• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
Arts & EntertainmentTheme parks

Six Flags reopening: What you need to know

Andrew Nusca
By
Andrew Nusca
Andrew Nusca
Editorial Director, Brainstorm; author, Fortune Tech
Down Arrow Button Icon
Andrew Nusca
By
Andrew Nusca
Andrew Nusca
Editorial Director, Brainstorm; author, Fortune Tech
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 26, 2020, 10:54 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Summertime without a theme park visit? Seemed inconceivable—until the novel coronavirus pandemic virtually shut down the globe.

More than two months after Six Flags Entertainment closed the doors on popular destinations including Six Flags Magic Mountain (outside Los Angeles) and Six Flags Over Georgia (outside Atlanta), the theme park operator says it is beginning to reverse course.

Six Flags Frontier City in Oklahoma City will reopen on Friday, June 5, the company announced Tuesday—at “reduced attendance levels” and “in a preview mode June 5–7 for members and season pass holders only,” it added.

The company believes its sprawling outdoor parks pose a “significantly lower risk of exposure” than its indoor waterparks because guests aren’t confined in one area for long periods of time. “Because our parks cover dozens or even hundreds of acres, we can easily manage guest throughput to achieve proper social distancing,” Six Flags president and CEO Mike Spanos said in a statement.

Not that the company isn’t taking extra precautions. Thinking of taking the family, local laws permitting? Here’s what you should expect:

Online reservations. Expect scheduled entry and staggered arrival times to minimize exposure to other guests.

Face masks. A no-brainer, and yet: All guests over the age of 2 and all employees will be required to wear face masks covering the nose and mouth. (Accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis for persons with disabilities, health concerns, religious restrictions, or other circumstances.) If you forget yours, you can purchase one at the front gate.

Temperature checks. Six Flags will use thermal (infrared) imaging sensors to screen the temperatures of guests and employees prior to entry. Expect to be asked if you’re healthy and to acknowledge the new health policies.

Touch-less bag checks at security.

Social distancing everywhere. Six Flags will add distance markers to all park entry, ride, restroom, store, and restaurant lines. Dining areas will be spaced out. Guests will be separated by empty rows or seats on roller coasters, rides, and attractions. Capacities at indoor venues will be reduced to meet social distancing requirements. Viewing areas will be spaced out.

More mobile food ordering, so you don’t have to handle menus and payment. Condiments, cutlery, and napkins will be provided with each meal. Self-service buffets and salad bars will be overhauled.

Lots of sanitization. High-touch points get extra attention: public seating, tabletops, counters, doors, trash cans. Rides, restraints, and handrails will be cleaned during the day. Restrooms stalls and sinks will too. Hand-washing and hand sanitizer dispensing stations will be installed throughout the park.

The company didn’t offer any indication when it would reopen its other parks in California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, New York, and other locations—though all are subject to their own state and local health regulations pertaining to the pandemic.

For the company’s part, Six Flags is hoping that these safety steps—plus the gradual reopening of the 26 theme parks in its portfolio—will help revive its business before high season kicks in across North America.

The Grand Prairie, Texas, operator said last month that it saw 27% fewer guests (to 1.6 million) and recorded a 20% decrease in revenue (to $26 million) in its first fiscal quarter compared to the same period in 2019. Before the company suspended operations on March 13, it was on track to increase its attendance by 19% from the year prior. Seven-figure losses in sponsorship and partnership revenue only added to the pain.

Six Flags withdrew its earnings guidance on April 8 and boosted its credit facility by $131 million (and then closed a private offering of $725 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes) as it worked to reduce operating expenses and free up cash for the long haul. Its stock price slid from about $38 per share to about $10 between February and March; it has since rebounded slightly, and now trades around $25.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—Warner Music Group prepares for $1.8m IPO
—When will Universal Orlando reopen? A date is set
—The ‘Justice League’ Snyder cut is coming to HBO
—What you need to know about Disney streaming chief Rebecca Campbell
—Why Spotify’s Joe Rogan deal could change the podcasting business

About the Author
Andrew Nusca
By Andrew NuscaEditorial Director, Brainstorm; author, Fortune Tech
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Andrew Nusca is the editorial director of Brainstorm, Fortune's innovation-obsessed community and event series. He also authors Fortune Tech, Fortune’s flagship tech newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Paramount water tower
LawHollywood
Judge halts Paramount-Warner’s $81 billion merger for two weeks after states warn it would ‘extinguish competition’
By The Associated Press and Wyatte Grantham-PhilipsJuly 20, 2026
12 hours ago
Ferran Torres
SuccessWorld Cup
Spain’s Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the World Cup—but just four years ago, he was in therapy and stuck in a ‘bottomless pit’
By Emma BurleighJuly 20, 2026
16 hours ago
Christopher Nolan wearing a black suit
SuccessCareers
Christopher Nolan was rejected from film school as a teen. Today, the Oscar-winning director behind  ‘The Odyssey’ is worth $250 million
By Preston ForeJuly 20, 2026
17 hours ago
nolan
Arts & EntertainmentHollywood
‘Everybody’s a sucker for a dog’: scholars see modern schmaltz in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey
By Hillel Italie and The Associated PressJuly 20, 2026
19 hours ago
Spain earns $51 million for World Cup win and runner-up Argentina gets $34 million as total payout for all 48 teams hits record-high $871 million
Arts & EntertainmentSports
Spain earns $51 million for World Cup win and runner-up Argentina gets $34 million as total payout for all 48 teams hits record-high $871 million
By Luis Andres Henao, Graham Dunbar and The Associated PressJuly 19, 2026
1 day ago
Box office debut for ‘The Odyssey’ tops ‘Oppenheimer’ and is Christopher Nolan’s best opening since ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in 2012
Arts & EntertainmentMovies
Box office debut for ‘The Odyssey’ tops ‘Oppenheimer’ and is Christopher Nolan’s best opening since ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in 2012
By Jake Coyle and The Associated PressJuly 19, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
14 hours ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
18 hours ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
2 days ago
Warren Buffett says his $147 billion investing career was an accident: ‘I may be one of the 10 luckiest in the world’
Future of Work
Warren Buffett says his $147 billion investing career was an accident: ‘I may be one of the 10 luckiest in the world’
By Sarah GlodekJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 20, 2026
22 hours ago
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
Retail
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
22 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.