Knotts/SF: Is there really any difference?

[Broadway Guru]

We've all been trying to figure out why Cedar Fair giveth and Cedar Fair taketh away. They seem to want to hang onto the theme of Knott's, but also build coasters everywhere and play modern music. Well, here's the answer. This video is from their flagship park, Cedar Point in Ohio, where there's a an area themed to the old west, complete w/ saloon show!

Molly & Maverick 3 of 9 Belly Up to the Bar Boys Cedar Po - YouTube

Now it all makes sense. This is how they run all their parks: lightly themed, well maintained, but w/ a full roster of thrills. I'm sure this approach appeals to some, but more we try to point up the differences between Knott's and Six Flags, the more it proves to me that there is no real difference anymore. Most Six Flags parks have some themed areas (Looney Tunes, DC Comics) and SF has been cleaning up its act since the bankruptcy. Seems like CF and SF are really just the theme park version of Coke and Pepsi, or Mountain Dew and Mello Yello, or Snapple and Sobe, or...well, you get it.

[lazyboy97O]

Cedar Fair has long said they operate amusement parks.

[sir clinksalot]

Some SF parks are themed better than some CF parks, and vice versa.

For example, Dorney Park, I didn't find it very "nice" at all. But parks like SFOT, SFOG, SFGAm and SFFT have some very nice themed area's IMO. Moreso than many area's at CF parks.

In the grand scheme of things, people decide to just compare Knott's or CP to SFMM and leave it at that. If you look at those 3 parks, Knott's and CP are obviously more themed than SFMM.

So in those 3 parks, I'd say CP is an "amusement" park, SFMM is a "thrill" park and Knott's is a "theme" park (obviously Ghost Town is the primary reason for this classification).

There isn't one Six Flags park I would consider a "theme park", but SFMM and SFGAdv are probably the only "thrill" parks in the chain that I've been to. The rest are very well-rounded "Amusement" parks with some themed areas.

The SF park that probably comes closest to be a "Theme" park (IMO) would be SFGAm (and probably SFFT).

[Trekkie Dad]

I'm not understanding all the abbreviations. Which is the Six Flags park in Vallejo that used to be Marine World Africa USA?

[nish221]

Let's see...

SFOT = 6 Flags over Texas
SFMM = 6 Flags Magic Mountain
SFOG = 6 Flags over Georgia
SFGAm = 6 Flags Great Ameria
SFFT = ??? (had to look this one up... 6 Flags Fiesta Texas... never heard of this one.)
SFGAdv = 6 Flags Great Adventure

The former Marineworld Africa USA is SFDK = 6 Flags Discovery Kingdom

[sir clinksalot]

Sorry, I take for granted that people know the abbreviations.

nish221 is right on with his post.

Other SF parks:

SFA - Six Flags America
SFM - Six Flags Mexico
SFStL - Six Flags St Louis
SFNE - Six Flags New England
TGE - The Great Escape (hasn't gotten the "Six Flags" name yet)

They also have LaRonde in Canada, but I don't think there is an abbreviation for that one.

There are also quite a few SFHH (Six Flags Hurricane Harbor).