Please, keep your hands inside the boat ... at all times
Six Flags Great America, a place I very much enjoyed in my youth, opens for the 2009 season on Friday. The very same day, a new film coming to theaters tells the story of a young man who hates his summer job -- working at an amusement park.
"Adventureland" is based on director Greg Mottola's experiences working at a park with the same name on Long Island. They didn't film the movie there, ostensibly because the real park might object to an ad campaign for a movie about an amusement park with this tagline: "It was the worst job they ever imagined ... and the best time of their lives."
I still have this wacky dream of one day, after paying down all debt, working for peanuts as a Jungle Cruise skipper at Disneyland. That's just one of those jobs I always thought would be fun, cranky customers (sorry, Mr. Lasseter: guests) notwithstanding. I wouldn't really like adjusting to Disney's appearance requirements, though. I used to want a part-time job at the movie theater, too, but I can hardly stand to patronize one anymore; why would I want to work there?!?
This must be the best ride at Great America.
I don't know anyone who worked at Great America in Gurnee, but one thing stands out whenever I go there: The kids who work the attractions seem to be having fun, and the kids working the food stands always look like they want to end their lives. I suppose that makes sense. Who wants to sell funnel cakes to hot, angry people who think they're paying too much for the food they just waited 35 minutes for?
I do, however, know a few people who worked at Walt Disney World, and they all seemed to really enjoy it. That's contrary to what a lot of the writers at the Disneyana sites will tell you; it seems like the hardcore parkgoers on the Web are always complaining about "working conditions" and the way Disney treats its "cast members" -- that is, when they're not moaning about how every tweak to every last attraction, thoroughfare, wall, or sign is destroying the beauty of the parks. (Here's an idea: you don't like it, stop buying annual passes.)
Any job can be fun if you bring the right attitude to it, and I don't think working at an amusement park needs much of an attitude adjustment if you are, say, a teenage boy. It's summertime, there are girls everywhere, you're working outside, and the potential for wacky things to happen is extremely high. What's not to love?
Here's the thing about working at Disney...the people who love it (like I did) love it because they know it's temporary. Cast members in the college program are there for 4 to 7 months, basically for a long vacay of goofing off. If it was a job that you HAD to do because you have a mortgage and kids, then it would totally and utterly suck. You are basically at their whim in terms of scheduling, holidays, where you work on a daily basis, etc. There's also the stripping of individuality that occurs with the "costumes" and rules regarding hair/ makeup/ jewelry/ tattoos/shoes, etc. I think that's what people are talking about when they talk about poor working conditions. It is no way to live for an extended period of time, but for the few months I was there, I was extremely happy and had the most fun I've ever had in my entire life.