(I talk a bit about theme park careers before going onto to the 2019 news - but the more the better I guess?)
A lot is being planned for the new year including returning back to the theme park industry as an operator/host. This year has been a very stressful year for me and it hasn't been the greatest. There has been a lot of personal negatives than positives but I'm hoping for it to be all changed for the new year.
I think things went completely bad after coming back from Phantasialand earlier in the year and my departure from Drayton Manor as after that future work and my personal life has really took a negative hit. I'm taking what's left of this year and trying to work as much as I can to earn the money ready for Christmas and all the way until I find a new career. I've thought of a few places I wanted to work outside of theme parks but they haven't worked out well for me.
I've always been working at theme parks all my career from day 1 at Gulliver's Kingdom in 2015 all the ways until I left at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in early September this year. I think I am best suited at theme/amusement parks but even though it is seasonal work, if you get your hours in you do earn a lot and at Blackpool I earned so much money during Summer it was amazing, but unfortunately it went towards B&B's so I left Blackpool with virtually nothing left in my account. I didn't last long at Blackpool because even though the rides I had were awesome, I just didn't feel happy there and I wasn't felt welcome so that made my experience as a whole not great. It's not stopping me from returning in the future but employment wise - that is done and now dusted.
I've heard some enthusiasts and old colleagues speculate that I was dismissed but I can debunk those claims as at Drayton Manor I left due to the cost of daily travel and it was too much to travel on a daily basis, and Derby station was undergoing a renovation which caused delays and some cancellations, so during that time I would have struggled to travel regardless, so I left on the 30th June on good terms with the staff and management. Blackpool as stated wasn't a good experience for me and I was never confirmed to have the staff accommodation which I desperately needed as the local B&B's during Summer was draining all of my income, so it got to the point I didn't want to work there anymore so I left with two days noticed - which I was able to as I didn't meet their requirements to leave after a week notice because I didn't work a full working month.
I might as well clear it up, and be open and honest about it because I don't want others to speculate that I was sacked as that can affect me in the future when applying for a career in the industry.
But why return back to the industry?
I've always wanted to work at a theme park as an operator as well as work on the railway, but I was unsuccessful on the railway, so I applied for Gulliver's Kingdom when they started recruiting for the new season. I did an interview but was unsuccessful first time but then reapplied for another interviewed about a week later and I got the job. I did really well with the company, met many amazing colleagues and friends, and managed to work on 17 rides before leaving after Easter and joined with Drayton Manor. Starting on Air Race, I thought working at Drayton Manor has been amazing and I have met up with some amazing colleagues throughout my time there, and then eventually leaving and becoming unemployed for about a month before leaving home to stay in Blackpool for a month. In my time there I loved Wallace & Gromit most out of the 4 rides I was doing and I would love to go back just for that one ride. W&G was the only ride that I was training for as an operator.
My plan for the new year is to move out again but towards Stoke-On-Trent so that I can try and work for Alton Towers as a ride host, and then try and eventually work myself up towards an operator. I applied for Alton Towers when I left Drayton Manor but unfortunately I didn't manage to get the role due to availability issues I had at the time. I am trying to show more dedication by moving out closer towards the park as before that was my issue as I was still living in Nottingham, and it would be a lot more affordable for me to be local and use the staff provided bus services. I've always want to work for Alton Towers before I even considered Gulliver's Kingdom, but transportation proved to be impossible so I saw Gulliver's as another local and much easier to travel and walk, whereas I found Drayton Manor to be too far at the time. Since I moved to Blackpool, I have been a bit more open to the case of doing a house share for just a season and that is my plan. Do it for a season and then drive the next season if I am able to.
What if you don't get the job?
I'm just going to take it as it is. Right now I am working at Tesco so if my plans for Alton Towers doesn't go as planned, at least I have a place of employment to stay at to still earn good money. It's just the very early hours which are getting to me a bit but it's just apart of the job I guess. January/February will come round quick so fingers crossed anyway.
So what is expected to happened when the theme park commences?
