Become a theme park architect and an amusement park can be your office.

Well, not every day, but in many ways this is true. Being a theme park architect (or theme park designer) is a job many want for this very reason, and that also makes it a tough gig to land.

There are a variety of jobs that fall under the title theme park architect or designer. These jobs range from planning rides to working on the mechanics of rides to overseeing the whole feel and layout of a park.

Below is a bit on what a theme park architect is and how you can get there.

What the Job Is

theme park architectBeing a theme park designer isn’t easy. The work is often irregular, there are few openings, and many people who’d love the job.

One drawback — or perk, depending on your point of view — is that work tends to be on a project basis instead of full-time gigs (though the latter does exist as well, just in limited quantities). That point is highlighted at ThemedAttraction.com, where they explain that the irregularity of work is just part of the job.

But if that sounds ok to you, many experts recommend seeing parks up close often, and even getting a job at the bottom to start. Some designers started as ride attendants and worked their way up through companies like Disney, Six Flags, and Universal.

Where the Job Is

Wherever you find rides, that’s where the jobs are. There’s a lot of time spent designing in offices, but time on-site is required. You also have to know what’s out there, what your competition and colleagues are doing (ahem, that means getting out in parks and riding rides), and what people are excited about.

Although you’ll spend a lot of time at a desk designing, there’s also some field time spent in the parks, whether making sure that the theme is on point and cohesive with the film associated with the ride or ensuring that your vision fits in the allotted space if you’re a roller coaster designer.

Education Required

The education and training needed can vary depending on your specific career aspirations. No matter what trajectory you chose, a college degree will be required.

theme park architectThe type of education you need will depend on which part of the design process you want to be a part of. If you want to make sure that the rides work and fine tune the mechanics, engineering is maybe the route for you to become a theme park architect or designer. There are also creative people who work on the look and feel of the ride and may benefit from an art degree. Architects lay out the overall look of new parks and oversee renovations and redesigns. It may be a good idea to let your interests in the rides and in different academic subjects be your guide.

A panel of designers from Universal Studios and Disney highlighted versatility as one of the biggest tools for a theme park designer.

Knowing how to do a lot of things can help make you the right person for the job. But the panel also emphasized the basics. Universal designer Rich West said the most important tool at his disposal was a No. 2 pencil. Sketch, sketch, and sketch some more, because that’s a key part of the job.

Salary

Past work has shown the salary for a theme park architect to be in the $50,000 range, but that can vary significantly. If you’re starting at the bottom, expect to earn a little less until you gain experience and are able to establish yourself and your reputation. If you’re heading a big project like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, your salary is likely to be more on the magical end of the pay scale.

Either way, it’s a tough career path that will be a lot of work. If you’re chasing this down, it has to be because you’re passionate about theme parks and rides. You should probably get started on your “studies” early and hit some amusement parks this summer.

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