It's been 30 years since I lived in the Dallas area, but I remember when that area was just the old Arlington Stadium (Rangers baseball) it was shitty then, and I can't imagine it's much better with more stadium stuff going on there. A quick Google maps look confirms it looks pretty much the same as I recall in the neighborhoods around the stadiums.

I say go for the hotel, or do a VRBO in a nice neighborhood in Ft. Worth and drive the extra 20-30 minutes to Six Flags.

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''The enemy isn't conservatism. The enemy isn't liberalism. The enemy is bulls**t.''

—Lars-Erik Nelson

Live north of Arlington currently. I agree get a hotel. Dallas is really spread out so a 20 to 30 minute drive is common. 20 to 30 minutes from six flags should get you a decent hotel.

Like the Gaylord?

Sure or the Great Wolf lodge across the street. Kids may not want to go to Six Flags then

traffic is best in am/pm if you're going away from Dallas in AM and back to dallas in PM. from Fort Worth in AM/back to FTW in pm is a shitshow for traffic. North/South isn't too bad but I would stay out of FTW- tons of traffic and a lot of construction.
There's a Hilton on I-35 and Sylvan (I think) with a water park on the roof in Dallas as well as a cool hotel called the Belmont on Fort Worth Avenue in Oak Cliff. That's on I-30 on the west side of Downtown so it's closer to 6 flags. It's a cool old motor inn. Nothing too fancy but has a nice little pool and 2 story "hotel" rooms.