Six Flags plans to merge with Knott’s owner Cedar Fair to create a theme-park powerhouse

Charlie Brown meets Wile E. Coyote… in Knott’s Scary Farm? Yesterday theme-park operators Six Flags and Cedar Fair (which owns Knott’s Berry Farm) said they’d join in an $8B deal. The merger would put 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resorts across Canada, the US, and Mexico under one roof and stock ticker.

• IP party: Six Flags holds licenses to DC Comics and Looney Tunes characters like Tweety Bird and Batman, while Cedar Fair has the Peanuts (see: Linus walkin’ around the park).

• Hard to get: In 2019, Six Flags tried to buy Cedar Fair but was rejected. Last year, rival SeaWorld tried the same with a $3.4B offer, but was also told no.

• #Synergy: Last quarter, attendance at Six Flags’ jumped 16%, and Cedar Fair's stayed relatively flat. But together, the parks could save more than $120M+.

Not-so-amusing parks… Theme-park revenue has grown this year as operators like Disney hike prices for everything from admission and popcorn to Mickey merch. But park-goers are hitting a wall: Disney's parks-and-experiences revenue growth slowed to 13% last quarter (after doubling last year) with foot traffic slowing at parks like its marquee Florida Disney World. In July, Universal Studios’ Florida parks saw slumping wait times. SeaWorld’s visitors also dipped in the first half of the year, despite record revenue.