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What is Six Flags Thinking?

Six Flags America: Is Six Flags selling out to the Mouse?

From Erik Yates
Posted July 22, 2006 at 12:43 PM
I just got this from Screamscape:

Six Flags - (7/21/06) After reporting about a Disney themed gift shop that has sprung up at Six Flags Darien Lake earlier this week, the feedback from readers so far has pointed out additional shops selling Disney merchandise at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Six Flags Great America and Six Flags America so far. Additional information leads us to believe that this is likely happening chain wide at all of the Six Flags parks right now. Now the question is, why would anyone want to buy a Mickey Mouse plush or key chain after just having their picture taken with the Justice League?

This could be a variety of things from just license agreement to a juicy rumor for a takeover. You have to ask though, why? What is SF thinking by selling Mickey Mouse stuff, the idea is to set yourself apart from the competition. I know they want to become a family park, but lets create our own brand here.


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Dustin Kern
Posted July 22, 2006 at 3:16 PM
I thought that competing companies like that could be sold in the same park. I mean, how could you get liscensing agreements from Disney if you're parks are based around Bugs and the Justice League? Also, how could they even get Disney stuff?

Maybe Disney is seeing how well some of the stuff sells before they make a final decision on making an offer? I just don't see Disney buying the Six Flags chain, these parks don't exactly fit into their portfolio.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted July 22, 2006 at 8:16 PM
HMMMMMMMMMMM, Interesting!

From Darrell Shimel
Posted July 23, 2006 at 7:37 AM
The merchandise they are selling is the exact same stuff you can buy at Wall Mart or KMart or Sears or....

Here's a couple pics I took at Magic Mt. last month.

[IMG]http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/dshimel/June25/102_1386-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/dshimel/June25/102_1388.jpg[/IMG]

My duaghter modeling the Pirates T-Shirt we bought there.
[IMG]http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/dshimel/June25/103_1440.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]

Disney licenses the creation of this stuff to the manufacturer, then the manufacturer sells it to any retailer they want to.

So, this isn't a deal worked between Disney and Six Flags. Six Flags cracked open a manufactures catalog and placed an order.

Why would Six Flags sell Disney merchandise? Because it sells better than the DC comics and Looney Toons stuff. What Six Flags needs now is profitable revenue. Selling a T-shirt for $20 that sells at Wall Mart for $12 is profitable revenue.

They can worry about building their own brand when they are no longer on the very brink of bankruptcy.

From Erik Yates
Posted July 23, 2006 at 12:23 PM
But I think that is still part of the problem. People are now going to associate Six Flags with disney, and when they dont deliver disney type rides, they will flock back to disney. I dont see it as smart business. Better to try and build up your own name than rely on someone elses.

From steve lee
Posted July 24, 2006 at 9:29 AM
The only shop in SFOG that I saw Disney stuff in (and yes, it struck me as odd also) was the store that's geared towards the tweens. Anyone who walks into a Hot Topic is going to see the same type of stuff. Since that's the demographic they're trying to get money out of with that shop, it only makes sense to have comparable merchandise. It's an odd choice, but an understandable one.

From Derek Potter
Posted July 24, 2006 at 10:40 PM
I suspect that they've probably let Disney franchise a store in quite a few of their parks. It makes zero sense to do this. Why would a park use it's valuable real estate to promote another theme park company. These guys will do anything to make a quick buck.

From Darrell Shimel
Posted July 25, 2006 at 7:44 AM
These stores aren't franchised. Well, at least the one at Magic Mt.

The store sells a wide variety on non-Six Flags themed merchandise. Lots of generic California T-shirts. Lots of cheap jewelery. Lots of nick-nacks and stuff. And, Disney stuff.

The store appeared to be owned and run by Six Flags. They weren't selling Disneyland themed merchandise, just general Disney stuff: Mickey, Tinkerbell, Pirates, Pooh...


Will they do anything for buck??? Well, in case you haven't heard, there is a serious risk of Six Flags going into bankruptcy. So yeah, they'll do just about anything to avoid that, even if they have to buy some Disney merchandise and sell it at an obscene profit in their parks.

From Darrell Shimel
Posted July 25, 2006 at 8:59 AM
double... sorry

From john kozon
Posted July 21, 2009 at 9:54 AM
just returned from 6flags great adventur nj last week and can see why they are going under. theyve got good coasters, but nothing else. i dont remember any other rides there. very few and very overpriced food options and merchandise shops were a disgrace. if your associated with wb/dc, why not have some wb/dc novelties? $40 for 12 chicken strips, fries and 2 drinks (serious, that is their big advertised special). dirty park with disinterested and incompetent staff. cedar point only for me from now on.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted July 21, 2009 at 10:35 AM
I think Erik Yates is getting married. Congrats to him!

From Ruth Honor
Posted July 23, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Why would Disney allow this? This is exremely strange, but we are talking Six Flags and nothing that happens there would surprise me.

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