So we just entered Six Flags America, the one in the DC area, for the first time this year. It was a fun 2 hrs to see fireworks. We’re long time annual pass holders b/c this park is closer to our house than most of our dr appts. But…have you ever seen SF America? Ugh, it’s a fun park, but not clean, a lot of stuff closed usually, terrible food service, etc. We keep going b/c it’s nice to have a real theme park so close with real coasters and great Halloween stuff. I could usually get annual passes for around $50 per person if I followed the sales well. Last time I actually got them for $40 each b/c they were begging people to stay with them after covid. I expected things to revert to the $50 or so for this year, but now I see that they have revamped everything, doing away with a “membership” category where you paid a low fee per month (we never had memberships), and have skyrocketed the prices of the annual passes. So, the lowest price per person for next year will be $96 (more at some of the better SF). And, it will have blackout dates, which we’ve never had before. There are only 2 blackout dates in 2022 but I’m more interested in 2023 when we’ll need new passes. I really don’t want to go up to the next category which is $165, b/c with 5 people you’re getting into a lot of $. On the one hand I hope that they will use some of this extra $ to make the park better, but I’m not really hopeful of that. There is one perk that didn’t exist in our current passes, which is the cheapest pass would give us admission to all of the regional parks, for us that is the northeast. We used to have access to any SF but they took that away a few yrs ago. Anyway I’m aware that Disney isn’t selling APs right now. I saw some articles saying that SF was following Disney’s footsteps in many ways here. I’m just wondering what others who go to a lot of theme parks think. I’m pretty stunned but at the same time it’s not like I’m NOT going to purchase these passes for 2023, when this is our home park. Note: I’m not 100% sure of this, but if you have a membership I think they are continuing those for existing members at the moment. Their new website is super confusing! Very little info on the “past” passes, which for us are still current until the end of 2022.
So you’re saying that you think Chapek might be moonlighting with SF??
Kidding aside, I see that it’s a huge rate hike. I do. But my crappy little local amusement park is $59pp on weekends and $52pp during the week for a single day admission; season passes start at $139pp (has blackout dates) and go up to $199pp (no blackout dates). So I think your SF season pricing is a good deal honestly, even as I agree it’s a huge rate hike in a single year. We have a SF near us in MA and they are substantially better than our local amusement park (Canobie Lake Park for my New England friends).
Holy smokes! 30 years ago season passes were only $50 at our local six flags. I can’t believe they aren’t more now. That’s crazy.
ETA: I mean they are more now hence the point of your post. I guess I mean I can’t believe they haven’t been more for a very long time.
Our home park back in NY hiked their season pass rates last summer IIRC. When I started buying them I’m 2008 they were $39. We did some years and not others. Then it was $69 in 2019.
I just checked and it’s $109 for this year.
I think everyone is dealing with lost revenue from pandemic years and stupid inflation.
Funny you brought this - up
Yesterday I was actually looking into our budget-
I have always wanted to take a DCL cruise and it has always been out of reach (and after a post here in touringplans this has become a priority for 2023) So something has gotta give…
We are theme park junkies!
WDW APs 2 sorcerer 2 pixies
-Disneyland- upcoming so far 2 park hoppers x 4 and considering another 2- 3 day add on
- that trip was supposed to be adding knots x4 and depending on timing 1-2 days at Universal Hollywood
-3 UAOP Premier - Dollywood diamond plus x 2
And now 1 BG VA, 1 BG Tampa, and upcoming 1 SW
When I realized that just disney alone was approaching the 4 K mark I almost threw up!
Changes are gonna have to come in my family- even I recognize the insanity of the above list. Hate to say it because a lot of people were not able to get WDW APs this year but considering we have no upcoming WDW trips planned- I cannot justify the renewal for WDW- we may bop over for dinner at Epcot or use MK as a rest stop between Tampa and west Palm…This is how we used our APs for most of this year.
Almost every amusement park has been raising prices for admission, season passes, and skip the line options. We used to be HersheyPark season passholders for a few years and stopped for 2020 (which worked out well with Covid). They changed their season pass system and we were not pleased. The park has also been short staffed for the last 5-6 years, even before Covid. Now the cost for a regular ticket is the same all year, including Christmas when only half the park, at best, is open. I’ve been avoiding amusement parks at this point. They are pricing my family of 5 out and the crowds/lines are just getting ridiculous. We did our make up trip to Disney last fall and the last time we were at HP was December 2020 (the tickets were a great price at that point and crowds were lower due to park reservations). No plans for any parks in the near future.
Thanks all. I was aware that SF was way cheaper than most other parks. But, what I’m getting for about 5 to 10 yrs now (started off going once per year, then later got passes) is a much cheaper product than any other park I’ve seen. I’ve been to Busch G, WDW, UOR, Kings Dominion, Hershey P. Every one of those ran rings around SF as far as service and cleanliness goes. I would adore it if SF raises prices and creates a better product. I would love that. I will not love it if they double prices overnight and stay exactly the same.
