associate

food service associate

operations associate

lifeguard

host/hostess

Michigans Adventure

A typical day at work for me would consist of, other than the clocking in and preparing the cash register; restocking the shelves, watching over the shelves when someone was inside the store, keeping track of time, helping out customers when they needed help, calling down for items that were low, helping other employees, and cleaning up when everything else is done.

I learned that there are a lot more aspects to every job than meets the eye, and also that there are a lot more parts of a job that not many people would actually think of or do while on the job.

The management was not the best, brakes were constantly late, if someone called for a bathroom break the wait could sometimes be over an hour because the First Aid building operators would "forget" to let the supervisors know about urgent needs. Often I would find two of the supervisors contradicting each other, for example; one of them had me to condense the items on shelves and put out a newly stocked item, and the other would walk in about 20 minutes later and have me do the exact opposite, undoing the previous 20 minutes of work. This repeated multiple times.

Most of my co-workers were very nice, there were a few that did have bad attitudes and spread rumors about everyone else, including telling everyone that I said "I can't be your friend because you're black," which I did not do, I honestly don't even remember being around her at all, let alone talking to her much. Anyways, other than a few small incidents, I found all of my co-workers very easy and enjoyable to be around during work and on breaks.

I think that the hardest part of the job was keeping pace with how much work had to be done combined with having supervisors and team leaders not paying much attention to the employees that actually needed help instead of the workers that demanded attention from them, causing trouble all around the system.

The most enjoyable part of the job was that there was always something to do, there weren't many times where you could stop and think about whether your legs, feet, arms, or knees hurt, it was just constant enough to keep you busy, but not busy to the point that you felt like everything was happening at once and becoming overwhelming.

Hot in the sun! Definitely recommend buying the MA bucket hat or baseball cap as part of your work uniform! There are shady spots and indoor work areas, but you can't pick wheere exactly you want to work every day, and the weather usually changes throughout each day. Plan for sunburns and uniform tans. Many employees tend to stick to themselves, and a good chunk of them have drastically fake customer-service performances that they will NOT use with their coworkers. They may be mean and snobby. Many are just teenagers trying to get some money before their parents kick them out of their house, or they've just grown up having to fight with everyone around them in order to get things done. High temperatures and fast-paced environment makes many employees stressed and can spread negativity, but most coworkers that I had were nice and helpful. I enjoyed silly childrens' excitement about their great experiences, and it always motivated me to make sure the kids had the best time there. I grew up down the road, and I've been there many times throughout my life.. It seems so small to me. However, for many guests, it's their first time and they're from another part of the world! That just amazes me. 
Management was great, and the supervisors have a lot on their hands. They try to be understanding but they definitely won't treat you like a baby. If you need the help, ask for it. 

Most days everyone was understaffed and freaking out, when main management was out of the building a random employee will come to "cover" and usually fail to do it well. Many other employees never truly want to work or treat others with respect. A typical day was one or two workers having to do every single task while others played on their phones and did nothing. At random times an upper management person would come and take one of your other associates (even when understaffed) to use them at another building for the rest of the day. I believed working here I learned self respect and discipline in order to finally quit. The workplace culture was very toxic and manipulative, usually causing fights between employees commonly. The hardest part of the job was being in the heat constantly, especially in the buildings which have no AC or none working, or just outside unable to leave your spot. The most enjoyable part of the job is the few good friends I was able to make throughout the horrible experience. One other topic of this review is the expired food, many places use very old and moldy hot dogs or burgers to feed people. Upper management and others were made aware and told us to "just use it", many hazardous things were hidden from inspections in shady ways. Most equipment shouldn't be deemed safe to work with and if it is it probably doesn't go to places that need it. Overall, the pay of $16 seems nice, but it isn't worth your mental and physical health considering the demands at the job. 

I worked in the warehouse for a couple of years. Scheduled to work a minimum of 57-62 hours a week. No overtime pay here, at least if you are a summer employee. Had lots of fun with coworkers at times, but the work was incredibly labor intensive and tedious to be making minimum wage. Management could be very strict depending on who you were interacting with; though often they themselves break park rules. I noticed that maintenance staff seemed to get quite a bit of leeway, but I also know they were paid like dirt until they protested (learned that other parks's maintenance employees under the same company made something like $15 an hour). Too many incompetent people work here and the competent ones do not get paid enough. Job security is good; you are encouraged to come back to work each year provided you are not fired the previous season. I consider myself lucky to have worked in the warehouse because every other department except human resources seemed to be dealing with one head-ache after another: angry customers, hectic food stands, ride attendants (often kids) passing out due to extreme sun exposure from 10:00 AM till sundown, you name it. Get a job somewhere else if you can, or work here if you need a break from the factory life in the summer. The loss of productive free time and NO OVERTIME PAY is the worst thing about working at Michigan's Adventure.

