To those who wish to get a job at CP...

Alright, dont know how much trouble I can get into for posting this. If anyone has a problem you know where to find me, but something like this NEEDS to be posted.

Alot of people asking what its like to work here and what needs to be done to get a job here..the answer to the 2nd question is this : Fill out the application on the CP website and wait for a phone call...

What its like to work here? I think its fun, but you have to make it fun. You cant just be like "oh its CP its gonna be fun" work is work people. Everyday im in the break area i hear people complaining that they wanna quit and that CP is hell, etc..etc...etc..its that attitude that makes this job crappy because it brings morale down...just think if you werent here where would you be working? Odds are retail, fast food, a chicken warehouse, or a grocery store (all jobs I will never go back to BTW..) or even unemployed...

You have to expect to work. They hire you to work not to ride rides (you can do that on your day off buts odds are you wont want to). Why do you apply for jobs at mcdonalds? Answer: To work, not because its fun flipping burgers and spitting in peoples food. So why apply at CP and think its anything different? A job is a job, work is work, money is money...plus you live at the job how can you live at your job and not be expecting to work a full 50+ hours a week?

The only down side to working here is the drama...too much of "my boyfriend this" and "my girlfriend that" and "i got dumed" or "i dumped him/her" i hate drama, so with that, I dont hang out with anybody out of work, i find it best to stay to myself outside of work. Another thing is alot of people like to party and drink, though parties are cool, I didnt come here to party, I came here to make some $$$ and to get away from all that stuff (my old roomate back home would have hundreds of beer cans/bottles laying all over the place)...Lots of people I met 3 months ago when I got here have been fired for drinking (underage) and public intoxication...to me, its not worth it...

So to sum it all up, if you wanna work here be prepared to work...make your own fun though, interact with guests is the best way....and remember to stay out of trouble when your off work. Use your common sense. Sleep is your number 1 friend when off the clock...

I hope I helped some people out who were curious about working here. I try to give honest answers so any questions you can reply or PM me (but dont think im gonna answer anything that can put my job in jeapordy)

good luck to the future crews of CP.

Thanks for the imput. I think this was exactually needed here.

Is there any chance this can get pinned at the top of the forum?

Im glad people are enjoying my comments. Glad I could help. I just started comming to this site about a week ago, so im gonna go browse some forums and see if I can put my 2 cents in anywhere...

I totally agree, John. Working at Cedar Point has been an amazing experience. However, like you said, you can't just expect it to be fun, you have to make it fun.

Exactly! This makes sense. 2 of the people I graduated with in 04 had only babysitting previously and had no idea how many hours youd actually get. Then they started complaining 2 days into it. Its called a full time job for a reason. I came in and loved all the hours, and the staff, and the guests, and the whole environment of getting to work at a place I had visited every year since 4 1/2 years. Brush the drama off of your shoulders if it comes after you and youll be much better off.

I agree with the fact that it's only as fun as you make it.

If everyone that you are working with is in a good mood, then CP can be the most fun youve ever had while working. You would be suprised how much fun you can have with some simple daily tasks. On the other hand if you come in to work with a bad attitude or in a bad mood, it could be the longest day of your life.

One piece of advice:

Beware the OC, especially in July (and it ain't no TV show!) *** Edited 8/9/2005 12:33:44 AM UTC by Twisted Wicker***

I liked OC when I visited the end of May. ;) I got to ride Silver Bullet and Xcelerator.. and and and...

good points mean streak john. when i worked there last summer i'd hear people complain it was boring but you have to make it fun by getting out of your dorms, meeting people, and hanging out in the park,outside of the dorms,in the rec center,around sandusky, or at louies like i did and i had so much fun.

Louie's is overrated. Whatever you can do there, you can do elsewhere...where it's much less crowded.

well im sad to say that i didnt take my own advice too well. I processed out yesterday morning.

It was something that was hard for me to do. Long story short, my best friend pretty much got fired and i walked with him (thats how i am, i believe best friends should stick together no matter what)

I miss it alot, i miss the atmosphere, the people, especially mean streak.

To my crew, if anyone from mean streak reads this...im sorry if I let everyone down. I would like to keep in touch so if your from mean streak pm me and let me know who you are and your email or whatever.

it's understandable though because you know you wanna hang and work with your bestfriend.

