Working at Kings Island...

[BoddaH1994]

Here is an article about how Kings Island retains its employees year after year, despite the very low unemployment rate.

Of course, this article isn't current. It's from 1999.

Now several thousand apply to Kings Island and only a few thousand get hired. Oh, how times have changed.

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1999/07/14/fin_kings_island_jobs.html

[pkiboy]

I wish one person was working at the park today and thats Don Miller he had Class always said hello to you and if you worked under him everyone was equal. But he retired and he has moved on and is enjoying his retirment.

Kings Island is a great place to work I have worked both in the park and behind the scenes so I know how the entire park is ran on a daily bases. I have been to places in the park ware most people dont get to see and do everyday. I have seen the park being set up for the season ive seen it being put away for the winter. It turely is a wonderful place to work but keep in mind you will have ur ups and downs working at the park.

[Jasper]

It has always been something I have wanted to do, work at Kings Island. Although I have always been unable to where I live an hour and a half away. From the way this article reads working for the park would be a job that would make you get up and almost want to go to work. I do have few quick questions though.

1.How long of days do you usually work?

2.Is the pay substansial enough to where if you work a 40 hour week you can support yourself in an apartment?

3.Are there any requirements to work in certain areas, such as rides, or games?

[MarketingExpress]

To answer your questions...

1) While schedules vary depending on the department you work in, you can count on working at least 6-8 hours on any given day (closing shift is usually a bit shorter for some departments). Seasonal labor laws (unless they have changed) will allow you to work up to 69.9 hours per week in the state of Ohio

2) I had plenty of friends that had apartments or condos that they lived in close to the park, however they usually lived with at least one other person. Not sure if 40 hours would be enough or not, you might need more hours depending on your living situation.

3) Other than age limits which are pretty clearly spelled out on the webite, you will probably be qualified for most posiions IN THE PARK. Keep in mind that positions in departments like games requires that you prove you can interact with guests and are comfortable talking into a mic to get guests to come to play your game.

On a side note, I enjoyed every bit of working at KI and was able to learn so much about the industry. As pkiboy also said, I was able to see the ins and outs of the park and go to areas where the public will never have access to. I would definately recommend it to anyone looking for a summer job.

[d-lo775]

It has always been something I have wanted to do, work at Kings Island. Although I have always been unable to where I live an hour and a half away. From the way this article reads working for the park would be a job that would make you get up and almost want to go to work. I do have few quick questions though.

1.How long of days do you usually work?

2.Is the pay substansial enough to where if you work a 40 hour week you can support yourself in an apartment?

3.Are there any requirements to work in certain areas, such as rides, or games?

1, Depends on weather, park attendance, how many people are in your work crew and how many of them actually showed up to work that day. Your shift my be 5 minutes or 15 hours, but "if" everything goes as planned you get around 7 hours a day. At least that was the case in the department I worked.

2, 40 X 7.25 = $290 (before taxes), So, don't plan on living in Mason or anywhere near the park, driving a luxury car to get you to work, or ever ordering anything besides $1 menu items or what's on sale at the grocery store. Plus you'll want to make sure you don't get ill or injured. Yes, the park does offer insurance to their employees, but that will just eat up about another $20 a week out of your paycheck and you'll still have to make a co-pay.

3. Math test to work in games, drug test at the beginning of the season to work in rides or maintenance. Everyone working at the park is subject to "random" (a.k.a. don't screw up and we won't test you) drug test for any position held during the season.

Is working at the park fun? Sometimes. I'm sure it's more enjoyable for someone in their teens than it is for someone who is in their 30s or older.

Are you going to be able to "make it" without living with your parents, a roommate or having another job? No.

[XGatorHead 8904]

I'm sure it's more enjoyable for someone in their teens than it is for someone who is in their 30s or older.

Not necessarily so. I have a lot of fun working Haunt every year. It's a wonderful change of pace from my day job.

Gator, who started in his teens and now falls into that "30s or older" group (and is currently in his 19th season at the park).

