A '96 employee speaks...

I was part of Cedar Point's staff for the year of 1996 at the age of 20. Recently, I decided to look into reapplying. However, every past experience came to mind. I wanted to share with all of you my experience, especially to anyone considering applying to work at the park. I demand you read thoroughly and without omision should you choose to respond. Also, do not attempt to inquire of anyone's names, as I am intentionally withholding them despite the passage of time.

At the age of 20, I read in my local newspaper in Parkersburg, West Virginia, that representative for Cedar Point were coming to town for a recruitment drive. Many of my friends and I stood up all night, as we weren't really morning people at that time, and we went in and applied. I had no forewarning that long hair was unacceptable for males to bear. This is where most of my friends walked out of the hotel hosting the drive. My two best friends and myself remained. I knew that I could impress the recruiters enough by promising to chop my hair off as did my friends. We were successful, but looking back, we were quite ignorant as to what was in store for us.

I arrived days after one of my friends before the park's opening, with the other arriving a few weeks afterwards. I was given the opportunity to live on-point, at Cedars, or off-point. Considering that I didn't own a car, and that I had no clue of the housing conditions, I chose Cedars out of convenience. Now, I had never lived on a peninsula, though I had lived on the Island of Minorca, Spain as a child. Still, I was unprepared for the initial cold weather in April. As much as I have read most of you complain about the heat, the cold seriously affected me.

After a few days of sleeping in a room with two bunk beds, I would wake up in the middle of the night noticing that my breath was visible in the cold air. It began to take a serious toll on my health, but I was unaware of the full spectrum. I contacted my incoming friend to bring me some additional blankets, an electric blanket and sweat clothes and warned him to do the same. Regardless that I slept with over 5 lbs of fabric and a heated blanket, the cold continued to affect me.

One morning, I awoke by my friend slapping me. I don't even remember feeling his hand striking me, as I was so numb. He brought a mirror to me, and though my eyes weren't fully awakened, even I could see how pale I had become. I immediately contacted my department to notify them that I was to go to the nursing station for a check-up. I was given attitude over the phone, as there was a bit of an absence problem happening at that time by those who were just not interested in working. I was not one of those children, so I dismissed the displaced criticism and prepared to make my way to get some help.

Upon entering the nursing station, I was ridiculed by one of the nurses almost immediately before giving my name and stating my concerns. The station was packed with employees all claiming symptoms or injuries. At one point, he handed me a clipboard and walked away a moment. I examined it, thinking it was a form for me to fill out. All of a sudden, he grabs it from my hands and begins to scream at me. After putting him in his place, another nurse came to take a look at me. She concluded that there was nothing wrong with me, outside of needing more rest. I am and have always been an 8-hour sleeper. With the long working days, which I usually only got one day a week off (most get two so I was told), I usually went back to my room, ate and went to sleep immediately outside of a session of PlayStation for an hour. I was usually too exhausted to party, though I was cleaning up my act at the time. I'm approaching 10 years of clean sobriety this year.

My friends insisted that I seek a week's leave to head home and see my family doctor. Luckily, one of our neighbors had decided to quit and he would be passing through my town. I caught the ride and arrived home. My parents took one look at me and called our doctor, who wasn't in his office, for an emergency appointment. After arriving and a simple, basic examination, he easily concluded that I had developed pneumonia. I had never had it in my life until this point. Though my body was kept warm at nights in Cedars, my lungs still inhaled the cold, frigid air.

After receiving antibiotics and resting at home for a few days in a much warmer climate, I caught another convenient ride back to the park, though it was 3 days ahead of my leave's completion. So, I pretty much sat in the lounge most of the time to keep warm, per my doctor's instructions. Fortunately, the weather was turning from freezing nights to hot and humid about this time.

Now, some of you who are unaware of Cedars are probably asking yourselves: Why didn't I get a heater? Well, according to the housing authority at the time, any portable heater, including self-contained oil models, are a definite fire hazard. So, I could freeze or burn, but I couldn't be comfortable. This is the way Cedar Point housing is. You will be inconvenienced no matter where you choose. I do not know if portable heaters are now allowed in Cedars, but unless that has changed, I don't care if you heard the place is the best, though it was much more quiet than off-point, do not reside there.

