Once the cats out the bag, that you’ve been workamping at Jellystone Campgrounds, people want to know one thing…
“What’s it like to live and work at Jellystone Park?”
Workamping at Jellystone:
It should be known that each Jellystone Park is independently owned and operated under a franchise agreement with Leisure Systems Inc. It appears the majority if not all, the parks started as private campgrounds, which at some point joined the franchise system for one reason or another.
Whatever the reason, they must have had a desire to promote family camping, because after all… If you plaster your park with Yogi Bear signage, statues, and themed weekends, you would have to assume you’re trying to attract family campers, right?
With that said- no two parks are alike! Each campground has special characteristics that it’s inherited from the owner, the location, and maybe even the campers who it tends to accommodate. Whatever the reasons- each Jellystone Park is greatly different in what it offers, how it operates, and even what it charges.
Workamping at a Jellystone Park is no different! So, depending on the park you choose, the season you work, and the position you are hired in for, your experiences will likely vary from one to another.
So here are a few questions and answers to help you get started on your next Jellystone workamping experience!
Why choose to Workamp at Jellystone Park?
The Yogi Bear Franchise is a great way to incorporate your whole family into the workamping experience. A lot of the themes and advertisements for Jellystone Parks are often geared toward family activities and kid-friendly amenities. You can often assume a welcoming, family-friendly park can accommodate family-friendly Workampers!
It’s also a great place for those looking for some sort of consistency. When you’re traveling the back roads of America, you sometimes want a thin layer of corporate security that operating under a franchise would offer. Jellystone Campgrounds have been around since the late 60s, so you can trust they will probably remain in business and providing for their workampers for many more years to come.
Some of the workamping options for Jellystone are Park Rangers, Recreation Director, Store Inventory Manager, Customer Service Representatives, and Resort General Managers inside the Franchise System. As a workamper you may also get the chance to attend their Annual Symposium and their Management Training & Certification Course.
Are the individual parks open to Family Workampers?
Yes and No, although some have warmed up to the idea! At first, it may seem a little off- they might ask themselves questions like “Why are these people living in an RV?” “Are they homeless?” “Did they mention they had kids?” “Who will watch the kids’ “Do they need to bring the kids to work with them”… These are all reasonable questions if you think about it from the employer’s perspective. After all, in the grand scheme of things, there aren’t very many Family Workampers, so you might be the first they have ever seen!
Education and information will help with putting employer’s concerns about bringing children along for a Workamping job at bay, but to be honest… positive experiences with family Workampers will do more. Many times one bad experience can ruin it for everyone! And if an employer has had a negative experience with someone, even if it was a very different set of circumstances- will likely cause apprehension and fear of going back down that road.
What is a typical day Workamping at Jellystone?
Anything other than typical!
Workamping at Jellystone can be a blast and a great bonding experience for your family. Antwon & I worked opposite shifts most days, which allowed us to homeschool the children- but on some days we all showed up to work at 8am, those were the most fun and the most enjoyable! Being able to divide and conquer and achieve 100% more than what you would have otherwise was a huge benefit. Here are some days we thought were typical:
The whole family working from 9am-3pm for a school field day of 400 middle school students plus teachers and parents. On this day, we all went to work. Antwon & I took one of the twins each and sent our older girls with one of the park staff to help in their assigned area. This worked out very well- the older girls were able to really help out while the twins were kept close by.
Other days were pretty basic, working in the office answering phones, and booking reservations for guests who wanted to bring their families out for a weekend in the summer. Sometimes we participated in special activities and filled in when help was needed in other areas like escorting campers, maintenance, activities, and more.
Really if I think about it, no two days were really all that similar.
What are the benefits of Workamping at Jellystone?
Workamping for a Jellystone Park can have amazing benefits for your family. Once you’ve received your job offer- feel free to ask a few probing questions regarding what is available for your family while living onsite.
Will you be able to use park amenities? Will the kids receive discounts on crafts? Will you have access to a park golf cart, Are you able to bring your own?
Having a clear picture of this property’s expectations and accommodations will help you decide if the position is a good fit for your family. It will also help you decide if the compensation you’ve been offered meets, exceeds, or comes up short of your expectations.
At the 4 parks we worked for we were given a wide range of benefits which included, his and her golf carts, onsite housing, custom built 2 bedroom cottage, free access to park amenities, the ability to bring the kids to work, wardrobes, appearances in 3 TV commercials and access to a company vehicle, among a few others.
Every family’s experience will come with its own set of benefits. Remember Workamping can be whatever you want it to be. So, if you have certain needs or wants, the best way to approach the situation would be to first find out what they offer and ask to make changes or substitutions to that list, if needed.
How do you find a job with Jellystone Parks?
As we stated before, each park is independently operated, so each park will have its own way of recruiting and advertising for its available positions. The best way we’ve found to stay informed of what jobs were available, was to stay posted on the latest edition of Workamper News and with what is being added daily to their HotLine.
Over the past two years, we’ve seen many parks advertise for their positions in the magazine and the hotline- which leads us to believe that many Jellystone Parks consider Workamper.com to be a valid resource for staffing. These are always our first two reference points since it is so widely used and easily accessible.
The last option is to contact each park you are considering directly. We do this in three steps:
- Check their website: All parks are listed on the franchise website at campjellystone.com, this is the best place to start when looking for contact info on each park.
- Send your resume in an email to the highest position available (owner, manager): Send a general inquiry in an email to the Owner or Park Manager with your resume attached for their review.
- Do a follow-up call to see if they are hiring or will be for the next season: Call the park directly and ask the Owner or Manager if they are currently hiring for this season or the next, and what positions they have open.
However you find your next position, remember to ask good questions, get lots of details, and have a written agreement on the position and payment.
Our experiences with Jellystone Parks have been good and we would consider working for them in the future. If you are interested in working for one of the parks in the Yogi Bear Franchise System, be prepared for a rollercoaster of amazing family experiences both big and small, outside of the job. Finding the position will take time and dedication, but for those who are successful, the opportunity will likely prove to be a lasting family memory cherished for years to come.
