Does anybody work @SFoG

I was wondering if anyone is a ride op at SFoG? I was wondering how much they get paid and how many days out ofthe week do they have to work? You can e-mail me at coolboy205@aol.com or just reply to this post. Thanx

Alex

Yes, a couple thousand people work at SFOG.

Ok, now to be serious, I know starting pay as a ride op at SFEG is like $6.25 or something, and I assume its the same at all parks.

How about to add to this thread, does anyone ride op at SFWoA? I was thinking of getting a job there this summer and had some questions for someone that may have worked there in past years.

I have worked there two seasons now, and starting pay is 6 bucks an hour, and you get a raise if you are promoted to a foreman or assistant foreman at a ride. You are paid more in other departments such as entertainment, security, food & bev. Expect to work more than 40 hours a week consistantly throughout the summer.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

What park is this GP, SFoG or WoA?

Do you pick the rides you want or do they just assign them? What type of training do you have to have? Does Six Flags have any way for out-of-state people to work for a summer? What is the minimum age to be a ride operator? Is there any chance that a friend or relative would be on your crew with you?

These questions are mostly about SFOT, but I'm sure the whole SF chain basically has the same policies.

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Am I really that shy?

Ride operator age varies between parks, from being 16 with a drivers lisence to be at the controls at some parks (SF mostly, and smaller parks too), to Cedar Fair, where at Knotts you have to be 18 or older and have already graduated from High school, or gotten a GED, just to pull up on some Lap Bars, assign seats, and interact with the guests (Ride op and ride attendent are the same position here, but newbies just check restraints for awhile until the lead tells his/her boss that that person is trained, skilled and responsible enough to run the ride at the contols). Disney is the same.

I was talking about SFOG.

I don't know of any employee housing, but contact the park's HR department (which can be found on the official website).

You pick your rides based on shift availability. There are a set number of slots for each shift at each ride (day, swing, night). Go with day shift if you can. If all slots at a ride are full, you can't work there. But SFOG is divided into section (and most parks are), so ask if you can work at a ride in the same section. You'll probably be cross-trained as an attendent at each ride in the section, and will get a chance to work there. Example: If you wanted to work at SUF but all slots were full, go work at Hanson Cars, Ninja, or GASM. If they need extra employees, you're more likely to be pulled if you're in the same section.

ADVICE: the most popular rides aren't necessarily the most fun to work at. For instance I had a BLAST working at FreeFall and Log Flume... way more than at the coasters (except possibly SUF). Thunder River is gigantic as far as rides crews go because theres so much to do. If you want variety, opt for a water ride (flume or rapids ride).

Training is pretty simple as an attendent. Take a short test and you're certified. Each ride has its own set of tests, ranging from attendent to operator. At SFOG, we're sort of different in that our tests are pretty dang hard (GASM took me about three hours). Almost all of the questions are essay format. Must make a 90 or above to pass, or you have to retake the test. Not just anyone can take them... you have to show initiative and maturity, which is not hard if you just try hard at your job.

If enough slots are open friends can work together at a ride (it's somewhat encouraged; but don't goof off). Relatives can work at the same ride, but should one family member become an in-charge/operator, then the other member cannot work at the same ride. This is to prevent possible favoritism and other conflicts.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a good attitude. That will take you places and set you apart from others.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Thanks! That helped me to understood it a lot better.

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Am I really that shy?

Thanks for the advice; I'm working at SFNE in 2004: the first season I'm 16. I want to try to get a spot on B: DK, Flashback or Tomahawk because B: DK's seatbelts are easy and on Flashback and Tomahawk, seat belts are non-existant.

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SFNE Central- Online Six Flags New England Resource
Devoted Intamin Lover for Life!

Yeah Iam Thinking about working at SFGAm in 2004 or 2005 this is all very intresing though.

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22 diffrent coasters ridden this year

I work at SFWoA as a ride op. You can e-mail me at Jesmcsel@msn.com if you have questions about being a ride op at the park.

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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure 2002 Ride-Ops Crew (Have Fun Trying To Find Me!)

Your state may also have age regulations for ride operators. For example, North Carolina requires that a person must be at least 18 years old to operate a ride, while South Carolina is 16 years old. This presents an interesting situation at Carowinds, so some people can only work rides on one side of the park. Then the park may impose its own rules, such as Carowinds requiring a person to be 18 to work Top Gun even though it is in the South Carolina side of the park.

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Jonathan Hawkins
Starcoasters.com
"There is a cluster of bees at the top of the lift. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Hey General Public, how much do foremans and asst. foremans make an hour? I think they said they'd make me foreman, so I want to know how much they get paid. Thanx

I think you have to work there awhile before getting promoted to foreman. It would only make sense.

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Rob

"Some people spend an entire LIFETIME wondering if they made a DIFFERENCE. The MARINES don't have that problem." -President Reagan 1985

They said because of my great thinking skills and fast reactions I'd be foreman.

Still, you don't instantly get put into a management position without having some experience in there. Sometimes it may not take that long. However, I doubt they'd just hire you into management, unless that was the position they were hiring for. I'm sure they have many qualified candidates for a management position without the need to hire directly.

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"If two coaster trains almost hit each other, why is it called a near miss and not a near hit?"

Foremen make 6.50 or 7.00 an hour, I forget which. It may have gone up since I was there. Maybe asst. foremen make 6.50 and foremen make 7.00. Inquire within at your interview. If you work on the railroad, driving the steam engines, you make 8.00/hr., and get every other hour off, paid. That's the sweetest job in rides IMO.

I haven't heard of the park making someone a foreman without prior experience. I think they meant that if you do well at your ride there's a significant chance to be moved up into that position. Here's the heirarchy:

7. Senior supervisors

6. Supervisors

5. Foremen

4. Asst. Foremen

3. 3rd In-Charges

2. In-Charges

1. Attendents (non-operating position)

Also keep in mind that you have to be 18 to be a certified operator (in-charge & above) at Deja Vu and SUF, but attendents are allowed to be 16. There is a heirarchy of rides, rating them from "beginner" foreman rides to "veteran" foremen rides. For instance, Acrophobia is a low level ride, because it's pretty easy to operate. Log Flume and the Mine Train, Thunder River, surprisingly, are higher rides because they need more experienced foremen to run them (especially TR).

Don't plan on being a foreman right off. You have to work your way up to it. You have to prove to the park you can handle the responsibility... and believe me, nothing in the world, including being the world's biggest know-it-all enthusiast, will prepare you for working at a ride. You just have to do it to see.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

I worked at SFEG and got promoted to trainer halfway through the year. I was then offered a management position for this year. Wow, GeneralPublic, it sounds like your training tests are a lot more complicated than ours. For ours, it is basically the same test but you have to change it for height requirement, number of riders, etc. Anyway, being a ride-op is the most fun I have had in a summer in a long time. You just have to make sure you apporach it with an open mind and make sure you are having a good time with guests.

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"Standing in line to see the show tonight and there's a light on, heavy glow, by the way I tried to say I'd be there."-The Red Hot Chili Peppers