To pause for a moment and reflect on the housing, if you are seriously wishing to drive 5-20 hours to Cedar Point to work, then please find an apartment elsewhere. Come at least 2 months in advance to look, before others attempt to secure all open housing. There are plenty of guides of pros and cons on what each housing type offers and imposes to those seeking residence. Personally, I hope someone takes a molotov cocktail in the off-season to Cedars. The company doesn't care about your well being at all. As long as you can work, they're content. The moment you need something that requires a bit of effort on their part, say a temporary leave of absense due to health or family issues, then expect their false smiles to fade and the true eyes of greed and power to knock you back. To those who say that you don't live in your rooms, I was there to make money, not waste it.

I wasn't the only one having issues, and I'll state the most memorable example, as there are way too many to mention. I remember one girl who's father died. She was a friend of a neighbor. Of course, she made immediate plans to go home, but unlike my department, she was having difficulty gaining the leave. Excuse me just a moment here, but in any job, even the military outside of wartime, the death of an immediate family member is grounds for instant leave without any questions. They were grilling her constantly, even when she visited Cedars. She was in tears often, but she wanted to lay her father to rest as well as return back to the Point afterwards. You would think common sense would come into play here, and whomever was being the idiot in the office would realize that her promise to come back should shine upon her determination despite such a crisis. Finally, after spending 2 days (yes, two whole days) fighting with her department, she decided to pack her bags and leave. My "Cedar Point Pride" was fading more and more.

Though the temperature situation had improved, along with having a few fans, a fiasco at my job began. One day, the manager forbid anyone going near the cash box. He and another employee, who was my rival in the bid to become a supervisor, were counting the box repeatively. We were quite busy, so I disregarded whatever they were doing and kept working. Finally, the announcement came that a substancial amount of cash was missing.

That same evening, all members of our team were called to a private meeting. The point was to get whomever was responsible to confess. I took it upon myself to speak the loudest, as I knew that total silence would mean the level of trust and fun would leave our daily routine. Obviously, no one claimed responsibility, so precautions were instilled about dropping cash into the box. Personally, I never understood why a lock wasn't on the box ever until that point.

The police began questioning everyone. Finally, my turn came, but as the officer and I got near the station, I had just realized that I was the last to be interviewed. I knew that I was the prime suspect at that point, though I still swear that I never stole the money to this day (read on). The officer put me into an interrogation room. On the table was a confession form. The officer begans verbally assaulting me with provoking gestures with the claims that I stole the money. I sat there in disbelief, and continuously professed my innocence. Then, he pulls a copy of my rival's ID marked "eyewitness". That son of a...anyway, I told the officer to charge me or I was leaving to return to work. For the record, neither my rival or I got the supervisor positions, but at least they gave it to a great pair of workers.

Though they had only this so-called eyewitness to testify against me, there wasn't enough evidence for an arraignment. They had searched my room, interviewed my roommates, neighbors and hometown friends. The police came up with nothing. I would have been shocked if anything to the contrary had occured. So, I was labeled a thief, though I had no clue who took the money. Afterwards, another co-worker was accused. This time, they arrested and imprisoned him. He was bailed out shortly thereafter, had the charges dismissed and went home. He too was innocent. I learned much later that my rival turned out to be the true thief.

Since I had this label on me, I was yanked from my designated work area. The excuse given to me was that the other areas were lacking staff from a larger than usual quitting spree. Mind you, I was handling cash again, so I took it as an opportunity to earn my peer's trust back. However, one of my department heads took it upon himself to verbally belittle me at any opportunity, even in the attendance of customers. That's just bad management and completely unprofessional. The lectures and unwarranted scoldings became more and more frequent by this person.

Finally, I decided to ask myself: Why am I here and what has this job done for me? Well, I was to make money, but I wasn't aware that your weekly check will be drained constantly. I had to borrow money from the folks to eat at times, though I could use my ID to buy meals against my future checks, I didn't wish to make my debt to the park even greater. I contracted pneumonia, was away from my fiance at the time, had nearly been arrested, lost all faith of my peers because of another's actions and had a boss who wanted me to quit. So, I did after two months of employment.

