some advice for new employees

i wanted to start a post for us veterans to put up advice for the newcomers whether it be for work (like don't forget the parking bans, BLUE THUNDER like what:) ), dealing with the 'awesome' living situations, or whatever...something to think about would be to get a cell if you don't have one, and if you do, then remember to bring it (of course if you're like me, and take your cell EVERYWHERE, then it'll just be second nature;) ) when/if you share an apartment with 15 other people (especially girls) and half of them are foreigners, your best friend will be a cell fone...you'll either miss calls b/c you're NEVER in the apt. or the foreigners don't know who you are and will tell people callin for you that they've got the wrong number. and my most insightful piece of wisdom (even though us veterans know it's a shot in the dark with this one) is try not to get caught up in all the drama(you returners can stop laughin now!!:) ) i know it seems stupid and the drama usually is, but no matter what happens just remember that it's a summer job, and you're here to have fun, make money, and make lifetime memories. you will have drama, but try not to let it get you down too much. oh yeah, and one more thing which i personally learned the hard way...5 hours spent at put in bay drinking and then takin two stackers isn't the best combination, but if you wanna stay up for 37 hours, then it's a WHOLE LOT more effective than a cup o java:) lata hookas

The Best advice I can give to new employees is always keep a sense of humor. At times you will want to stop having fun and start looking for a way home, but just stick it out. The end of the season is so much fun, but you have to get there to experience it. Another thing, don't be stupid. If you are, don't get caught, as that will definately ruin some time for you. I hope this will help some of you new guys!

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Housing: $30 a week
Food: $0.50 a buritto
time spent at C.P.: Priceless
*** This post was edited by cpgocarts03 1/20/2004 5:42:16 PM ***

A BIG one for new employees, don't pass judgement on anyone before you get to know them. That place is very diverse, in more ways than a first year employee would ever know. Also, it cuts down on the rumors and drama. Give everyone a chance, if you talk to them and don't like them, then you don't like them.

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'04 ATL Top Thrill Dragster
'03 WT crew/ATL Sky Ride
'02 WT crew

As mathew said don't pass judgement on anyone before you get to know them. Especially people in leadership positions. They may seem to be mean or some other choice words. But they are just doing there job and most of them and pretty cool outside of work. Some are just plain ***es. But you will have that every where. Another thing is you will be ask many strange and weird questions during the summer. Also you will be asked some questions many times. My advice please even though the question is either rather weird or strange or its he 1000 time you have been asked that question just be nice to the person and answer there question if you can. Now as go cart said stick it out until the end you will be happy you did. And just think of how nice that bonus check is when you get it. Last year mine was rather large last year and it was well worth it.

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'04 TL Speed Zone
'03 Speed Freaks (Hats n Such)
TTD 72 rides (2 nonpaid rollbacks, 5 paid rollbacks)
I wonder if I am gonna be on the Discovery Channel soon.

Get involved and do things. Don't just work and sleep. Go to ESD programs and go riding with your friends. You'll meet lots of new people and have a great time!
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Guest Service's Host, '03
Don't know yet, '04

hey caroline, its your buddy ryan from dragster photo. how are you doing. its ok to work and sleep. thats all i did. ha ha just kidding, but not really. it is true that i would take ike 5 naps a day on some of the week days. those were special though cause only a select few were there, the park wasn't open, so it was like you were a little limited.

a good trip to the marsh would fix all of that. mwa ha ha THE SHOES!!!!

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dragster photo 2003
i miss my 5 naps a day on weekdays between halloweekends

Even though I've never worked at CP before, I do have a tip that all CP employees should know...

If someone asks you were Magnum Force is, say, "Flamingoland" because Flamingoland has a roller coaster called Magnum Force.
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TTD 2003: 32
TTD 2004: 0
TTD Total: 32
Rollbacks: 0

If I had a dollar for every time I wanted to throw in the towel and go home, It would have been more than my bonus check. Last year I sat back at stockade on break and said to a table full of fellow ride ops, "I'm never coming back. If I do, I give each and every one of you permission to slap me." Just don't hit too hard guys!

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'02 Merchandise
'03 Thunder Canyon
'04 Gemini

For me, the worst part of the season was just after I processed out. It was hard for me to break away from the experinces. Everything that happened is only a memory now. I guess I can translate a saying to "It's better to have lived and lost, than to have never lived at all."

