Wait tables or work a ride?

I currently wait tables at a local Ponderosa and would like to work next summer at Cedar Point. I have considered applying for two different positions: a server at Midway Market or working on a ride (are these positions overambitious for a first-year worker?) I would like to hear your points of view. Does one make considerably more money waiting tables at Midway Market? What would be the advantages to working on a ride over waiting tables? Why do you work your ride instead of the others? Thank you in advance for your input. I like to know what I'm getting myself into before I get there.

Adam

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'03 Waiting tables at a restaurant in the middle of nowhere
'04 Working at the biggest and best amusement park on earth

Ok, to make a point here, don't wait tables at cedar point. I would work in rides if I were you, because its fun and you get alot of hrs. Waiting tables, you only get a 2.00 hr base rate plus tips, but rides would be the way to go. I never worked in rides, but I never intend to work for cp ever again, maybe in the future later down the road.

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Hotel Breakers Housekeeping 2003/Resigned

Do you want to have fun or make money? If you want to make money, wait tables (but somewhere other than Midway Market). If you want to have fun, work rides. But, be prepared for a lot of tedious work in rides. It isn't as glamorous as you might think.

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No matter where you go, there you are.

Hi! I have actually done both. In rides, you have soooo much more fun, but you work a TON. I waited tables and made as much if not more money doing that and worked 20 hours less a week. I would not recommend Midway Market though- I heard you really don't make anything there. Hope that helps.

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Matterhorn- 99
MF- '00, '01
Last Chance '02... yes I am a lifer... I can never get away

'03- no longer a CP employee- but I will come visit!!

If you're a ride op, do you alternate jobs (Like checking safety bars, standing at line entrance, and controlling the ride) or do you do the same thing all day? Just curious. Also, how do you decide who gets to test the ride at the beginning of the day? What ride is the most fun to work at?

I'm only 15, but in a couple of years I want to work at my "home away from home"

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Millennium Force is MY baby.
Where would we be without CP?:)

You rotate positions every half hour usually... sometimes every hour so no, you are not doing the same thing all day. Roller coasters are more high paced and fun... but you also have to deal with a lot more BS. Test rides usually depend on if you get to work first in the morning lol

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Matterhorn- 99
MF- '00, '01
Last Chance '02... yes I am a lifer... I can never get away

It seems like ride operator,security or sweeper just have more of the theme park job nostalgia than working inside a resturant where you can't even tell you are in a theme park.

Work in foods! When you get off of work you are not sick of the ride noise!

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Erie: The only great lake you can walk from end to end and only get oil on your shoes!