4. Water in my shoes

Image: SeaWorld

If one thing is certain about life in Central Florida, it is that summer thunderstorms are inevitable. SeaWorld Orlando is primarily an outdoor park, and those Educators not assigned to Wild Arctic on a particular afternoon are generally in for a downpour. I was issued a heavy yellow rain slicker, which worked well for keeping the rain off my body, but there was nothing to be done for my feet. Almost every afternoon, before getting in the car at the end of my shift, I first had to pour the puddles out of my shoes!

5. Working with trainers

Image: SeaWorld

Although the Animal Trainers and Educators typically came from vastly different backgrounds, our job duties brought us into frequent close contact. Standing around the dolphin feeding pool between presentations, I got to learn a great deal about marine mammal husbandry and training techniques. By the end of the summer, I was even able to get a couple of the dolphins to come to me, even when I was not holding food.

6.  The sweep

Image: SeaWorld 

Every theme park has some variation on the sweep, but SeaWorld Orlando is the only place I have worked that takes the term literally. The sweep is the end-of-the-night process of ensuring that all guests are out of the park. Walt Disney World does not actively kick guests out, but a team of security officers and cast members follows closely behind stragglers, turning off lights and gently funneling them toward the exit. Universal Orlando takes a more proactive approach, telling lingering guests that the park is closed and directing them toward the park gates.

SeaWorld Orlando is closed and cleared in sections, beginning at the back of the park. Educators are strategically placed throughout the different areas to ensure that guests do not wander into places that have already been cleared. A team of security officers and employees walk through the entire park after the last guest leaves, followed by a single employee with a broom and dustpan. Although we knew the park was clear when we saw the security team, we were not officially allowed to leave our posts until the sweeper passed by. I can remember passing well over an hour standing alone in the dark, late at night, my bleary eyes straining to see that mythical lone figure.