Leland Wykoff

The Orange County Register has an insightful article discussing the aggressive and unwise discounting Six Flags has undertaken. It is worth noting Cedar Fair had years of experience holding pricing power and raising revenues thru careful pricing strategies. The current fire sale on season passes damages the product, experience, and future expansion and capital investment as well as sets a new low floor price and trains guests to expect extraordinary cheap admissions moving forward. Additionally, Cedar Fair sets itself up for having to potentially take massive write downs on assets as they may not be able to generate expected economic returns. An example of which we saw when Cedar Fair recorded the write down and impairment of the Schlitterbahn water parks in Texas. Following the $261 million acquisition, Cedar Fair folded the Schlitterbahn Resorts into its annual pass program. This substantially reducing the average gate and admission revenues. Resulting, it is believed, in the impairment of value. Beware such discounting. Six Flags is slashing season pass prices it is aggressively adding up-charges for park experiences such as Halloween attractions and haunts. Freddy Krueger sinks yet another knife into the backs and purses of season pass holders. Frightening financial developments: https://www.ocregister.com/2025/08/12/niles-is-six-flags-cutting-ticket-prices-by-too-much/

Even the hometown paper, The Sandusky Register, is stating Zimmerman was let go due to poor performance: https://sanduskyregister.com/news/616158/six-flags-ousts-ceo/ Once again Cedar/Six blamed 'the weather':for dismal performance. This after touting the merger as the hedge against weather events. Good riddance to Richard. He, and his team, mucked up the transition and integration of Six Flags from day one. One poor decision following upon poor decision. Much of the promised cost cutting and savings was accomplished by simply removing significant Park assets and rides without warning. This has resulted in reluctance of guests to purchase full priced season passes as they have no confidence in what rides, shows, and seasonal events will still be in offered the parks next season. People are being asked to buy a pig-in-a-poke. And the result is they aren't buying. At least the board took action rather quickly. With luck a qualified successor will be quickly located and hired and 'Lil Dick can be sent packing early. Pitiful.

Six Flags Entertainment seems to be suffering a serious lack of management ability to construct and operate new and refurbished rides. If Cedar Point management hoped Siren's Curse would eclipse memories of the failure of Top Thrill II to properly launch last season, they were sorely mistaken. Current management seem experated in efforts to introduce quality rides on time, within budget, displaying acceptable reliability, and pleasing park visitors. Management has shown a frightening skill removing, closing, and discontuing attractions. Note such closures require limited management skills. https://nypost.com/2025/07/28/us-news/cedar-points-sirens-curse-rollercoaster-breaks-down-for-4th-time-since-opening-forcing-riders-to-scale-down-160-foot-tall-curve-video/?utm_source=aol&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=referral

Orange County Register today publishes an article pointing out a possible closure date for Californias Great America following the Halloween season in 2027. https://www.ocregister.com/2025/06/20/californias-great-america-could-close-after-2027-season/

The Toledo Blade has an informative article about the explosive growth and employment of international workforces in the Amusement Park Industry: https://www.toledoblade.com/business/labor/2025/06/12/group-promote-international-work-exchange-program-cedar-point/stories/20250606115

Dollywood, as part of its 40th Anniversary, has produced a video featuring Executive Chef Bobby Brown, detailing how the famous Cinnamon Bread at the Gris Mill is produced. The report indicates 3,000 units can be sold per day. Selling for $14.39 per loaf, including taxes, Cinnamon Bread can generate daily revenues of $43,170.00! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19H6hou7fd/

Here is an open story, which includes Ouimett's quotes: https://www.amusementsource.media/news/2025/5/24/more-six-flags-cuts-all-park-president-positions-eliminated-former-cedar-fair-ceo-responds

Former CEO Matt Ouimet offered his views on the routing of tenured leadership at the merged Cedar Fair/Six Flags. Ouimet indicates he retired and left Cedar Fair a year prior to the merger to avoid being a part of the cost cutting dismissals of top leadership. This Orange County Register article covers Ouimett's statements in its broad article reporting on the elimination of the Park President positions across the entire Six Flags Entertainment chain: https://www.ocregister.com/2025/05/23/six-flags-lays-off-knotts-and-magic-mountain-presidents/

Attractions Magazine has quite an interesting story reporting on the Six Flags Investor Day at Cedar Point (see link below). Six Flags outlined aggressive growth in attendance, season pass sales, expanded food and beverage revenues, significant increases on in park spending, festival/special event growth, among other plans for revenue enhancement. Six Flags was also reported by Attractions Magazine to recommitting to continued cost reductions in coming seasons in the $50-60 million dollar range for the next two years. At the time of the Merger Six Flags/Cedar Fair management assured the investor community serious operating cost reductions and synergies were planned. However, the markets seem to have been disappointed in the delivery of these promised reductions. It appears, to some investors, the bulk of the savings have been achieved simply by tearing down and/or removing significant marque rides and attractions from multiple parks. In other words, by simply discontinuing operating the stock-and-trade of the amusement park industry--landmark rides. Investors question the wisdom of simply reducing attraction inventory to achieve cost reductions. Particularly given most of the removals occured with little or no warning at the close of last season. No revenue producing final season fanfare, or collector merchandise, or send off celebrations. Hasty closures suggests management may have been having difficulties delivering on the promised cost savings. Absent in the Attractive article was a deep dive into how Six Flags proposed to increase revenues across its many hotel, campground, and resort hotel properties. If Six Flags covered this area it must not have been impressive enough to merit mention. Enjoy the read: https://attractionsmagazine.com/six-flags-entertainment-future-focus-investor-day/

Interesting article exploring the evolving food and beverage service and offerings, particularly from the perspective of kitchen equipment and labor reduction techniques: https://fesmag.com/topics/trends/22740-amusement-parks-make-major-f-b-investments

Take a look at this excellent video for updates and progress at Dollywood as they get ready to celebrate their 40th Anniversary: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FQdsg62cQ/

Six Flags gets a mention on Saturday Night Live Weekend Update news section https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BVo97f6Rs/

Six Flags Entertainment has announced $5.00 per hour wage cuts for many seasonal employees. It appears Cedar Point will rely upon even more J-1:workers. The Sandusky Register has published a scathing editorial: https://sanduskyregister.com/news/560392/welcome-to-america/

Universal has entered a quiet period surrounding planning and negotiating Theme Park assets near Bedford: Universal in talks with government over UK theme park | blooloop

Appeals Court holds Cedar Fair did not violate the Americans with Disability Act when it refused to let a blind man operate a bumper car without assistance. Further, the court ruled Cedar Fair had no duty to provide assistance to the blind man by providing an Sherpa for the experience: Appeals court sides with amusement park operator over blind man on bumper cars | St. Louis Record (stlrecord.com)