If you’re a coaster enthusiast then you’re probably always planning your next trip and thinking about what new roller coasters you hope to ride. And, if you’ve entered the workforce full-time you’ve realized that work seems to be getting in the way of your theme park plans. Paid time off is limited and sometimes weekends aren’t long enough for a full-fledged theme park outing especially if the amusement park you’re visiting is far away. So, I thought about what the best professions are for roller coaster and theme park fans.
Unfortunately, I came up with this list a little too late for myself. I’m kidding, I love what I do. But, I do find myself envious of the theme park fans who call the jobs below their day jobs.
3 – Amusement Industry (Theme Park Front Office, Maintenance, Ride & Roller Coaster Designers)
Theme park fans with full-time, year-round jobs in the amusement industry are the closest to their passion that they can be. They can ride new attractions before the public and may be privy to future plans while the rest of us are left speculating for months. On the downside, they work long hours during the summer months and don’t necessarily get to go to other parks as often as the rest of us may. Lastly, there’s a very limited number of jobs in this field. Your average theme park only has so many marketing, front office, and ride maintenance people.
Becoming a ride designer is dream for thousands of coaster enthusiasts. Like kids who aspire to make it to the NFL or NBA, aspiring designers should make sure they have a plan B or another profession they could go into with their engineering or math degree. There just aren’t that many ride and roller coaster designers.
2 – Airline Industry (Pilots, Flight Attendants, etc)
Those in the airline industry get flight discounts and perks that the rest of us don’t. Plus, they can plan so that their work takes them to destinations that they want to visit for personal reasons. Pete Trabucco is a pilot that merged his professional and personal lives racking up tons of theme park trips over the years.
He’s now ridden more than 300 roller coasters. And, he’s written a book, “America’s Top Roller Coasters and Amusement Parks – A Guide for Those who Ride Them and Tips for Those who Fear Them” that he’s promoted on talk shows all over the country. I wrote a bit about the book and his great tips for overcoming coaster fears here. Some of the proceeds from the book’s sales go to charity.
1 – Education Field (Teachers, School Administration, etc)
Nothing beats the amount of time off that those in the education system enjoy. I just googled the first and last day of school for my local school system and I’d kill to have that much time off for theme park travel. In the Charlotte area, the last day of school for 2010 was June 10th and the first day of school was August 25th. My Dad’s a teacher so I know that you’d have to report back to school a few weeks before the first day, but to basically have two months of freedom sounds amazing.
Of course the huge consideration, is that you have to love working with children or teens. Teaching’s definitely not for everyone, but for a theme park fan like long-time reader Judy, having that time off allows her to hit a number theme parks every summer with ease.
So, my list basically boils down to being able to be: A) Closer to theme parks B) Being able to travel easier or C) Having ample time off. Teenage roller coaster fans take note. If you’re truly a theme park addict, these may be professions that you’ll want to consider.
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What’s Your Take?
What do you think about my list of the best professions for theme park fans? Did I miss any professions? Leave a comment below.