Best Tips for the Best Time at Six Flags

Ready to ride? Have a great time and save a little dough with these tips to Six Flags Over Texas! 

Thanks to KIA for partnering with us to share these tips and offering a fun day for our family. 

When you have motion sickness, where’s the first place your kids wanna go? Of course, it’s to go on a roller coaster!  

Living in the middle of the Entertainment District of Arlington, Texas, there’s never a shortage of things to do. However, your budget may not always allow to buy every hot ticket. However, with these tips you can enjoy one of the most family friendly attractions, Six Flags Over Texas. (And many of these tips also apply to many other Six Flags parks, so try them there, too!) These tips are tried and true from many bad mistakes on our part and many suggestions of seasoned park goers! 

Get the Pass

If you plan to go to to Six Flags more than once, then the Season Pass is the only way! It honestly is cheaper than two visits and you can bundle your plan with parking (which is normally like $20+) to really save cash.This year your pass is attached to your fingerprint, so my kids think it’s uber cool! If you are on a budget or have just one trip in store, then buying your tickets in advance will also save you money at the gate (not to mention time!) 

FLASH PASS = front of the line without the long wait! Click To Tweet

Know the Offers!

There are special opportunities/promotions that you can take part in to help subsidize your trip to Six Flags or score on some special Six Flags bucks! Many schools offer a reading program which award kids a free ticket to the park when they read 600 minutes. However, they takes a little thought and planning. Many promotional offers are also available to help you save some dough. 

Many of the parks offer a souvenir drink offer for one flat cost you can get drinks are a discounted rate (.99 cents or free unlimited refills for season pass holders.) Unless you’re alone, I’ve never heard this not be a good deal. While the eateries will provide water to you, the wait for food and rides are long and the weather is hot, so stay hydrated. There’s a similar deal for a flat price food plan for season pass holders. If you are keen on eating in the park and have a big group, this might be a great idea. Another great idea is packing a picnic, take a break and eat in the designated picnic space right outside the park. There’s no outside food allowed, but if you’re a big group, a picnic can save you HUGE dollars. Or you can always strategically eat before you go and leave before the big food cravings kick in at dinner. However, don’t undermine the power of the Pink Things or the Dole Whips. They’ll get you every time! 

A few weeks ago we actually were able to score some really valuable offers by participating in the KIA Ride and Drive.

Found right at the entrance of the park, by spending a few minutes to learn about a KIA, drive it through the park (which was really cool), and have an actual no-sales approach to looking at a car, we were able to: 

• Score $10 in food bucks (Daffy Dollars) 
• Get a Flash Pass (front of the line, y’all!) 
• Charge up our devices before heading to the park 
• Special entrance to the front of the line at the park (huge when you’re going early!) 

Know What to Bring and What Not to Bring 

There are probably many more of these you could consider, but this is my basic checklist before I leave to Six Flags. When I forget, bad things happen. 

• Drivers License, tickets/passes, and money. I like to go light with just one credit card, my id (you’ll need that for a ride and drive event or if you’re planning to grab a beer), and a little cash (keeps me on budget when I go, so when it’s gone, we go home!) 
• Comfortable Shoes. Think through this one if you plan on getting on the wet rides as tennis shoes are great until they are full of water. I’m a fan of my Crocs, but just make sure whatever you wear, it’s not new and won’t cause tear on your feet. 
• Plastic bag / Waterproof case for your phone or camera. You’ll learn this quick if you don’t bring it! The water rides are going to get you wet so make sure you’re prepared! For around $6 you can get a waterproof phone case perfect to hang around your neck instead of one of those expensive cases! 
• Sunscreen / parkas / coats.  In Texas you’re bound to experience temperamental weather so be prepared. On average a visit to the amusement park is 5-7 hours, so you’ll need to reapply sunscreen many times (especially on those water rides.) You can purchase it at the park, but it’s gonna cost you. As for the parkas, if you don’t mind the rain, then don’t bother, but it can be rough when the rain shuts down the rides and you have to head to the parking lot. And during Holiday in the Park, it can be very cold, especially hitting the snow sledding hill so don’t let weather stand in the way of your fun! 

Make Your Must List

There’s a lot to do and a lot of ground to cover at Six Flags Over Texas. So taking a lesson from Disney World, take some time to study! Find out what rides your group wants to ride, research height restrictions and ask everyone what’s their “must have ride list.” There’s nothing worse than spending your time crossing back and forth over the park to get on everyone’s musts. Except promising your little kiddos they can ride and find out when you get there they aren’t the right size requirement. Take the time and do a little homework – even if it’s at the gate before you walk in and start trekking around aimlessly. 

>>>>LOOK AT THE MAP <<<<

Last tip: Don’t go during holiday or special promo weekends if you intend on riding everything. The lines are longer and it’s harder to make everything on the list! And do go when you there’s a KIA Ride and Drive event!