Who Gets the Last Ride?

October 31, 2019

Sabrina and Shelby — If you look front left, there’s Sabrina (from Communications) and her sister Shelby (from Attractions–you may have seen her operating some of our slides or The Raven or Frightful Falls this summer).

Have you ever wondered who gets the last ride of the season? After a million guests come through our gates each year, who gets to be the very last rider of the season? I mean, at HoliWood Nights, people buy the right to be the last rider of the night. Wouldn’t the last ride of the season be just as coveted? We don’t know. And we don’t want to know.

We reserve that spot for our hard-working Team Members.

So Sunday after the last 2019 Guests left the park, our Team Members finished their work and went to ride Thunderbird. And I snapped a few pictures of the trains. What’s pictured: trains with our seasonal Team Members riding Thunderbird at night for the last time of the season. What’s not pictured: the hugs and tears of the last day of the season.

Working here isn’t about the paycheck.

It’s about the family you build during a summer of sweating while working hard. And worrying about whether a Guest understood your lame jokes (or wait, was that just me?). It’s about the memories of goofing off during break with your friends. It’s about meeting people in one summer who will change your lives forever.

I’m putting on my owner hat now:

To every Team Member from the 2019 season: thank you from the bottom of my heart. On behalf of the rest

Luke and Austin on Thunderbird — **Luke and Austin from Entertainment on Thunderbird**

of my family: Thank you. It’s been an incredible season, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know some of you and to help tell just a part of the stories of your summers. If you were there on Sunday, I want to add a special thanks for sticking around to end the season. Even if you didn’t make it to the end of the season, thank you. That last ride of every season belongs to all of you. Thank you.

Would you like to receive HoliBlog notices – along with news releases and sweepstakes – by email? Sign up here and you can choose whether to receive the emails weekly or the same day the blog posts are published.

Sign up for news, discounts, & more!

We reserve that spot for our hard-working Team Members.

Working here isn’t about the paycheck.

I’m putting on my owner hat now:

You know how Santa loves cookies? We like them too — we use them on our website to make it a better experience for you.