Do not think that I didn't attempt to resolve the matter. I made much effort to speak with this supervisor on how we can put this cloud of distrust to rest. He was simply unresponsive. Personally, I felt he enjoyed having me around to vent his frustration upon too much to the point of being sadistic. The damage was done at my expense. I had sacrificed so much and earned nothing. Also, they attempted to lay claim that I was fired. Upon speaking with an attorney, they changed their tune, and I'm officially listed as having quit.

Now, some of you may say that I had a long series of bad luck, and you'd be absolutely correct. If my co-worker hadn't robbed our area, then I feel that I would have remained on until the end of my contract. However, if that hadn't happened, I still did suffer some poor health for a time. Unless Cedar Point takes employee housing seriously, and it would take a criminal or divine act for it to happen, I advise anyone seeking employment to gain a private residence if possible.

Would I ever return? I doubt they would take me back should they remember me, though I'm certain most of the department staff has changed in 10 years. If I would ever be welcomed back, then I would insist on a heater for my room in Cedars. Yes, I would choose Cedars, as I would get no rest in Commons, as this is well-documented. Plus, they now allow air conditioners, and I just so happen to own a window unit. However, I find it shocking that given the massive hall space, no one ever thought of placing lockers in Cedars. Since my time at Cedar Point, I managed a hotel for 7 years, so I would be interested in a position in housing. Though my PlayStation is history, I don't think I could bring my DS and ensure my possession of it. Yes, I'm a true gamer.

Regardless, this was my experience. Talk amongst yourselves.
*** Edited 5/4/2006 8:08:10 AM UTC by The Spade***
*** Edited 5/4/2006 8:15:20 AM UTC by The Spade***

Well, I am not surprised by your experiences in housing and I am skeptical but not to the point of disbelief about your run in with the nurses station.

But, I am curious after all of that why you would want to go back at all...particularly at 30 years old.

And Cedars is now not open untill Mid-End May and Closes towards the end of Aug. Same as Gold Houseing

I remember that season. It was a mess. Me had the old nametames back then and if you lost it sometimes it took a while to get a new one So a lot of orange tags started appearing. But what I remember most from that season is all the trouble going on. Drug raids, fights etc. People quiting left and right. At one time I heard that an average of 8 employees prossed out a day. That season the arrests got so bad the the Lorain Morning Journal or whatever that papers called ran a lead story that 64 employees were arrested in on week. I heard rumors that we we so short staffed that people who were terminated were asked to comeback.

Back them Cedars was open all during the season and since the season was over in early October you didn't have to move unless you were staying for post season work.

I think if 1996 was my first season I would not have come back. But it was my fifth and somehow I survived. It wasn't all bad as I did manage to set a personal record for most coaster rides in a season and got to Geauga Lake for the first time since 1983.

Yes, the fights and drug raids I remember well. Though I didn't want to dwell on so many bad aspects, as I would be writing a short novel, the raids hit the two rooms I resided in. So many rooms were interrupted from sleep in the early morning hours due to anonymous tips by a team with a drug-sniffing dog. One of my two best friends had many more raids in his room than any I ever heard of, though they never found anything. Mind you, I never had possession of any drugs during my tenure there, as I had began my clean-up months before.

Andd yes, the turnaround for employees was extreme. There were so many new faces coming and going too fast. I still find it humorous that our bosses kept telling us to have faith in the job. I have faith in God, but a job? Never, let alone that job of all places.

I apparently missed the comments by some of you that Cedars is now closed during the cold weeks. I'm guessing I wasn't alone in needing medical attention because of it. Perhaps one of those who claimed a lawsuit during my time held true to their goal and helped change that. I would expect many wish to pour out of Commons when Cedars does open.

