Kennywood (KW) Discussion Thread

^^ Um yeah, I did "type" that post with a straight face. I don't think I need to elaborate on what I said either...

The color scheme is nice. The blue and silver goes along with the theme very well. I wonder if the track being used is a new premier design. It lacks the diagonal bracing some of its previous models had.

I think the construction of the ride itself is going to be the least of our worries because I think this will get built very fast. The testing of it will probably take a good while before they get it operational. I just hope it opens with two train operation.

 

Can you seriously say that with a straight face? Construction the least of their worries. I think right now construction is their biggest worry. They don't even have all the footers drilled yet, and supposedly they just recently got all the rebar on site. Even if the park can get all the holes drilled and footers poured by the end of next week, you have to keep in mind it takes several weeks for footers to fully cure before they can even start vertical construction. And that is with normal weather conditions. Obviously the freezing weather we've been having lately is going to have an effect on the curing and I'll say we'll be lucky if vertical construction starts by the end of March.

 

So, that gives them one full month for vertical construction, station construction, installation of all the miscellaneous components of the coaster, and the long grueling process that is testing to get the ride certified. I say we'll be very lucky to see this open by June, but I think saying construction is the least of their worries is a very large understatement.

You'd be surprised at how quickly some of these coasters can go up.

I'd say we're at least month to a month and a half away from vertical construction. Footers still have yet to be poured.

You'd be surprised at how quickly some of these coasters can go up.

I agree, but like Chris said and I have previously stated, they haven't even finished digging holes for the footers, let alone pouring the cement. I agree vertical construction can go pretty fast for coasters, but we still have awhile before vertical construction will even start. It also doesn't help we've been having all this freezing weather lately either, because thats going to make the footer curing process longer than your typical coaster.

Yeah I know, I'm not saying it's going to start tomorrow, but at the same time, you don't necessarily have to have every single footer poured to start putting up steel.

Can someone that works at the park tell me how likely the park would hire someone my age(17, junior in high school)? I'm going to be looking for a job next summer and I'd love to get a job at Kennywood. Also, how flexible are the hours?

Kennywood hires people as young as 15 years old...so that shouldn't be a problem. But as far as "flexible scheduling," don't count on it. I've never worked in operations at the park, but I know a few people who do and I wouldn't say they have a very flexible schedule. In my opinion, anyone who works on the operations side of things is treated almost like a slave at Kennywood. You only get a few days out of the summer for vacation and normally get one day off a week. So if you want to have some free time this summer to actually enjoy it, a job at Kennywood probably isn't right for you, but when you're looking to work at anyone amusement park, this is usually the norm anywhere you go.

Can someone that works at the park tell me how likely the park would hire someone my age(17, junior in high school)? I'm going to be looking for a job next summer and I'd love to get a job at Kennywood. Also, how flexible are the hours?

Because you're a minor, it's unlikely they'll put you in the rides department, but if they do, you'll be limited to attendant duties like checking restraints, since you have to be 18 to operate rides.

As for scheduling, I can't speak for any of the other departments, but in rides scheduling can be pretty flexible. For example, they gave me half a night off during fright nights, the most understaffed time of the year, so I could go ride rides with my family! Yes, EastCoastn07 is right, you generally get one day a week off, but keep in mind that there will be a couple days each week where you won't have to work all day, so in reality, it adds up to be more like two days off. As for vacations, just don't abuse them, and you'll probably be fine. I would recommend filing your vacation request form way ahead of time so the managers have time to find someone to take your place while you're gone.

Again, these are the ride department's rules. I don't know what the other departments' rules are, but I would imagine they're similar.

Because you're a minor, it's unlikely they'll put you in the rides department, but if they do, you'll be limited to attendant duties like checking restraints, since you have to be 18 to operate rides.

