A man is calling Six Flags Fright Fest a scam and claiming a visit to the San Antonio park left him and his friends hundreds of dollars poorer and only able to get on four rides.
Discord gamer BeyondJD (@beyondjd) is calling the membership and FLASH Pass pricing “one of the worst scams in America” after a recent trip to the park left him feeling ripped off.
He posted his account of what happened to his TikTik account on Thursday. So far, the video has over 177,900 views and counting.
Why does he think it’s a scam?
JD says he planned to visit Six Flags San Antonio to enjoy the park’s Fright Fest festivities. However, after his experience, he says, “Six Flags Fright Fest is one of the biggest wastes of money of all time.”
JD states his problems were caused by his plan to use his and his brother’s memberships to get discounted tickets for his two friends.
They knew, he states, “We can get a discounted ticket [for their friends] at the booth with our memberships.”
He says they decided to buy tickets at the park, but the ticket booth attendant knew nothing about pricing. JD also states that they noticed the large crowds and also inquired about FLASH passes.
FLASH passes would supposedly allow the party to access the rides in the park sooner than most patrons.
According to JD, he was told that the discounted price for their friends’ tickets with their membership was $65, and the non-discounted price was $90. JD claims, “A normal day at Six Flags is 30 bucks.”
“You go to Fright Fest, and it’s $60 more?”
Further price issues
JD says that to get into the park and experience the Haunted House parts, it would cost upward of $140 without a member discount.
Talking about the “scam,” he states that they scanned a QR code for passes and were charged $120 for FLASH passes to get early entry into the park’s rides.
However, only his two friends bought the passes as JD and his brother were told members should go to the “FLASH Pass hut.”
He says his friends received an email stating, “This is not a ticket.” He adds that this meant they had to buy a $70 ticket to the park to use the passes. “On top of the $120” for the FLASH passes.
“A FLASH Pass is $120, and the general admission ticket is $70,” he says, “only because they’re with members.”
“If they wanna go to haunted houses too, that’s an extra $50!” JD exclaims in the video.
However, he says he did not buy the haunted house pass “because we were just tired of spending money.”
JD says his park visit was marred by bad experiences, including with the FLASH passes themselves.
JD states the passes did not allow priority in the lines but only offered a chance to get in line at a reserved time.
“The reservations take dumb long,” he complains. Reservation times were over one and even two hours, according to JD.
He says his party was turned back for not understanding the reservation process.
“I bought this FLASH Pass just to wait,” he tells his viewers.
He says they did not get on their first ride until 7:30pm despite entering the park at 5pm.
“We were there from 5[pm] all the way to 11[pm] when they closed. We got on four rides, gang.”
As if to add insult to injury, JD states, “We even bought costumes for this, and almost NO ONE was in a costume.”
@beyondjd We even bought costumes for this, and almost NO ONE was in a costume … WHERE’S THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT??? #yapping #yapper #rant #sixflagsfrightfest #sixflags #scam ♬ Dust Collector – lucas
Is he right about the prices?
There are several ways to acquire tickets for Six Flags. It should be noted that online prices are significantly discounted from prices at the gate.
Per Six Flags’ website, a daily ticket costs $89.99 at the gate but $29 online. A one-day ticket bundle, including a Haunted House Pass, is $139 at the gate or $70 online.
A Gold Member Pass is $69 and is $149 online with a Haunted House pass. Gold memberships are also available online for $6.99 a month with a 12-month minimum.
Daily FLASH passes are available online at three rates. The rates vary according to the day, from $70 to $245.
The Daily Dot reached out to Six Flags via email for a statement.
Why are amusement parks so expensive?
Are amusement park prices higher now? The Points Guy blog notes that entertainment prices like “Cruises are adding new fees that result in paying more for less. The list goes on and on. The same is becoming increasingly true for theme parks.”
Like many other services, the amusement park industry is contending with inflation as well as the demand for more spectacular experiences. This means prices have adjusted upward.
“Six Flags Fright Fest scam” is possibly a result of rising prices in the industry.
“Price increases, inflation, and new and revamped add-on options for tickets mean the average theme park day costs substantially more money than it used to. In some cases, the increase in out-of-pocket expenses is dramatic,” per The Points Guy.
Viewers weigh in on the Six Flags price ‘scam’
“At that point, I’m tweaking and making a scene,” states OolySxt (@bleachdrip) in response to JD’s story.
“Six Flags goes from $30 a day for a ticket to $90+ depending on how busy the park is,” claims another viewer.
Another viewer commented, “I have never been to Six Flags and oddly enough these situations I’m hearing just solidifies why I haven’t been yet.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to JD via TikTok comment and direct message for further comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
