I have worked at SeaWorld for over 30 years and the majority of that time I have been involved with rest rooms. In the early years, I helped clean them, later supervising the cleaning crew while still staying hands-on and finally today I oversee the cleaning and design of he restrooms at SeaWorld San Antonio.
It took awhile, but my wife has finally gotten used to me coming back from visiting a rest room while out to dinner and sharing my discoveries of a new kind of dispenser or a really cool fixture of some kind.
I also am always quick to discuss how clean or dirty it is, but I don’t get real descriptive with the latter.
The truth is, rest rooms, how they look, smell and work is very important to my job. I have a great job at the best marine life park in the world, but no matter how great it is, if the one thing our guests remember is a dirty, smelly rest room it takes away from the experience we hope to provide.
It starts at midnight with the Night Park Quality team, they go through the all rest rooms top to bottom to make sure they are not just clean, but sanitized and they also make sure everything works. Then there is a smaller detail team that only does one or two rest rooms each night, taking extra time to deep clean floors, walls, light fixtures, etc. with heavier power equipment and chemicals.
Once the park opens, the Day Park Quality team takes over, they are responsible for keeping things stocked (running out of paper is a bad thing) and doing their best to keep all 32 men’s and women’s restrooms as clean as possible.
This can be a major challenge on a Saturday in July, when the crowd from Shamu Theater rushes over after the show.
Rest rooms are a big deal with me and my team.
Even though I can’t get all the latest toys, the hand dryer that vacuums water off your hands are awesome and I am still waiting for an automatic toilet tissue dispenser, but the dedicated team I have makes all the difference.
As you get soaked by Shamu or become a little green after riding the Great White inverted coaster, you can be at ease knowing there is a dedicated team day and night working to make sure the next rest room you visit for whatever reason is ready.
Got to go “burning daylight!”
Geoff Baldwin
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Posted in Around the Park, Uncategorized
Your work is VERY much appreciated! The cleanliness of the park is one of the big things that keeps us coming back. Knowing the park staff cares about even the smallest details is so reassuring.
We are at Sea World all the time, especially in the summer time. My family and I have always noticed hoe clean the restrooms are and we always thank an attendant, when we see one. With so many people coming in and out of the park, I am always amazed at how clean the restrooms are. It may be a small thing to some people but it’s very important and one of the reasons our visits are so pleasant.
Michelle
Austin, TX
I can’t thank you enough for the work you and your team do!! It is one less thing to worry about with the kids and my wife dearly appreciates it. Thanks again!!!