[CoastersRZ]

I too started working at Coney when I was 17! Back then, Coney also had a bonus based on the number of hours worked, and continued employment through the post season. Unfortunately, that was a casualty of the increased minimum wage in Ohio. On the subject of employee retention rate, Coney`s ride department is typically made up of about 130 people. This year, of the 130 employees, about 100 of them were returning workers and only 30 or so people were new hires! The number of new hires increased as the season went along and some of the returners had to return to college. And even still, staffing was a struggle for the Fall O Ween Festival. (We had managers running rides, and giving breaks to ride operators. I did breaks at Wheel, coaster and Scrambler this past weekend.)

Coney also issues free passes to its seasonal employees. Each employee is entitled to two free passes after each 150 hours worked. In years past, Coney has also had a family day, where up to four family members could visit the park on family day for free, although I`m not certain if there was a family day this year.

Another interesting thing to note, and this not only applied to Coney, but to Kings Island as well, Ohio`s minimum wage is going up effective January 1st, 2010. It will increase from the current $7.30 an hour to $7.40 an hour.

[Jasper]

I currently work at Kohl's here in Richmond and after a year I only got a 20 cent raise which bumped me from 7.25 to 7.45 an hour. I usually only get around 20 hours a week or less where I am a student and that doesn't do much but it helps that I still live at home. I would have a roommate most likely living with me as we are both interested in jobs at the park. Judging from the posts so far though, you start out at minimum wage which would be hard to live off of unless you put in more than 40 hours a week which would not be a problem with me as I consider myself to have a very strong work ethic. The department I would most want to work in would be obviously rides though, so I can imagine that is a department where everyone wants to work.

[d-lo775]

I'm sure it's more enjoyable for someone in their teens than it is for someone who is in their 30s or older.

Not necessarily so. I have a lot of fun working Haunt every year. It's a wonderful change of pace from my day job.

Gator, who started in his teens and now falls into that "30s or older" group (and is currently in his 19th season at the park).

I started well past 30 because it was the only job I was offered after being laid off last year. I did enjoying working when I had someone around my age to socialize with, but days when I was stuck listening to Justin Bieber conversations amongst other teen topics and interest, they weren't all that much fun for me personally. Most of the "kids" I worked with were extremely nice and courteous, so in no way am I implying they were a pain in the neck (or elsewhere) to be around. I'm saying that finding common interest were challenging, not impossible, but challenging. If I were half my current age and wasn't having to take a $400 a week pay cut (as KI was my only source of income at the time), I think working there would have been so much more enjoyable.

I would definitely recommend working at KI if your just starting out in the work force and still live with your parents or guardians or wanted a part time job to make some extra cash as an adult. But if your plan A is to move to Mason and try to survive off a seasonal position income at KI by yourself, you should definitely move on to plan B. Unless, of course, your really wealthy and just need something to do to keep you from being bored. But if that were the case, wouldn't you just buy a season pass and play instead of work?

[DeLorean Rider]

I went to a job fair at KI when I was 14 to learn the ropes. At 15 I started at I-Street Pizza, then at 16 moved to rides. Worked in rides until I was 20. I loved every minute of it.

[Jasper]

Hearing all of these replies and posts make me really want to work at the park. It seems like an overall great place to work at.

[pbkigi]

I went to a job fair at KI when I was 14 to learn the ropes. At 15 I started at I-Street Pizza, then at 16 moved to rides. Worked in rides until I was 20. I loved every minute of it.

So you have to be 15 to work at the park? I thought that it was 16.

[pkiboy]

I went to a job fair at KI when I was 14 to learn the ropes. At 15 I started at I-Street Pizza, then at 16 moved to rides. Worked in rides until I was 20. I loved every minute of it.

So you have to be 15 to work at the park? I thought that it was 16.

15 to work at the park 16 to work rides.

[DeLorean Rider]

Unless it's changed, at 15 one can work in food, games, and admissions.

[MarketingExpress]

^I believe that is still the case.

[Gordon Bombay]

I went to a job fair at KI when I was 14 to learn the ropes. At 15 I started at I-Street Pizza, then at 16 moved to rides. Worked in rides until I was 20. I loved every minute of it.

Wow, I never knew you worked at KI.

