks, for the most part, but they still have problems with keeping rides open. Durring my last trip, Achraphobia, Deja Vu, Tidal Wave, Looping Starship, and Sky Buckes were closed at leat one of the two days I was there. However, Deja Vu was the only ride that was not open both days.

 

Given the parks I've been to, I really think CF has the upper hand. Also, at least CF is in a pile of debt that they can repay.

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It's funny though, years ago (like in 2002/03), everybody liked Cedar Fair but seemed kind of 'eh' towards Six Flags. Odd how opinion shifts over the years. Then again, Shapiro has been doing a better job handling Six Flags than Premier ever did.

 

Anyways, after recently visiting CF and SF parks on the Midwest trip, it seemed like SF had a nicer overall atmosphere and service compared to the CF parks. Yeah, CP was alright except for the operations, which means one tiny drop of rain would shut ALL the rides down for hours. Kings Island was alright, but nothing extraordinarily spectacular.

 

In short, Six Flags is much better than Cedar Fair in terms of who is better.

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Knott's Berry Farm were all fantastic

 

 

This is where I stop reading.

 

but one thing that Cedar Fair has an advantage of over Six Flags is clientelle, which is something that is difficult to control to begin with.

 

I actually think guests can be controlled to some extent. I noticed that Great Adventure was doing some really corny sing-a-long MC stuff up by the fountains in front with the characters before they dropped the ropes to open up the park. They were also doing weddings, and prominently displaying this around the park. I think this type of environment might be unfavorable to the gang members that frequent this park.

 

Also, building up the kiddie area and avoiding installing rides like KK that are just going to attract ghetto idiots helps. I also think that adding resort hotels can help improve the quality of your customers. Ghetto people don't tend to stay in $200/night hotels.

 

Six Flags also need to up the pricing on their season passes.

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If you throw another chain into this mix, Busch seems to do better albeit on a much smaller scale.

 

This is a little unrelated, but Rastus once brought up a good point. People gush praise for parks like Holiday World, but if those coasters were at a park like SFMM or CP they would be "middle of the road." Criticism of Six Flags and Cedar Fair seems to be due to the fact they are held to a higher standard.

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Knott's Berry Farm were all fantastic

 

 

This is where I stop reading.

 

Alright, what is wrong with Knott's Berry Farm!?!?

 

I don't get it, am I the only one who likes KBF?

 

The themes were great, the food was great, the rides were great; what's the problem?!

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^^The "higher standard" idea is a very interesting point. I've always thought people have a low standard for the parks, but maybe it is because people think they should be good parks is why they are constantly disappointed.

 

I personally think that way too much bashing is done to both the Six Flags and Cedar Fair chains. I'll admit that I am inexperienced, having only been to 5 parks of the two chains combined. I won't go starting to sound like an expert to try to make one sound better, BUT I will say that I have had a good time at every CF/SF park I've been to. They instal good coasters, decent drop towers, good flat rides, etc.

 

Sorry, but just bashing a park/ride because it is in one of these two chains is simply overdone throughout the coaster community. Maybe when I travel more, I will "see the light," but I'd still base a few week-long trips to go to CF/SF parks.

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^^ Hahaha....oh man...oh man.. I haven't laughed that hard in a long, loooong time.

 

The food is mediocre, the themes minus ghostown is mediocre, and the rides aren't that great. Now thats me being pretty picky, but still..great? I see Knott's as a middle of the road type park.

 

Anyway, as for the topic at hand.

 

I have been to both SFDK, SFMM, KBF and CP. I thoroughly enjoyed all of these parks. However, as backwards as it may sound I would rather spend a day at SFMM than CP. The same goes with SFDK and KBF, again I would much rather go to SFDK than KBF. So...Six Flags, yes.

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I am still trying to comprehend what was great at ValleyFair. Almost every coaster has trims, the flats are ran at 1/3 the speed. The souvenirs were awful, the water park sucks, and they have no theme at all. Valley fair is where fun goes to die. MIA has as much foliage, which is none, but at least MIA has an amazing water park.

 

The only 2 things I liked the whole day was the upcharge Skyscraper and the chicken.

 

Camp Snoopy was only managed by CF and that was quite a while ago.

 

IMO you just need to look at GL to see who is better.

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