Drama will happen, theres no stopping it. The more personally you take it, the more crappy it's going to make your life feel at the time. Some people ***** and moan about how their world is comming to an end over stupid stuff.

One other thing is the bonus. It really is a management tool. It's a reason for employees not to slip on following the rules nearing the end of their contract. Most people get loose on following the rules nearing the end in some way or another. I know it would be much worse if it weren't obvious that you will lose your bonus for doing stupid things.

The best advice is to have fun. This isn't just a summer job, it's a lifelong experince.

Just don't give up. it's hard to get up every morning to go to work and deal with grumpy guests...but even through all of that you make sooo many friends and memories, and ask anyone, you'll miss it once the summer is gone.

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'03/'04 *Millennium Crew*

i agree steph once the summer done you miss everyone and cant wait to see them or go back next year. my advice to new ppl is dont be scared of us returners yes we may have are lil clicks cuz we worked together before but some do like to open to new ppl and as for drama yea dont let it get you down. all the rides i worked last year had drama one way shape or form but it blows over if you forget bout it. IF YOU THE NEWBIE STARTS THE DRAMA THEN YOU JUST SUCK not really its just drama pointless but yes ever departmant seems to have it jsut rides have it the most cuz we works so close

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~Brat~
no one will know till they see me '04
Kiddykingdom 03
mantis n millennium at the end of season

You guys make it out to be a horrendous place. I'm almost scared to work there now. I mean, it sounds like it's a real pain in the butt to get up every morning yet, it's still an awesome place to work? I can deal with grumpy guests...been doing it for 5 years now. When you talk about DRAMA...what exactly are you talking about?
*** This post was edited by S2Kster 1/22/2004 12:28:34 AM ***

S2Kster, you ask what kind of drama we're talkin about, the question is, what kind aren't we talkin about...you'll get everything from people talkin about you behind your back to girls sleepin with the same guy and so on...like everyone said, the best advice is to just brush it off...and yeah we do make it sound like a horrendous place...but don't forget, we were all once new, we thought that CP would be the best place ever to work, and while we were right, it does have some downsides, just like ANY other job...workin O-C's (anywhere from 8 in the mornin till 2 in the mornin, dependin on what ride you're on and if you're joe cool) after gettin only 45 minutes of sleep, dealin with some of the dumbest, rudest, most ignorant people(guests) you'll ever meet, workin out in the wind, heat, rain, cold, everything...just think of it as a reality check...right now you're thinkin cp is gonna be the greatest place to work, which it is, but don't expect the summer to go smooth. this is why i started this post..everyone has this stigma that CP is just a smooth ride (no pun intended), but it's not always like that. CP is just somethin you really have to experience. and like kiddy brat said, yeah, us returners will be very clicky b/c we seein all of our friends from last summer, some of them for the first time in months, but don't let that intimidate you, i swear, we're really nice people, despite the first impressions that we give off...my best advice to meet people, is to go to louies, the sunday after opening day...that was my first day to louies and i met quite a few people from my ride there...another form of cliques you'll see is when you start training and people from crews last year are on their same rides with people that were on their crews...some might seem ignore you, push you out of the way while they're trying to check seats or whatever, but don't think we're bein mean...it's just that we're gonna have to get used to not seeing the people that we saw for 4 months last summer that were up on platforms, and walkin around the park...it just comes with the territory. but that's about all i have to say about that, the biggest thing like i said is not to be intimidated, i swear we really are nice:) lata hookers

I loved working at cp... but for me and alot of people i knew the hardest time there was in july. the park was open to 11 and people were working more o-c's. it seemed like it was so hard cuase you were expected to do everything right since it was the middle of the season so tiny slip ups werent good at all, and we were so busy. i knew alot of people that quit during that time. but honestly after that little rough month the rest of the season was smooth. and you will be so happy that you finish the season. to me halloweekends were the best. it was usaully the same crew every weekend so you got even more close. and then that last night at louies, have to say that was one of my favorite moments this past season. cp was different than what i first excpeted, not bad but different! it is the best place to work! :0)

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Super Screw Crew 2003
Guest Services 2004
*** This post was edited by superscrewkristen 1/22/2004 1:30:13 PM ***

I think cpgocarts03 had the best advice, seriously keep a good sense of humor and your wits about you. It also works best if you don't take things to heart. Gods, the drama last year was horrendous, but then new drama happened everyday so you have to just roll with the punches.

