Inside Six Flags’ summer of screams

Six Flags wanted to wow thrill-seekers with the Siren’s Curse, its new marquee coaster at Cedar Point. Instead, the ride has earned a reputation for being…well, cursed.

The first-of-its-kind tilt coaster has stalled at least five times since debuting in late June, with clips of the breakdowns going viral online.

It’s not just the ride

Six Flags, which took over Cedar Point in a $8 billion merger with rival Cedar Fair in 2024, is in the midst of a bigger slump:

• Crowds are shrinking; attendance fell 9% in Q2 across its 42 North American theme and water parks.
• S&P Global cut Six Flags’ credit rating to BB- (junk) last week, saying it’s too slow to pay down debt.
• Weather closures and delayed rides have also hampered the usually busy summer season.

This all^ comes as competition is intensifying. Disney is pouring $60 billion into its parks, Universal recently spent $7 billion on the most high-tech theme park ever built, and even Peppa Pig now has two standalone parks.

There are some glimmers. Six Flags is taking steps to reduce financial strain—like closing underperforming parks and selling off the land—while its Canada’s Wonderland park recently saw a 20% attendance boost from its new AlpenFury coaster.

But…The company’s path forward is steeper than the Top Thrill 2. Six Flags is dealing with a slew of rides delayed until 2027, while CEO Richard Zimmerman recently announced he’s stepping down at the end of this year.