I agree that a lot of people come up to Cedar Point thinking it will be all fun and games. Especially since for a lot of people, it is probably their first job. But I don't think people are out of line for complaining about working more than 50 hours a week.

I was a pretty naive 18 year old when I started, and I had no idea I would be pulling down 60 or 70 hour weeks. I had no desire to, either. It's just way too exhausting. There has to be ample time for fun, or it won't balance out. If all you are doing is working all day and coming back to your dorm only to fall into bed, it doesn't seem worth it. I love working at amusement parks more than I do visiting them. But I don't want to be there all day, every day. It's just draining.

I work at a signifigantly smaller park now, where I average right around 40 hours a week. (And this is 6 days a week, too). It's perfect. If only I had hours like that at CP, it would be fine. A lot of kids get blindsided when they come to work at CP and realize the long schedules they have. They are willing to work, but not 12 or 14 hours a day. That's too much. The upside, however, is that it makes any other job seem easy in comparison.

I kind of take offense at this statement:

<<Why do you apply for jobs at mcdonalds? Answer: To work, not because its fun flipping burgers and spitting in peoples food. So why apply at CP and think its anything different?>>

I don't work at McDonald's, but an amusement park, as I said above. But I work in food service for the first time ever and actually I do think it's fun. I have a good time at work serving food. I probably wouldn't like it quite so much if I was working 12+ hour days, but yanno. And I really liked my job at CP, I just would have liked to have more time away from it to recharge.

I'm sorry it ended up not working out for you. I'd probably do the same thing if my best friend left.

MSJ - we processed out the same day! Of course, my contract was up, and I'll be getting my bonus. It's too bad you had to leave Meanstreak. I actually started enjoying riding it when I was off ;).

I agree with pretty much everything you said. I came to CP right after my 18th birthday, and I was prepared to work, work, work, which is what I did. In the 45 days that I was there (unfortunately I was unable to stay longer), I worked 39 of those days. There were some days where I would go to the park, a couple times when I went to Geauga Lake, and there was one day when I came back to Detroit.

The longest week I worked was 69.1 hours, and let me tell you, when it feels like you're getting worked to the max, it all pays off on thursday morning when you hold that check in your hand. In a month and a half I made around $2,000 which I am very proud of, and can't wait to return in 2006 and beyond.

Sadly, John your case seems very common. I worked at CP a few seasons ago, and voluntarily left noisily after only a few weeks. (Although my family members continued there, so I am pretty familiar with employee "culture".)

It seems as though the folks who generally exhibit the skills necessary to succeed in any other employment (ie. articulate, prompt, mature, creative...etc) are often the people who leave CP with their heads down for one reason or another.

Unfortunately, as a CP employee you not only have to put up with the long hours, you have to deal with the constant attitude of suspicion from management and mindless adherance to "policy". (Point with your whole hand!) Creativity, even if expressed in a fun, non offensive way that adds to the customer experience is not welcomed in many cases.

It seems as though CP management is always expecting an employee to steal, cheat or somehow take advantage of the system. John, while the "good soldiers" like you who have a realistic attitude and good work ethic seem to get washed out of CP, you'll find plenty of other respectful employers who will value what you bring to table.

Good Luck, and Long Live Cpt. Ed!

I couldnt agree more with you, cptedsdisciple2. The main problem with what you said is that, to be straight up and honest, CP hires ALOT of rejects. Rejects meaning, people who dont care about the work and just wanna party, and they dont care about anyone or anything.

The reason I think for this is, they need a lot of people to work there for the summer, they go and hire anyone and everyone. WHen I got hired OVER THE PHONE, i said "thats it? you dont want a face to face interview?" and i even offered to drive down there for one. I just couldnt believe that a company like this doesnt know who they are hiring when they hire them.

Half of those people would not have jobs if it were face to face interviews. Who knows if it was done better, i may still be there. But I can sit here and rant all day long, but theres no use in bitchin' and moanin' because it doesnt get you anywhere.

I would love to go and work at CP when I graduate. I live in northwest PA. Can you tell me, what are the apartment/dorm type things like?

Hell on Earth.

No, really... Cedars and Gold suck. Commons are better. You're treated like common criminals, however.

The commons dorms have A/C, which is super nice.