Live in CA and hoping to get job at CP this summer

This is my first post! My name is Brian and I recently applied to work at Cedar Point this summer. I live in San Luis Obispo, California. After working at Busch Gardens in the summer of 2004, living with my aunt and uncle there in Williamsburg, and having absolutely the best time of my life, I decided to apply at my favorite amusement park, Cedar Point. I was a ride operator on Escape From Pompeii and I'm hoping to get a position as a ride operator somewhere in the park. I got an email today from Debra Matute telling me to call back. I didn't read the email until she had left the office for the day, but I left a message. I don't really know what this means. Does it mean that I'm most likely hired? My entire summer and part of next school year depends on whether I get this job or not.

I have a few more questions that hopefully someone here can answer for me. How is the hiring procedure going to work with me living in California? I'm obviously not going to fly over to Ohio just to get an interview. Also, do first years usually get to work on the big rides? Since I do have some ride operator experience, I was hopng I wouldn't get stuck on the kiddie rides. Thanks a lot everyone!

Debra Matute is one of the managers from park operations. She is one of the hiring managers at Cedar Point. The email is something that is sent out to everyone that applies for the department.

Cedar Point does phone interviews for people that live more than 25 miles from the park. You don't have to fly to the park to interview, but be prepared to answer interview questions when you call Debra.

If you applied to be a ride host, you could be assigned to any of the rides within Cedar Point, or you could also be assigned to an attraction at Challenge Park. One of the questions you will be asked during your interview is if you have a fear of heights. As long as you dont have a fear of heights and don't have anything that would prevent you from climbing a staircase up to 200 feet in the air, then you can work any ride your first year. Being that you have not worked at Cedar Point before, you will be a "red tag" or general status employee and can work as a ride host on any ride in the park.

After your interview, you will get a response in the mail, generally within 2-3 weeks. If you have been hired, you will get a contract in the mail that states the dates that you will work, the attraction you will be working, and your pay rate ($6.25/hr. + bonus).

Thats about it for the hiring process, you just show up on your scheduled "process in" date and be prepared to start work the following day. All the details will be enclosed with your contract.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. If you want to get to know your crew before you move in, visit cedarfantasticday.com and browse through the job assignments. Nearly everyone provides their AIM screenname so that you can chat with other 2006 employees. Let me know you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help.

Since your application was reviewed by Debra, you will most likely be placed in Area 1 because she is the Area 1 manager. My interview was with Steve Vorhees, the Area 2 manager, and my contract had me in Area 2.

Yes, first years can work the big rides. There's no guarantee though because as you can imagine there's a high demand for them, but it's worth a shot to mention it in your interview. Last year I was contracted to Top Thrill Dragster, but on the day I processed in I was moved to Sky Ride, and after a week I was able to move to Millennium Force, where I spent most of the rest of the summer.

Does a lot of people get moved around after processing in, or is that just if they need to move people around to cover other rides temporally. Also do you usually go back to your other rides once you are done filling in??

Thanks

Hi. People are usually being moved around all year long to cover staffing needs at the rides. Some people go for a day or a week to another ride to help with the staffing needs. Some people completely transfer to another ride, which means they stay there for the remainder of the season (unless, you need to go to another ride for a day to help, or you transfer again). I'm not too sure what you mean by "Also do you usually go back to your other rides once you are done filling in??", but I think maybe you mean processing in? After you process in, that's all that you do for that day. The next day, you report to your contracted ride and begin training. I hope I cleared some stuff up for you, and hope to see you at the park in 2006!

Sorry I wasen't very clear I just meant that after you are done covering that shift for understaffed ride, do you return to the ride that you were perviously working at (proccessed in ride)?

Thanks

Hey everyone! Debra called back, and after my interview, I"M HIRED! I'm so stoked! I don't know where exactly I'm going to be, but I told her that I would prefer to work at adult rides when she asked if I wanted to work at kid's or adult's rides. I start May 21! I'll let everyone know what ride I'm going to be at once I receive my employment offer in the mail. Oh, and where is Area 1? See ya! *** Edited 1/12/2006 10:17:52 PM UTC by southpuddle***

I aslo talked to Debra today and i am hired as well, i just dont know where exactually yet until i get my information in the mail. I also asked for adult rides.

I will be starting June 12 through at least labor day!

*** Edited 1/13/2006 12:44:32 AM UTC by wickeddragster88***

Congratulations! Let us know where you end up being contracted and if you have any questions :D

Area 1 is the front of the park. The roller coasters in this area include: Blue Streak, Disaster Transport, Raptor, Wicked Twister, Iron Dragon, Mantis, Millennium Force and Wildcat. The other rides in the area are: Demon Drop/Midway Carousel, Giant Wheel/Troika/Space Spiral, maXair, Sky Ride, Turnpike Cars/Calyspo, Cadillac Cars/Cedar Downs, Kiddy Kingdom, Matterhorn/Dodgem/Scrambler, Peanuts Playground/Chaos/Ocean Motion. The rides that have the / between them means that if you work at one of them...you work at both of all three of them. And congrats! Hopefully if you're in area one...you'll be at Raptor! :-)

Will I be guananteed housing when I show up? The last thing I need is to get there and find out that all the housing is filled up. I checked the box saying that I would require housing when I filled out the application. Thanks for your help, everyone.

I dont think housing has ever been completely full. You may end up having to stay in Cedars on point though. Off point housing fills up first since those accomodations are nicer.

There will be housing, it just might not be your first choice housing.

Keep in mind though, people are coming and going every single day. I processed in at the end of June and I no problem getting into Commons apartments, which is where I wanted to. So if you can't get into your first choice, then just wait a few days and try again.

yay Cali! thats where i live and i got to CP i dunno why lol. its easy to get there hard to leave. the only thing that sucked was the greyhound trip fromthe airport to sandusky i was sitting next to a WWEIRDOOO hope ya have fun this summer

Yeah Vina!!!!

Hey guys! I got a job at Raptor! So fricken excited considering that I thought I would get a job at like... the Scrambler or something. That just made my day! See everyone in May!

Hey guys I just wanted to know what color/type of shoes am I going to need to work at Raptor? Any suggestions as for shoes that have worked well for you in the past? Thanks a lot for all of your help - it's much appreciated!

The guidelines say your shoes have to be white with "no more than 10% non-white trim"....however they calculate that...

Wardrobe sells cheap white shoes that you can deduct from payroll. Some people really seemed to hate them, but I never had a problem with mine til they broke a few days before my contract was up.

Make sure you break them in by walking around in them for awhile before your first O-C (open to close) shift to avoid blisters. You NEED to wear good socks and keep a dry pair of socks in your backpack to change into. And while it seems like common sense, make sure the shoes actually fit because you'll be doing a lot of walking in them for 10-12 hours a day. *Most* people who tear up their feet do so because they act without thinking.

Congrats at Raptor. You have a great crew there.

As for shoes... 90% white and comfortable. That is about all is required.