Wanna-be has some questions....

Hi!

I´m a Finish themepark addict and I`m thinking about applying to CP after having worked two seasons in Linnanmaki, the biggest amusementpark here in Finland. BTW our one rollercoaster still has breakmen / driver / chauffeur whatever....;-)

I´ve got some questions I would like to get answers....Maybe some of You could help us.
worldjobs@cp wasn´t too helpful...:-(



Bonus pay 1 $/ and the fulfilled employment agreement.
How or when is it fulfilled and what is employment agreement`?

"Minimal cost cafeteria for employees..."
What kind of food and price range?
Hamburgers and pizza or real "homefood" ?

"Work schedules up on park attendance."
Can an employees workday be canceled due to rain or other reason which predicts low-attendance the morning of intended workday ?

"Free laundry for uniforms"
What kind of facilities for washing personal clothing in dormitories and apartments ?

Workweek 48-50 hours /week 6days a week
How are the hours divided between days?
Do we work the whole day, for example 10am - 10pm or are there shifts?
Can an employee affect on his working days?
Possibility to do overtime?

Housing

How many persons/room?

Are there lockable closets for personal gear, cameras, laptops etc. valuables?

Dormitories have no cooking facilities whatsoever?? Only place to eat and drink in cafeteria?

Because we arrive from Europe do you think it would be possible to recover from jetlag by checking in 2-3 days before 1st workday?

Shuttles to and from CP, how often? Daily, couple times a week??

CP homepage says
"However, if you are interested in a city excursion, Cleveland, Detroit and Toledo are about an hour's drive away "
Does Cedar Point has cars employees can borrow or rent ? Excursions by bus?
Excursion to the new SF in Cleveland ;-?

What`s the life like in the dormitories / apartments?
Complete Zoo or can you actually sleep there aswell.

How hot& humid does it get? Just wondering the need of AC.

What kind of jobs have foreigners been doing?

And any other practical tips would be greatly appreciated.

This might seem a little odd with all these questions, but having to pay 1000$ for the transatlantic flights makes you calculate your bucks...:-)

jaros

WOW! A lot of questions. But I certainly understand how you'd want to know before the flight! So here we go, as best I can, and I'm sure others can add a lot too...

The "employement agreement" is your contract (it will have your position and work dates: IE: from May 10 - August 15 or whatever). Fulfilled is assuming you don't quit or get fired, then you get your bonus check.

The employee cafeteria is CHEAP as dirt, and the food is pretty good (I thought); both pizza and burgers and other "grill" items, as well as home-food meals every day during certain times. Sandwiches, desserts, chips, salads, fruit are available all the time. You can easily have a GOOD meal for $5. Breakfast is the best!

Your workday will not be cancelled unless the circumstances are VERY extreme (this has only happened once or twice while I've worked there); if necessary, you'll just be working somewhere else that day, like if your ride breaks and can't be fixed until the next day.

50 hours a week is a SLOW week - more like 60 for a lot of positions. You have shifts that differ in different departments; most start from 9am-9:30am and will be over between 6pm or 8pm, or you'll start later and work until the park closes, or you'll have a split shift where you work the morning and evening but have the afternoon off. This varies a lot depending on what job you have. You can sometimes get a certain day of the week off if you ask. Yes, usually you can do overtime, but it might be at a different job if they need you.

Housing: 2-3 persons per room for the dorms, more in the apartments but there are only 2-4 per "bedroom"; there are no locking areas to store valuables as far as I ever saw. The dorms are VERY cheap ($17 or so per week) and it is deducted right out of your paycheck, but they aren't very classy, if you know what I mean. *Grin*

Dorms have microwaves, snack machines/soda machines available in common areas. Apartments have a small kitchen with fridge/stove/microwave.

CP does not have a problem with checking in early if you are there before the park opens (I've done it), and since they take a lot of European employees you can contact them (Human Resources: 1-800-668-JOBS) for more info.

Shuttles from CP are to the mall and a grocery store, 3-4 times a day. No, there are no cars for employees to rent. There are day trips that employees can sign up for sometimes to nearby cities, but only if you have the day off.

I liked the dorms, and as long as you don't want to get to bed early you'll be fine. It does get loud, but manageable. Depends on your roomies of course.

