SANDUSKY — Cedar Fair LP said Monday that it has named a former Disney parks executive to replace president and chief executive Dick Kinzel, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Matthew A. Ouimet, 53, who has spent 17 years with the Walt Disney Co. and most recently was CEO of Corinthian Colleges, will become president of Cedar Fair immediately. When he was with Disney, he had several jobs, including senior vice president of finance and business development and chief financial officer, president of the Disney Cruise Line, and president of the Disneyland Resort.

Mr. Ouimet will replace Mr. Kinzel, 70, who has said he would retire on Jan. 3, 2012.

The hiring of Mr. Ouimet concludes a lengthy search for Mr. Kinzel’s replacement, who is stepping down after 25 years as head of the Cedar Fair, which owns Cedar Point and 10 other amusement parks, plus seven water parks. Mr. Kinzel has been under fire for more than a year from Cedar Fair’s biggest investor, two Texas hedge funds called Q Investments.

First Published June 20, 2011, 3:10 p.m.