To Be or Not to Be... A Ride Op?!

I've been thinking about getting a job (a first for me) at Kings Island this summer, but I'm not sure what I want to do (ride op or tickets maybe), what I'm allowed to do (do they hire first year at GR?), and what I'll be happy with in the end.

What I mean by the last part is if I'll think the job is worth it to me. I don't need the money, but I want a better job in the amusement industry in the future. I definitely want to be able to get time off whenever we want to go on a trip (planning a week for Florida and week for PA/NJ/NY).

I also like to know that I'm actually doing something great for the park. I want a job where it shows I care about and am proud of the park and helping them or helping people in general. These would be the same feelings I would have if I worked at Disney, CP, HW, or anywhere. Do ride ops get much appreciation with their jobs? Do you think of ride ops as in important aspect of the park? I don't know why I'm having so much trouble with this, but I'm really curious.

Thanks for all the help in advance!

Danny
-----------------
Past Perfect. Present Tense. Future Uncertain.
*** This post was edited by Koaster King 2/23/2003 3:55:00 AM ***

If I were you I'd ride op for a year, see how it goes, and go from there. I would prefer it over tickets, but if there is a "better" job such as public relations, than take it.

------------------
http://www.skiboards.cjb.net

Message boards for snow sports lovers! Come join!

I know this doesnt have to do much with being a ride op or ticket person, but my sister worked in games at Cedar Point and mainly said; a.) "There's so many stupid people" and b.) Once u turn 16, they work u open-close.
------------------
Well, I used to be able to see TTD from my house, then I moved.
Life's not fair.
*** This post was edited by TTDTom 2/23/2003 9:15:04 AM ***

I'd pick a ride op over tickets for one main reason. You're not sitting down all day. Ride op, you're constantly standing and walking around.

Other than that, you can hook up all your coaster buddies with backdoor rides ;)

------------------
"...they came like a winged curse. A twin plague of demonic dragons!" - Dueling Dragons

Yea hook 'em up and piss everyone in line off. Danny I'd send in an application, but that's not guarenteeing you a job. KI has been going around to school recruiting so your going to have competition to get the job. I'd go for it if you don't like it just quit

------------------
Joe Barnett
Forum Moderator/Editorial Writer
www.pkiunlimited.com

If your interested in a job, call up Human Resources and see if you can go up for an interview. Although they may just tell you to go to a job fair if theres one coming up soon, which i dont know if there is or not.

------------------
So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.

I'm doing Guest Relations at WDW right now. Love every moment of it. I've already worked as a custodial (at La Ronde) and attractions (Space Mountain/Star Tours at DLP).

Custodial is a lonely job. Not a whole lot of people to talk to and its can be bad if the bosses always watch your neck.

Attractions can be a stressy job. Children too small, people irritated after the line, breakdowns... and also this: you'll be working when others have fun. So keep this in mind.

What happens at the job fair and what kind of questions does the interviewer ask you?

I think I might decide to do it, but it would be nice to get some more views, especially from former ops.

-Danny

Once you are over 16 they work you open to close, probably no matter where you work (so I hear). But I know a couple ride ops, and they say it's really fun, and the time goes by a lot faster than you would think. I don't know too much about admissions, but it seems like a job you could get at a grocery store.

Well, what rides/coasters are really fun to work and which ones are a headache that I should avoid? I talked to someone a while back about Vortex (which would probably be my first choice), but they said they didn't like doing the FX Theatre and you hardly have any time to get a break with the capacity.

-Danny

Roller coasters are by far the best, then flumes and drop towers, then thirll rides, then flat rides, then kiddie rides. I dunno where simulators would fit.
*** This post was edited by ThrillChill 2/23/2003 12:30:14 PM ***

Oh Danny boy.....

If you want you summer free, but would like to work for PKI nonetheless, why don't you do their volunteer service in the spring? I'm pretty sure you either work in food or in admissions. It sounds fun, you don't get payed(but you said you didn't need the money), you're working for PKI, and you have your summer off! If you were to get a job there... I'd go for a ride op of the kiddie coasters. Little kids are fun to work with and aren't as hard as teens and up. Hope that helps!

-Charlie

------------------
You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.
-Galileo

That's a great idea about volunteering Charlie and I think it would be a lot of fun where I could go and do that whenever I wanted. The kiddie coasters like Reptar or Beastie are sounding more appealing to me for some reason and I don't know why. Maybe I do like working with kids and no we're not following up with any MJ jokes. ;)

-Danny
*** This post was edited by Koaster King 2/23/2003 2:11:27 PM ***

Working as a ride op is an enlightening experience, especially coming from the enthusiast side, because you are often more fascinated by the rides than anyone else.

Some of the most entertaining rides are smaller, non-descript ones.

Never have I felt so sure of my work than when I was a ride op. It was the only job that I have really felt comfortable with. I really felt like the perfect piece to the puzzle.

But that was me and not you...Try it, you may REALLY like it.

------------------
Think for yourself-Don't reley on someone else.

I'm applying for Rides at Paramount's Kings Dominion, and if it's like it is here, there is a pay decrease for working rides, I guess because it's a more desirable location to work in. From a fellow enthusiasts' standpoint, it seems like a lot of fun getting to be around and operate the rides you love, and if it ends up not being what I've envisioned it as, I can just quit. At PKD you can quit with a 2 week notice, so it doesn't seem like too bad of a hassle if it's not fun. Just give it a shot, find out if you like it.

GET A JOB AT CEDAR POINT!!! I worked there in '91-'93 and had a great time! I was on the last ever crew of the "original" Blue Streak before CP gave it a lobotomy. It's really great working there, the dorms were like $15 a week, food was great and cheap, and you don't have to commute!

And if you save up, get a couple days off, you have so many parks a few hours away to visit. Those summers me and my coaster buds went to Kennywood, KI, Geauga, Great America, etc. You got the best of a lot of worlds working at CP as a teen (or early 20's..) Just watch out for the "bad seed" pervs in management.

zombie,

Danny and I are good friends so I know he lives 4 hours away from Cedar Point. That'd be the longest day ever, 4 hrs in the morning, then after work 4 hrs back. You'd get about 2 hrs of sleep!

------------------
You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.
-Galileo

Do you enjoy being cussed out? Do you enjoy being spit on? Do you like knowing that the guests may physically attack you at any time?

Well, maybe it was just the park I worked at (SFA)?

Oh yeah, one day, they made me work the kiddie coaster for 13 hours straight!

Here is my experience as a Ride Op for a summer.

I was part of the Serial Thriller crew at SFWOA, the last year it was Geauga Lake. All in all I had a great summer, and would do it again. I would recommend that if you really need time off, and a lot of it, to make sure that's well known up front. If you sign on to work full time, and then try to get a few weeks off, it probably won't happen. Also, be aware that if you offer all your time to the park, you will spend it working. The summer I worked, the running joke was that it appeared that you had made a ton of money simply because you never had any time to spend it.

However, the job was fun. I did get probably 5-10 rides on my coaster per day. Another thing is I would not expect to be working a major ride immediately unless you've got experience. The policy at GL was that everyone started out in kiddie land, but people moved from there fast.

The worst thing however was to see the many ways people tried to get their kids onto rides they knew they were too short for.