Very cold in May/early June, very HOT in July and August. Apartments and some dorms (?) are heated and have A/C, but the on-point dorms are not: a fan is a MUST.

Coin-operated laundry rooms are available very close to all the dorms, it isn't a problem. For uniforms, you just exchange for another one the same size, no waiting for them to wash it.

Foreign employees do all the jobs! There are no restrictions: games, rides, merchandise, foods, whatever. :)

Wow!! Sorry about the long post! But I hope this helps! *GRIN* You can visit my website (listed below) for some other employee info, like stuff to do and that sort of thing. It's an interesting job, but a fun one!

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PO!NT OF VIEW - A Different Look at Roller Coasters
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/
VOTE today in the NEW POLL! Let's get 100 votes!

Thats alot of questions. Well I'll try to answer as many as possible.

"Bonus pay 1 $/ and the fulfilled employment agreement.
How or when is it fulfilled and what is employment agreement`? "
The empolyment agreement is a contract tat states when you beging working at CP and when you stop working at CP. If you quit before the date on the contract, than you lose the bonus. But if you work the entire period, than you fufill the agreement and get the bonus.

""Minimal cost cafeteria for employees..."
What kind of food and price range?
Hamburgers and pizza or real "homefood" ?"
Mostly Hamburgers and pizza are served but they do have a special sandwich and entree every day of the week. Such as spagetii, lasagna, meatloff, and other home cooked meals. They taste preety good to.

""Work schedules up on park attendance."
Can an employees workday be canceled due to rain or other reason which predicts low-attendance the morning of intended workday ? "
The workday is never canceled do to rain or other weather phenomena. It is only cancled if the park completly closes and that has only happend once During the three year period that I have been there.

""Free laundry for uniforms"
What kind of facilities for washing personal clothing in dormitories and apartments ? "
The only washing facilities are a bunch of pay per use washers and driers.

"Workweek 48-50 hours /week 6days a week"
"How are the hours divided between days?"
Don't know what you mean. Try asking again.
"Do we work the whole day, for example 10am - 10pm or are there shifts? "
There are shifts and the entire day is one of them. Usualy shifts run from 8 hours to 14 on the longest day.
"Can an employee affect on his working days?
Possibility to do overtime? "
There is no overtime. The bonus is your overtime.

"How many persons/room? "
Per dorm room, no more than 3.
Per apartment, any where from 6 to 12 or more.

"Are there lockable closets for personal gear, cameras, laptops etc. valuables? "
Nope. Best bet is to buy a small safe that can be carried. Either that or trust your roommates.

"Dormitories have no cooking facilities whatsoever?? Only place to eat and drink in cafeteria?"
The Dorms do not have any cooking facilities. But the apartments do have sinks, stove tops, and refigerators. Some apartments also have stoves.

"Because we arrive from Europe do you think it would be possible to recover from jetlag by checking in 2-3 days before 1st workday?"
Not certain of this. Try asking CP again.

"Shuttles to and from CP, how often? Daily, couple times a week??"
Every day, about 3 times an hour from the apartments to the on point dorms.

"Does Cedar Point has cars employees can borrow or rent ?"
Nope.
"Excursions by bus?"
Sometimes
"Excursion to the new SF in Cleveland ;-?"
They didn't have it this last year. But they might have it this year.

"What`s the life like in the dormitories / apartments?
Complete Zoo or can you actually sleep there aswell."
Not bad. Depending on your roommates, you should get a good night sleep. But it depends on the roommates.

"How hot& humid does it get? Just wondering the need of AC."
Can get very hot during the middle of the summer. No AC is available in on point dorms. Some apartments do have it though. Also quite humid as it is on a lake.

"What kind of jobs have foreigners been doing?"
Anything and everything. From my experiance if your English is good and than you can work anywhere you want. But if your English is so-so, than you might only get a job in foods or merchandise. This answer is only based on my experiance.


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Monster Ride Host for 2 Years
3 Years Total @ CP

Do not bring valuables!! Last year was a bad year and people took anything including a safe that weighted over 50lbs. So don't bring anyhting you don't want stolen. Or have roomates that you REALLY trust.

Thanks for the answers to those questions. I had some of the same questions. Im not foreign, but I might as well be (Im in Oregon).