To answer Chief Wahoo's inquiries, yes, I described exactly what happened with my entrance into the nursing station. Perhaps, standards have changed. At least, I hope they did, or I feel for anyone needing treatment being told "you're fine." As for the question of why would I come back? Well, that is a good one. The answer is that I really don't know. If I were to be able to score an apartment, then I would consider it. Through all the headaches, outside of the theft incident and the (Censored!) from the office, the job was fun.
*** Edited 5/5/2006 3:04:34 AM UTC by The Spade***

That sounds like a horrible year you had there. I've always debated and am actually still considering throwing away a summer to come work for CP and see what its like. I'm 21 now so I think I would feel old. But, I've had my own apartment for 3 years now and I don't think I could go back to living in dorms. But the thing is, $6.25/hour is not going to pay for an apartment, let alone food and other necessary living expenses. Plus I'm getting married in July so I'd have to have a place for my wife.

Kinda makes me wish I would've heard about CP when I was younger so I could've come worked there when I was 16 or 17.

Do they still offer the end of contract bonus? And if so are they still famous for trying to terminate people a week before their contract is up?

Disney Mike said:
Do they still offer the end of contract bonus? And if so are they still famous for trying to terminate people a week before their contract is up?

Ha! "Still famous"..love it!

I was full time at Cedar Point in the 90's and I can GUARANTEE you that there was no program by which we were encouraged to terminate employees just to not have to give out their bonuses.

On the contrary. I would bend over backwards to keep employees. I had kids come into my office and tell me they were quitting with a week to go on their contracts and possibly $1000 or more of bonus waiting. I'd be like, "hey...if you work the next five days you are getting $1000." They'd quit anyway.

I had employees who would bend me over a chair (ie come in late, call in sick, leave early) and I still did everything not to fire them because I was screwed in terms of staffing.

The fire before the bonus thing is a myth. Anyone who got fired towards the end of the year was likely a major f**k up and there was no other choice but to fire him/her.

Chief Wahoo said:

But, I am curious after all of that why you would want to go back at all...particularly at 30 years old.

Sometimes you just love the park that much. Despite the ups and downs of working there.

As much as I loved the park I'm pretty sure my wife wouldn't be too keen on my giving up on health insurance to take a job that pays $6.75 per hour.

Now, I understand the job market ain't pretty in Ohio right now so that my explain some of it.

Who hangs on to this for ten years?

Well, if things were that bad then I wouldn't even think about returning.

I shouldn't have taken it so seriously but I get a bug up my arse when I hear kids say they fire people just to avoid paying the bonus. That is absurd.

I was a Housing Supervisor at Cedars in '96,...and YES...it was possibly the worst year for crime, employee turnover rate, etc. There was never a boring moment. Several area newspapers wrote articles on the turnover rate that summer including the Lorain, Sandusky and Toledo newspapers. Sadly, the Housing office did absolutely nothing to support their staff that year either. We were sort of the "middle man" as it were and could not rely on "our" management to fully support us 200%. There were several occasions where they would illegally search rooms, etc. after jumping to conclusions and racial profiling. We would repeatedly tell them to follow proper legal procedure (i.e. ASK the police) unless they wanted a lawsuit,..but again..what did we know? We were only "the middle man",..so the brunt of the anger and fury came back to "us". I felt unsafe on several occasions and I fondly remember my parents pleading with me to quit.

As far as the First Aid staff,...yes they were rude, condescending and petty that year. I passed out at work and vomited due to heat exhaustion and the nurse laughed at me, calling me a sissy and told me that I "probably had plans and just wanted to leave work for the day". She then reprimanded me, called my boss and told her I was lying. Let's see...I had 2nd degree sunburn and was hospitalized on my day off at Firelands...I came back to work with a doctor's note to excuse me for 1 shift. My boss said that the doctors note was inexcusable and that I would be at work ON TIME or be written up. Did she NOT see my blistered face? LOL! Huh? What what what?

On the PLUS SIDE that summer...that is probably the year that I made the MOST friends at Cedars and they definitely helped me bear the brunt of the pain by letting me vent to them as they stood at my desk. Priceless.

Chief Wahoo said:
...giving up on health insurance to take a job that pays $6.75 per hour.

Seems the job market is becoming more and more like that everyday in this country.

