Advice for New Employees

To those of you who have worked at the park before, what advice would you give to first year employees? Mine would be:

- Memorize your Employee Number. It makes life much easier for you during the summer.

- Take a lot of pictures throughout the summer. In 25 years, you look back at the pictures and laugh at yourself.

- Realize this or not, but Cedar Point is a 24 hour operation. People have different sleep patterns. Just because you have the next day off or don't have to be at work until noon, that doesn't mean you can be extremely loud throughout the day / night. Be curious to your neighbors. Yes, there are employees that have to be at work at 4, 5, and 6 in the morning.

- Stay with your food while cooking it in the microwave. You don't want to be "that guy who burnt food / popcorn", especially at 2:33 in the morning.

- Keep your room somewhat clean. (No, it doesn't have to be perfect). Wash your bed sheets on a weekly basis.

There's probably a ton more that I missed, but I will think of more when it's not 11:00 at night after a long day.....

You did good. Pretty much a given, but I would add remember to bring your deposit for housing and have all of your paperwork printed, signed and dated when you first arrive to process in. The last year I worked there, one of my roommates forgot to bring his housing deposit, and I had to bail him out. Also agin pretty much a given, but anytime you go into the dorm (Cedars), Commons, or Bayside, have your employee ID ready for the sup to scan. After park closing at Commons, the line can get pretty long. Also, have your employee ID ready at the Rec Center when going to grab your mail. And not sure if it has changed since I have been there; but if not, also have your employee ID and your department/ride number ready to pick up your paycheck. For example (if) it's still done this way Antique Cars/Wave Swinger is 4051.

Good tips so far!

The pay system has changed. It is direct deposit or a pay card now. This is set up through the packet they email you to complete online-make sure you do it before you arrive!

• Purchase a wind suit (blue for rides) from Commons your first week- they are good quality and you will want it.
• Drink water all day, everyday. Getting dehydrated sucks
• Eat other options than burgers and fries everyday. You will feel much better working in the heat.
• Make friends with people who have cars- They can be your ticket to Clean Scene for laundry, shopping, and food in town as well as a carpool into work
• Only pack what you need for the summer. You work 6 days a week so you will wear your uniform 90% of the time.
• Show your id everywhere in Sandusky. Many restaurants offer a discount to employees.
• Keep your employee id and your state id on you at all times. If you need security for any reason, they will want both for their reports.
• Come to work everyday with your best foot forward.

"And not sure if it has changed since I have been there; but if not, also have your employee ID and your department/ride number ready to pick up your paycheck. For example (if) it's still done this way Antique Cars/Wave Swinger is 4051."

Actually, I was taking about your employee ID number. For example, 1812345 number. An employee can go through the gate (Main, Beach, etc) while giving the admission host your employee number. Also, you can check in / out cash bags at cash control using your employee number.

Buy a blue suit, some sweatshirts and a few hats at wardrobe as soon as you can, using your employee pay deduction. Then, sell them on ebay (or better yet, have a friend do so) to tourists who will pay top dollar for that "not available to the public" swag. Repeat as necessary to increase income ( just be smart enough to use an off-point computer or smart phone and use the Sandusky post office. )

Use common sense and be smart and you can easily double your money on your first paycheck.

Oh please please please please remember that midways are ROADS when the park is not open. Stay to the sides as much as possible. Do not walk right down the middle with a string of vehicles behind you. Try to have a little spatial awareness. In the same vein, leave your earbuds and headphones in the dorms. If certain people catch you walking through the park with them on, in uniform or not, they will confiscate them. (read your copy of the associate guide!) If they catch you enough, you will receive official discipline. Use common sense.

1000 years of force said:

Oh please please please please remember that midways are ROADS when the park is not open. Stay to the sides as much as possible. Do not walk right down the middle with a string of vehicles behind you. Try to have a little spatial awareness. In the same vein, leave your earbuds and headphones in the dorms. If certain people catch you walking through the park with them on, in uniform or not, they will confiscate them. (read your copy of the associate guide!) If they catch you enough, you will receive official discipline. Use common sense.

This is good advice for both the park and in everyday life. Last December, I saw someone at the local mall glued to her cell phone. The little train that takes kids around for a ride was riding past. The train honk the horn, and she still didn't move. I wondered how she could be so oblivious to her surroundings. Like the post above, have some spatial awareness.

Yes, I was never good at spelling in school.

Obligatory Repost from every other advice thread :P

Here's my general tips I've basically repeated a few times. Some info may be dated a little bit, it's been a few years, but generally I think you'll get the gist of it:

Pack lightly, it's a summer job conisisting of a few months with little time off. No reason to move your whole life into a room the size of two queen beds put together end to end with two other people. Bring a few days worth of regular clothes, some going out clothes, maybe a few special things here and there. But generally..clothes, food, laptop, minor important things, you're good to go.

Bring snacks/drinks/etc. to last a bit before the first check & some comfort foods. After a long day in the park, everyone will order pizza/get McDonalds/etc. It's nice to have pop tarts or something to just scarf down after an Open-Close and just go to bed.

Drive if you have a car, bus can be late, always show up 10-15 early, plan your walk and commute accordingly to get to work on time. Don't be late and cause rotations/breaks to be off, plus you can get into a small bit of trouble, more trouble the more you do it.

Take trips, enjoy time off. Sleep when you can and when you need to, but go out with the crews/departments/internationals. Learn some things, enjoy Put in Bay, take a trip to Marblehead, eat at Taco Fish, do all the stupid summer job vacation things. It's there, you don't want to be the one cooked up in a room and see/hear what everyones doing and look back with an "oh I should have done that"

Don't get involved with drama, and don't start it. Word travels fast at CP, even sometimes faster than in a High School. Say something about one person, they'll find out.

Find and develop friends, some may be lifelong.

Keep positive as much as possible. Sure some days weather will be ridiculously hot/humid, or downright cruddy, or seagulls ruin a freshly waxed car or clean uniform. Get over it, laugh it off, and keep the smile. People in that park pay big money to keep your paycheck and keep that park in the profit. They want to come here, spend money, and enjoy a vacation. Keep positive and upbeat, the effect is contagious.

If you want to make money and come home with as much as you can, Volunteer if you can at other rides, pick up hours or shifts, and help out people who need time off or need a small break. Don't overwork yourself, it's quite easy. But if someone needs to switch a day off, be curteous, most will easily repay the favor

Wear shower shoes, you have no clue how disgusting bathrooms can be, especially no offense, among civilians...military for sure changed me there, but still, those floors can get downright nasty. Get shower shoes, don't forget shower shoes, keep your shower shoes, and clean those shower shoes. You walk into the dorm with them, think what could be on the bottom of them if you walk on the floor barefoot on your day off...Can be quite..*squirm*

More questions or tips or whatever just ask. There's ex employees from quite awhile ago, to current lifer/gold tags here and watching. We all want to have fun and make another good year possible.

Totally agree with the shower shoes. If you think that guys are gross, females can get equally as gross.

Also, watch what you say / post on Facebook. There are no secrets on Facebook. Supervisors and gold tags watch forums / various other groups on Facebook.

I hope they aren't watching this forum now, seeing as I am not wearing pants.