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An ACE digital event on December 18, 2025, featured Six Flags Corporate Producer Clayton Lawrence, who has been working with the entertainment and design area of parks for 21 years. Lawrence spoke about his background, starting as a life guard at California’s Great America (Santa Clara), where he served as a “greeter” to educate guests on the upcoming project, Boomerang Bay.
His career then led to stage management and production design for musicals, working through the execution of different shows, when his love for the entertainment side really grew. As his career progressed, he realized that he could combine his love of entertainment and roller coasters (at Great America, specifically), where the history and rides combine, bringing his skills and love to one place. While working for the park, he helped design and execute the Nickelodeon Celebration Parade, and later moved into department head.
That role gave Lawrence the opportunity to design the first Halloween Haunt Event for Great America. He created all the haunted mazes, attractions and shows for the park, year after year. He was in charge of producing the first Winterfest for the Cedar Fair chain. Knowing it was a template for other parks, he was under a lot of pressure to ensure a reproducible event.
During the next part of the program, Lawrence moved into a discussion of creating and producing rides, attractions, retail and restaurants. He knew his audience and brought in some specifics about roller coasters that are in the works. The process is grounded in story-based detailing and production. All attractions start with a story, and the story is where the creative team looks when things are changing and improving. He shared some awesome photos of everything from the South Bay Shores waterpark refresh through specific rides and buildings.
Lawrence described his job as “catching the creative football and running it down the field.” The team uses what he called “blue sky efforts” — dreaming big and thinking that nothing is impossible in the brainstorming phase.
In developing a story, the language and words are where the design begins, and then the images start to fall into place. The team pulls reference photos, considers color palettes, researches what is going to be applicable to the region of the park and considers how it will fit into the system. The design goes through many iterations. Size, colors and even location can change as the process moves forward. Lawrence shared that “it's not complete until it's complete” and that strategic decision making is part of change that happens throughout the process. The look of the track, the color mood palette and how guests are going to react are all part of the discussion.
When choosing colors, there has to be a balance, considering both the land and the other nearby rides, as well as the big picture, looking at the skyline and making sure that the connection of the coasters together is strong and engaging. Color options are a factor: possible fading in the hot sun and whether the colors will affect maintenance or operations.
The process of designing Tormenta: Rampaging Run, debuting at Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington) in 2026, was the example shared during the event. Lawrence explained why and how decisions were made and described the “aha” moment that resulted in the track being the horns of the bull and the supports being the rest of the bull. The rider experience was designed with the intent that riders would feel they were participating in the running of the bulls, with the over-the-shoulder harnesses being the vests worn in the event and the trains themselves being part of the system too.
Lawrence emphasized that the entire system is a collaborative process that is methodical and well thought out. He mentioned some of the current goals, using local history in creating areas and rides in the parks. The Aeronautica section of Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina) is based on First in Flight, which is a powerful legacy of North Carolina. And Dorney Park’s (Allentown, Pennsylvania) Iron Menace was inspired by the Bethlehem steel factories. Chupacabra’s theme at Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio) was pulled from local lore.
Lawrence’s job is all encompassing. He stressed that signage and graphics throughout all elements have to be cohesive. The same color palette and language are used throughout to ensure consistency of the guest experience. This has been evident in the current updates to the waterparks, which are being refurbished with intention. Color updates, stories and all buildings and elements have a purpose.
The team is always looking for contradictions, so nothing is added that doesn’t make sense or clashes with the original intent. With that in mind, Lawrence shared that trash cans are his favorite thing to design. He thinks about the design and what it will look like in place and shared photos of many he has had a hand in designing for different parks and rides.
Lawrence ended with a slide of a 2026 Top Secret Mission ... a Mr. Freeze restoration at Six Flags Over Texas, with updates, photos and sneak peeks!
ACEers were able to ask questions, get answers and learn more about the parks and rides they love. To join future digital events, which are free for all ACE members, keep an eye on the calendar at ridewithACE.com/events.
— Jes Niemiec, Digital Events Coordinator
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