I believe the only thing minors can't do is operate roller coasters and the Skycoaster. They can check bars on a coaster, but they aren't allowed to do controls. I heard once that the reason for it was some type of state law, but I really don't know. Most of the minors end up in Food&Bev. Some end in Rides. I know nothing of Games. And of the ones that end up in Rides, a fair amount, if not the majority, end up in Kiddieland.

The hours for a minor aren't that bad. Because of child labor laws, they can only work 40 hours a week. I don't think they are allowed to work more than 8 hours a day, and no more than 4 hours without a break. May not be exactly right, but it's close. I can only speak for Rides, but because of the 40 hour limit, minors were likely to get 2 days off as opposed to the one that non-minors get. Also, they never have to worry about working the longer shifts. A 10:30-6 and a 2-close are the longest they would have to worry about. Even then though, a lot of their shifts would be 10:30-4:30 or 6-close. I think, but I could be wrong, that I heard about a minor in Food&Bev who had a shift that started at 4. I had pretty much no contact with anyone outside of Rides though, so I really can't speak for any of them.

Kennywood hires people as young as 15 years old...so that shouldn't be a problem.

Kennywood does hire at age 15, but not until you get into summer and they need fresh help. If a 15 year old applied in April, they will not get hired until at least June, more like July. And the restrictions on the super-minors are even more severe than the 16 and 17 year olds.

In my opinion, anyone who works on the operations side of things is treated almost like a slave at Kennywood. You only get a few days out of the summer for vacation and normally get one day off a week. So if you want to have some free time this summer to actually enjoy it, a job at Kennywood probably isn't right for you,...

Speaking for non-minors here:

Your only a slave if you consider yourself one. If you want to spend summer doing whatever you want or bum off your family, then Kennywood isn't for you. If you want to make as much money as you can out of a minimum wage job in a lousy job market, then go for it. I'm in both the rarity and the later. I was a complete hours whore and took everything I could get. I switched a 6-close for an all day shift. I switched an off day for a shift that is one hour less than all day. I would routinely switch into longer shifts, or volunteer to stay if we were short. I know one week I had about 59 hours. The last month and a half or so, I was easily hitting 50, 55 hours a week. That, along with my frugal living, is why I still have a fair amount of money in the bank and my co-workers are scrounging for pennies. And the thing is, why crew only assigned all day shifts when we were really short. Other crews typically give a couple all day shifts per day, when fully staffed. I know that other people topped my hours count without even trying. As for off days, etc. I don't think anyone was ever turned down on my crew. If you needed a couple days off, you got it. If you needed a certain shift, you got it. A job at Kennywood is going to be as good or as bad as you make. It's more or less nothing more than your mentality when you pull into the parking lot. If you're going to bitch and moan about having to work, your going to hate it. If you willing to put your time in working outdoors during summer to help put yourself through college, its not so bad. It sounds cheesy, but its really up to you.

^Exactly. When I was hired, I was sent directly to Kiddieland, where over half the crew was made up of minors. On the contrary, my current crew ended the season with only two.

If you TRULY enjoy your job there, you will NEVER feel like a slave. I had quite a few days where I felt like one in Kiddieland, but ever since my transfer, I've enjoyed almost every minute of it. And even as a minor, I made a decent amount of money that I still have most of (I don't spend much either). As far as off days are concerned, I've never been denied a day off that I requested. But I'm one of the few people I know who spent at least half of their days off (or at least time after your shift ended) at the park anyway, to ride.

I heard once that the reason for it was some type of state law, but I really don't know.

Yes, it's a law. This applies at a lot of workplaces. For example, minors are also not allowed to operate forklifts, trash compacters, and other various heavy machinery.

It's great to see that the track has finally arrived and being assembled. Unless they work nonstop for the next three months, I'm doubtful that it will be completely finished by by May. I guess time will tell. By the way, does anyone know if the trains have arrived by now?

I think the construction of the ride itself is going to be the least of our worries because I think this will get built very fast. The testing of it will probably take a good while before they get it operational. I just hope it opens with two train operation.

