This is a random question, but I would like to know some answers, as to which type of park you would like to visit. First let me give you some background on how this question began. I was talking to a nameless Wildwater Kingdom, Human Resources employees, when I commented that HR should have ties with their uniform because the way it looks now, is very unprofessional.

So my question is would you like to visit someplace like Disney where the uniforms are themed, but also very professional in nature? or someplace like Cedar Point/Geauga Lake where they have a semi-professional look, and sometimes the employees seem like they don't care, or don't really want to be there?

I guess this came from the fact, that yes even though WWK had a 6% increase in attendance, doesn't change the way that the General Public thinks. Say another water park type opens up fairly close to WWK, and the people there are dressed according to themes, or in a very professional manner, which one would the general public choose?

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Xtreme Coaster Enthusiast
2005-2007 Cedar Fair (G.Lake, C.P.)
2008 Disneyland Merchandise
Finding my way in the world, and riding some awesome coasters while I'm at it!

Thats a very good question and to be honest i would much rather go to Disney where everyone is professional and the outfits are themed to an area.

I like riding lots of coasters and all but if CP had themed costumes like WDW it would make the place 100% better.

I like that i basically get wrapped up in a different time period or theme.

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2009 Carolina Cobra Crew
Go Panthers! 4-6: Week 12 @ New York Jets

#6 North Carolina Tarheels 4-1

I would have to agree with the above post.

While I still do enjoy parks where they are not dressed according to a theme, I enjoy parks more when they are. I think going to a park is all about the experience and costumes are just something that help increase the overall experience and beleivability of a park in my view.

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your employees can be dressed to the 9s but that doesn't mean that they will appear like they want to be there. I would take a park with more lax dress requirements with happy fun employees then one that is strict and the employees hate their jobs.

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Michael C

I'll agree with Michael C and also say that I don't really notice theming in all honesty. I've been to SFOG and couldn't differentiate between the different theming areas, and in CP the only theming area I really notice is the Frontier area because of all the themed buildings. The employee outfits don't really matter one way or the other to me.

That being said, I don't really remember my last visit to WDW because I was only 6, so I can't compare their themed outfits to other park's non-themed outfits. The last time I went to Epcot, it was solely for DiveQuest and by the time we got out of the aquarium, we only had time for one ride. I did notice the Test Track employees all wore outfits that fit the theme (they were all racing pit crew type shirts) and I thought that was kind of neat. But I don't think it'd sway my decision on which park to go to. I'd pick which park I'd go to based on the quality of the rides, the wait times, and the price.

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05.16, 05.17, 05.18, 06.05, 06.06: Cedar Point
05.25.09-06.01.09: KD, SFA, BGE, SFGAdv, Morey's & More!
06.18.09: Holiday World
2009 Diamondback laps: 41

That's a very good question. But I'd go with neither. Neither option is really good. With the one you get professionality. With the other, you get people who don't really want to be there.

I don't think quality of an employee is in the uniform. It's in the hiring ability of HR or whomever makes the hiring for a department.

Thats because SFoG has only one themed area and that's gotham city which is not all that well themed to begin with. Same goes for CP. Only 1 area is really themed.

Carowinds is pretty much the same with Carolina Boardwalk & Nick Central. Other than that the park has no theme.

I think most parks besides Disney, Universal & Busch only have 1-2 average themed areas.

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2009 Carolina Cobra Crew
Go Panthers! 4-6: Week 12 @ New York Jets

#6 North Carolina Tarheels 4-1

Not true. Supposedly, and I say supposedly because as I said before, you can't tell the difference, there are many themed areas: the Confederate area, the French area, the Georgia area, the Cotton States area, the USA area, the Spanish area and the British area. That's according to their park map, at least.

Cedar Point has "midway" areas that are unthemed, but past that, yeah .. not much theming. Kings Island is supposed to have themed areas too, but it's just Rivertown, Coney Island Mall and Oktoberfest. Rivertown's got a little bit of theming in the building design and the entrance area for the Beast but it's been ignored in all new construction such as the entrance to the Crypt. Oktoberfest has none beyond the Festhaus and the Coney Island Mall is just the Racer.

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05.16, 05.17, 05.18, 06.05, 06.06: Cedar Point
05.25.09-06.01.09: KD, SFA, BGE, SFGAdv, Morey's & More!
06.18.09: Holiday World
2009 Diamondback laps: 41

That was basically what I was getting at. The employee along with the companies hiring and training are the deciding factor. you could have them in paper bags and they would still be top notch employees if things are done right.

as for the themeing thing. I Found SFOG to have reasonably good themeing. I don't know if that has changed in the last 10 years though. the Western, 50's, Spain(kiddie area) and Georgia were great themed areas. though the American midway is a bit lacking in theming.

Most theme parks worked to have at least a feel of themes so there are more then 2. though it always seems 1-2 themed areas really stand out. But then you have traditional Amusement parks. Some of them add a themed area to support a major expansion of ride. CP and there western area. Canobie lake park has a few Highly themed rides and 2 themed area(Ye old Canboie Village/Western and Ye Old Boston).

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Michael C

I think proper investment in to a theme(s) for your park is crucial. Something to take you "out of this world".

You come to Cedar Point you've been driving on the 80/90 toll road...staring at corn, and ya turn in to a city that smells like a turd, and you enter the park and its just some cement slabs with a lot of booths on it and some rides. It doesn't remove you enough from your normal state of life.

I haven't been to Disney and Universal (basically Orlando) for 10 years but I watch a lot of youtube clips of the improvements and the television pumps you full of Disney if need-be.
And I see a lot of themes, and it doesn't have to be anything special even sometimes. Just the amount of work done is breath taking.

Universal and other theme parks probably have an in house fiberglass department that makes many of the things.

I joke about fiberglass because it seems like a popular choice when designing a parks theme. A bunch of shiny glossy fiberglass painted to whatever it is.

If your going to have a theme, really run with it and not half ass it like CP and its Peanuts theme.

Peanuts could become a very staple of the park if more was done.

In a summer time only park there are limits to what you can do in one sense, but there is no sense in limiting yourself to just coasters and carnival rides and a bunch of decapitating buildings called Frontier Town.

The biggest theme Cedar Point has is that it is a peninsula if you ask me, its the one thing I notice more than anything while at the point. I look out to lake erie, kind of scary in one sense, such a large body of water next to a theme park.

If by uniform you mean costume, well I say Cedar Point should have multiple Peanuts characters for a cartoon breakfast with the cast, and then have a whole days worth of activities for kids with regular involvement around the theme of these characters.

I remember going to Disney and seeing characters everywhere from the movies, and then seeing stuff from the movies, and rides with themes from the movie.