Ride Op?

Hey, i was just wondering how do you become an ride operator at a park do you have to have a certain age or experience? well i was just curious because i would like to become a ride op @ maybe busch gardens or universal studios! Thanx...

[Master of Puppets]

Phone the parks and ask.

You'll want to contact their Human Relations department. I believe you need to be at least 18 to op ANYWHERE, due to certain laws and regulations. Other than that, it's just like applying for a normal job. Go to the park, get a job applcation, fill it out, turn it in, they like you, you go interview!

Or how Cedar Point does it... you fill out an online application, write a few essays to answer the questions they give to you, and then any division that wants to hire you will call and do a 5-minute interview. Then, you show up on your start date and start working. (personal experience).

Actually, you only have to be 16 at alot of US parks. I know when we were determining the operating procedures for IOA's Hulk and Dragons, I fought for limiting controls ops to 18 and over, but lost. Last I heard, SF was 16. CP is 18, or was when I worked there. I believe Busch Gardens (and Sea World) is 16 as well.

no, the legal age limit is 18. you absolutally have to be 18 in order to operate the rides. however, you can be 16 at some parks to be a ride attendant (check lap bars)

[Master of Puppets]

I find it funny you are arguing that fact with DIOA who has so much experience in this department.

up here in NH
i have canobie lake park. the age is 18.

[Oscar]

Originally posted by coaster992001

no, the legal age limit is 18. you absolutally have to be 18 in order to operate the rides. however, you can be 16 at some parks to be a ride attendant (check lap bars)

leave DIOA alone, the man has worked at the parks as ride op and help set the operatig etc so the man knows what he's talking about, I think [:p]

I know that Markley (congressman from NJ) has introduced a bill to make 18 the federal law, but I don't know the status of it. All I can say for sure is that as of today, it is a fact that there are parks in the US that have a 16 year old age limit. If you need proof of this, try here.

Originally posted by coaster992001

no, the legal age limit is 18. you absolutally have to be 18 in order to operate the rides. however, you can be 16 at some parks to be a ride attendant (check lap bars)

Ha ha ha ha ha, thats funny. Is it true, no. First off, I worked at SFGAm all summer long adding up about 300 hours (plus 150 at other side job). I was attendant for B:TR and Ragin Cajun. I was certified to operate (controls and all) B:TR, Ragin Cajun, Whirligig, and East River Crawler. In short, DIOA is right, your wrong.

The age limit in the UK is 18 to operate rides. Which sucks being a meer 17 and my local theme park is a 5 min walk away. Plus (im not sure with all parks) the pay rate is low. I was looking around the UK and the average pay is barely above the minium wage

At SFOG its 16, one of my friends was operating the wheelie and i told him, before i got on, to make it go faster but he refused, heh

I believe that ride ops here in California are probably 16, because my home park's unnoficial website has some 16 year old members that work for SFMW.

wtf?! i emailed six flags new england, lake compounce, canobie lake, AND the crappy enchanted forest and they all told me i had to be 18! they all said that they cannot hire me because i was 17 at the time and the legal limit is 18. (that was at the beginning of the summer) i think that the laws for different states are different. but in RI, MASS, and NH, its 18.

Originally posted by rctycoon112

At SFOG its 16, one of my friends was operating the wheelie and i told him, before i got on, to make it go faster but he refused, heh

99.99999999% of those rides have a standard speed that cant be changed fyi.