Why will the testing take "a good while." Premier (and the the vendor they use for ride programming) have plenty of experience.

^ Perhaps because it's a launched coaster, and sometimes they tend to be very temperamental and "picky," if you will...especially ones with top-hats.

This is also Premier's first LSM installation... if that means anything...

^^^ I'm just thinking about other launch rides that I've ridden during the opening year. Storm Runner at Hershey for example had lots of down time. I'm not saying or wanting this ride to have problems, but I won't be surprised if it does.

Very rarely does a ride open without experiencing a difficult first summer. No amount of testing can completely correct that. There's just a natural learning curve for everyone involved.

Because you're a minor, it's unlikely they'll put you in the rides department, but if they do, you'll be limited to attendant duties like checking restraints, since you have to be 18 to operate rides.

 

I believe the only thing minors can't do is operate roller coasters and the Skycoaster.

Minors can't operate any of the rides, period. As for the Skycoaster, they can be flight suit person, but they can't be expediter, controller, or assistant controller.

Can someone that works at the park tell me how likely the park would hire someone my age(17, junior in high school)? I'm going to be looking for a job next summer and I'd love to get a job at Kennywood. Also, how flexible are the hours?

There's no flexibility when it comes to working at amusement parks at the lowest levels (ride operations, food service, games, etc.). You can expect to sign away your summer more or less, so hopefully you'll be working with fun and friendly people you can make friends with, because you'll be there a whole lot.

edit: just realized you're a minor so it won't be as bad... I worked rides when I was 19 at a different park and it was grueling, doubles every day of the week with only a day or two off... But I look back at it fondly now for whatever that's worth...

I had a couple minors on my crew and the only thing they weren't allowed to do was operate our coaster. They were allowed to run our other rides fine.

Can someone that works at the park tell me how likely the park would hire someone my age(17, junior in high school)? I'm going to be looking for a job next summer and I'd love to get a job at Kennywood. Also, how flexible are the hours?

Very Likely. I did it for 2 years. (17-18 years old.) As did my best friend at the same time. As far as hours, I worked all different kinds of hours. Sometimes I got off at 6PM, sometimes I got off at Midnight. I always volunteered for closing on the Friday/Saturday. I was a nerd. But I got the highest bonus at the end of the year in my department.

It's a fun experience. Even though you pretty much give up your summer, it's something you will remember for life.

Because you're a minor, it's unlikely they'll put you in the rides department, but if they do, you'll be limited to attendant duties like checking restraints, since you have to be 18 to operate rides.

 

I believe the only thing minors can't do is operate roller coasters and the Skycoaster.

 

Minors can't operate any of the rides, period. As for the Skycoaster, they can be flight suit person, but they can't be expediter, controller, or assistant controller.

Being on a Skycoaster crew and only being able to flight suit would probably be the most God awful boring job ever. In three years, I found every way I could to avoid flight suiting all the time, even if it meant being on the flight line for multiple hours at a time. If anyone really wants to discover the true extent of human stupidity, spend a day flight suiting at a Skycoaster. You'll be shocked.

Being on a Skycoaster crew and only being able to flight suit would probably be the most God awful boring job ever. In three years, I found every way I could to avoid flight suiting all the time, even if it meant being on the flight line for multiple hours at a time. If anyone really wants to discover the true extent of human stupidity, spend a day flight suiting at a Skycoaster. You'll be shocked.

When I started working at the Skycoaster and Racer, I was actually surprised how many people didn't struggle with putting on the flight suits. Like most harnesses, putting one on (and taking one off) isn't exactly a straight-forward process.

Working a theme park is really an experience. Better or worse, they'll pretty much own you but you can really have a blast. I put in my time down in Orlando during high school, I'd never do it again but damn did I have a load of fun.

As for Pittsburgh, I've learned one very important thing living up here. Don't ask questions, you either don't want to know the answer.. or there is no answer. It'll happen when it happens and we're all going to complain about it in the process

And yes, it's about time they got season passes!