I remember my first season, where I couldn't imagine it was that hard to get people to stop for a picture (boy was I wrong!) and now, I can't properly articulate the horror that was Sneak Peeks a lot of the time. But, man, I sure did have fun. And I met people that I'll remember for the rest of my life. I'm not planning to go back but I still talk to people from all over the country and regularly travel to go see some of them.

superscrewkristen, if you thought July's 11 o'clock closings were bad, you missed some great fun with all the midnight closings July and August in 02. I can't remember if they were on Fridays or Saturdays but they were the pits. I rejoiced when I saw we only had one actual midnight closing...

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2004 - Never Going Back
2003 - Sneak Peeks Supervisor
2002 - Sneak Peeks TL

Ahhh....advice for new employees.....As basically everyone has mentioned...Don't get caught up in Drama. I was lucky enough to work with the a really great crew my first year and met people I will never forget. You will meet LOTS of different and interesting people...so be prepared! If you decide to go to Louie's....drink responsibly and know that you have to be 21 to drink. Coming back from work during the midnight shifts on halloweekends last summer I would see people sitting on the grass with police guarding them because they were caught underage drinking or being stopped while walking back. Aside from that...you will be asked the most stupidest questions in the world...just try not to laugh or anything and just answer them back...you don't want to get introuble for something little like that. Laugh when they walk away! hehe :) I remember reading a post on here before i started last summer that an employee got introuble for laughing in a guests face because of what they asked.... The one people get the most is "What time is the 10:00 laser light show?" I was unfortunatly never asked that last season. I've been asked some crazy things, but haven't heard that one yet. I was suprised at how many people had no idea what the wicked twister was! Other than that....Just Come to work on time...wear your proper uniform dress code....and just be prepared to have the best summer you'll ever have. :)

Hey Ryan....we are planing a huge party at the marsh this summer when we all return! :) I wonder if those shoes are still going to be there...that still freaks me out a lil bit! hehe

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2004 - TL in Ride Photos *Don't know where yet*
2003 - TL at Raptor photos!

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S2Kster said:
You guys make it out to be a horrendous place. I'm almost scared to work there now. I mean, it sounds like it's a real pain in the butt to get up every morning yet, it's still an awesome place to work? I can deal with grumpy guests...been doing it for 5 years now. When you talk about DRAMA...what exactly are you talking about?
*** This post was edited by S2Kster 1/22/2004 12:28:34 AM ***

If you can show me a job that has no DRAMA, and no problems, then I'll show you the most boring job on the planet. Yeah, everyjob has problems, you just have to rise above it. Drama is a part of life at CP, but it's not that bad. It will be the best summer of your life, and you will make so many friends, from all over the world. Don't ignore people just cause they're foreign. Some of us are really nice - and you might get an invite to visit :-).

Work hard, and play hard, and you'll have a blast.

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Louise
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2002 - Guest Services
2003 - Kiddy Kingdom/Mantis and a little on Matterhorn Triangle

2004 - Hopefully Alton Towers!!!

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What about banking. Does Cedar Point set up a bank account for their employees through Cedar Point because I know that's what Universal Studios does, or do you have to venture off and find your own bank?

Another question...My friend and I plan to live in Cedars. Will they have that much of a fuss if we bring an AC unit? Thanks!

Cedar Point has a direct deposit program set up with a local bank. Last year it was with USBank. You can sign up on-point and then your checks will automatically be deposited. This is good if you're going to try and save some money this summer.

As for air conditioning, you can bring one provided you tell them. I think you also have to pay like $0.50 / day to use it, plus an installation fee. I may be wrong on that one though. You can IM me if you have any other questions.

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2004 - ATL Mantis
2003 - Mantis
2002 - Mantis
2001 - S.C. Foods Supervisor

my advice....have fun! working at cedar point is an awesome experience in which you get to meet tons of great people! it will surely be a summer you will always remember!!! :-D i can't wait for this summer...yay!

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Brian :-P

Dragster Crew 2004
SuperScrew Crew 2003