Working at an amusement park as a ride operator has its ups and downs. The many ups are good, but the downs are bad and can even get ugly.
The Good-
Where I work all employees get amazing perks. With every paycheck we get a complimentary ticket to pass along or bring a friend on a day off. Along with a day off, if an employee wants to enjoy the park, they can do so for FREE! Every name badge is basically a season pass. The parking is also free with our pass. To top the free entrance, there is a 20 percent discount on almost everything and a very great discount on the paid attractions.
When you work with the same people all day, basically everyday, you become extremely close. I see my coworkers more that I see my own family. So basically, they are my new family.
The Bad-
Along with family comes love and hate. My crew and I have a majority of the days where everyone gets along great, but there are times where we want to strangle each other.
The guests...they are something else. Don't get me wrong. I love them. Without all the guests, I would be out a job and all alone eating ice cream out of the carton and binge watching Netflix. Just some of them like to argue everything. I'm sorry, I don't make the rules. I just have to tell you what they are and enforce them. Please don't get mad at me. Of course I happily listen to the complaints with a smile on my face, but in my head I'm screaming "shut up" and wishing they would just accept the rules with a smile as well.
The Ugly-
The weather! It's the worst. Picture a perfect summer day, sitting at the beach with a nice cold drink in your hand, or even spending a day riding rollercoasters at an amusement park. The sun beating down. It's 80-100 degrees outside. Just perfect. Yeah, well not when you have to stand at a ride and try the find any bit of shade you can while the sweat is just pouring down your face. It's amazing! Not. The opposite is just as bad too. A cold, rainy day with the wind blowing ... Yuck. Not only are those days bad because you're wet, but they are sooo boring! The guest are scarce and you're forced to stand around and wait for someone to just show up.
Overall, an amusement park is a great place to work. I have the time of my life while making great friends that I hope last a lot longer than this summer. Yes, you can always complain about the situation you're in, but fight through it and enjoy! I have made the best of what I have. I may have lost my free time because I'm working, but I have gained amazing friends and even better tan lines. I learned great customer service and how to work with a smile even on the worst days. Appreciate a worker. We want to have fun with you. So joke with us, smile, laugh. Help us workers make your day great and help us make great memories too.
