Worst Job At Kings Island

[The Interpreter]

Yes, but do they do it more than once? That is the question.

[thedevariouseffect]

Yup, not ganna lie I sat on the shi*ter with my cell phone for about 30 min my day as a sweep because it was farking hot...ain't nobody got time for that

[invertedgirl]

I would love to be a ride op or a supervisor but I've seen the amount you have to put in. I personally think there is no horrible job at Kings Island but the least pleasurable would be characters. Once I turn 15 though I want to work at Kings Island but I would want to be the character escort type of worker, not sure exactly what it's called.

[darwyn]

I would love to be a ride op or a supervisor but I've seen the amount you have to put in. I personally think there is no horrible job at Kings Island but the least pleasurable would be characters. Once I turn 15 though I want to work at Kings Island but I would want to be the character escort type of worker, not sure exactly what it's called.

Its called...Character Escort

Nice not to see my job listed as one of the worst...lol. Side note though...I have met people that work in every department in the park, and there are people who LOVE their jobs in every department...believe it or not. Its part of what makes working at KI so fun, for me at least.

[funpark]

After having worked at Walmart for almost 8 years I would work just about any job at Kings Island. At least KI has security to care of guests who get out of hand. If you work at Walmart and customer even goes as far as hitting you, no one is allowed to even help you. If you defend yourself or a fellow worker jumps in to help,you both get fired. Not even management can help you. All they can do is call the police and hope they get there fast. All they worry about is getting sued. It wasn't always like that just the last couple of years.

[Jr for Birdy]

I would love to be a ride op or a supervisor but I've seen the amount you have to put in. I personally think there is no horrible job at Kings Island but the least pleasurable would be characters. Once I turn 15 though I want to work at Kings Island but I would want to be the character escort type of worker, not sure exactly what it's called.

Its called...Character Escort

Nice not to see my job listed as one of the worst...lol. Side note though...I have met people that work in every department in the park, and there are people who LOVE their jobs in every department...believe it or not. Its part of what makes working at KI so fun, for me at least.

So do the characters wear a cooling vest or anything when its hot outside?

[Zayzayd13]

The peanuts gang or trash duty

[Tanna]

I think that keyhole photo photographers at the entrance have to be miserable standing on that hot pavement for hours directly in the sun.

That's why I always smile and pose like Hollywood. I don't like that some guests are rude to them. The keyhole people are pleasant, and it doesn't take any time at all to pose and smile.

In fact, I recommend it- you never know when that one trip will be the day to remember with a photo.

I could easily be a litter gitter. It's Zen. When I do holiday retail jobs for extra money, I walk around the store sweeping, so it doesn't look like I'm stalking the customers like they they do at the Gap. That way, I can ask them if they need help all casual-like, instead of being like a vulture honing in on a kill.

[beastrider97]

I would say that carts is a pretty miserable experience. I was mainly located at Street Skyline until last Thursday (my last day). When other locations need people and we had an excess, we were sent wherever. I worked the cart right by the bandstand twice and the time ticks on very slow. You have no one to talk to and nothing to clean that would keep you occupied. So what do you do, stand in front of the cart with maps until someone wants to buy something! Those 2 shifts were pretty painful, but I can say that working at Street Skyline was an awesome first job and I'm glad that I got a chance to work at KI.

[shawnofthedead]

After having worked at Walmart for almost 8 years I would work just about any job at Kings Island. At least KI has security to care of guests who get out of hand. If you work at Walmart and customer even goes as far as hitting you, no one is allowed to even help you. If you defend yourself or a fellow worker jumps in to help,you both get fired. Not even management can help you. All they can do is call the police and hope they get there fast. All they worry about is getting sued. It wasn't always like that just the last couple of years.

I believe if that happened I would loose my job that day.

[Tanna]

I would say that carts is a pretty miserable experience. I was mainly located at Street Skyline until last Thursday (my last day). When other locations need people and we had an excess, we were sent wherever. I worked the cart right by the bandstand twice and the time ticks on very slow. You have no one to talk to and nothing to clean that would keep you occupied. So what do you do, stand in front of the cart with maps until someone wants to buy something! Those 2 shifts were pretty painful, but I can say that working at Street Skyline was an awesome first job and I'm glad that I got a chance to work at KI.

Not having anything to do at a job makes that job the worst, hands down. I'd rather be busy than that.

Someone mentioned earlier about the funnel cake stand taking a long time to clean. It's the flying grease. Everything has to be degreased.

Not being able to hit the park this summer, I've made my own funnel cakes at times, and even with a cover on the fryer, the grease goes everywhere. If not for lemon juice, I'd still be cleaning.

If I were allowed to add lemon juice to the mix, I can see working the funnel cake stand, but I suspect the industry has certain rules.

I had a cousin work at the ice cream concession for one week before she quit, I guess she didn't understand the definition of "work".

[invertedgirl]

I have a question, a lot of you have seemed to work at KI. If I'm 14 now and next year when the season starts ill still be 14 but during the season I turn 15. Would I still be able to apply or would I have to wait for the following season?

[invertedgirl]

I forgot to add on that I know a few places where they're only open half the year and if you turn the requirement during that time they are sometimes lienant about it as long as you are under a month away. I don't know if its the case like this here or not.

[faeriewench]

I have a question, a lot of you have seemed to work at KI. If I'm 14 now and next year when the season starts ill still be 14 but during the season I turn 15. Would I still be able to apply or would I have to wait for the following season?

Apply once you turn 15.

