Amusement parks offer a variety of jobs, including visible roles like ride operators and ticket sales staff, as well as behind-the-scenes positions like ride engineers and business planners. Jobs can be divided into those that interact with the public, serve the public, or relate to internal operations. Many positions are temporary or seasonal, and entry-level employees are often rotated through different roles before choosing a final position. Mid-level jobs require specialized training, and there are also many people employed behind the scenes to maintain profitable operations.
Amusement parks are often home to many jobs, seen and unseen by the visiting public. Some of the more visible jobs at amusement parks include ride operators, ticket sales staff, and restaurant or food concessionaire employees. Parks with hotels also house check-in staff, concierge services, and maids, and those with water features often have lifeguards. A number of amusement park jobs also take place behind the scenes. Ride engineers, for example, plan the mechanics of each ride long before it becomes reality, and business planners, accountants and lawyers work to ensure the park operates profitably and in compliance with all national and local regulations.
Most amusement park jobs can be divided into three broad categories: those that interact directly with the public, those that serve the public in the most necessary manner, and those that relate to the park’s internal operations. Jobs often grow more prestigious moving up the ranks. A job that requires dressing up as a themed character, for example, or a job selling popcorn at a concession stand is generally considered minimum wage and low-level opportunity. Serving as a security guard or customer service officer requires more training. Amusement park employment as a corporation – that is, working in an office, doing desk work, and keeping more regular hours – is usually the most prestigious of all.
Some of the most popular amusement park jobs fall into the first category. Many of these positions are temporary or seasonal. They are commonly practiced by high school and college students who have reliable breaks, more flexible schedules, and the need for work that doesn’t require a lot of skill.
There is usually a place on the lower rungs for most talents and interests. Some theme parks have parades, which require dancers, singers and costumed characters. Amusement park rides require operators to control starts and stops and regulate the number – and sometimes also the age – of riders riding. Concessions workers and ticket sales staff generally must be good at handling small funds and quickly calculating amounts on the spot.
More often than not, amusement park management shuffles entry-level employees through a series of entry-level jobs before allowing the new recruit to choose a final position. In this way, the worker enjoys the larger operation and can identify personal interests with some confidence. Rotation also makes the employee better equipped to answer visitors’ questions about services, hours and park layout.
Mid-level amusement park jobs include security guards, lifeguards, and chefs, to name a few. These employees work on site but only interact with visitors when necessary. People in these positions generally must have more specialized training.
Working in amusement parks doesn’t always involve actually having a park presence. For a park to work, a lot of work must be done on the backend. Parks often employ entire teams of business people to help maintain profitable operations. Engineers and digital design specialists are also important components. These people work from within to create the concepts and designs that will one day be new rides or attractions.
Depending on the park, there may be more people employed behind the scenes than are ever seen working amongst the people. However, both sets of employees need each other and depend on each other’s success. No group would not do well without the others.
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