MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Part of any great vacation is the entertainment and activities put on by the resort but have you ever thought about just how much work goes into planning and running them?
Whether it's zipping down one of the many waterslides, knocking down pins in the bowling alley, or waving a wand on the quest for greatness, there are plenty of things for guests to do at Great Wolf Lodge near Tannersville.
But one's team's job is to add even more fun to a guest's stay, and it's no small feat.
Entertainment ambassadors are tasked with providing a variety of activities and events each day for guests, working alongside the guests to make sure they have the best experience possible.
"If we're looking like we're having fun, guests want to follow us to that event, so it's always a really upbeat fun job, but it takes work to do that all day long too," said Terri Klee, an entertainment manager at Great Wolf Lodge.
Entertainment ambassador is a role that Tamiko Thompson-Goldson has been doing for the past eight years at Great Wolf Lodge.
"When I come here, I feel centered, I feel happy. I love serving. Serving is the biggest part of our love language, so being able to serve these guests is the best thing I can do in my day."
She and others from the entertainment team showed Newswatch 16 what it takes to ensure families have a great time.
Yoga Tails kicks off every morning at the lodge. One of the team members reads a story while doing yoga poses along with the story "Waking Up with Wiley."
Yoga mats are rolled out, and kids are taught the poses as team members demonstrate. Then, it was time for the story.
After yoga is over, all the mats get wiped down. On this day, nearly all of them were used, which meant a lot of cleaning.
Wolf ear decorating and coloring were next on the list of activities for kids.
Emily Rivera was in charge there. Rivera says you have to enjoy working with children and interacting with the public because making sure they have fun is the entire job.
Arts and crafts projects change daily and last about two hours, so all the kids can participate.
Then it's time for bingo. And this isn't any regular bingo; when you win, you howl.
Finally, character appearances start mid-afternoon.
This was just half a day's worth of events at Great Wolf Lodge, with plenty more on the schedule for families to take part in.
Entertainment ambassadors also have to keep up with learning new scripts, stories, and dances and must take part in online character training sessions.
Employees say while it's not a job for everyone, it's worth it.
"Seeing them smile, seeing them with their families and the parents is just like you know they get to relax because their kids are having fun. They don't have to stress about it, and I'm just happy to give them the experience," said Rivera.
Every day, the entertainment team serves roughly 1,500 guests, and that number goes up or down depending on how many people are checking in or out.
As they head into summer, one of their busiest seasons, Great Wolf Lodge is looking to hire more entertainment ambassadors.
"People think it's a lot simpler, like it's like 'boom, boom.' There's a lot of planning, coordinating, and time management. You always have to keep yourself upbeat all the time because you out of the office or the break room, you know you're on," Rivera said.
So the next time you enjoy the activities at one of the many resorts in the Pocono, remember how much time and effort goes into making sure you have a fun experience.
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