[This edition of "On the job" is fairly lengthy and detailed. Future versions will not be as in-depth about everything.]

May 5th, 2001

I arrived in the employee parking lot at 9:00am.

First stop: Wardrobe
Somehow, the people at wardrobe had messed up my nametag. I was issued a name tage for a 15yr. old, but I'm 16. I explained this to wardrobe. They were very helpfuly and said that they would have one ready for me to pick up the next day.

Second stop: Security
All employees have to stop in the security office their first day to pick up ID cards and hand in the vehicle registration forms. The office is located to the right of Entrance #2 on the Hershery Arena. There was a short wait, I handed in my form, and I was issued my card.

Third stop: Rides Office
The Rides Office is main hub of the rides department. All information about what is going on with all the rides in Hersheypark goes through here. Ride-ops clock in and are given their ride assignments for the day here. I clocked in, signed in, and was told to head to wardrobe for a quick uniform change before heading to the Wild Mouse.

Fourth stop: Wardrobe
[This season, all employees that are working for the Tidal Force area to the Lightning Racer area are wearing "fair-esque" uniforms. They consist of a striped shirt and vest -- the shorts are the same as all the other ride-ops.] After trekking back up to wardrobe, I told them I needed a fair uniform. I was given one and, after a quick change, headed over to the Wild Mouse. My day of work had begun!
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We, they 'Mouse crew, fired up the ride and started the standard Mack Mouse cars up the lift hill and through the course. We were preparing to open the ride when we got a call. The FunSlides (those slides that you ride down with burlap sacks) needed another person so that they could open. As luck would have it, yours truly was given the honor of heading over there.

The FunSlides are directly across from the 'Mouse so it only took me about 30 seconds to get over there. We got out the sacks, did a quick sweep-up of the ride area, and then did a test run to make sure the slides were nice and slippery. So we were ready to go --- but wait! One of my fellow co-workers spotted a group of about 10 wasps flying around the queue. We were not allowed to open until the wasps went away. After cleaning, sweeping, and doing almost everything we could to the slides, we were told to "act busy" until the ride could open. Yes, we were told to "act busy".

After about 25-30 minutes of "acting busy", maintanence came and killed the wasps and we opened. Legions of small children and their parents came up through the queue and we were ready to go. Working the FunSlides was a bit boring and consisted of me distributing the burlap sacks to the riders as the came through the queue. I also collected the sacks as the kids came down the slide. [ooo... the excitement!]

At 11:30, I was told to go take my 45min. lunch break. The employee entrance/exit is located right next to the big tan dome with arcade games inside of it. It's pretty much in the middle of the park -- about a 5 minute walk from the FunSlides. To the immediate right of the exit/entrance is the Ride-op break booth. We [the ride-ops] have to sign in out for break in the booth.

Once I signed out, I headed down to the employee cafeteria. The cafeteria is quite nice and offers a very wide selection of food for a very good price. For example, I got a slice of pizza, fries, and a small soda for $2.00 -- a 20oz. bottle of soda inside the park is $2.50. I eat my lunch for less than the "in-park" price of a soda.

After a pretty decent lunch, I headed back up to the FunSlides. Almost immediately, we got a call from Rides Office and I was told to go over to front line postition for Wild Mouse. I sat on a stool in the front of the Wild Mouse line for about one and a half hours. All I had to do was make sure that all the small children getting on the ride were tall enough.

After 1 hour, 30 minutes, the Mouse crew switched positions and I was the "exit" attendant. I stood on the exit side of the 'Mouse station and got guests off the ride quickly. I pulled up on the lap bars and showed them where the exit was.

About an hour later, I switched to the "entrance" attendant position. I told guests when to get on the ride and what car to use. When there was a group of 2, I matched them up with another group of 2 so that the car would run at full capacity. I also double-checked small kids to make sure that they made the required height to ride.

At 4:00, it was time for my break. After signing out, I headed over to the cafeteria where I got a coke and some fries. I finished eating in about 15 minutes so I decided to leave early so I could take my time getting back to the 'Mouse. I walked back slowly, pausing to watch "Tidal Force" drop down and send a wave of water flying up into the air.

I was back to Wild Mouse in time and was at the exit position. After another 2 rotations, I was back to the front line position. The ride broke down briefly for about 5 minutes, so I had to chain off the line [ooooooohhhh the excitement]. At 6:00pm, I chained the front of the line, put a trash can in front of the line and headed back to the Rides Office were I clocked out and completed my first day of work at Hersheypark.