I have quite a bit planned for European trips but not really as much for UK based theme/amusement parks. UK parks are quite hit-or-miss, or even a case of if I've got the chance to travel there. Chessington World Of Adventure is a park I do have on my list to travel to but it all comes down to if someone can take me there as Chessington is not the simplest of places to travel to on train. I will be going to Alton Towers and Drayton Manor definitely as they are my locals and favourites, and also Blackpool Pleasure Beach. but really the first European trip I have in mind going to is Energylandia and Legendia in April/May. I've never been to Poland before so this will be a completely new experience, and as Energylandia does allow on ride filming, I do want to take advantage of that I go on as many rides as I can and film. It will be an amazing trip and I'll be there for two days. Legendia is a park I would like to go to for the Lech Coaster, but I think it all comes down to if I can get the time off, and the same applies to my partner, I was thinking more of a Thursday - Sunday trip so I don't think I can get Legendia in, but I'll just return another time just for that park. I don't have anywhere in the UK planned like what I do abroad because I will just take it as it is as it's not really much of a priority. If I'm working at Alton Towers then more than likely I will be at the park on my day off just to enjoy myself and explore parts of the park I haven't been to before.
Any mega trips planned?
Yes! I have planned to travel to Liseberg, Gröna Lund, Kolmården, Tivoli Gardens, and Bakken. Going to Liseberg is nothing new to me as I've done the park a few times, and I've only done Bakken once, but our plan is to do two days at Liseberg and as well try and do a behind the scenes tour if possible, and the rest of the parks will be a single day visit. There are many coasters and rides I am looking forward to such as Wildfire at Kolmården and Rutschebanen at Tivoli Gardens. There is quite a lot to do and I'm really looking forward to the trip in June. Starting off in Sweden and then working our way down to Denmark, before flying back home. It will be myself, Johanna and some other friends coming along for the trip so this won't be a trip for myself or just Johanna. Our plan is to fly to Göteborg and do Liseberg for two days, travel across the country to Stockholm for Gröna Lund, and then down a day later to Kolmården, and then down to Malmö so that we can cross over to Denmark on train, and start off with either Bakken or Tivoli Gardens first. Which one of those two parks we're doing first is not decided yet but more than likely we'll probably do Bakken first and it's a few miles out towards Klampenborg.
Anything else I am doing later on in the year?
As well as the mega trip, I will be attending the IAAPA Euro Attractions Show in Paris as I've been invited to attend. With an opportunity like this, I cannot decline the chance so I will be attending. As well as getting many photos and videos of the exhibition room, I will be doing some video interviews with some of the manufacturers about their company, the coaster projects and other general stuff. I will be talking to Intamin, Vekoma, Mack Rides, Maurer Rides, Zamperla and Gerstlauer. Another plan I have as well is to interview smaller manufacturing companies as it's nice to see them get recognized and for them to talk more about their products and company. As well as the top dogs in the industry, I'll be talking to many more manufacturers as well such as Sartori Rides, Fabbri Group, KMG, Technical Park, Mondial, HUSS and Reverchon who's market are more aimed towards showmen and fairground operators. It's nice to try and speak to everyone and see what they have to say about their products.
I'm expecting to see a lot during the event and I am really looking forward to it. The Euro Attractions Show is not the only thing planned for when I head over to France in that time. We're also hoping to visit Parc Astérix as well if the park is open, as it's another thing we can do while we're there and it's 7 coaster credits to get! I think what is planned is just to do one day at the expo and then one at Parc Astérix, and then return home.
Anything else?
Something that I try and do which is not specifically theme park related - that can be related. I will also try and pursue driving lessons again. I would like to try and get a full driving lessons or attempt to in the many months coming forward, and what's relevant to theme parks and driving is the obvious. If I get a full license I will be able to drive to theme parks in the future. I'll also be trying to get myself a new DSLR ideally before my mega trip to Sweden/Denmark. Three cameras I have in mind are the Nikon D5300/D5600/D7200. I've used these before as demos and I love them - so I do hope I can try and get one in the future before the major trips happen. I have some projects I would like to do but before I can do them I would like to have the DSLR's ready because it is a plan which sounds awesome on paper, but I need to have the resources to execute it.
I'm still interested to do the Valhalla Boat No.15 Restoration Project but since I do not have my own house, I can't really do much work on it even by travelling up to Wales every now and then. The project will fully commence in probably 2020 because hopefulyl by then I would have moved into a permanent house so that I can transport the boat away to it's final resting spot, but for 2019 I can't see it happening at all. I will try and do updates and see the boat twice if I can, but it is just one of those things. I just have to take it as it is. I'll still try and get in contact with Blackpool Pleasure Beach to help supply me the last part I need to complete the boat, as Intamin are trying to charge me quite an extortionate price for a small item.
