seasonal associate

ride operator

Lagoon Amusement Park

This job will work you to the bone with nothing much to take from it but your own lessons. 

If you are personal friends with management then I would highly recommend working there as how they personally feel about you will color any experience you have. I was treated extremely unprofessionally my whole time there and when this issue was brought up then I was promised things would change. They did not. Managers would bad talk employees behind their back and refuse to communicate if they did not like you. Whether they liked you or not could change drastically from day to day. Most managers were very supportive and really impressed me, but I would feel unsafe going back to work with others. One time I overheard my manager laughing about a sa investigation that was occurring and it made me feel even more unsafe.

I enjoyed working to help people, but much of the time I felt like I was not actually helping people and often had to refuse people water or air conditioning on hot days just because it made our office look cleaner to not have them there. When addressing guest complaints any disability accommodations were immediately shut down saying that we were meeting state standards instead of listening to valid concerns about the park. Many times I felt like I was harming a person just to save the park an extra bit of cash.

I learned a lot about many different systems we used in the computer and I feel I learned a lot about what was or wasn't effective. On the other hand there are many outdated and not synced systems that are used and that often went down.

Customer service doesn't always pay well but it often felt like doing seven jobs at once and still being undervalued. Many places nearby will still pay entry level employees much better.

I felt very safe from angry customers as we all had security who were easy to contact and a lot of policies in place to keep us physically safe from altercation.

Every moment you were in office or on call was recorded and constantly monitored. I don't care much about that either way but some people do. The constant monitoring became a burden at times as I was not allowed to drink water in front of guests.

There is an employee kitchen but most things are unhealthy and everything is overpriced.

I had a personally very bad experience that affected me even after my contract ended, but I still had a lot of really valuable connections I made with repeat guests and I learned a lot about what I would and would not tolerate in jobs going forward.

A typical day at this job if you’re on the younger side is coming in at 8-12 and working at least 8 hours. On the older side you’ll be working from at least 4 or 5 to closing which depends on the day, this results in less work hours as a shift averages at about 6. 

The work environment of being surrounded by teenagers results in a friendly and fun atmosphere as even management is in the younger side. Depending on where you work it’ll either be busy throughout the day or not and if it isn’t hopefully you can manage being stuck standing in the same spot until your shift is over. 

New rules have been extremely restrictive as upper management has been forcing them with 0 say because of “issues” that frontline employees have no control over and is an underlying issue with them. Younger management that isn’t upper while creates an enjoyable work space it usually results in disorganization and work being shoved onto a few older workers, even though it’s their jobs to ensure it was done and for them to do it if it wasn’t. All this could be prevented if they maybe choose workers prepared and suited for the job instead but they don’t. Management is absolutely terrible be prepared for that is what I’m saying.

Nothing is hard expect trying to be polite when facing a preventable problem if management knew what to do. And then having to clean up their mistakes while smiling. 

The work culture is the most enjoyable at the very least coworkers will almost always be the best part of the day, one of the biggest appeals and probably the only one as benefits suck and the pay for the work your expected to do isn’t worth it. 

I hope this helps!!! Don’t expect to advance either, the best thing to do would find a different job if you could unless your staying or applying because you really enjoy your fellow employees!

My first year was great. But along came the second year where i worked for management and I hated it. I found out so many things I didn't know as a frontliner. in the department I was in (foods) most of the management disrespects the front line employees. One of them told me specifically to never believe a word they say. Also, this job consisted of SO MUCH FAVORING. Many people got certain awards simply because the managers liked them, not because of how hard they worked. I was cornered inside our big fridges MULTIPLE times and yelled at by my manager and/or other co-workers. For doing what? Trying to solve problems.. every time I tried to be the mature one and fix a situation going on in my work environment(often times I would tell upper management about it), I was HATED by other people. Constantly talked behind my back and sworn at, and the management did nothing to stop it. In fact they pretty much pulled me into a room and targeted me, taking everybody else's side. Did I mention the swearing? There was so much swearing and really inappropriate content in that environment. Very unprofessional. The management does NOT care about their employees. They yell yell yell and pop their top at the smallest things, unless you're one of their FAVORITES. No matter how many times I would go the distance and do amazing tasks nobody has done in years, I was always criticized for what I did wrong. I never once received praise. I worked way too hard to be payed so little and to be disrespected so much. It was the worst and most depressing summer of my life filled with anger, stress, and tears. I advise you not to waste your time at Lagoon. You're better off somewhere else.

Overall it was a really fun job and I made lot's of friends. I especially liked only working during the summer and some weekends during the school year. The hardest part of the job is probably working out in the heat and occasionally the cold (during Frightmares) and rain. It really was a fun job for the most part. I worked there for two and a half seasons. If you're looking for lot's of hours that's totally possible and up to you. Near the end of my time at lagoon I was getting 60 hours a week. If you're looking for a job that will work with you and your schedule that's also possible. Working your way up the management ladder is pretty easy if you really try. I learned lot's of great work ethic and it was a great first job!  
If you stick around until the end of the season you are capable of getting a pretty great bonus. For every hour you worked during the  season they pay you a dollar. You can earn up to 1400 for that bonus if you're really up to it.
One of the things I loved most about working in the rides department at Lagoon was that you get moved around. The rides are split into areas with about 6 rides in each area. You'll typically be trained on all the rides in your area which means you have 6 different rides you can be operating or attending. I liked that I wasn't stuck doing the same thing every single time I worked. You can also train on rides outside of your area, it is completely up to you! You can also work rides by yourself or as a part of a team, it just depends on the ride.

