Former Cedar Fair CEO (and Disneyland president) ‘discontented’ with post-merge Six Flags
Matt Ouimet, former CEO of Cedar Fair prior to the theme park company’s merger with Six Flags, expressed concerns for the corporation he used to lead.
Ouimet frequently posts business musings and reflections on his career as a theme park executive on his LinkedIn profile. Following the recent news of Six Flags CEO Richard Zimmerman resigning, Ouimet said, “I for one will remain discontented until additional leadership changes are made.” Regardless of who is Six Flags’ next CEO, Ouimet continued, “I can’t with good conscious endorse the role under the current board of directors’ makeup.”
Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation merged in 2024, forming a conglomerate of 56 theme parks and water parks. Zimmerman was CEO of Cedar Fair prior to the merge.
Ouimet was CEO and chairman of Cedar Fair from 2012-2017 (according to the Sandusky Register) and remained with its board of directors through 2023. Prior to his Cedar Fair tenure, Ouimet worked with Disney from 1989-2006, and at various points was president of Disneyland and Disney Cruise Line.
Ouimet intentionally retired from Cedar Fair just before he would’ve had to vote on the merger with Six Flags. In a LinkedIn post from earlier this summer, Ouimet wrote, “I recognized that I wasn’t up to watching talented colleagues being asked to exit in order to achieve the cost synergies that were promised to investors.”
In the year since the merge, Six Flags has removed park presidents from all locations, reduced its full-time staff by more than 10%, and announced the permanent closure of its park near Washington, D.C., Six Flags America. The company has also continued announcing and opening new attractions, most recently Speedway Stunt Coaster, opening at Six Flags México in 2026, and a suite of escape rooms themed to “The Conjuring” debuting a four former Cedar Fair parks this Halloween season.
Below is the transcript of Matt Ouimet’s full post in August 2025 about the future of Six Flags:
To paraphrase from Shakespeare’s play Richard III, now is the summer of discontent for regional parks.
Matt Ouimet, LinkedIn
Today’s announcement from Six Flags revealed the challenges of this season along with broader industry and merger challenges.
Richard Zimmerman is exiting the CEO position by the end of the year. For the record, Richard was a great partner with me during my time at Cedar Fair and someone I respect both professionally and personally. Sometimes these jobs are impossibly hard; the results don’t go in your favor; and the board decides to give someone else a shot at it. It never feels good, but those of us who have gone down this path know this risk going in.
Perhaps the weather will improve, and business results will turn positive, but I for one will remain discontented until additional leadership changes are made.
My former colleagues (at least the ones still there) deserve an impressive leader and whether that is an internal or external candidate I can’t with good conscious endorse the role under the current board of directors’ makeup. If the board doesn’t see the issue themselves, that is a problem.
When I sold all my stock after the merger, I told my financial advisor that part of my motivation was I didn’t want to care anymore. I failed at that.
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Anyone who attended a Six Flags park and a Cedar Fair park before the merger would have known a merger would not be good for Cedar Fair.
I wish people would stop calling ride parks, like 6 Flags, theme parks. Theme parks feature stories rather than technology. If all you see are coaster, regardless of the colors and the props scattered around it, it’s a ride park.