[DeLorean Rider]

I went to a job fair at KI when I was 14 to learn the ropes. At 15 I started at I-Street Pizza, then at 16 moved to rides. Worked in rides until I was 20. I loved every minute of it.

Wow, I never knew you worked at KI.

I wasn't a very active associate. Never really tried to stand out. Never did anything out of the ordinary...

[DeLorean Rider]

Did you work there?

[The Interpreter]

I wasn't a very active associate. Never really tried to stand out. Never did anything out of the ordinary...

Baloney. You did your job and did it superbly.

Terp, who watches and remembers

[CedarPointer]

The park gives cash bonuses based on the number of hours worked and for staying throughout the summer, Mr. Mefford said. For Andy Clark, who works in games, it was the benefits package that will keep him there.

Andy, 16, gets a season pass. He says he's entitled to a 40 percent discount on the park's selected mer chandise and six free one-day passes to give to friends or family members for the first 80 hours he works.

Sigh.

[The Interpreter]

Cedar Fair is not Paramount Parks.

And economic times are far different. Back then, it was difficult to acquire and retain help. Now, there are many dozens of applicants for every open position. Supply and demand. Back then, employees had much more of an upper hand than now.

Why on earth would Cedar Fair pay more than it has to? Then again, how much is it that Mr. Kinzel makes? And couldn't they do far better with someone else making less? Oh, wait....the Board of Directors supervises all that, and most are the hand picked buddies of Mr. K...well, except those two they added for Q...and next time around, the unitholders may not blindly elect whoever Mr. K and his Board recommend....

[CedarPointer]

I doubt that giving employees a high discount on merchandise was causing them to lose much money.

[The Interpreter]

Actually, some associates received up to a 55 percent discount. And more than one employee was terminated for letting others use that discount...

You'd be surprised.

Besides, they have enough quality employees now without doing that. Again, why would they?

[CedarPointer]

I've certainly had enough interesting experiences there to be able to say... you get what you pay for.

"Are you SURE you want Orange Fanta? It tastes like juice."

[Guest rcfreak339]

Hearing all of these replies and posts make me really want to work at the park. It seems like an overall great place to work at.

I'm in the the same boat as you man...REALLY wanting to work at a park that you think you would just have a ball doing, but living so far away.

Kings Island, even living almost an hour and 15 minutes away is the nearest place to mass hire, something I'm looking for.

I hope to one day work there but only time will tell I suppose.

[Gordon Bombay]

Did you work there?

Nah, my sister and I worked at Americana/Lesourdsville Lake back in the day. Remember her? She was really into dinosaurs...

[faeriewench]

Unless it's changed, at 15 one can work in food, games, and admissions.

Dunno if they still do, but some character positions in Entertainment as well. Tho ya gotta be 16 for Haunt (...honestly I feel that age requirement needs to be jacked up to 18 or high school graduate like Knotts. Wont happen tho..)

[CoastersRZ]

Cedar Point`s ride operators are all 18 years or older. A few years back it was discussed whether to make it a law for ride ops to be 18 in the state of Ohio. I can see both sides of the coin on that one. 18 year olds are generally more mature and therefore more responsible, especially when being intrusted to operate heavy machinery, which is what amusement park rides really are. At the same time, if the age were to be raised to 18, some parks like Kings Island and Coney Island would have a hard time filling all of their available positions. I`d say that about half of the rides department at Coney was comprised of minors (16-17 year olds) and that half was comprised of people 18+.

[DeLorean Rider]

Did you work there?

Nah, my sister and I worked at Americana/Lesourdsville Lake back in the day. Remember her? She was really into dinosaurs...

Very cool. That certainly explains your familiarity with Jerry Couch.

[trint2004]

This past season has been a dream come true. I love working at Kings Island, and i love that i have got to meet some great people while doing so. Im kinda sad that the season is coming to a close. In fact this Saturday is my last day working at the park. I will be returning next year, but its sad to say goodbye to this past season. Kings Island is the best job i have ever had and Im not planning on leaving. Ever. lol I say if you want to work here, put in an application. and go for it.