3. Schedule Swap

If you are unable to get an approved day off, try to find a schedule swap. With so many part-time and seasonal employees working at the theme parks, there is always a pool of people looking for additional work hours. Some locations have a bulletin board for employees to pin requests, while others rely on word of mouth.

There are two different types of schedule swap. In the first, one person simply works a shift that was originally scheduled for someone else. In the second, the two employees trade shifts. For example, you might be scheduled for 8 hours on Friday, while your coworker is scheduled for 8 hours on Saturday. He works for you on Friday, and then you work for him on Saturday.

Not all schedule swaps will be approved. Someone with fewer certifications, such as control tower training, might not be allowed to work for someone who is fully certified. A part-time employee might not be allowed to take a full-time employee’s shift, if it would give the part-timer too many hours or the full-timer too few hours for the week. Schedule swaps that result in overtime for either employee are routinely denied.

Because of these issues, put in your schedule swap request as early as possible. If your first attempt is denied, you might still have time to find someone else to cover your shift.

4. Early Release

If you are completely unable to get the day off, or if something unexpected arises on the day of your shift, try to go to work on time if at all possible and request an Early Release. Early Releases allow shift leaders and supervisors to quickly adjust staffing levels based on real-time evolving conditions.

An Early Release allows an employee to leave work early without any penalties, although vacation pay does not apply. They are typically issued when a location turns out to be overstaffed compared to the actual crowd levels in the park, but can be given out at the leads’ and supervisors’ discretion.

My first Halloween Horror Nights, I was working at Kongfrontation and decided that vampire fangs would be a fun way to celebrate. I had been advised to use PoliGrip to adhere them, but accidentally used too much, gluing my jaw shut tight. It took me 20 minutes in the restroom to correct the problem, making me late to work. After he stopped laughing at my explanation, my lead offered me an Early Release to avoid the points for being late.

I had recently returned from living in New Orleans for four years, and was working at Kilimanjaro Safaris, when Hurricane Katrina hit. I spent the night watching the hurricane batter New Orleans, and the levees broke just before I was due at work. I was an emotional mess, so I went directly to the supervisor’s office and requested an ER. When she asked why, I pointed to the TV, where the news showed New Orleans continuing to fill up with water. I got my ER and went home to try to contact friends and neighbors.

Keeping your points low shows responsibility and can ultimately help you achieve future transfers and even promotions. Although it is sometimes impossible to avoid calling in, using these alternative options whenever possible can help you minimize the number of points you accrue.