[cwgator]

From: http://www.screamscape.com/html/industry_news.htm#SixFlags

Six Flags - (11/15/10) With IAAPA kicking off today, some early scuttlebutt has been sent in regarding Six Flags. According to a few sources Six Flags will be terminating the licensed I.P. attraction themeing deals they had with Thomas the Tank Engine, The Wiggles and Tony Hawk. While it would be easy enough to remove the Tony Hawk themeing from the coasters, finding a way to rethemed the Wiggles World attractions may be a bit more challenging. As for Thomas… I feel bad for Six Flags America here because this seems to be where Six Flags finally got their act together and built a nice Thomas Town with a good number of rides and everything… all for just one summer it seems. The rest of the Thomas Towns featured minimal themeing at best, and it shouldn’t be too much of a problem to remove Thomas’ smiling face from the train engines. More on this as the story unfolds…

[cwgator]

Confirmed (From The L.A. Times):

Six Flags amusement parks prepare for thematic makeovers

Wham! Bam! Ka-Pow!

A bruising brawl involving comic-book superheroes, Saturday morning cartoon characters and extreme sports icons will change the ride and roller coaster landscape of Six Flags' 11 U.S. amusement parks in 2011.

An intellectual property housecleaning at the amusement park chain has left Bugs Bunny, Superman and Scooby-Doo victorious and Thomas the Tank Engine, The Wiggles, Evel Knievel and Tony Hawk vanquished.

In a sudden about-face, Six Flags is undoing several licensing agreements established since 2007 for 60 amusement park rides and attractions. The extensive slate of name changes and thematic makeovers are expected to begin in early 2011. The cost-cutting move comes in the wake of a Six Flags management overhaul after the company emerged from bankruptcy earlier this year.

Six Flags will re-theme the Thomas Town kiddie lands, based on the children's television show "Thomas & Friends," as unbranded Whistle Stop Depots, amusement park officials confirmed.

Since 2007, Six Flags has added Thomas Towns at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia), Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo), Six Flags New England (Massachusetts), Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags America (Maryland). Six Flags America opened its Thomas Town in June 2010.

Six Flags also plans to de-theme the Tony Hawk Big Spin coasters at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis, officials said.

The spinning coasters, which made their debut in 2007 and 2008, will be called simply "Big Spin." The Tony Hawk Halfpipe ride at Six Flags America also will be stripped of its affiliation with the skateboarding star.

In addition, the Evel Knievel wooden coaster, which opened in 2008 at Six Flags St. Louis, will be renamed American Thunder, ending Six Flags' association with the late motorcycle daredevil, officials said.

Screamscape reports that Six Flags will also remove the Wiggles World theme added in 2007 and 2008 to five parks: Six Flags Great Adventure (New Jersey), Six Flags Great America (Illinois), Six Flags New England, Great Escape (New York) and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The Wiggles World theme, based on "The Wiggles" children's television program, has already been stripped from five Fiesta Texas rides, according to the park's website.

The intellectual property retrenchment returns Six Flags to its core branded relationships: DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Riddler, Joker and Green Lantern), Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Tweety) and Hanna-Barbera (Scooby-Doo and Yogi Bear).

[TrojanCamMan]

Interesting move by six flags.

Signs of the time I guess.

[arby]

I would guess it's because the theme parks are tightening their belts to try and be more profitable. Some of these companies think they deserve way too much money for their characters. (I'm getting tired of corporate greed that feeds America) If they understood marketing, they would partner with companies who want to help them push their brands.

I saw on one of Carowind's Facebook posts earlier this year where someone said that Peanuts is 'classic.' I don't really agree although I grew up with Peanuts. I think it connects with kids more to use Nickelodeon and other current trends for theming. However, I saw the general ballpark figure of what Nickelodeon was demanding for the use of their characters back in 2006 and I completely understand why Cedar Fair uses Peanuts. It helps them run better numbers and save money to expand and improve parks.