An important part of your experience will be working at one of the following attractive parks, giving you the opportunity to earn money for the summer.
Silver Dollar City is an authentic 1880’s theme park near Branson, Missouri. The lifestyle and crafts of the era are demonstrated and the merchandise displayed and sold. There are a number of 1880s theme rides, and tours are conducted through one of the largest caves in the country located under the park. Silver Dollar City was honored with the 1999-2000 Applause Award, the theme park industry's top award of excellence.
Dollywood, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is a one-of-a-kind family theme park. It is nestled in the lush foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. In 1986 entertainer Dolly Parton became a partner with Silver Dollar City, Inc., helping to rank this park as one of the top 50 parks in the world in terms of attendance and Tennessee's number one man-made attraction.
White Water is a 12-acre water park in the heart of Branson, Missouri. This water park, designed for the whole family, has rides for the little ones and thrill rides and wave pool for the more adventurous. There is plenty of room to relax, eat and soak in some rays, or enjoy shopping in the gift shop.
Dollywood's Splash Country sits adjacent to Dollywood. This water adventure theme park combines the beauty of the Smoky Mountains with the excitement of water park rides, slides and attractions guaranteed to cool you off on a hot summer day!
The parks have agreed to interview those accepted into this program. A variety of jobs are available including tickets/turnstiles, parking lot/tram operators, clerks and cashiers, ride attendants, craft assistants, food service, and lifeguards. Available positions will vary from year to year. Participants will be placed where needed.
When you are accepted for the program, you will be sent an employment application to fill out and return. You must meet all employment and physical requirements to be hired. Your position will depend on the job openings available when you arrive. For those who are interested and able, all the parks have pressing needs for people to work a week or two after the program ends.
Hourly pay for beginning employees will range from $7.40 and up, depending on the position. Although you will often receive 40 hours of work per week, this cannot be guaranteed and you should financially prepare for an average of 33 to 35 hours a week. Although you can earn and save money during the summer, your personal Christian growth should be your primary goal. Since positions and pay may not equal your capabilities or experience, you should view your job, salary and total work experience, as part of what God wants you to experience during the summer.
"My encounters and conversations at work have definitely contributed to my learning this summer."
"God used my work experience to help me apply His mind...."
"I feel like working at the parks is key for this program because theres no other place that will always challenge me to check my attitude and learn to see others the way God sees them."