They have no idea how to communicate here, the management just throws too many tasks in your face and practically says “good luck” the higher up people barley help. I was not treated equally from other people, guests were rude and sometimes uncooperative. They make you pay for your food rather then providing it free even though majority of the people working there are working in the blazing hot sun. They make you sign a “no worker’s compensation” paper at the hiring event, so if you’re injured because of lagoon, you better just shrug your shoulders and hope for the best. They took our end of year bonus away during covid when some of us needed it. They could care less about you feeling ill or being injured. Management went through my personal bag without permission (I know this because my front zipper pocket was opened, even though it was closed when I left it there, I also have OCD things must be perfect before I leave) I never leave zippers undone. They also barley care when it comes to personal issues, you baby sister could be missing back home and they would take forever to find you a replacement. Over all lagoon is a circus not an amusement park, it should be rated to lowest job on earth, it is not a good place to start working if you are young, you get engulfed with too much. Also p.s you barley get a paycheck because of how little lagoon pays you/works you. 

It was a fun place to work at times. It’s incredibly easy to get hired. You make a lot of friends while you’re there, and it’s a tight knit community. However, this means that there’s a lot of drama. Most of the workers there are teenagers (including supervisors), which causes issues. Upper management are some of the worst people I have ever had to deal with. I talked to hundreds of employees during my time there and did not hear a single positive opinion of upper management.
That said, the work culture is really nice. They offer some benefits, like discounted passes to the park for you and your family. The employee kitchen is pretty nice and the food is actually really good! But it’s not free. When you go to the employee kitchen it comes out of your paycheck. 
You usually get two 30 minute breaks depending on your shift. This would be long enough to eat and everything, but when you consider how far you have to walk to get to the employee kitchen and back, you barely have any time left. 
Its pretty easy to request time off as well, my hours were very reasonable, but I heard from coworkers there that the supervisors’ hours are horrible and that they’re mistreated. 

It was definitely very exciting. Also, the uniforms suck! 

The work is usually not too hard. In my job as a merchandise associate, I worked at the registers and took care of the giftshops, restocking items when needed and cleaning up in my area. It was a good first job, as it taught me a lot about working and I was able to work with a lot of people my age. The people working there were not the friendliest, and the environment was very negative. I was 14 when I worked there, and I was being supervised by people who were only about 17. They were very difficult to work with and it made the experience not very enjoyable. I did not like this job, as the people were difficult to work with, I didn't get paid much, communication between management and employees is not very good, and many of the giftshops had no air conditioning, so it was very hot and not enjoyable. I did like being able to work with customers and learning how to handle difficult people and work a simple job. From that job, I have learned how to work a register, how to be more independent, and basic retail knowledge. It is a good first job for young teens who want to get work experience, and I know that some people really enjoy working there, but I did not have a very good experience with them, and I don't recommend the job.

Working for Lagoon was actually a fun experience, except the past couple years. Management has really gone down hill there and they promote people that don't know how to do their job or have just started working there. When they see something that you're doing wrong they don't ask if you're okay, they immediately assume and begin to yell or even threaten to document you.The guests that go there tend to treat employees badly for following their job. Co-workers are alright, depends on who you get put with and what they work and their attitude. Management also tends to pick favorites, so if you're following the rules but aren't friends with anyone in management they over look you. They pick their friends and ususally those people aren't very good employees. The good employees have to work extra hard in order to get promoted. Twice as much as the normal person. If you're a good employee it will usually take about 4-5 years to be noticed and even than you may not even be promoted or looked at. Also, if you find a wasps nest at your ride and report it, you can count on it being over looked because no one cares.

This was my first job. I worked here for one full season. It was grueling and frequently tested my patience. I worked outside in the sun, interacting with and serving the public, on my feet for up to 14 hours. Hats or coats must have a Lagoon logo and must be purchased by employees. Scheduling was a nightmare. Time off was out of the question unless it was approved quite early. Saturdays were very hectic. 
Management was not willing to compromise or bend on anything. I once made a suggestion for improvement, and it wasn't taken well. I worked more than 500 hours over the summer. The park becomes short-staffed by August every year, and it becomes difficult for remaining employees. Compensation was barely over minimum wage, with a $1/hour bonus for those who stayed until the end of the season.
This was in no way a comfortable or easy job. It was very rarely fun. Management often took an antagonistic role. I am very glad, however, that this was my first job. The experience makes every other job I've had feel very easy in comparison and I believe it made me a hard worker.

The job itself can be fun at some parts, but also very stressful. While I love what I do (operating rides), the management, guests, and workload can get to be a lot. When I was hired, I was told to expect 24-28 hours a week. I quickly found myself scheduled for 35+ hours. When you are 16 and above, expect to be working nearly 80-hour weeks with no overtime pay (Lagoon is considered seasonal employment and therefore exempt from overtime requirements). Shifts either start early or end late, with the length being about 7 hours. Expect a complete disregard of labor law if you are 14 or 15 (only one break, being kept hours after scheduled shift end, working more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week). Be prepared to handle disrespectful and occasionally verbally and physically abusive guests. Also be prepared to handle all kinds of weather, extreme heat and cold, and to work the same ride for 7-8 hours. The pay is not great for what you put up with, and the job can get boring and repetitive, but if you are willing to just throw yourself into it, you will enjoy working here.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Seasonal associate 1 salary reported	$10.00 per hour
Ride operator 1 salary reported	$13.00 per hour

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