- Oct 5, 2017
- 341
- 272
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.
I have a strange feeling they will just rebrand it to "Six Flag's SeaWorld Orlando".
I have a strange feeling they will just rebrand it to "Six Flag's SeaWorld Orlando".
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.
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.
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.