The Silverwood Experience

It was a meltdown in progress.

A little girl sobbed uncontrollably, her cries intensifying with each passing moment. Her mother approached the counter with a look of desperation and exasperation, and explained the situation to the teenager behind the cash register.

“My daughter’s ice cream fell on the ground,” she said. “Is there anything you can do?”

The young man smiled and asked the girl what flavor she’d had.

“Huckleberry,” the girl said, brushing aside her tears.

A few moments later she was holding a new ice cream cone — at no extra charge. Mother and daughter happily walked back to the wave pool at Silverwood Theme Park’s Boulder Beach, crisis averted and memories made.

“We give our employees the power to make some decisions that make our guests happy,” said John Jachim, Silverwood’s Director of Human Resources. “Typically, they don’t have to pick up the phone and ask for a manager. They can just do things to make special memories for our guests.”

Making those memories is a big undertaking for the family-owned and operated theme park, which hosted 650,000 visitors last year.

Gary Norton launched Silverwood in 1988 and the park has grown ever since. Today, Silverwood is the largest theme park in Idaho and one of the region’s most popular attractions.

“It's very simple,” said Paul Norton, general manager of Silverwood. “My dad could spend all the money in the world and buy the biggest rides and attractions, but it's the people that work here that make it happen. They're our most valuable asset, our cast members, our staff.”

Violet Hammond is one of them. Her job is to help the popular cartoon character Garfield interact with children, including taking pictures of them with the larger than life feline.

“I love coming to work,” said the 15-year-old, who is in her second season at the park. “It’s really a lot of fun seeing all the smiles as I am going through the park. I can hear the screams from the roller coasters along with the laughter from people having a good time.”

The feeling of family is everywhere at Silverwood. Hammond is a third generation employee. She said she remembers telling her mother as a child that she wanted to make people smile at Silverwood.

“And here I am,” she said. “It’s great. I am part of what’s called the Garfield Gang. We have our language and signals. For example, if Garfield has to go to the bathroom, they’ll say, ‘I have to go to the cat.’’

Silverwood employs 85 full-time employees and about 1,400 seasonal employees whose primary goal is to make people happy. The theme park lovingly refers to its employees as “cast members” and their average age is 26 years old. Roughly 50 percent of cast members are under 18.

“We feel that this is a stage here, and we're all actors on that stage, and our job is to put on a show for you - so we do,” said Norton. “We have to train all those cast members every spring, and say goodbye to them every fall.”

Silverwood’s youthful cast is warm and friendly. They make direct eye contact and engage in pleasant conversation with guests.

“We’re in the fun business so that helps,” Jachim said. “We look for those outgoing personalities who bring high energy to their job every day. We also want people who show a willingness to learn. Since this is the first job for many of our cast members, we want to give them the experience and skills for their future jobs and careers. ”

Once a person is hired, Silverwood invests up to 30 hours of training before they’re allowed to interact with the public. The training center uses computer simulations and big screen TVs, and computerized cash registers that are identical to the ones in the park.

Silverwood also uses the popular business culture curriculum called the Fish Philosophy — which is inspired by fish salesmen at Seattle’s Pike’s Place. This program encourages great attitudes.

“I choose to be here,” said Hammond, who attends Idaho Virtual Academy. “I choose to be happy. I want to make the guests’ day.”

Silverwood goes out of its way to keep cast members engaged and enthusiastic. That includes employee games, contests and special events, such as rollercoaster nights and movie nights.

“This year we're going to be raffling off a car,” said Norton. “We have a brand new 2016 Corolla, and every seasonal cast member that works here has a chance to win right after Labor Day.”

It’s hard to not compare people working at Silverwood with Disneyland. The happiest place on Earth just might be in North Idaho. Wayne Martin, who worked at Disneyland in the 1970s, said Silverwood is a lot like the Disneyland of yesteryear.

“I was at Disneyland for 20 years,” said the senior worker, who is the stationmaster/greeter on the train station platform. “Silverwood is an enjoyable place to work. This is a family.”

Martin said Disneyland’s culture changed when Michael Eisner took charge in 1984.

“It became much more corporate,” he said. “They had 12 managers alone for the parking lot.”

Silverwood’s workforce culture produces long-lasting friendships and a camaraderie with fellow employees, multiple cast members said for this story.

“It’s great because you get to meet new people every day,” said Martin. “Cast members come by and say ‘hi’ and by the end of the summer, you feel like you know everybody.”

Every area of Silverwood has its own sub-culture complete with language, terms and inside jokes. They share one common culture activity that has never been taught in a training class. When the train goes by, everyone from the cotton candy vendors to the ride operators stop what they’re doing and wave to the train.

“They all do it,” said Jachim. “We don’t know where it started or how, but whenever the train goes by we all wave.”

That natural friendliness remains a large part of Silverwood’s appeal — a place where ice cream meltdowns are mended with a scoop and a smile.

The Silverwood look

Trash on the ground at Silverwood doesn’t lay around for long. While there’s no such thing as a 10-second rule, refuse gets handled fast.

Silverwood puts as much effort into its grounds and infrastructure as its personnel. For example, trash on the ground is quickly picked up and garbage cans are emptied before they’re overflowing.

“The restrooms and pathways are clean, these beautiful landscape gardens are full of wonderful plants because we do take care of it. Everyone that works here does care,” said Paul Norton, General Manager of Silverwood. “It makes a difference in the type of place and I believe the guests know it.”

Chrissy Wortman, Theme and Landscape Director, is charged with keeping Silverwood’s overall look and feel consistent. She oversees the landscaping, the buildings and overall aesthetics of the park.

“It’s called Oldsie Worldsie,” said Wortman, who has worked at Silverwood for nine years. “We have an 1800s era Victorian theme blended with the old west.”

Wortman has a keen eye for plants and antiques, which she is always looking for more.

“There’s a fine line between the right amount and tacky,” she said. “I am always looking for balance.”

--Written by Marc Stewart, Director of Sponsored Content.

Tickets please!

Silverwood is no longer selling its season passes or single day tickets at Costco Wholesale. Customers can find the lowest discount prices on passes and tickets online at www.silverwoodthemepark.com throughout the summer season. Season passes are not only a terrific value, but a must-have for anyone who wants to soak it in all summer long. You also park for free with season passes instead of paying $5 for daily parking.