Screamsters...How do you do it?

On my trip to the point, the topic of scremsters came up. My friend and I kind of said "possible second job?" So I have a few questions.

1) Does CP offer lodging for the weekend [for a cost or whatever] or would I have to, or be better off, getting a cheap motel near by?

2) How early do you have to get there for makeup?

3) As a screamster, do you just work the midways or could you end up in a haunted house or a show?

Thanks for any advice/input. I may have more later.

1) Employee housing is free after Labor Day, so as long as you live more than 25 miles away, you can stay there for free every weekend as a Screamster. They do ask that you work some daytime position in the park to be eligible for housing however. Many people do admissions, traffic, sweeps, etc. during the day to get housing. This year, doing the parade in addition to Screamsters also made you eligible for housing. There are some Screamsters that end up getting hotel rooms together because they either don't want to do a daytime job or have no desire to stay in CP housing.

2) Makeup times start as early as 4 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and continue at half hour intervals until 7:30. All you do is tell your makeup artist when you want your time to be, and all is good. Of course, the earlier your makeup time, the earlier you start getting paid.

3) Screamsters only work in Fright Zone, CarnEvil, or Fear Faire. You are assigned to a zone when you get hired, and that's the zone you stay in for the year. Werewolf Canyon and the haunted houses are staffed by volunteer groups (commonly called Ride Prides) who work for a weekend earning money for their organization, usually fraternities/sororities, sport teams, and choir/band groups. That's why sometimes these attractions can be hit or miss depending on the motivation and effort of the group assigned there for the weekend.

All that said, most people working Screamsters do it as a second job. We have people who are teachers, fire fighters, DJs, cubical dwellers, grocery store clerks, UPS workers, etc. who all come to be Screamsters year after year. It's a weekend job unlike any other, and for most people, it really is the most fun you'll have all year.

Yeah, that pretty much says it all. We become a family basically, and after our season is done ou look forward to seeing the same people again next year. You do have to have a lot of heart to be a Screamster because it's 4 hours you have to keep going and not slow down and make sure the scares you do at 11:59 are the same ones you did at 8:00 with that intensity.

Thanks Ralph. I do indeed live more than 25 miles away. [In Toledo to be exact] The daytime job I may have some trouble with. But thats as of now. Could be totally diffrent next year. [At the moment I work on Fridays] All day is not a big deal for me. Every job ive had so far has been fairly physical. And much longer than 4 hours.

I'll have to think about it and see what happens with next year.

The park isn't open during the days on Fridays. The daytime positions mostly only require working on Saturday, with the exception of the parade which is Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday I could do. I figured work Friday night, and Saturday and then come home Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.

So as long as i'm not in the parade i wouldn't have to work Sunday?

Yep, that is correct, at least in admissions. I don't know how the other departments work it, but I think it's about the same for anyone in Screamsters as long as you let them know.

Ralph that was a really interesting post and explains a lot! Could some volunteers also work at rides? I was listening to the greeter at Maverick talking to a family (they asked her a question about the ride) and she said she didn't know for sure as she was a volunteer.

They sure do get a lot of volunteers to work all of that.

Yah, the volunteers can be just about anywhere. They'll work rides (just at entrance or something, no important positions), admissions, traffic, sweeps, foods, games, etc.