DonHelbig

Nothing to do with adding value. They’re not trying to be generous.

Six Flags has quietly revised its long-standing policy on filming while riding attractions. For the first time, the company now allows limited on-ride recording—but only under very specific conditions. https://themeparksbydon.com/six-flags-on-ride-filming-policy-update/

It's a smart play to wait and see before handing over your money so you know exactly what you're getting and what really ends up being the best deal.

Disney didn’t just name a new CEO. They picked a park guy. Why Josh D’Amaro taking the job feels like the right move—for fans, guests, and the future of Disney. https://themeparksbydon.com/josh-damaro-disney-ceo-park-fans/

A Six Flags Season Pass is like a box of chocolates. You don't know what you're going to get.

Regional Gold Pass access isn’t a perk — it’s a strategic behavior reset. https://themeparksbydon.com/six-flags-regional-gold-pass-guest-behavior/

It had design flaws so it was destined to fail.

As they did with a lot other content.

They offer a premium experience for starters. Universal Orlando Resort is designed to make you stay multiple days. Six Flags parks are mostly regional with people visiting for a day, then going home. There’s less opportunity for Six Flags to monetize second and third days, on-site lodging and vacation package behavior. Universal excels at turning demand into high-margin upgrades, on top of tickets, food and merchandise. Six Flags is heavily dependent on season pass visitation in many of its markets, and that pressures per-cap spending. Universal also has those global, world-class IP as a repeatable content machine. They utilize it well. That’s my thoughts on it.

Original K.I. & Miami Valley Railroad crew member Denis Larrick joined the Tower Topics podcast and shared some fascinating stories about the attraction’s history at Kings Island. https://youtu.be/FkY48_tKNDQ?si=sb8oRu7W5OqwM2ZP

I’d love to see that happen in 2027.

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) reported its fourth-quarter results, and its theme parks business posted strong gains. Following the May opening of Epic Universe, theme parks adjusted EBITDA rose 24% in the quarter—topping $1.0 billion in quarterly EBITDA for the first time—driven by higher attendance and increased per-capita guest spending in Orlando.

They need to revisit the story, do a bit of a relaunch.

Put me in the camp that hasn’t been this excited about a new ride at Kings Island since Mystic Timbers debuted in 2017.

They get brought up regardless.

Same things that were said and discussed for the Wallenda skywalks and Knievel jumps. If the park, company and individual wanted to do it, they could make it happen.

Kings Island and Six Flags should bring in Alex Honnold to climb the Eiffel Tower. It would be a spectacle—up there with the Wallenda skywalks and Knievel jumps. https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/25/sport/alex-honnold-taipei-101-free-solo-netflix-intl-hnk

No. There were and still are other things the park has needed since Orion debuted.

Make all the excuses you want, but the bottom line is the ride did not deliver the ROI the way the park expected it would.

If you’ve been looking for a classic East Coast getaway that works for families, couples, and even quick weekend escapes, Hershey PA is making a strong case for 2026. https://themeparksbydon.com/hershey-2026-new-hotel-restaurant-water-park-upgrades/

It is after all a flat ride.

Okay—keep the skepticism if it helps you win your day.

Planning to write about it soon.

Would you like to see Kings Island and Cedar Point join the Six Flags parks with Grad Nites? https://themeparksbydon.com/six-flags-grad-nite-2026-dates/

There was no concern it wasn’t record-breaking. That’s marketable until a ride opens and then it doesn’t matter if the ride doesn’t live up to the hype. People who were at the park at the time knew that, and knew it well. (Son of Beast) The decision to make it more family oriented so more guests would want to ride it was based on who the majority of the visitors to Kings Island have been, is now, and will always be: families. So, where does that come into play? The height. At 287, it looks less intimidating from the midways than 300-plus would have been. It still hits speeds over 90 mph and just 4 mph slower than Fury 325. It’s not because the height is only 287 that Orion ranked outside the top 40 in the 2025 Golden Ticket Awards for Best Steel Coasters. It’s not because of the length of the ride. It’s not because it opened during the pandemic. It’s because it’s missing an element that Fury 325 and Diamondback both have that riders absolutely love about those rides: an abundance of airtime. If Orion had Diamondback’s airtime, the sentiment about the ride is dramatically different. More parkgoers would be talking about it as one of the best.