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Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

From Consumer Rights Wiki
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
Basic information
Founded 2024
Legal Structure Public
Industry Amusement parks
Also known as FUN
Official website https://www.sixflags.com/

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation sells season passes and memberships under terms stating that all sales are final and no refunds will be issued, backed by a binding arbitration agreement and class action waiver.[1][2] On March 5, 2026 the company announced the sale of seven of its parks, including Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, New York, to EPR Properties for total cash consideration of $331 million; the sale of the six United States parks closed on April 6, 2026.[3][4] The new operator, Enchanted Parks, honors passes and memberships bought before that date only through the 2026 season, states that those passes are non-refundable, and lets them expire at the end of 2026, while Six Flags continues to collect the monthly payments passholders owe on them.[5][6][7][8] The same no-cash-refund posture was litigated during the 2020 and 2021 coronavirus park closures; in a parallel case against predecessor Cedar Fair, a federal court certified a class of upwards of 100,000 passholders.[9]

Consumer-impact summary

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  • Season pass and membership sales are final, with no refunds, credits, exchanges, price adjustments, or rain checks issued, and a separate clause bars refunds for closures caused by a public health, safety, or emergency condition.[1][10]
  • The terms include a binding arbitration agreement and a class action waiver.[2]
  • After the April 6, 2026 sale of seven parks to EPR Properties, passes and memberships bought beforehand keep their benefits only through the 2026 season and then expire, with no refunds issued for the value prepaid beyond 2026.[6][7]
  • Six Flags continues to collect monthly payment-plan charges on those passes after the sale.[8]
  • During the 2020 and 2021 coronavirus closures, multiple class actions accused Six Flags and predecessor Cedar Fair of charging membership fees while parks were shut and refusing cash refunds.[11][12][13]

Corporate structure

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Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FUN.[14] Its Securities and Exchange Commission filings describe the company as North America's largest regional amusement-resort operator.[3] The present entity was formed on July 1, 2024, when Cedar Fair, L.P. and the former Six Flags Entertainment Corporation completed a merger of equals into a holding company then named CopperSteel HoldCo, Inc.; on closing, the holding company changed its name to Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.[14]

On March 5, 2026 the company announced definitive agreements to sell seven of its parks to EPR Properties for total cash consideration of $331 million.[3][15] The seven parks welcomed roughly 4.5 million guests in the full year ended December 31, 2025 and generated approximately $260 million in net revenue.[16] The separate equity purchase agreement covering the six domestic parks set an aggregate purchase price of $318,885,000 in cash, with the Montreal park La Ronde under its own agreement.[17] EPR Properties partnered with Enchanted Parks to operate the domestic parks, and retains the right to use the Six Flags brand through the end of 2026.[18][19] The sale of the six United States parks, including Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, New York, closed on April 6, 2026, with La Ronde expected to close in the second quarter of 2026.[4]

Non-refundable pass and membership terms

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The 2026 Six Flags Season Pass and Membership Terms and Conditions, last updated July 27, 2026, open by stating that they include a binding arbitration agreement and a class action waiver.[2] On refunds, the terms read:

Except where required by applicable law, ALL SALES ARE FINAL AND NO REFUNDS, CREDITS, EXCHANGES, PRICE ADJUSTMENTS, OR RAIN CHECKS WILL BE ISSUED for unused, suspended, expired, or lost Season Pass & Membership Products, or in the event of inclement weather.

[1]

A separate clause states that no refund, credit, price reduction, extension, or other compensation will be provided for a closure, delayed opening, or shutdown resulting from a public health or safety requirement or emergency condition.[10]

After the 2026 sale, the Enchanted Parks guest FAQ for Great Escape sets out how the pre-sale passes are treated. Passes and active memberships purchased before April 6, 2026 keep their multi-park admission benefit only through the 2026 season.[5] The FAQ states:

In accordance with Six Flags' Terms and Conditions, all ticket and season pass sales are non-refundable. Enchanted Parks will not issue refunds for any Six Flags tickets or season passes purchased before April 6, 2026.

[6]

Those passes do not automatically renew and expire at the end of 2026.[7] While the passes wind down, Six Flags continues to collect the monthly payments owed on payment-plan memberships: Yes, Six Flags will continue to collect your monthly payments.[8] A passholder who prepaid, or committed to a payment plan for admission extending past 2026, forfeits that value under these terms, a pattern the wiki also documents under Post-purchase EULA modification and Forced arbitration.

Incidents

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Great Escape prepaid pass refund refusal

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Main article: Six Flags Great Escape prepaid pass refund refusal

After the April 6, 2026 sale of Six Flags Great Escape to EPR Properties, the operator Enchanted Parks honors passes and memberships bought before that date only through the 2026 season and then lets them expire.[19][5] The operator's guest FAQ states that all ticket and season pass sales are non-refundable and that it will not issue refunds for Six Flags passes purchased before April 6, 2026.[6] A passholder who prepaid for admission beyond 2026 has no refund path for the forfeited value.[7]

COVID-era season pass and membership refund litigation

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During the 2020 and 2021 coronavirus park closures, multiple class actions accused Six Flags and predecessor Cedar Fair of continuing to charge season pass and membership fees while parks were shut and refusing cash refunds.[12][13] Four suits were filed against Six Flags entities in 2020: Rezai-Hariri v. Magic Mountain LLC and Ruiz v. Magic Mountain, LLC in the Central District of California,[20][12] McConnell v. Six Flags Entertainment Corp. in the same court,[21] and Strassburger v. Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.[22] A fifth, Forbes v. Six Flags Great Adventure LLC, was filed in New Jersey federal court.[13]

