Future Ride Ops...Questions

Hey Emps....

Well, to fufill my future duties as being a Roller Coaster Engineer, I want to gain some experience at Cedar Point. (I'm only 14, but still) I have some questions about the work there.

My aunt worked at Cedar Point when she was 18, and she said that the living spaces Cedar Point provides you are horrible. She said that they are small, cold sometimes, and terribly hot in the summer. True Or False?

Also, are you assigned a ride to operate, or are you guys rotated?

Last question, when you first begin Work, do they show you how to operate every ride?

living conditions are less than perfect, but obviously they are survivable... and people come back year after year to be employees so there has to be something good going on...

I am not a ride op, but I believe you are assigned to a single ride, but sometimes are asked to run other rides.

and I have no idea about the final question, sorry ;-)

If your used to living at home, in your own room, in your own bathroom, and don't like to share limited space, DON'T WORK HERE. I having the time of my life. You don't ever spend enough time in your room to care about it. You get to meet all kinds of great people and its the easiest way to make friends.

Starting your career now is good considering you want to work for the best at the best. I'm sure those jobs don't just get trained as you go here. Most of the time you stay on the ride you have been trained on. They expect each host to know his/her ride to the last bolt. As far as fixing the ride, I think the most they tell you is how to clear the ride in a emergency. Nothing tech.

Good luck in your future!!

I live in Cedars, which is by far the smallest rooms, i believe. (2 person room, please dont try to convince me otherwise) The room is old, poorly lit, and needs paint. But it keeps my stuff safe, which is all i care about. Get friends, stay in their larger rooms for the time youre off.

I worked at CP as a portrait artist back in '96. Although there were many positives to working there. The living conditions, low pay and the fact that I was slowly growing to dislike CP, ultimately ended in me quitting, only working for 2 months. I enjoyed the park much more as a guest rather than an employee.

I heard that Cedar Point employees get treated like crap. True? *** Edited 7/31/2004 4:31:59 PM UTC by Huggy Bear***

Me personally, I have worked at SFWoA (Geauga Lake now) and Cedar point and Cedar Point treated me better. it was awsome and I can't wait till I come back :)

CedarPointLover, Im in your boat! Im fifteen now and ever since I was 11 yrs. old I wanted to work at CP. I also have a question for the emps.

Im aware that you have to be 18 or older to operate a ride so I wondering, seeing how my birthday is at the end of july, I wouldnt turn 18 until the middle of operating season. Can you still get a job as a ride op that late in the year????

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Huggy Bear said:
I heard that Cedar Point employees get treated like crap. True?

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No, that is a load of crap.

RACE4THESKY -- Call the jobs hotline some day and tell them your situation with turning 18 in the middle of the summer. I'm sure they'll be able to help you out.

I think that housing is alright..it's not the hilton but it's alright..I think the most important thing is that u are cool with ur roomies..ANd u are usually contracted to work one ride...but u can get crossed trained to help with breaks and for extra hous and stuff

Oh and if ur under 18 (ie 17) i know u can work the cp le railroad only then im sure u can tranfer to another ride.....

My name is Tyler and I live in Maryland. I am sort of like you, cedarpointlover. I would like to be a ride op. at CP. I am 12 and going to CP for my first time from August 16-18! I would like to design roller coasters as an occupation.

My true question is the pay. I know as a ride op. I'd get paid 7.50 an hour with the bonus. Is that good pay for an 18 year old going to college out of the CP season?

Thanks!!

Tyler

Actully Tyler...the pay is not that high...but I think that really doesnt matter...cause the housing is inexspensive...and u get great benfits like getting into CP free whenever u want...(Thats even if u want to- lol...after working all week u get sorta tired) But in the long run CP looks awesome on an application for college or for jobs..cuz everyone knows that if u worked at CP u worked ur ass off....

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Huggy Bear said:
I heard that Cedar Point employees get treated like crap. True?

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It depends on what your definition of crap is. I ended up spending about $135 on wardrobe stuff so I could be comfortable on the job. Sure, I've got a rainsuit, blue suit, sweatshirt, hat and belt now, but when am I ever going to wear them? (Well, I'll probably use the rainsuit a bit)

Employee Housing is less than perfect. The bathrooms in the 1400's were really gross. At least some mornings I would go in there to be greeted by a bleach smell so strong that my eyes would want to shut. Housing wasn't like the most godawful thing, though. The beds were quite uncomfortable, though. But then again, I was used to sleeping on a waterbed beforehand, so maybe thats why I found the beds uncomfortable.

The thing I didn't really like too much was how much the dorms felt like prison. The dorms were surrounded in barb-wired fence, and at night there would be cops all over the place walking around. I just got used to ignoring it, but it really can feel unwelcoming.

The employee cafe isn't really much cheaper than buying fast food. I ended up spending between 3.50 and 5 dollars per meal I ate in there. The thing that really was a rip off was the fountain pop - 90 cents for a 12 or 16 ounce cup of pop.

The overall feel of Cedar Point reminded me of High School. They were strict about everything. (I guess I can understand why)

Huggy Bear said:
I heard Cedar Point employees get treated like crap. True?
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bholcomb-you WILL be using your raingear, trust me. I bought mine in 2000 and it has paid for itself 10 fold. Not only as a ride op, (October=rain) but as a guest. That raingear has kept me drip dry when other guests get DRENCHED. Also, it is VERY warm which is another bonus during Halloweekends. You could PILE on clothes under it and be toasty warm. I have also used it on several occasions around the barn and even to ride my horses in the rain and snow.

As for housing...hmmm....I own my own house and the 1st time I walked into commons in '00 I wanted to die. Once you get past the smell, noise, nasty bathrooms, you're ok. In 2002 I had the new addition to commons and it was much better, then back to old commons in '03. Your roommates DO make it for you, and it is true, you won't be spending alot of your time in the room anyway. It certainly made me appreciate my own house (and bathrooms) even more! :)

As for Huggy Bear's question...
I had never felt that I was treated like crap by ANY fellow CP employee. The only people around CP who can definitely be accused of treating any of us like crap is some of the guests. Apparently they have NO idea how hard the employees work, and how very very little they are paid. It used to tick me off to no end when I would see a guest treating an employee rudely (still does, even as a guest myself) and I bet most employees would have to agree with me.

The guests are the reason that we are there, but they are also sometimes the reason we wish we weren't. Make sense?

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
2002 Raptor Crew
2003 Raptor Crew
120 flights till 1k!! :)

I had a positive experience while at Cedar Point Commons. If you are an ethusiastic person about your job, you're going to forget all those things that aren't so great. Working at Cedar Point is an amazing thing, and I'd recommend it for any and all hardworking, enthusiastic people.

I have seen the Discovery Channel's (Worlds largest Amusement Park) I am a true coaster lover of all kinds. I have just finished high school and is thinking about a season job at the Point. I am woundering what is the room arangment's (bathroom,kitchen eta.) And are asking question about it. I have been loving the CP trips and really want to work there. On a scale from 1 to 10 what is it like for the hard working CP employee's. ( I some times even have dreams about.)

You just finished high school? Did you take spelling?

MrScott

I'm pretty much like Tyler and want to be a ride op. My question is, are there any part-time jobs at the Point for the under-18 category?

P.S. Daniel Smith's my name too.

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Cedar Dan said:
My question is, are there any part-time jobs at the Point for the under-18 category?

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Yes, there are. Call human resources or visit the Jobs home page for more information on that. http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/jobs/index.cfm

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MrScott said:
You just finished high school? Did you take spelling?

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It's no longer a requirement these days... :)

That's too bad.

MrScott