Working here gives you a good sense of community. It's kind of like living together with a group for a summer, because there's a lot of people, and you're there most the daylight hours most days a week. So it's a good place to make friends. Also the team leads/assistant managers are super helpful, and if you have an issue with working in a certain sector, they're usually sympathetic and put you in a place where you're comfortable.

I also really appreciated that at the beginning of the season you get to pick out which two days a week you wanted off. They had a limit that both of them couldn't be weekend days, but still, if you have prior engagements then you could work here and still attend to them. 

The job itself is tiresome, and hot, but there's not much the company can do about that. It's an outdoor amusement park in the summer. If you're outdoorsy then maybe you'll thrive in said environment. It's mainly by personal preference I'd rather stay out of sun. 

The only real complaints I have is that they refused to allow us stools to sit on during slow times, and their dress code is quite strict. Can't have hair dyed unnatural colors, and boys have to be perfectly clean shaven.

I worked two seasons at the park. The first I worked in the Food department, and that was actually a living nightmare. If you are a hard worker, they will use and abuse that until you get sick of pulling all the work and quit. There is a 100% chance you will not get your break on time, and you will never be leaving before 10pm if you are over 18. The working conditions are absolutely awful, and management doesn't care. The only benefit of working there is that you get free tickets after you work like 120 hours, but honestly it isn't worth it. Once you have worked at the park, pretty much everything about it is ruined for you. The only decent department to work for is the waterpark, but be prepared for the extremely stressful environment. I woke up many times with night terrors because of the stress that being a lifeguard brought. This was my first job, and I had an awful experience. The only positive that came from this job is that I had the motivation to search for better positions with better pay.

As much as I appreciate the park for giving me vital work experience and giving me more than enough hours, the business itself seemed to have fallen on some very hard times. The toll it was taking on associates in leadership positions was apparent, and because (more times than not) supervisors where very young adults, they didn't handle the pressure in a very professional way. 
There were days where I had to work 10+ hours without a break which tested my patience and commitment to exemplary customer service. As much as it was incredibly tiring, the satisfaction that came from working a long day was well worth it. 
Overall, it's a great place to get retail experience for those who have none. It certainly puts you through the wringer and tests your resolve. On the other hand, if you're looking for fair treatment of employees and unbiased management, I would look elsewhere.

I greatly enjoyed working at Michigan's Adventure.  I had awesome managers and amazing co-workers.  The hardest part about working at an amusement park are the days where you just don't want to deal with people and just want to go home but you have to put on a smile and make sure that the guests have a good time.  For me, the most enjoyable part would have to be when you make someone smile especially the kids.  When you are working the kiddie rides and you give a little kid a high five, it is so satisfying to see their faces light up with a smile.  It was a great experience and I am looking forward to spending another summer working there.

This is a horrible seasonal position, due primarily to how the park manages its employees.  The environment itself is entertaining enough as it's an amusement park.  However it's a very archaic top-down management style.  Instead of a pleasant "Good Morning", you will be told where to stand, you will be told how to stand ("DON'T LEAN), you won't be able to take a bathroom break (employees urinate all over the park, in bottles, behind trees, in cups, etc. as their bathroom break policy is ridiculous), you'll be told that you are doing something wrong each and every day.  There is no positive reinforcement at all, no career path, not even a cordial greeting.  It's 100% negative reinforcement and essentially run by children - literally.  They do hire 14 year-olds because what self respecting adult would want to work in this toxic environment?  Stay away.  Shoveling dirt is a better job.

A typical day began at 8 am and ended between 8 and 10 pm. within that time we were required to stack, pack, and deliver all the orders requested in the park. I learned how to deal with different personalities and I learned how to deal with customers/guests in a professional manner. The management was great. We were treated as equals in the workplace.  I experienced so many people. I got along with mostly everybody that I worked with. when there was a conflict we discussed it, fixed the problem the best we could, and got back to work. The hardest part of the job was the long hours. Although I enjoyed my work, 14 hours is a long time to be in work 5 to 7 days a week. The most enjoyable part of the job was the wide variety of people that I got to meet.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Associate 1 salary reported	$14.25 per hour
Food service associate 4 salaries reported	$15.75 per hour
Operations associate 4 salaries reported	$15.75 per hour
Lifeguard 3 salaries reported	$15.92 per hour
Host/hostess 2 salaries reported	$14.25 per hour

Working at Michigan's Adventure: Company Overview and Reviews

Michigan's Adventure

Michigan's Adventure Ratings

Popular jobs at Michigan's Adventure

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected