Mike M
Mike M

Six Flags parks are now (almost) smoke-free

January 20, 2006, 9:36 AM · This initiative expands on current park policy, which states that guests cannot smoke in children's areas, ride lines or waterparks. Designated smoking zones will be set-aside within each park to accommodate the parks' smoking patrons.

Mark Shapiro, Six Flags President and CEO, said in a statement, "Making our parks smoke-free will be an enhancement to the quality of the Six Flags experience, and our guests will think so too -- nobody should be forced to dodge clouds of smoke when they're strolling through the park with their children. Designating specific smoking zones will allow for a cleaner, friendlier park atmosphere where families can enjoy spending their day."

Well this is excellent news! No more cigarrette butts on the ground and the parks will gain a better reputation.

In comparison to other companies, Disney, Universal, and Busch Gardens also restrict smoking to a few designated areas in each park.

Replies (5)

robert
Editor
Robert Niles
January 20, 2006 at 9:40 AM · I find it ironic that Six Flags' move leaves Legoland, the self-proclaimed kid friendly park, with perhaps the most permissive smoking policy in the industry. There, people can smoke on any pathway -- not just in designated smoking zones.
bluesrider
Writer
Derek Potter
January 20, 2006 at 10:08 PM · This trend will eventually be commonplace among all park chains. Paramount employed the designated smoking area last year, and while not a total success, it did help immensely. The problem will always be the enforcement of the rules. We will always see the occasional smoker walking around outside the designated area. In Six Flags case, hopefully it won't be too many, because now that they have made the rule, they have to enforce it. While they are at it, they can also start enforcing the line jumping rules too.
chrispas
Chris P.
January 22, 2006 at 1:37 PM · This move will only work if the rule is enforced. As Derek Potter said, Paramount Parks did this last year, and since the only Paramount Park I've ever been to is Canada's Wonderland, I can say that it did not do anything for Wonderland, there were so many designated smoking areas that it didn't feel like there was any rule at all. The main problem was that the park employees that should have enforced this rule just didn't seem like they cared.I can still remember people smoking in the queue lines and nobody doing anything about it.
Digger
Doug Songer
January 23, 2006 at 11:34 AM · a worthless press release. WDW, UO, BG/Seaworld all have the same policies here. not one of the parks enforces it. complaining to guest relations does nothing. I've seen a CM at Space Mountain refusing FastPass entry by a minute early, but failing to confront them about the lit cigarette in their hand.
coasterdude
Writer
Anthony Murphy
January 24, 2006 at 7:36 AM · Whenever I go to WDW, I see the smoking rules enforced pretty hard. I go there at least once a year and I have never seen anybody smoking out of where they are supposed to smoke. Anyway, the smoke-free plan by Six Flags will make it, in my opinion, much cleaner. I think this is what Six Flags needs to concentrate on: Keep the park very clean!

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