(Interview) Enchanted Parks CEO shares strategy for former Six Flags parks
Less than a year after acquiring six former Six Flags parks, Enchanted Parks based in Orlando, Fla., is focused on more than new rides and operational changes. According to CEO James Harhi, the company’s first year has been about laying a foundation built on employees, guest feedback and a long-term vision for growth.
Speaking with Attractions Magazine, Harhi described the transition period as “a learning year,” with significant changes taking place behind the scenes as the company establishes its own identity.
“We’ve had a lot of changes on the backend,” Harhi said. “Point of sale, operations … this is a learning year.”
Looking to Orlando for inspiration
As Enchanted Parks charts its own course, Harhi said he frequently studies the industry’s largest players to identify ideas that could translate to regional parks.
“The big parks are a testing ground,” he said.
Family trips to destination resorts often become opportunities for research. While the rest of his family experiences the attractions, Harhi finds himself observing how operations function behind the scenes.
“My family gets dragged around to various sites,” he said. “We’re having two very different experiences. I’m looking at maintenance and operations. How are they handling operations? Guest feedback? What does the guest want and identify?”
Harhi then considers which trends may be worth adapting at Enchanted Parks’ properties. Since Enchanted Parks is headquartered in the Orlando area, inspiration from the large theme parks and attractions naturally permeates within the team.
Regional parks create meaningful memories
Harhi’s own career in the attractions industry began at Walt Disney World, where he worked as a lifeguard. “It all started at Disney as a lifeguard there,” he said. “I got bit with the theme park bug.”
He credits that early experience with shaping his philosophy around the importance of creating memorable guest experiences.
Photo by Dani Meyering
“The moments that we create for the guests make me so excited,” Harhi said. “I did some military work and stuff, and it is just not as much fun. So I decided to come back to this industry. If you’re not having fun, you can’t sell fun.”
He believes regional parks hold a unique place in family traditions, creating memories that span generations. “You hear guests say, ‘I came here as a kid and now I’m bringing my kids here,'” Harhi said. “It’s very interesting and fulfilling.”
Becoming an employer of choice
While guests are at the center of the business, Harhi repeatedly returned to another priority: employees. He pointed to team members who have spent decades working at the parks, including some who started as teenagers and built lifelong careers.
“The passion around the parks — the employees have a passion,” Harhi said. “People who stayed since they were 16 years old, 20 or 30 years later.”
Courtesy of Enchanted Parks
Harhi said Enchanted Parks wants to build a reputation within the attractions industry. “The biggest thing to the industry is we want to be the employer of choice,” he said.
That means attracting strong talent, reducing turnover, supporting employees and their families, and ensuring team members have the tools they need to succeed.
“Happy employees are [creating] happy guests,” Harhi said. “It’s a circular model.” As Harhi shared this with me, memories of similar sentiments came to mind, from my time at Walt Disney World to my time at the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Courtesy of Enchanted Parks
Making difficult business decisions
One of the most visible changes for guests has been the elimination of legacy dining plans that had become popular under previous ownership. Harhi acknowledged that the decision has been difficult for some guests, particularly those who had built the plans into their vacation budgets.
“The most complicated thing we’re doing is we got away from the dining plan,” Harhi said. “We cannot continue to do what Six Flags did because these parks are not Six Flags.”
He added with a laugh, “I do not have a magic chicken tender tree.”
Instead, Enchanted Parks has focused on lowering prices where possible and investing resources elsewhere. “We know it’s painful,” Harhi said. “We feel long-term this is the right decision.”
As Enchanted Parks continues integrating its six former Six Flags properties, Harhi said the company remains committed to learning and evolving. “Continuous improvement is what drives me,” he said. Harhi emphasized operational excellence and future growth opportunities. “Watching employees grow and improve as well,” Harhi said. “Growing at the right time, additional acquisitions perhaps.”
For now, he views this first season as an important benchmark. Ultimately, Harhi said the goal remains simple: improve the parks, create better guest experiences, and positively impact the employees who make those moments possible.
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