[Fire-Beast-OF FEAR]

After my short tenure with The Racer crew I can say It was one of the most fun and rewarding experience I ever had and was very saddened when I left. I can say that based off of the people I talked to foods and sweeps is the worst but even then there have been people who I met and people on this topic who have said that those are good jobs too. Kings Island is one of the best places in the area to work as a teen compared to fast food and my new job as a landscaper were I have to work 10 hot hours a day outside with sex offenders, people on parole, and illegal immigrants.

[invertedgirl]

Would you guys recommend working there if I live an hour away? I have family down there that said I could stay down there some nights if I did.

[YoungStud]

Its up to you on how much expenses you will have vs how much you will make.

[Fire-Beast-OF FEAR]

If you live a hour away wait until you're 16 so you can drive yourself. Your parents will be happier and less stressed without having to drive 4 hours a day to take you to and from work. Also driving is FUN!

[Original]

All jobs are going to have downfalls. I'm going to have to go out on a limb here and say Dons job is pretty stressful. Sure its absolutely not the WORST job, most would find it to be quite fun. I can quite confidently say that he loves his job... But there is probably times where he'd rather be on that hot concrete with a camera being rejected by visitors.

In my opinion, I think sweeper must be one of the worst, if not the worst. All day on your feet, hot, cold, wet, dry....

If this counts, lifeguard at Soak City isn't to peachy either (specifically wave pool)... I watched from the wave pool the lifeguards doing a specific neck-roll-nod to show more clearly that they are watching for your safety... They must do it hundreds of times per day.... Ouch. And having to whistle at people for breaking the rules... Not so fun either. But it must be cool to work mondo monsoon, seeing people's faces as you guide the raft towards the tunnel to slide all the way down to the funnel.

[Fire-Beast-OF FEAR]

Oh yeah forgot to mention Soak lifeguards have it bad. I do have a funny story regarding that job but it is highly inapropriate for this forum. But thats for another day hopfuly when I can see you people. Yes you Faith.

[invertedgirl]

Thanks everyone.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

I always considered being a sweep or litter getter as we were always called, as bing the best job at the park. Granted we had to stand on our feet all day as we walked our assigned area, but that beats being confined to a small area. We had to entire area to walk and meet the guests and the time went fast because of that. Plus, the financial rewards the job had made it one of the best jobs in the park. But one of the worse jobs in the park had to be the workers on the late great Antique Cars. Those workers had to really physically handle those cars through out the day and bust their chops.

[HHauntFanatic]

After my short tenure with The Racer crew I can say It was one of the most fun and rewarding experience I ever had and was very saddened when I left. I can say that based off of the people I talked to foods and sweeps is the worst but even then there have been people who I met and people on this topic who have said that those are good jobs too. Kings Island is one of the best places in the area to work as a teen compared to fast food and my new job as a landscaper were I have to work 10 hot hours a day outside with sex offenders, people on parole, and illegal immigrants.

Speaking of landscaper, anybody have experience working in landscaping at KI? If so, would you lump it in with one of the worst jobs or one of the better jobs at the park? I think I would enjoy it, just because I enjoy working around plants and the environment.

[Sonofbeast2.0]

I think PR manger can be the worst job at the park... Just bear with me here...

Imagine being the one having to deal with media when SOB had its 2006 accident or when it was closed from 2009 and no announcement and having people asking what will happen to the ride. Imagine being PR manger if the park had a death here recently (or ever)! PR manager is probably a great job during a new ride announcement or knowing some good news the rest of the world don't but when their is an issue about the park the PR manger takes a lot of heat. I'm sure its a fun job but at times it has some bad disadvantages...

[BeastForever]

^ Don: "Tell me about it."

[Pedro Cerrano]

There used to be a ride in the kids area (my son rode it in roughly 03-04) that was basically a small handcart that the child propelled thru the course with their own power - using their arms to turn a crank. The problem was that any kid who was big enough to pedal it around the track was really too big to be riding it. So you ended up with tiny kids riding it who could not get it thru the whole course. So eventually the workers would have to come over to the child, bend over and push them the rest of the way thru the course. Even for 16-18 year old kids that had to be a very sore back at the end of a shift!

[thoe124]

I think that working the coney mall games would be the worst.

[Kat]

I would take about any job at KI over two particular places in the park to work- the Reds HOF Grille (at least back when it was WINGS) and Festhaus, especially closing them. Not only were they the two most popular eateries in the park, but both required extensive amounts of time after the park was closed to tidy up for the next day. I remember having to close WINGS on a weekday (10 pm closing) and not getting out of the park until about 12:30-1 am.

That's nothing. When my sister and I both worked at KI in 2005, she ended up getting sent to the funnel cake stand on I-Street one night, and we didn't get out of there until 2am - and then only because she told them she had to go because her ride was waiting. Being on I-Street, that stand is one of the last to close, and apparently takes a really long time to clean up (why it takes so long is beyond me - surely it doesn't take more than an hour or two to clean the machines, sweep, mop, etc.)

Aren't the costume characters air conditioned on the inside?

Nope. There's a reason you don't see them much during the hotter months.

Mike - two words. Powdered. Sugar.

Lol. It gets very messy in there. Powdered sugar gets everywhere!!! You have to Saran Wrap everything and put it up, take apart and clean the pop machines, clean out the fryers, clean all the counters, do all the dishes, clean the windows and patio, sweep and mop all the floors, re-assemble things....

Food area managers are VERY meticulous about how clean those stands are. They gotta be spotless.

Powdered sugar is a bear to clean up bc when it's wet it sticks lol