I scarfed down a carb-loading dinner before laying out the next day’s fit: a moisture-wicking shirt, paper thin athletic shorts and a pair of extra cushy running shoes.
The Peachtree Road Race wasn’t in my future, but rather a day-trip to Six Flags Over Georgia, metro Atlanta’s longstanding theme park. At middle age, the idea of keeping up with a group of teens at Six Flags during the heat of summer hit with the kind of anxiety typically reserved for the first drop of a roller coaster.
Maximizing a day at an amusement park calls for even more strategy. Timing the visit, cost projecting, taking safety precautions and more come into play. For many, a theme park trip may be a once-a-year excursion at best. The secret sauce lies in knowing how to make it count.
Using Six Flags as a testing ground, my crew and I spent eight hours in the park, walked nearly nine miles, and bagged 14 rides. Sweaty, sun-kissed and smiling, we walked away with a better idea of what to do and what not to do when hitting a theme park in midsummer.
Credit: (Courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgia)
Credit: (Courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgia)
Ticket buying strategies
Bringing the brood adds up quickly, but saving money can begin right out of the gate. Getting a deal on tickets typically comes down to when and how you buy them.
Ticket prices at Six Flags and many other parks often fluctuate. Six Flags tickets available on the amusement park’s website currently start at $39 (before taxes and fees), but the base price goes up to $45 on certain days through Sept. 7. An online sale, which ends Friday, has tickets available for $29 each and valid for any single public operating day through July 31.
The 2026 season continues on select days for Fright Fest (Sept. 12-Nov. 1) and Holiday in the Park (Nov. 21-Jan. 3, 2027), but ticket prices for those have yet to be released. Check the website regularly for pricing updates. Always purchase tickets online, because the gate price at the park is currently $80.
Season passes and ticket bundles combining admission with food and other perks are additional ways to save. Don’t forget to check Groupon, where discount theme park tickets without the added fees can be found.
Get more bang for your buck by scheduling your visit during special park events that are included in regular admission. The DC Heroes and Villains Fest drops on select days, starting Saturday through Aug. 2, featuring live entertainment starring Batman, Wonder Woman and other characters from the DC Universe.
Parking can be an added theme park trip expense. Six Flags charges $39 for general parking and $49 for a preferred option. CobbLinc provides an alternative with bus service to and from the park. Buses can be accessed at either the Marietta Park-and-Ride Lot/Transfer Center or MARTA’s Hamilton E. Holmes Station. Check the schedule for details.
Credit: (Courtesy of Jon Waterhouse)
Credit: (Courtesy of Jon Waterhouse)
Avoiding long lines
Thoughtfully choosing when and what time you visit can lessen the amount of time you wait in attraction lines. Websites such as Queue Times feature crowd calendars with daily attendance estimates for major theme parks worldwide. As for Six Flags, Queue Times projects that Mondays and Tuesdays will be lighter days for the remainder of July.
Lonnell Williams of Atlanta, a member of roller coaster enthusiast group the Melanin Coaster Network, prefers to arrive just before a park opens to bypass longer lines.
“Once you get to the park early, get the big rides out of the way right away, before the crowds swell,” he said. Hot Six Flags attractions include the Superman: Ultimate Flight, Batman The Ride and Goliath roller coasters.
Before you go, download the park app and study the map. Make a priority list and plan a smart route so you hit rides near each other in succession to avoid doubling back.
Check the app for current wait times. Many theme parks sell a line-skipping add on, which helps avoid longer lines altogether. The Six Flags option, Fast Lane Reserve (starting at $35), allows you to use a mobile device to hold a virtual spot in line and return when it’s time to ride. With Fast Lane Ultimate (starting at $99), you can skip the regular line on demand, which the park says can reduce your wait time by 90%.
If you’re unable to sidestep long lines, Destine Light of Lakeland, Florida, has a hack to help time fly. Also a member of the Melanin Coaster Network, she doesn’t usually buy express pass options at theme parks.
“If I’m in line with (family members), we’ll sometimes play a game on our phone like Heads Up!,” Light said during a recent Six Flags visit. “If I’m alone, I’ll just chat it up with a stranger, then next thing you know, we’re just talking and the line starts moving.”
