Six Flags To Have Less Wiggling In 2011

What was rumored has been confirmed, Six Flags is dropping several of the licensing arrangements for use of characters and themes in its theme parks next year.  Thomas the Tank Engine, The Wiggles, Evel Knievel, and Tony Hawk will get the boot - look for generic rethemes to take place this winter on dozens of rides at the parks.

Six Flags will continue to use DC Comics, Looney Tunes, and Hanna-Barbera characters in the park.  This is a pretty effective wiping clean of the themes added by the previous set of management, which I'm sure will save the company big bucks in licensing fees.

The move is not too dissimilar to Cedar Fair's decision to end their agreements for the former Paramount Parks to use movie themes and the Nickelodeon characters in their parks.  In Six Flags' case the parks had an even larger array of character franchises going on, so a thinning of the herd does make sense. 

It will be interesting to see the rethemes take place, since many of the areas were built specifically to fit their theme.  The Big Spin coasters will be easy, but I could see the Wiggles being a little more difficult.