Six Flags over Texas Tips

Looking to plan the ultimate trip to Six Flags over Texas? Our tips will help you beat the crowds and costs and get the most out of your visit.

Leave your own Six Flags over Texas tips at the bottom of the page.

Trip Planning

How to Avoid Crowds at Six Flags over Texas

Now that admission pricing varies depending on forecasted crowds, you can actually use the ticket pricing calendar to predict which days will be lightly attended. Try to attend on a day where ticket prices are relatively low.

Like most theme parks, the peak operating season is May through August, with weekends being the busiest. However, on especially hot days throughout the summer, the extreme heat drives many people over to the adjacent Hurricane Harbor water park, leaving Six Flags over Texas crowds relatively light. Sunday mornings usually have light crowds.

Holidays are often especially busy. Weekdays in April, May, September, October, November, and December are typically the least busy days. Always research for special events that may be going on that can cause abnormally large crowds (the park is reliably busy during spring break).

Avoid visiting the park during “Bring a Friend” days offered to season pass holders as crowds can be huge. Most major holidays and Mother’s and Father’s days are typically Bring a Friend Free days.

If you do plan on going on a busy day and want to avoid the lines, consider purchasing a Flash Pass so you can schedule ride times without actually waiting in line.

How to Save Money at Six Flags over Texas

The easiest way to save money on a trip to Six Flags over Texas is to plan ahead. If at all possible, avoid purchasing tickets at the front gate. Buying tickets online from the official site is almost always significantly cheaper (often by $20 or more). If you plan on visiting the park twice or more, a season pass or membership is likely to be cheaper and offers additional perks such as parking and admission to other Six Flags parks.

Picnic area at Six Flags over Texas

Like most theme parks, food and beverages at Six Flags over Texas can be expensive. Season pass and membership holders have discounts and should also download the Six Flags app and see which coupons are available – there’s usually several for food. A dining pass will likely provide savings if you know you’ll eat a few times during your visit.

If the park food doesn’t sound good, consider visiting one of the restaurants in the local area by getting your hand stamped at the park exit for same-day re-entry. The cost of a meal at the park is often comparable to that of a sit-down restaurant in the area. The park also features nice wooded picnic areas near the parking lot that guests can use free of charge (Note from 2024: this has been closed for a few years and it’s unclear if the park will ever reopen them). Just be sure to leave your picnic baskets or ice chests in your car as they’re not allowed in the park (alternatively they can be stored at the building in the parking lot that was previously a gas station).

Visiting Six Flags over Texas in the summer months can be exhausting due to the brutal Texas heat. Staying hydrated can be a real challenge. Most permanent food stands offer free ice water on request, which is a much more economical option than buying several soft drinks throughout the day. Additionally, the park sells a hard plastic souvenir cup that not only offers the guest free refills for the rest of the day, but inexpensive refills for the rest of the season — a great deal for season pass holders.

Leave Your Cash at Home

Starting in 2020, Six Flags over Texas went cashless and no cash is accepted anywhere at the park. Outside the main gate and throughout the park are cash-to-card kiosks where you can convert your cash to a Six Flags giftcard.

Dealing with Inclement Weather

Rainy days offer both pros and cons when visiting the park. Inclement weather usually results in lighter crowds but at the cost of more rides being closed, and the added risk of the park closing altogether, a more frequent occurrence in recent years. While many rides continue to operate in light to moderate rain, lightning causes a much higher number of attractions to shut down for safety reasons.

All rides at Six Flags over Texas are assigned a code that corresponds to the severity of weather conditions that will cause them to shut down. Tall rides such as Texas SkyScreamer, Titan, Superman: Tower of Power, and Mr. Freeze are the first to shut down due to thunderstorms since they’re the biggest lightning rods. As a general rule, taller rides are the first to shut down in inclement weather conditions while smaller or indoor rides are the last to shut down.

To make inclement weather conditions work to your advantage, try to visit the park on an overcast or drizzly day that doesn’t have thunderstorms in the forecast.

Be Familiar with the Park Layout

If you’ve never been to the park, checking out the park map and familiarizing yourself with the layout can be a big help. The park’s layout can be confusing to Six Flags over Texas novices since various dead-ends and path restrictions exist due to the way the park expanded over the years.

Smoking at Six Flags over Texas

The park only allows smoking in special areas of the park that are designated by a blue border painted on the ground and blue benches. Additionally there is an city ordinance that prohibits smoking in lines or inside buildings.

Line Jumping

Line jumping is a serious offense at Six Flags over Texas that can result in being ejected from the park without a refund. The park defines line jumping as saving places in line or exiting the line and attempting to return for any reason. This includes going to the restroom and purchasing food/drinks, so ensure you do these activities before entering the line!