2009 Name Badges

I really liked the old name badges that told where the employee was from. To me they were much more interesting than the ones this year that state the number of years of service.

I really don't see why it is interesting to know that it is someone's first year of service, second year or whatever.

I would like to see a return to the previous name badges.

I liked the ones that told where people came from too!

When I am entering a ride, any ride, let's say Wildcat - this is a real example.

There is only one person operating the load and launch location.

This person (I forget her name) is a 1st year. - It said so on her tag.- The day I remember - it was July 25, 2009.

She was handling the cars remarkably well. Telling people to enter into the car. Latching the lap bars, checking the seat belts, walking over to the control panel, checking the lap bars again, checking the seatbelts again, launching the train.

I commented to her, that she was doing a great job. It was 4:30pm, she said, Thanks - I have only been here since 11:30. Isn't it almost lunch time, that's 5 hours.

That's a great attitude for a 1st year, I think you expect more from people who have been there longer. I like to know many years they have been there, they should be proud of that.

I personally was really surprised and disappointed to see the change on the tags this year. I think they just took away a big part of customer interaction with the employees, something that usually made both the guest and the employee a little happier even if just momentarily. I can't tell you how many times during my two summers I had conversations with guests about my home town or the NE Indiana/NW Ohio area when people from there recognized the name of the town (and last year, school) on my tag. To me it is one of those little things that you don't realize helps the guest experience until its gone, and those little things can sometimes be a big help.

Well not all the interaction with staff was as positive as you might think. Several International employees had comments directed at them based on their county. On the flip side some people think you don't know anything because this is your first year.

They took that away because half the employees are from third world countries. They get stereotyped working at parks like Cedar Point.

I don't know about all of you but i really dislike the new uniform that all the ride ops are wearing. I miss the old polo t-shirts. Whats up with the blue wings on their shoulders anyways? Every time i see them i keep thinking im at Kings Island.

I don't know what everbody else thinks but I think the uniforms should be more dressy. Somthing that flight attendents wear. It seems more professional but I think ride hosts would hate it. At least have a forest Green shirt and kaki shorts/pants for the Western themed parts of Cedar Fair theme parks. (Rivertown KI, Frontier Town CP, Ghostown NBF etc.)

I think the name tag change was really stupid this year. Perhaps it implies some kind of pecking order among employees, but who cares? Red, blue and green are ultimately the only thing you had to worry about.

It was always fun to see when someone from my school was working and I could b.s. about what dorm they live in or whatever. Or perhaps they were from another country and you could ask how they liked it here. We had so many good conversations at Disney World last fall because of the location tags, especially with servers. Diana noticed the change immediately this year, and found it disappointing.

I definitely prefer the old name tags too.It was fun to see where they were from,and when it was someone around where you live it was easy to talk to them.Was also alot easier to remember who works on what ride because you would remember the country with the name.Im at CP at least once a week and its cool to get to know some ride ops.Just like the old name tags better,and the ride ops that Ive become friends with over the last couple years also said they liked the old ones better.

My dad and I once met an employee with Palau on his name tag. My dad asked him about Palau, and it was very interesting speaking with him.

ChrisC. said:
They took that away because half the employees are from third world countries. They get stereotyped working at parks like Cedar Point.

Like people don't do that just by looking at them? I liked the old ones better.

I think your definition and everyone else's definition of "third world" are very different.

I liked the old name tags much better, and everyone else I know does too. The seasons of service don't really mean anything to the guests, where as printing where the employee was from was the basis for many guest-employee interactions. I hope it gets changed back for next season.

I liked to old ones too. I especially liked knowing were the internationals came from. One ride host I talked to was from the town my dad was born in the old country. I probably wouldn't have talked to her with the new tags.

@ Chris C: HAHAHA... What?

I do know several ride hosts who were stalked on Facebook last season, perhaps that would be a reason?