Cedar Point says it’s looking to hire 7,000 seasonal workers for the upcoming season — at lower starting wages than the Sandusky, Ohio park offered just two years ago.
The hourly pay ranges from $13 to $17 per hour for positions such as ride operators, lifeguards, maintenance, and security. While Cedar Point described this as an offer of “competitive wages and benefits,” the pay is identical to what was offered in 2024, and reduced from the $14 hourly wage it offered in 2023 and the $15 wage it offered in 2022.
Cedar Point had offered as high as a $20 starting hourly wage in 2021 to remedy its failure to find enough workers at lower wages. The staffing issue became severe enough that Cedar Point cut back on summer operating days that season. The increase didn’t last past 2021 for new hires, but those originally hired under the $20 hourly wage were able to keep it in subsequent seasons. That arrangement will reportedly end for the 2025 season, cutting some employees’ pay by 25 percent.
Disney reports drop in domestic parks income due to hurricanes
Disney’s U.S. theme park and experiences division reported a 5 percent decline in operating income in its final quarter of 2024, which the company blamed largely on the two hurricanes that struck Florida during the time period.
Hurricanes Milton and Helene caused declines in attendance and kept revenue to only a 2 percent jump year-over-year, Disney reported on its Wednesday earnings call. Disney World had to close for one day in October for Milton, which also canceled one Disney Cruise Line sailing out of Florida. (Disney Cruise Line is a part of Disney’s Experiences segment along with its theme parks.)
Disney was also asked about the expected impact of archrival Universal’s upcoming opening of Epic Universe during the earnings call. Without mentioning Epic Universe by name, Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said Disney “did anticipate some small impact” from the rival park, but still projected a 6 to 8 percent increase in operating income over its fiscal year, which ends in September.
‘It’s Tough to Be a Bug’ will close after March 16
One of Animal Kingdom’s opening day attractions will be gone next month, as Disney announced that March 16 will be the final day of operation for “It’s Tough to Be a Bug.”
The 3-D film opened with the park in April 1998, being housed inside the park’s icon, the Tree of Life. The attraction actually predated the movie it was based around, “A Bug’s Life,” which wasn’t released until November 1998.
Disney had announced in 2023 that the film would be replaced by a new “Zootopia” 3D film, despite criticism that the 2016 Disney film doesn’t fit inside Animal Kingdom.
With the closure of “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” and the impending closure of Dinosaur, the only remaining major attraction from Animal Kingdom’s 1998 opening will soon be Kilimanjaro Safaris.