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Six Flags In Talks to Buy SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GAcoaster
  • Start date Start date Nov 6, 2018
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DuelingDragonskid

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  • Nov 7, 2018
  • #21
I hope SF doesn’t buy Seaworld Because it will just become another discovery kingdom but worse!
 
TheGentTrent

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  • Nov 8, 2018
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So, if this were to happen, would that mean that the Busch/SeaWorld parks could theoretically get the rights to use DC/Looney Tunes in their parks. I know Six Flags also has the rights to Scooby Doo, but that one might be murky since Universal also has that IP.
 
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Viator

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TheGentTrent said:
So, if this were to happen, would that mean that the Busch/SeaWorld parks could theoretically get the rights to use DC/Looney Tunes in their parks. I know Six Flags also has the rights to Scooby Doo, but that one might be murky since Universal also has that IP.
Click to expand...

Presumably, if they were..I would assume it'd mean that the parks would be assimilated within the Six Flags brand, and maybe while keeping the names, still having it in the ink that it's Six Flags in nature.

As far as IP's, it'd give SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment in hypotheticals, the ability to bring DC & Loony Tunes characters into the parks. But as far as Scooby Doo is concerned, it's becoming more apparent for the Six Flags parks, that they are being phased out.

And in turn, Six Flags should presumably get the theme park rights also to Sesame Street. That, would be a large get, considering the evergreen nature of Sesame Street.
 
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UniversalRBLX

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  • Nov 8, 2018
  • #24
I have a strange feeling they will just rebrand it to "Six Flag's SeaWorld Orlando".
 
Magic-Man

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UniversalRBLX said:
I have a strange feeling they will just rebrand it to "Six Flag's SeaWorld Orlando".
Click to expand...

:puke:
 
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Viator

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  • Nov 8, 2018
  • #26
UniversalRBLX said:
I have a strange feeling they will just rebrand it to "Six Flag's SeaWorld Orlando".
Click to expand...

I would think we would see it as more similar to how Darien Lake and Frontier City are as of now, not with the Six Flags branding..but there.
 
GAcoaster

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  • Nov 8, 2018
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I absolutely HATE the idea of Six Flags buying and running the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks but I see the strategic advantages for Six Flags with it. The economy of scale makes a lot of economic sense. They would also end up selling a hell of a lot of memberships with so many parks in the chain making them a better value. Selling to people in places like the New York and Chicago markets because so many of their guests make trips to Orlando and would make use of a membership good for their local Six Flags as well as the Florida parks.

As someone who loves theme parks I love the idea of a pass that would get me into so many parks from coast to coast, but I dread the thought of the former AB parks being turned into Six Flags type parks filled with unthemed rides and run down structures covered with advertising while a horrible I Heart Radio station is blasting top 40 music with no relation to themed areas.
 
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Disneyhead

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  • Nov 8, 2018
  • #28
3 Reasons Why Six Flags Isn't Buying SeaWorld -- The Motley Fool
 
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SOCAL110

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GAcoaster said:
I absolutely HATE the idea of Six Flags buying and running the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks but I see the strategic advantages for Six Flags with it. The economy of scale makes a lot of economic sense. They would also end up selling a hell of a lot of memberships with so many parks in the chain making them a better value. Selling to people in places like the New York and Chicago markets because so many of their guests make trips to Orlando and would make use of a membership good for their local Six Flags as well as the Florida parks.

As someone who loves theme parks I love the idea of a pass that would get me into so many parks from coast to coast, but I dread the thought of the former AB parks being turned into Six Flags type parks filled with unthemed rides and run down structures covered with advertising while a horrible I Heart Radio station is blasting top 40 music with no relation to themed areas.
Click to expand...

As much as I hate to say it, I believe there is credibility in this rumor. This purchase would be a GIANT feather in the Six Flags cap.

As someone stated previously, Seaworld is already going in the Six Flags direction of adding more thrill rides. It's clear that the long-term strategy of the park is to focus more on rides rather than animals.

Honestly, I think the sales of Seaworld parks is a matter of when, not if. Just look at the numbers. Although the most recent quarters have been promising, they are still a disaster compared to yesteryear figures. Obviously, SW can't compete with that Disneyversal money so they end up adding Six Flags types rides. If they try to do something outside the scope, it fails. For example, just look at Ocean Explorer and to some extent Antarctica. The former is permanently closed and the latter was not the success SW was hoping for.

Time will tell.
 
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bob albert

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  • Nov 8, 2018
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I don't see it at all or at least it would be pretty bad for sea world parks if this happened. Amusement parks require consistent significant capex to be successful and six flags would be unlikely to afford to spend much in any of these parks after taking on the debt to buy them in the first place. I just wish some meaningful brand that doesn't need to squeeze money out of the parks would buy the chain and take it private so they could actually plan long term better.
 
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Viator

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  • Nov 8, 2018
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I mean, taking for example..Magic Mountain is doing more refurbishments on a more quicker pace than usual, and doing small updates and improvements to not only upgrade the quality of life in the park, but to also just keep it fresh.

