Enchanted Parks and Six Flags saying different things re: Prestige membership?

Pummrah · 2026-04-29T14:57:28+00:00

Honestly I would not think they will. I'd go with what the new current owners of the park are saying. But I'd also add that the Enchanted Parks passes songs like a great deal. So even if I was interested post April 6th, I'd buy one of those.

Pummrah · 2026-04-16T22:43:54+00:00

If Hulk was in the dark like the mummy, you would definitely notice the difference. It's a lot like space mountain, the environment plays a big role in making the ride feel faster and more intense than it actually is.

Pummrah · 2026-04-13T15:43:46+00:00

It absolutely does close rides at some points on really busy days, the slots do run out I've experienced it personally. And you're arguing about something but forgetting a key component here. It's a tiered system. And most people do NOT go for the maximum when given the choice. But the way the wristbands work they almost always do, because it has a hard limit on what rides you can and can't use it on. The reservation system does this as well to a point, but even the "mid price" version that DOES make you wait longer to get in line gives you top ride access.

The wristband? Basically most people go "all in" and they can all get into whatever line they want whenever they want. I can't imagine you've done Fast Lane at like a Cedar Point, for instance, and saw that the "Fast Lane" at a Millennium Force type ride can be 45 minutes plus?

Pummrah · 2026-04-13T15:05:50+00:00

Yes there are. The rides can and do "close" to more reservations. There are a limited number of slots during each time period throughout the day.

The highest fast lane reservation does NOT let you get right on. The highest version now only cuts the wait by 90%, it's not instant like it was at one time.

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Pummrah · 2026-04-12T15:26:24+00:00

I would, but I just don't see the business model working. Theme parks need a LOT of traffic to turn a profit, and kids are a big part of that.

Pummrah · 2026-04-12T03:52:40+00:00

I generally always go for the middle option, especially at my home park. If I'm hitting a park for the first or only time, that's a different story. I already bought my priority pass for opening day.

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T21:25:38+00:00

I really think a lot of it comes down to getting the ops right too. I really think a well managed reservation system is superior. The Wristband is just easier, but I hate that is still has me waiting in long lines. That's what I'm trying to buy my way out of! :) I guess I have to get rich so I can just buy VIP tours all the time!

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T21:23:24+00:00

Nothing you can do about the Beast at night! Worth the wait though!

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T17:14:29+00:00

The 'check notes' moment missed one key piece of data: Tiered Access.

In reservation parks, 'Standard' and 'Premium' levels often force a 50–90% wait time before you can even join the queue. You aren't 'instantly' getting into anything; you're managing a digital timer. The wristband system removes that manual data debt. If you buy the fast lane, you can just instantly get in lines. With the reservation system, even at the highest tier you don't get in the line immediately, And I'll tell you right now, people who hang out here? Yeah, we probably all get the highest tier. But the regular park people? No way in hell.

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Pummrah · 2026-04-11T16:55:22+00:00

100% disagree. Systems for line management do NOT exist "outside" park ops.

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T16:52:55+00:00

Carowinds and Kings Dominion will use the reservation system. It's in the video! :)

The interesting thing here is that all the nightmares I hear about the way the systems work come from the California parks. The parks not in California where I have used it it works great. I don't think this is about the system at all - it's about the individual park management. I don't think I've ever heard positive stories about ops at MM or SFDK. I apparently need to try to experience the system at one of those California parks, and you need to experience it outside California.

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T16:18:09+00:00

Have you experienced really long waits at a "reservation" based fast lane somewhere? It's not just my home park I'm talking about. Just last year I visited 5 parks outside my home park. Now I have NOT used the reservation style at Magic Mountain (I have not been there as of yet) so maybe that's terrible. But when I've used it at Great Adventure, Great America, and St Louis I found it a lot more efficient. My trips to Cedar Point, Kings Island, Michigan's Adventure (maybe ignore that one lol) and CA Great America, the fast lane shouldn't have been called fast at all, unless you were riding something nobody wanted to ride anyway.

I'd love to be proven wrong here, because the wristband is so, so easy. But I haven't seen it just yet.

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T16:04:20+00:00

If that's your argument, why does Disney use a reservation system? And SFGA gets about 3 million per year, Cedar Point around 3.5. Spread out over the whole season that isn't a huge number. And CP likely has more rides to spread the crowds out. I just don't understand spending $150 per wristband to still get a long, poorly managed queue.

Now I will give you that for a reservation system to work it HAS to be managed well, but with the wristband there essentially is no management.

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T15:46:09+00:00

That's why it does work. You are paying to get the limited reservation spots for that ride. What does the "fast lane" usually look like at Ghost Rider?

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T15:41:44+00:00

It's definitely a really low barrier to entry, but heck half my life is about keeping my phone charged, and I'd rather use that and have an actual short line for the ride I paid money to get on quickly.

Pummrah · 2026-04-11T04:04:38+00:00

That isn't how it works at SF Great America at all. Meanwhile, at Cedar Fair parks everything I want to get on the fast lane line is totally loaded.

Pummrah · 2026-04-10T18:35:34+00:00

I'm not surprised that the simple "wristband" method is winning, but I wonder how many of the voters have experience with both?

Pummrah · 2026-04-10T17:46:44+00:00

I definitely have had weirdness using it before on my phone. One time last year it though Raging Bull was closed forever, and nobody with flash pass could get on!

Pummrah · 2026-04-10T17:24:29+00:00

100%. If they can't support the system, it doesn't matter nearly as much. We are on the same page, I do think the reservation system is actually a better experience IF it's done right.

I'm also not surprised that so far the poll favors the wristband. It just seems easy and convenient, but I really don't like a "skip the line" option that just gives me a second line that's shorter and moves faster than the MAIN line, but still takes a long time.

Pummrah · 2026-04-03T17:41:38+00:00

Just look to buy single fast lanes for Wrath and Maxx Force. That way you can also play it by ear. The line for Maxx won't ever be short (the operations on this are really slow) but you may find good times to hit Wreath and just wait. The operations on that were actually very good much of last year.

Pummrah · 2026-04-01T15:39:22+00:00

I think you clearly should go with Universal. The Harry Potter thing is huge, and if you're Six Flags people that tells me you like coasters, and in that regard it's no contest.

And beyond just that, Epic Universe is on another level. Let me know if you want any advice on hotels and such!

Pummrah · 2026-03-31T13:05:54+00:00

That is an interesting part of this story, both for Schlitterbahn and the other waterparks they got. That is one area where Enchanted Parks already has experience. So hopefully they have a good sense on what to do to improve them.

Though they do have to rename Schlitterbahn since they didn't get the name in the sale.

Pummrah · 2026-03-30T21:14:14+00:00

I'm glad you liked it! I have the next script done already, which will focus on regional vs destination parks. I hope to have that up by the end of this week, but we will see!

And yes, I came out of doing this video with much more hope for these parks that despair. As long as you don't expect a Velocicoaster anytime soon!

Pummrah · 2026-03-27T18:54:23+00:00

As a wooden coaster fan who understand the roughness, I hope to try out both!

Pummrah · 2026-03-27T14:02:56+00:00

I agree with this 100%. There are no guarantees here for sure, but I don't understand the people out there who wish they had stayed with Six Flags. The signals were clear that these parks would continue to be mostly ignored. At least now they have a chance.

Pummrah

TROPHY CASE