29yrswithaGApass Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 Quote Six Flags - (2/13/22) As rumored, Screamscape sources tell us that as of right now, the plan is that only a small group of select parks will bring back Holiday in the Park for the 2022 season. For the most part this move will see the elimination of the event from the more northern region parks and focus it on those more comfortable able to operate in the winter. As of this moment, the list of parks given by our source to offer Holiday in the Park in 2022 will be: SF Magic Mountain, SF Over Texas, SF Fiesta Texas, SF over Georgia, and SF Discovery Kingdom and possibly… SF Great Adventure. Apparently the event could still possibly get cut from Six Flags Great Adventure, as the only northern park still on the list but for now it is on the books. I’m told that corporate could also change their mind on Six Flags Discovery Kingdom having it as well, but for now it was determined that the park would need it to be able to compete with the WinterFest event at California’s Great America. As for Fright Fest… as profitable as the event is normally for the parks it looks like Fright Fest will continue at most parks in 2022, however look for cuts to have been made to the number of days the parks offer it, as well as a cut in the length of the event, where it will likely not run late into the night any longer. The more security issues each park has had regarding unruly guests, fights breaking out and such, the more cuts you can expect to see made at that location. So far this follows along with operational cuts being spotted in the various park’s summer schedules as they are slowly getting posted on the website. The days where the parks were open to 10pm, 11pm and occasional midnight are gone, and have been replaced with summer schedules showing the various parks mostly closing at 7pm, 8pm or 9pm. So for locals who used to buy season passes (or memberships) who liked to just drop in after work to wind down for the evening with a few rides out of the hot sun, it’s going to be a lot harder to justify keeping those passes. Source: Screamscape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 Wow-- just the opposite way SeaWorld parks are going with MORE days for Christmas and Halloween events and more operating days. Six Flags seems to be following Disney in charging more and offering less and it's going to make things worse instead of better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 That would be a shame if HITP was cancelled. It was always my favorite time of the year to visit the park. Besides being able to ride coasters until early January, the park always looked amazing with all the lights and decorations. Taking the Skyway and seeing the lights from above was so cool. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 I think they'll lose a lot of passholders if they cancel HitP at Great Adventure. I know several people who pretty much only go for HitP most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyroger Posted February 14, 2022 Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 With the new direction Six Flags is going, some things I get, but other things like removing dining plan and Holiday in the park is bad, I hope Great Adventure's Holiday in the Park stays, and if Six Flags America's Christmas event doesn't come back, I'll miss it. I know the fights were a problem at Fright Fest, but cutting days and hours are not going to solve all of their problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted February 14, 2022 Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 Dining plan ending I get-- there were some guests they were definitely losing money on. But Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park really are a core part of the business for many parks at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 14, 2022 Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 I get cutting HITP in the northern parks as the weather is more uncomfortable and iffy for them. Plus snow and ice removal along with cold temps are harsh on infrastructure and machines. There is also the higher heating bills, even on days the parks aren't open they still need to run some heat to avoid frozen pipes. However, GADV does have a major drawing region between NYC and Philly and it isn't quite as cold as many of the other northern parks. It probably all depends on the NPV they calurated for continuing HITP. FF cuts are also unfortunate but I can see why. Besides security reasons, the reduced hours also helps to encourage repeat visits as there is less time to watch all the shows and to go through all the upcharge haunted houses in a single night. People do tend to become more rowdy as the night progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisatsweetlou Posted February 14, 2022 Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 I am upset to hear all of these possible changes. I get shortening park hours, but it should be done the opposite. More people would likely be able to go to the park in the evening after work as opposed to 10:30 AM. I don't particularly understand why management would choose this. You make more money with food later in the day, more people come in the gates, etc. I just don't get it. Dining plan being removed- I completely understand this but I wish there was a way it could stay and just raise the price. If they remove it, I will not be paying for any food while in the parks because they are overpriced. My family used to picnic in the parking lot and I guess we would just go back to that. Holiday in the park- I love this event and many others do. For this, I can understand the business decision. On colder days, I don't see how they make money. It seems to mostly be passholders. Fright Fest- Instead of closing earlier, why wouldn't the parks just beef up security. Yes, it costs money but probably much less money than they bring in on a busy Fright Fest night. This one doesn't make sense to me at all. I wish I knew what they are thinking with this. Despite me understanding these decisions, I do not agree with any of them. If Six Flags brings the new, higher pricing model for their season passes and remove benefits (like the two events and dining pass add on), I can see attendance dropping significantly. This is not Disney. Disney can do this for the short term because of nostalgia and it being a "once in a lifetime" vacation. Six Flags doesn't have the same appeal to most people. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 I love Holiday in the Park. It is my favorite time of year to be there. Unfortunately I think they are a victim of their own circumstance in a sense because they do not advertise the event. I’ve never seen a television commercial for it and radio ads are rare. Great Adventure should inherit the decorations of one of the Six Flags parks that discontinues the event and pour on the decor in New Jersey as HITP v 2.0. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 To handle the security issues of Fright Fest the best solution would be to do a family event in the daytime, then a separate hard ticket event at night like Universal does for HHN, and the SeaWorld parks do for most of their Howl-O-Scream events. It keeps the kids out so they can do truly "scary" Halloween, and they have tighter control over crowds that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 (edited) HHN still gets pretty unruly despite being an upcharge event. Its also much more crowded than normal daytime hours. The problems are that many parents use local parks as an daycare service. Sadly Halloween events in general just attract much rougher crowds than normal. Frankly, GADV's just isn't good enough to be a separate upcharge event, it would need major improvements. The one bad thing about HITP I noticed was that the park downsized and sacrificed the quality out of FF even more for HITP. For example, reducing Halloween decorations for a quicker changeover to Christmas. Edited February 15, 2022 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 I miss the cobwebs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 I miss them too. Hopefully they will keep HITP at GADV as it is nice to have an extension to the operating season. It always seems to jam up at night, similar to FF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 SFGA's new press release regarding hiring for the upcoming season states: "4,000 team members are needed to fill positions from March 2022 through Jan. 1, 2023." Looks like Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park are safe at Great Adventure. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted March 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2022 Here is an official confirmation from the park's website that we will be having Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park at GA this year: Quote Start the 2022 season with thrills and spills April 2-3! 2022 is finally here and we’re ready to start the season off right by filling it with your favorite tasty treats, memorable experiences, and of course, 14 world class coasters! Six Flags Great Adventure, the World’s Ultimate Thrill Park is gearing up for the most exciting season yet, with more days of fun and thrills than ever before. Don’t miss out on celebrating the beginning of this season during Opening Weekend, plus get ready for all the events and surprises we’ll have in store for you through 2022! The best way to enjoy fun all season long is with the all new Ultimate Pass! Get unlimited visits to all Six Flags Outdoor Parks, including visits to Hurricane Harbor and the Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure, food & retail discounts, Flash Pass discounts & more. Plus, receive 2 FREE Junior Pass, for guests under 42, valid until Jan. 1, 2023. The fun continues with the brand new Summer Vibes Festival, Fright Fest in the fall, and then enjoy the warmth of the holiday season during Holiday in the Park! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.