It matters, to how they handle management for the respected parks, regardless of the major changes that would have to be in place; such as the removal of the orcas and elephants.
 
Andysol

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  • Nov 8, 2018
  • #32
MakoMania said:
SeaWorld are not removing or moving away from animal attractions. I don't understand the constant SeaWorld criticism from certain people for moving away from animals. The fact remains that the parks haven't removed a single animal exhibit or show without replacing it with another animal exhibit or show.
Click to expand...

Lol, right? And not only have they not removed anything, but it’s as if everyone forgot that just a month ago they announced a brand new turtle habitat that is being built in San Antonio.

Animals and attractions will be hand in hand with SeaWorld until they sell or go under.
 
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Thatguyoverwhere

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  • Nov 9, 2018
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I know this is incredibly unlikely, but boy does it upset me! Not one person has responded positively to this rumor, and for good reason. Six Flags doesn't deserve SeaWorld Parks. Not when their own parks are the dregs of American theme parks. SeaWorld may be adding more thrill rides nowadays, but the parks have remained just as animal-focused and themed as ever (JTA and Tigris notwithstanding), and in-park experiences like food and events have become arguably among the best in the industry. Six Flags, on the other hand, continues to be unabashedly mediocre at everything from theming to cleanliness to profitability, and the one area that they tout as a strength -their thrill rides- is hardly any better, with identical, ugly, unthemed off-the-shelf rides often being plopped into half of their parks at once. They're the Wish.com of theme parks.

And how would Six Flags even buy SEAS? They're already $2 billion in debt, and SeaWorld Parks' asking price would be at least $5 billion -more than SF is worth- and if I'm not mistaken has over $1 billion of its own debt. Then there's the fact that SF is losing money and its stocks are falling, while SeaWorld is doing the opposite. What does SeaWorld have to gain from any of this?? An early retirement for top-level executives? It just seems like such a nonsensical deal, especially in markets like Florida where there is high-quality competition. I hope, if this is even a real discussion, that SeaWorld executives would care enough about their parks (not to mention the animals living in them) to not let something like this happen.
 
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Viator

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Thatguyoverwhere said:
I know this is incredibly unlikely, but boy does it upset me! Not one person has responded positively to this rumor, and for good reason. Six Flags doesn't deserve SeaWorld Parks. Not when their own parks are the dregs of American theme parks. SeaWorld may be adding more thrill rides nowadays, but the parks have remained just as animal-focused and themed as ever (JTA and Tigris notwithstanding), and in-park experiences like food and events have become arguably among the best in the industry. Six Flags, on the other hand, continues to be unabashedly mediocre at everything from theming to cleanliness to profitability, and the one area that they tout as a strength -their thrill rides- is hardly any better, with identical, ugly, unthemed off-the-shelf rides often being plopped into half of their parks at once. They're the Wish.com of theme parks.

And how would Six Flags even buy SEAS? They're already $2 billion in debt, and SeaWorld Parks' asking price would be at least $5 billion -more than SF is worth- and if I'm not mistaken has over $1 billion of its own debt. Then there's the fact that SF is losing money and its stocks are falling, while SeaWorld is doing the opposite. What does SeaWorld have to gain from any of this?? An early retirement for top-level executives? It just seems like such a nonsensical deal, especially in markets like Florida where there is high-quality competition. I hope, if this is even a real discussion, that SeaWorld executives would care enough about their parks (not to mention the animals living in them) to not let something like this happen.
Click to expand...

I've actually spoken a bit..positive, on the subject. Not as much as to be glossing, but I don't think it'd be the apocalypse for the SeaWorld & Busch Parks (Busch, in particular).

It's going to come down to management and how things move forward if this goes through. And it's entirely possible that this may be a circumstance not to a total buyout..but more, as if they are licensing the parks.

That said, SF just added five parks to their portfolio in the past year alone; so let's not say this isn't entirely impossible. This may just be SeaWorld wanting to merge with a party that has shown reliability and success on a domestically level, especially when looking at quite a few of the licensed Six Flags parks out there seeing growth in smaller ways more or less throughout the past year.
 
GadgetGuru

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  • Nov 9, 2018
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Despite what everyone says about SeaWorld being a regional or locals park, I think it’s inportant to remember that SeaWorld and Six Flags are actually in pretty different industries.

Both of them had roughly the same revenue in 2017, yet SF has over twice as many parks (25) as SeaWorld (11). On average, a SeaWorld park makes more money and gets more people than a SF park.

I can see Six Flags wanting to upscale the chain. They open themselves up to a national market instead of a bunch of regional markets. They can take some of SeaWorld’s revenue and use it throughout the rest of Six Flags. Plus, they can easily sell off Busch Gardens to somebody else for a quick buck.

There’s only a couple Six Flags parks that could geographically attract a nationwide audience. But, none of them have the rides or the reputation to do that. SeaWorld charges a decent chunk more for attendance and they can get away with it.
 
Magic-Man

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  • #36
I'd much prefer Cedar Fair to purchase SWE than Six Flags.
 
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paintervision

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