According to the Ruiz complaint, Six Flags' own coronavirus-update webpage said it would extend passes for the number of operating days the park is temporarily closed and add one additional month for each month that the park is closed.[12] In the parallel case against Cedar Fair, Walker v. Cedar Fair, L.P., a federal judge in the Northern District of Ohio denied the motion to dismiss on April 21, 2022, quoting Cedar Fair's own disclaimer that ALL SALES ARE FINAL and that there would be NO REFUNDS, NO TRANSFERS OR EXCHANGES, NO RAIN CHECKS, NOT VALID FOR CASH.[11] The court held that a reasonable passholder:

would not understand that language to entitle Cedar Fair to keep their entire purchase price even if it failed to open its parks for all or a substantial portion of the season.

[23] On September 24, 2024 the court granted class certification, finding that the number of passholders who qualify for inclusion in one of the two main classes is upwards of 100,000.[9]

Products

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  • Six Flags Great Escape, Queensbury, New York, sold to EPR Properties and operated by Enchanted Parks as of April 6, 2026.[4]
  • Season passes and memberships, sold under terms stating that all sales are final and no refunds will be issued.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-07-27). "2026 Six Flags Season Pass & Membership Terms and Conditions". Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-07-27). "2026 Six Flags Season Pass & Membership Terms and Conditions". Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-03-05). "Exhibit 99.1: Six Flags Further Streamlines Its Portfolio With Agreements to Divest Seven Parks". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-04-06). "Exhibit 99.1: Six Flags Completes Sale of Six U.S. Parks to EPR Properties". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Enchanted Parks (Great Escape). "Guest Frequently Asked Questions". Enchanted Parks. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Enchanted Parks (Great Escape). "Guest Frequently Asked Questions". Enchanted Parks. Retrieved 2026-08-16. The refund language appears in the FAQ's answer on Six Flags passes purchased before April 6, 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Enchanted Parks (Great Escape). "Guest Frequently Asked Questions". Enchanted Parks. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Enchanted Parks (Great Escape). "Guest Frequently Asked Questions". Enchanted Parks. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Hon. James G. Carr (2024-09-24). "Walker v. Cedar Fair, L.P., No. 3:20-cv-02176 (N.D. Ohio), Order granting class certification (Doc. 117)" (PDF). U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio (via CourtListener/RECAP). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-07-27). "2026 Six Flags Season Pass & Membership Terms and Conditions". Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Hon. James G. Carr (2022-04-21). "Walker v. Cedar Fair, L.P., No. 3:20-cv-02176 (N.D. Ohio), Order denying motion to dismiss (Doc. 33)" (PDF). U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio (via CourtListener/RECAP). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Francis Ruiz (plaintiff) (2020-04-13). "Ruiz v. Magic Mountain, LLC, No. 2:20-cv-03436 (C.D. Cal.), Class Action Complaint" (PDF). U.S. District Court, Central District of California (via CourtListener/RECAP). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Six Flags Sued Over Season Pass Refunds Amid Pandemic". Law360. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2024-07-01). "Form 8-K12B (Completion of Cedar Fair and Six Flags Merger of Equals)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  15. ↑ WAMC News (2026-03-05). "Six Flags announces sale of Great Escape". WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  16. ↑ Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-03-05). "Exhibit 99.1: Six Flags Further Streamlines Its Portfolio With Agreements to Divest Seven Parks". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  17. ↑ Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-03-05). "Form 8-K, Item 1.01 (Equity Purchase Agreement with EPR Properties)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  18. ↑ Brianna Kelly (2026-03-05). "Six Flags sells Valleyfair in Shakopee, 6 other parks in $331 million deal". Yahoo Finance (originally Bring Me The News). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (2026-03-05). "Exhibit 99.1: Six Flags Further Streamlines Its Portfolio With Agreements to Divest Seven Parks". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  20. ↑ Shahriyar Rezai-Hariri (plaintiff) (2020-04-10). "Rezai-Hariri v. Magic Mountain LLC, No. 8:20-cv-00716 (C.D. Cal.), Class Action Complaint" (PDF). U.S. District Court, Central District of California (via CourtListener/RECAP). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  21. ↑ Sophia McConnell (plaintiff) (2020-04-21). "McConnell v. Six Flags Entertainment Corp., No. 2:20-cv-03665 (C.D. Cal.), Class Action Complaint" (PDF). U.S. District Court, Central District of California (via CourtListener/RECAP). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  22. ↑ Ryan Strassburger (plaintiff) (2020-10-08). "Strassburger v. Six Flags Theme Parks Inc., No. 2020CH06208 (Cook County, Ill.), Class Action Complaint" (PDF). Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois (copy hosted by ClassAction.org). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  23. ↑ Hon. James G. Carr (2022-04-21). "Walker v. Cedar Fair, L.P., No. 3:20-cv-02176 (N.D. Ohio), Order denying motion to dismiss (Doc. 33)" (PDF). U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio (via CourtListener/RECAP). Retrieved 2026-08-16.
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