Wow, after reading that first long post...it just goes to show things don't change at CP. Innocent people are accused of crimes they did not commit. Employees being blown off by the medical staff. Yeah sounds like CP alright. You were there for one season, and experienced a lot. In the three years I worked at CP, I was in rides and saw a lot of things. Not so much people being accused of stealing, but of doing things, or saying somthing, which in reality was totally false. Management will only listen to who they want to and believe who they want to. It doesn't matter if you have 5 eye witnesses. If management has 1 person who they like who says otherwise...then you are screwed. And to comment on the fact that CP tries to fire you before your contract ends so they don't have to pay you your bonus, that isn't totally false. What they do is look at every move you make, and if you look left for 1 second when you were supposed to look right, then they get you there. They tried to write me up for insabordination...because I was playing in the park on my day off. Yea they tried that. So if they want to get you fired they will find a way to do it. They'll put you somewhere difficult to work, (ie Mantis, or Chaos).

Spade, if you wanted to go back to CP, good luck with that. You don't make much in any department, unless you are waiting tables....then I would suggest Famous Daves, Jhonny Rockets or Fridays on the beach. I don't know why I stayed in rides for 3 years...I could have been at one of those places, serving food, and making 4 times as much as I did working rides.

Jeff said:
Who hangs on to this for ten years?

someone in need of Lexapro or some other type of SSRI!

Why he would consider coming back after the novella he wrote is beyond my comprehension. I am sure that if he quit 10 years ago he is still a no-hire. Cedar Point never forgets.

Actually, I declined the pursuit of returning to Cedar Point for 2 factors:

1) Housing.

Simply put, in 10 years, they have managed to stay clear of the proper authorities that would instantly shut down Cedars and other units due to unsatisfactory living conditions. How they have been successful in avoiding any attention from mass media, politicians, etc. is beyond me. Don't get me wrong. I have my theories, but I will choose not to share them here.

2) College.

I'm starting college part-time in July before going full-time next year. I would have to leave in late July, and having to pack for two months wasn't really worth my time and effort. For now, I'm working at a different theme park, which will remain nameless. I'm quite happy there, plus, I get to go home..to my home at night. Yes, I live in a different city than when I once lived during my two months with Cedar Point.

To those who chose to criticize me, I couldn't care less. I didn't exactly 'hang onto' what happened to me at Cedar Point. On the contrary, I took it as a grand lesson as to never, ever believe what you are told from an employer. In addition, any employer that provides housing should be held to the standards of any landlord, or you are better off going back home. As I said before, take my words for whatever worth you want. I'm oblivious to any who felt I was lying, delusional, mental or otherwise.

For now, I'm working at a different theme park, which will remain nameless. I'm quite happy there, plus, I get to go home..to my home at night

That for me was the biggest difference between working at Cedar Point and then my home park. I worked at CP for three seasons, then returned home and a year later worked at my home park. Getting off of work each night and then returning home to my own quiet house was weird. It didn't feel right at all, and in fact was downright depressing.

To me, a large part of the fun of CP was knowing that after work you were going to get together with all of your friends, all gathered together at Bayside or else head out for BW3s or some other place. Or else head over to the rec center, or go to movie night, or something.

Getting off of work and knowing I was just going back to my house with my mom and boyfriend just didn't have the same effect. Now, I love my mom and my boyfriend, but there was none of the excitement of living with thousands of other people, where something was always going on. Something was definetly missing. At the end of the day, everyone splitting up and going into hundreds of different directions instead of all going back to the same place. In fact, it was so hard I don't think I could ever again work at an amusement park I didn't live at as well.

If housing is one of the things keeping you from ever returning, you should keep in mind that Cedars is not the only option. I didn't think the apartments were bad at all, and even though Commons dorms are small, it never bothered me. But I have always been content in small spaces, anyway.

I understand why you thought about going back. I will never forget my time there either, despite all of the negatives. Good luck in college!

As usual, I'm sure there is more to the story than is told. There always is.

Biggest shocker of the story? THE CEDARS IS A DUMP!!! Well, duh!!!! It was a dump when I lived there 30 years ago! I listened to Nixon resign on the TV in the Cedars lounge. I would expect it is still a dump. It is a convenient dump, though. Particularly on those busy mornings when I had to be at work at 5 or 5:30AM. Heating & cooling? We always rented a window A/C for the summer. No big deal.