Credit: Paul Sebastian
Credit: Paul Sebastian
Food and drink
Tackling a park takes energy, and sensible eating before you go pays off. Consider a runner’s pre-race breakfast philosophy. The Atlanta Track Club advises eating easily digestible carbohydrates, such as a banana, a bagel, oatmeal and other options low in fat and fiber.
Many parks have a range of in-house choices. Six Flags boasts Mexican, burgers, pizza and more. We tried Firehouse BBQ, its sit-down eatery in the USA section. The sizable portions of smoky meats provided a protein boost to the carnivores in the group, and the sides appeased our lone vegetarian. While entrees can hover around the $20 range, dining packages offer discounts, including the all-day dining plan ($35), which allows guests to have an entree and a side every 90 minutes at participating restaurants.
Staying hydrated remains essential. You can bring an empty plastic water bottle into Six Flags and fill it at one of the various water fountains inside the park. Some spring for one of the park’s all-day drink plans, which start at $20, allowing participating guests to refill their fountain drinks every 15 minutes.
While no outside food or drink can be brought into the park, those on a tighter budget can get a reentry wristband, use the park’s in-and-out privileges and nosh on a prepacked meal in their vehicle.
Credit: (Courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgia)
Credit: (Courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgia)
Take care of yourself and stay cool
Investing in self care only makes things more enjoyable. When outdoors, the American Cancer Society recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Sunglasses and hats give additional protection, but some theme parks require you remove them on certain rides.
Wearing comfortable, breathable clothes and lighter colors that don’t absorb sunlight, as well as a good pair of walking or running shoes, always comes in clutch. Get even cooler by taking advantage of a water ride. Six Flags has options, such as Thunder River and the Log Jamboree, as well as its own water park, Hurricane Harbor, which is included with admission.
Take breaks when needed. Riding a calmer attraction or two in between thrill rides gives your body time to readjust from jarring twists and turns. Monster Mansion at Six Flags may be 45 years old, but the indoor boat ride starring both silly and spooky animatronic characters still delivers laid-back family fun, not to mention air conditioning.
Yet no matter how much you plan, a day at a theme park can be unpredictable from abrupt weather changes to ride closures. Light suggested rolling with the punches.
“Try to plan your day, but expect the (unexpected),” Light said. “I thought it was going to rain today, but there’s not a drop of rain. It’s been hot all day. So just be flexible and go with the flow.”
Credit: Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC
Credit: Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC
If you go
The following list of area theme parks each serve their own brands of escapism. Check websites for ticket prices and operating hours.
Six Flags Over Georgia
Arguably best known for its cache of thrill rides, the state’s largest theme park boasts more than 45 attractions, including many rides for younger guests.
275 Riverside Parkway, Austell. 770-739-3400, sixflags.com/overgeorgia.
Thrillz Atlanta
You won’t have to worry about the weather at Thrillz. Scheduled to open in July, this 50,000-square-foot, indoor theme park promises carnivalesque rides, sport courts, trampolines, extreme slides and more. Expect something for just about everyone, from toddlers to adults.
4280 Northeast Expressway, Atlanta. 470-706-6609, thrillzparks.com.
Fun Spot America
In addition to go-karts, batting cages, laser tag and other amusements, Fun Spot America offers a collection of carnival-style rides for both kids and more mature thrill seekers. Its marquee attraction, a steel coaster dubbed ArieForce One, is justifiably popular. Move fast: The park closes its doors for good on Aug. 2.
1675 Highway 85 North, Fayetteville. 407-363-3867, funspotamericaatlanta.com.
Lego Discovery Center
Designed for children ages 3 to 10, this indoor, intimate theme park inside Phipps Plaza is based on the popular Lego brand of construction toys. Interactive rides, a 4D cinema, play zones and more are featured.
3500 Peachtree Road, Suite G-1, Atlanta. 404-848-9252, legodiscoverycenter.com/atlanta.
Lake Winnepesaukah
Opened in 1925, “Lake Winnie” presents a crop of thrill, family and kiddie rides, plus its SOAKya Water Park sits adjacent to a 9-acre lake surrounded by lush greenery. Located in Rossville, approximately two hours northwest of Atlanta.
1730 Lakeview Drive, Rossville. 706-866-5681, lakewinnie.com.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
