• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Anyone in the biz?

B

BSwiss

TS Member
Does anyone on this board work in the theme park business, or have worked in the business? Interested to hear about park side, HO, whatever.

I ask as I’ve always had a separation between career and interests, with some very minor exceptions, and I’m thinking of an industry switch at some point in the coming years.

I’m not fishing for specifics but just thoughts on the industry as a place to work in general, and some macro thoughts on the poop-where-you-eat vs the don’t-poop-where-you-eat debate.
 
Plenty of members are ex-staff, some are current. Whether or not they want to admit to that is a different question. ;)

Personally I like to keep my work and my hobbies well away from each other. As soon as you have to rely on something for income, it stops being fun.
 
...unless it means playing out in nice gardens in the sun.
Never worked in the trade personally, it was an option a couple of times, but I didn't want to shatter the illusion.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
Keys to the Kingdom was an 8 part podcast series, hosted by and featuring interviews with employees of the US's largest theme parks. It's not a bad little listen, with no major revaluations, but it might give you a bit of flavour to the world.
shows.acast.com

Keys To The Kingdom

A peek behind the curtain of the world’s greatest theme parks
shows.acast.com shows.acast.com
Click to expand...

I'll enjoy listening to these in the coming weeks...
 
I think I can offer an interesting perspective on this question.

Quick backstory for some context. I've loved Theme Parks from a really young age. I think I discovered Legoland and Roller Coaster Tycoon at the same time, and I've been hooked ever since.
Wasn't any real doubt that I wanted to make a career out of it, I moved to Windsor as soon as the moment was right, and have been working there since. In my current role I'm part of the team that delivers the new lego attractions, which brings me onto why this question interested me.

Doing this job hasn't spoilt theme parks as a hobbie. It's actually become my gateway to it. Outside of work I don't have the chance to visit them like I used to. I spend most my weekends out with my dogs, or trying to balance other parts of my life.
I've also never been the type of person to sporadically decide to visit an obscure park on the other side of the world, although sometimes I wish I was.
That's where the job comes in. I've visited some amazing places and seen some parks I never dreamed I'd visit because I've had the chance to see them whilst working. I've also met some incredible people who have shared great stories of the parks they've worked on, which has only made my appreciation for these places stronger.
Is working at a theme park something I'd recommend for anyone? No. I wouldn't even recommend it to most enthusiasts. Enjoying theme parks and the reality of working at one are two very different things. If the latter appeals to you as much, if not more than the former then maybe it is worth considering.
 
I used to be passionate about lighting. As soon as I started doing it for a job, it stopped being fun. (Still far better than a "real" job though!)
Friends are always telling me I should get on youtube and monetise my Lego town. I can't think of anything worse.

I think humans need some frivolous hobbies that serve no function other than pure enjoyment.

I've got a lot of respect for anyone who has managed to monetise their hobby and still enjoys it though. Please tell me your secret!
 
I've been told before I should vlog my weird trips to obscure parks and funfairs in the middle of nowhere but I can't think of a way to spoil things faster. I even take a hell of a lot less photos etc now as I just want to be in the moment, not think "Stop. Piece to camera. Make sure reaction is right, lighting good, audio not terrible" etc.

I had an opportunity but now work in something completely different and if I end up crossing paths in this job with a park, it's coincidence.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I've got a lot of respect for anyone who has managed to monetise their hobby and still enjoys it though. Please tell me your secret!
Click to expand...
When I worked in the care system, I used to escape to the garden to clean/tidy, and try to put a few plants into the battlefield...I had always enjoyed gardening.

Then, having "left under a cloud" after a long time waiting, and the usual threat of tribunal bringing a quick settlement (local government really ought to follow its own staffing rules), I set myself up as a local gardener, with a cunning side plan of rollercoasters on the rainy days.
Has worked for the last fifteen years, no complaints, apart from the old age injuries.

If you are not happy with your job, change it.
 
I've worked both sides of the coin - attraction operations for three years and now on the manufacturer and supply side of the wider industry.

It depends on where you work and who you work with. The actual politics within attraction operations can be mind numbing and soul sucking one day, yet the next you find yourself on cloud nine affirming you've made the right choice when the stars align.

Where I am currently is far better suited. There's more opportunity for growth and personal development. It opens your eyes to the possibility of the entire industry, where you learn vast amounts daily. I had my real 'pinch me' moment sitting between an ex-Disney Imagineer and ex-Universal architect as the three of us finalised a trade show presentation; something attraction operations never satisfactorily delivered.

It hasn't spoilt the hobby by any means. In one breath, it makes some aspects of the hobby far more frustrating. Observing armchair experts contributing absolutely nothing or spreading misinformation becomes even more excrutiating. The misunderstandings or blatant disregard on feasibility, processes and possibilities is so far and wide it adds a layer that's difficult to ignore.

Yet in another breath, it's given a whole new meaning to visiting attractions - watching a family who have never visited a park before and the kids' eyes light up. Seeing the number of people who pour their heart and soul tirelessly into making everything as good as it can be, from the guest experience down to making something as tedious as safety seem exciting. I've made a great group of friends from the industry which puts a whole new take on conversations regarding the industry and life in general.

I'm in the same boat as Tim, where obscure parks have never been my cup of tea, and doing big, several-thousand-mile travel for parks hasn't always been possible. Now I've been able to experience some new places and parks that I perhaps wouldn't have considered a decade ago.

Is it for everyone? No, absolutely not, and I wouldn't recommend it to necessarily everyone either. If you're unsure, look at the actual supply chain for the parks. The ride manufacturers. The concept houses. The boards and organisations. There are far more positions here that are more comfortable and enjoyable than working guest-facing or back of house in an attraction.
 
Hey I worked at one of the parks for 15 years. Pretty much did everything I wanted to do there in that time. I have also worked for one of the theming design companies, and have been fortunate to work with several ex-Imagineers and ex-Universal Creative people. I would say it can be a very challenging, but very rewarding environment to work in. If this is something you want to do, I would recommend getting a job at your local park. Its a good idea to get the foundations of how to operate a theme park before moving into any design/back of house function. If you do decide to get a job, don't just work on the rides. Try and work in as many departments as you can so you can gain a full understanding of how it works. Ultimately it depends on what you are interested in, as there are so many avenues to explore, and you usually have to don many "hats" (be it engineering, technical design, creative design, project management etc) on projects. I would say there is a certain element of luck required (as with most things you want to do), however if an opportunity arises, take it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top