Clueless employees at CP...

Your mom is to fat to ride TTD. said:
I was told by our Kings Island tour guide last week, who was a ride supervisor, that ride ops make minimum, ride supervisors make $9 an hour, and bathroom sweeps are the highest starting position at $9. Live Entertainment makes much more.

Not sure if you're talking about at Kings Island or Cedar Point. But it had come to my attention last year while talking to some Kings Island employees that they make considerably more there than their Cedar Point counterparts.

I'm talking about the Kings Island employees.

tcgolfer said:
I would say the majority of the time if you want to ask someone a question at the Point you need to ask a ride host or a sweep. Otherwise you're most likely going to get someone who isn't as into their job.

I call foul on this one. What someone does in the park has very little to do with how much they care about their job. I knew a lot of idiot ride operators just as I knew knuckleheads in other park jobs.

Morté615 said:
and the Ice Cream place (which I can't remember the name).

Are you referring to Sweet Tooth? Because I've been in there twice this season and it is most definitely not air conditioned. Which is kind of an upset when one is buying a delicious frozen desert. :)

^^^ Then a ride supervisor there is the equivalent of a TL or ATL at Cedar Point. Yes, at Kings Island they may make $9 an hour but at Cedar Point they make min. wage plus about $.50

^^ You're right, there are a few idiot ride hosts. However, I would say from my experience there is a much higher % of those who care that work on rides than in say foods or park services. Your experience may be different.

^^ Whichever Ice Cream place is next to the restrooms and the new First Aid is the one I am talking about. They have AC but not sure how well it (or any of them) were working last week. I know we had trouble on Saturday just keeping the Ice in good shape in between shows in the Goodtime Theater.

Its not nearly as bad at CP as it is at Kings Dominion. I went to KD a few weeks ago and the dip in dots guy didn't speak one word of english. I told him i wanted a small cup of vanilla... he pointed to every single flavor saying "yes" or "no" until he got to vanilla.

haha $10 an hour? Are they even to $8 yet?

tcgolfer said:
But it had come to my attention last year while talking to some Kings Island employees that they make considerably more there than their Cedar Point counterparts.

Unless things have changed recently, Cedar Point seasonal always made less than employees at the other Cedar Fair parks, from frontline employees up to Supervisors. Other parks have better benefits too like incentives to return, raises and I think some still have a bonus program.

Sometime when I was there in May, I had a sweep ask me where the nearest restroom was. That was quite perplexing, particularly considering that I wasn't wearing a park t-shirt or anything that would make me stick out more than any other guest.

99er said:
Unless things have changed recently, Cedar Point seasonal always made less than employees at the other Cedar Fair parks, from frontline employees up to Supervisors. Other parks have better benefits too like incentives to return, raises and I think some still have a bonus program.

So what you're saying is that it's the greatest amusement park in the world, unless you work there. What a shame for the workers, I feel bad.

Disney is the same way - the most Magical place on Earth for guests, and a sea of hourly Cast Members on welfare and food stamps, living in mobile home communities and struggling to survive. The difference there is for most people (outside of college program interns) it is a full time year round career, rather than a seasonal job for students. I have been with WDW for 4 years, and have made it to 9.40 and hour, but I am a coordinator. Many people with that many years are still under 8.00 an hour. While the VP's and GM's are getting into their fancy cars every night at 5, the hourly Cast working those early and late hours so guests can enjoy things like Extra Magic Hours are often going home to a life of severe poverty, and working 6 or even 7 day weeks to make ends meet.

^^True and ^true. For both places, it comes down to who will work for you. Pay the lowest wage that people will work for. Till the day comes that either park struggles to find people to fill jobs, the pay will remain low.

Cartwright said:
While the VP's and GM's are getting into their fancy cars every night at 5

I don't even know where to start. My mind keeps going back to the movie Adventureland.

"I am amazed at how tiny my paycheck is."

My dad worked hard every day until he retired and never made much money. Over the years, he was asked to advance to supervisor positions, but he knew the hassles and problems and stress that came with it. He was happy with his job and he took care of his family. He never begrudged anyone who, because of their own career choices, made more money.

I have no sympathy for anyone who won't do something about their situation, especially while complaining about someone else who did.

Nice story, Walt. And I completely agree with you. Typing my comment above yours reminded me of the endless complaining we have seen on here from employees about the lack of pay at the park, yet they are ok with coming back season after season for that same low pay.

It's really a quandary when you love working at amusement parks. Because in most cases, it really isn't possible to make a living doing so. At Cedar Point it was only possible to make do because of the cheap housing provided. If I'd had to get a place of my own and pay to get back and forth to work it couldn't have possibly worked out. I also have worked at Kennywood, and my first season (2005) I made $5.90 an hour. Those jobs are meant for high school students working for pocket change. At that period in my life I had a rich boyfriend so I could afford to work a job that I loved versus one that was practical. It's too bad that one cannot work at a park if that is what they love, and also make an independent living doing it. :-( In that case you might get more people who are there loving what they do, instead of those who are there because it's just any old job.

My friend was at the park yesterday and he said an employee was telling him how they're closing Top Thrill Dragster after they build the new roller coaster. That rumor is still going around? Employees really are clueless.

That sounds more like a troll than a clueless employee. :)

That is definitely a troll.

Maverick00 said:
Employees really are clueless.

A sample group of one, which is in itself based on hearsay, usually isn't the best way to make a sweeping generalization.