The reality of working at a water park

No, I’m not a lifeguard

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Whenever I tell people I work at a water park, they automatically assume I must be a lifeguard. They should be able to tell from my pasty, un-tanned skin that I am not, and am in fact a Guest Services representative, helping guests inside on even the nicest of days. It may not be as fun or exciting as being a lifeguard, but it is just as important! (okay, almost as important. Lifeguards are pretty important.)

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We are the first impression of the company

As a guest services representative, we have multiple jobs. We man the front desk, but we also help with ticket sales, and also work bag check. And for a while, we did them in the most ridiculous shirts you could imagine.

As bag checkers we greet people at the entrance gate and make sure they’re not bringing in any outside food, illegal drinks or “paraphernalia.” Not everyone appreciates us going through their things (and you would be amazed at the lengths people will go to to bring in their favorite snack). Being happy and enthusiastic all the time can be tiring! But one bad first impression can make the difference between a one-time or returning customer.

It’s not just a water park

Being in the Northeast means we get the full range of seasons, so being a full time water park isn’t exactly cost effective (or even scientifically feasible). The water park is actually relatively new, and the mountain I work at has actually been a ski resort since the 80’s.

So just because there’s no snow on the ground doesn’t mean you don’t need to know everything about the ski resort and vice versa. And I mean EVERYTHING. I’ve even been there as my bosses will give pop quizzes to new employees. Saying “I don’t know” to a customer is not acceptable here. You’ll find out the answer or find someone else who knows it.

It’s not your average part-time job

Because of the great location we’re able to host many different kinds of events and specials. Our park happens to be right next to a concert venue, so for the past few years we have partially hosted music festivals like Camp Bisco and The Peach Festival. Basically no one, not even the employees, leaves the mountain for four days straight.

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Those festivals are without a doubt the most stressful times of the year, but honestly they’re a really great bonding experience for coworkers. And you come out with a lot of great stories. We also have fun events like “Princess and Pirate Day,” which is the BEST.

And if they trust you, they’ll let you represent the company off-site, which is a great way to expose the water park to people who didn’t know something this cool was right up the road!

Guests’ happiness is EVERYTHING

The name of the game is “Guest Services,” which means we help keep the guests happy to the very extent of our abilities. Understandably these people want the most for their money. If something isn’t up to snuff, they’ll let us know. Every guest is different, and you need to be able to read them quickly and try what you can to make them happy.

It’s our job to treat every single guest with the utmost respect and courtesy – no matter how they treat us. I’ve had a guest on the phone call me a “f*cking b*tch,” and it was my job to politely take his message and tell him someone would get back to him shortly. It was my general manager’s job to tell him off. You need to take every question seriously, even if you’ve answered it 25 times already that morning. Of course sometimes it’s hard not to giggle when someone asks you if your snow tubing is open on an 80 degree day in July.

But like any job, the longer you work there, the easier it gets. You’ll get to know returning guests and pass holders and know their personalities and what they like. Most importantly, you’ll become an expert on your business and become an invaluable part of it. I’ve been there 7 years, and it’s the only non-internship job I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The guests I get to interact with make every day exciting and valuable, and the coworkers I get to spend all that time with make it not even feel like a job at all.