I haven’t seen a rise in the membership price for our local SF park (Great America in IL), but I’m always considering cancelling it. As you said, the place is filthy, rides are down all the time, the service is not great and the food is worse. Last year we were there and someone had left a dirty diaper on the ground near a ride. I told a passing worker about it and he actually responded, “what would you like me to do about it?” That said, I’m paying about $240/year for 4 memberships without blackout dates at this point. That is pretty cheap.
Ummmmm wow. Just no words.
Unfortunately I got the exact response once from the nurse who was seeing me before my doctor. For something very straightforward. I knew what to expect from the treatment but this nurse didn’t.
My home park is the original Six Flags over Texas. We always get the Labor Day sale Season Passes which cost in the $60’s, then we’d add on the dining passes in the $80’s. I think the first year we didn’t get one for DD because she barely ate. But, then DH really can, so we got the dining for all three of us.
It has been a few months since we’ve been. I don’t go in the summer because of the heat. But, it was as nice and maintained as Disney World was earlier this year.
I did notice that they are getting rid of the dining passes. At least they were when I looked into it early this year.
We go infrequently because we live about 1.5 hours away. But, then it is on the way to my parent’s house so we can pop in for a few hours. Sometimes the free meal makes me more likely to go.
You are right about the season passes not going up with inflation. I remember them being in the $50’s when I was a teen. I grew up in Arlington and most everyone I knew had a season pass to either Six Flags or one of the two water parks, but no one had two passes because of the expense.
I think your passes may be higher this year, but, it’s also possible they won’t b/c I’m not sure they’re transitioning all SF at once. I read that a park in Texas was one of the first to go with the new price structure, but it may not be yours. I also noticed that the meal plans are far less generous now but we had never had them. My park, Six F America, is generally considered the very worse one, unfortunately. But, I know this and keep going back b/c it’s very close to us. I was usually able to get them in the $50 range per person and I also bought most years during the Labor Day sales. Now it will be more than $100 per person, but I haven’t looked at it lately.
I was all excited just now when I got an email from Six Flags offering that I could renew our Gold passes for 2023 at about the same price as we always had, around $50. But, I am very glad I read the small print b/c this pass 1) is not good through all of 2023, it ends in Sept 2) does NOT include Hurricane Harbor at all and 3) says it doesn’t include special events, I’m not sure what that means but we often go on July 4 etc and I’m not sure that would be allowed. So, I looked at the pricing of other passes and we’d want at least platinum to get what is currently our standard, and that is around $75 per person. Not a bad price, still higher than what we were used to, but less than I expected which was about $100. I don’t mind paying it, but I will be paying very close attention to the fine print on all SF purchases for awhile, until we get used to the new management. We were just there and noticed other changes, such as Johnny Rockets was not open (this was a Fri in Oct so they didn’t have a lot of guests) and I’ve never not seen Johnny Rockets not open, ever. I googled and it seemed that JR was still going to be a restaurant there. Before renewing I will also look at memberships, which I never considered before–I think those came about after I had already gotten season passes, but I don’t remember.
Yup- we took a big hit today with our Dollywood passes
Not so much on price that wasn’t to be bad about $20 up but a huge loss in perks
Last year preview sale our Diamond passes included 8 bring a friend free weekday passes. 2 bring a friend Christmas passes and a bracelet that offered gave 1/2 price discount for friend tickets. Also a 1x preferred parking pass also gone.
This year only 6 bring a friend free passes…but no block out dates…which is nice for some people.
I was thinking that my DD would really enjoy six flags (we are in Arlington) and now that she is 12 might enjoy going with friends in the summer and fall.
Unfortunately I no longer fit on amy of their rides so that has kept us from going more often. Now she is olde I thought maybe we would go more often - I will be sure to read the fine print if/when we buy tickets!
I am incredibly upset. I just looked at our Six Flags calendar and they have completely cut Holiday in the Park for this season!!! So an entire season of my SF passes, which I purchased more than a year ago to go to the end of 2022, is just gone. We went there in Dec twice last year. I get it: it never looked that profitable. But, to completely cut it, with no warning, after selling passes in good faith that go until the end of 2022??? And, with the prices increasing so much, what are they doing? I have to admit that my desire to renew has just gone down. I never loved how cold it is here and SF that time of year, but my DD loved it a lot. That was her favorite SF event. Boo. I randomly checked some of the more popular parks and they already have Holiday in the Park listed, but I don’t live near those.
Busch Gardens Christmastown is my favorite but it isn’t exactly a day trip. 
So. Any chance of y’all moving towards southern Illinois or east central Missouri?
One day Halloween pass at SF St Louis starts at $29.99. All season Halloween pass $49.99.
Besides SF, you’d probably love Silver Dollar City (just ask @ryan1 ) which is great during Christmas and only 4 or 5 hours from stl. Not cheap tho. Currently a one day ticket is $79 and an after 5 ticket is $50. 
Idk what 2023 season passes are.
Headed to Silver Dollar city in May- booked our Marriott week at Willow Ridge.
Any advice tips tricks suggestions always appreciated
Definitely do the cave! It is the very reason the place exists, and it is included as part of your admission. I think I liked Marvel Cave more than Mammoth.