443: Amusement Park
The episode explores the vibrant world of amusement parks through the experiences of Cole Lindberg, a dedicated employee of Worlds of Fun, and the various stories from listeners about their amusement park experiences. It highlights the challenges and joys of working in an amusement park, along with personal anecdotes that capture the nostalgia and excitement of such environments.
Summary
The episode of This American Life titled 'Amusement Park' takes the listener on a journey through the workings of an amusement park, focusing on the life of Cole Lindberg, who has dedicated over a decade of his life to working at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City. The narrative begins with an introduction to Cole, who became enamored with amusement parks as a child and turned his summer job into a lifelong passion. Despite the non-glamorous aspects of running the games department, Cole embodies enthusiasm and energy that keeps both his team and the guests engaged. His leadership style, which includes fun competitions and playful antics, demonstrates how he motivates his young team while aiming to enhance the guest experience. The episode then transitions to listeners sharing their own amusement park stories, featuring themes of love, danger, and even humorous disasters that happen in such settings. From a failed marriage proposal to a harrowing experience on a ride without a proper harness, these anecdotes illustrate the adventures and sometimes mishaps that characterize a day at the amusement park. Overall, the episode paints a vivid picture of both the employment and emotional experiences associated with amusement parks.
About this episode
We head to some of the happiest places on earth: amusement parks! Ira Glass takes us behind the scenes at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, where the young staff – coached by a funny, fun-loving boss just a little older than they are – truly seem to love their jobs. Visit <a href="https://thisamericanlife.supercast.com?utm_id=lifepartners&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=shownotes" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners</a> to sign up for our premium subscription.(00:00:00) Prologue: Host Ira Glass walks through a Kansas City Missouri amusement park called Worlds of Fun with Cole Lindbergh, who had a season pass to the park as a little kid, starting working there summers at 14, and then just stayed. Now he's a full-time, year-round employee, running the games department. It's possible he does this job better than anyone in the country. (9 minutes)(00:09:26) Act One: Ira continues with Cole Lindbergh and the teenagers who work for him in the games department at Worlds of Fun. We watch them compete against each other to see who can do the most business. (23 minutes)(00:32:26) Act Two: We asked for your stories about amusement parks. Three hundred of you called in, with stories of fear, floating carnies and, um, vomit. (9 minutes)(00:42:15) Act Three: Jonathan Goldstein returns to Wildwood, New Jersey, where he spent one not-fateful summer when he was sixteen. (13 minutes)Transcripts are available at <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/443/transcript" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">thisamericanlife.org</a> / This American Life <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/page/privacy-policy" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">privacy policy</a>. / Learn more about <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">sponsor message choices</a>.<br /><br />🎬 SEE THE STORY UNFOLD:<br />Want to see the original photos, documents, and the faces behind this week's acts?<br />👇 View the visual archive for this episode here:<br /><b><a href="https://goo.su/XwNQm" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://goo.su/XwNQm</a></b><br />(Updated for each story)
Key Insights
- Cole Lindberg began working at Worlds of Fun at age 14 and has remained devoted to the park for over a decade.
- His excitement has not diminished despite the demanding nature of his job and the long hours worked during peak season.
- Cole's approach to management includes fostering a fun atmosphere through competitions and creative games to engage his staff.
- Games at amusement parks often don't attract visitors like rides do, but Cole has found ways to make them exciting and profitable.
- His department participates in events like the Sweet 16 tournament to encourage team spirit and improvement in performance.
- Cole has a background in designing games and is innovative in adapting popular culture, as seen in his concept of Pigs of Fury.
- The employees at Worlds of Fun express admiration for Cole, attributing their continued motivation and enjoyment of their jobs to his leadership.
- Listeners shared varied experiences from amusement parks, including romantic encounters and humorous mishaps.
- One listener recounted a failed marriage proposal when the engagement ring fell off a roller coaster during the ride.
- Another story highlighted a precarious situation on a ride where a harness was not fastened properly, leading to a gripping experience.
- The episode concludes with reflections on the nostalgia and emotional connections people have with amusement parks.
- Overall, the narrative captures the mix of joy, fear, and humor that defines the amusement park experience.
Topics
Transcript
From WBEZ Chicago, it's This American Life. I'm Robert Glass. Okay, so we're going through the gate here into the park. Yeah, we're going. This is our morning walk into the park. Everybody will split up into their different sections and get the park open. We'll start putting out prizes. We're at an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri called Worlds of Fun. We're going to be spending the entire hour today at amusement parks. It's five minutes before opening, and I'm walking with Cole Lindberg, who's 25, with permanently must hair and the cheerful vibe of the Bosom Buddies era Tom Hanks. He's been coming to this park since he was a little kid, started working here as a…
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