If you’ve ever spent the day at a theme park, watching all the happy kids and smiling tourists, you know what a fun environment it is! If you’ve mulled over the idea of working at a theme park yourself, we have some tips and links that can help you get started. While it’s more difficult to get chosen as a character at a theme park, it’s not impossible. Getting a position as an attraction staff member is easier than becoming Cinderella at Disneyland, and it can be a great way to meet people. You can get in on the ground floor with amusement parks that hire from within: these huge, successful companies will always have more opportunities for staff who are great at their jobs.
Amusement park work is all about the park visitor having a wonderful time, and everything you do should be geared toward making them happy! Here are some tips on getting a job at a theme park:
Character positions: There is real cachet to portraying a famous character from cartoons or films at an amusement park. People flock to these characters, and they cause a happy commotion whenever they appear! At Disneyland, for example, character auditions are held periodically, sometime with over 1000 candidates showing up to try out. If you resemble a character, you’ve got the first thing you need. This resemblance isn’t all you need, though: Disney execs require a lot more: talent, friendliness, and stamina - you will be working in the heat, surrounded by pleasant chaos and excited children, day after day. If you are looking for a position as a character inside a costume, they will look at your height and weight closely, but there are all shapes and sizes of costumes and anything is possible. Visit this link for Disney hiring info: http://corporate.disney.go.com/careers/auditions.html
Here is a link for Six Flags New England character casting info: http://www.sixflags.com/newEngland/jobs/auditions.aspx: they are looking for supervillians and superheroes right now!
Other park positions: There are so many jobs at an amusement park: as a food service worker, maintenance person, clerk, etc.! You can tailor your resume to the job you want: be sure to emphasize any volunteer work, or customer service experience. If you secure an interview, remember to smile and be genuine. You must understand that customer service is the over-arching goal of any theme park. Your attitude is key: if you can perform your duties while maintaining a warm, approachable image, you’ll have an excellent chance of being hired. Make a great cover letter explaining why you want to work at an amusement park: many people send in a resume that ends up in a pile, when a great cover letter could really get them noticed. Polishing your resume and cover letter will give you an edge with Human Resources: here is a useful links to a free resume service: http://www.resume-resource.com/, and another link to Universal Studios HR: http://corp.universalstudios.com/seasonal.cgi?loci=USO.
