Imagine being paid to ride Lagoon's rides and even for helping to select new attractions for Utah's largest entertainment center.
That's part of what Andre' W. Meacham, 27, Lagoon's assistant ride manager, does.Having worked at Lagoon for 12 years, the Salt Lake native started out as a rider operator for the Space Scrambler and moved on to become a ride supervisor. He's been an assistant manager for about four years.
He's also one of nine employees who share the rotating park-director responsibilities.
"It started out as a summer job. I really like it. Now it's in my blood," he said.
Meacham said he had always wanted to be an aerospace engineer, but that changed with his Lagoon experiences. He attended the University of Colorado for a year, majoring in aerospace, before transferring to the University of Utah. He's now a year away from a bachelor's degree in business management with a physics major.
His job is one with only several hours of office work and the rest is spent walking through the park - including Lagoon-a Beach - dealing with such things as ride mechanical problems, evaluations, guest services and safety related problems.
"My No. 1 job is quality control," he said.
But you're not likely to see Meacham visit Lagoon on his own time. His job gives him ample time to do the rides.
His favorite, the Sky Coaster, he's taken about 250 times since it opened last year. His next favorite ride is the Fire Dragon.
He goes on several trips annually to amusement park conventions.
On his own time, he's involved in a variety of thrill-seeking activities."The more sports the better."
He just completed a back-backing trip to Wyoming's Wind River Mountains and that state's highest point, Gannett Peak, 13,804 feet above sea level.
He's also into sky-diving, rock climbing, scuba diving, river running, hunting, fishing, mountain biking and bicycling. He signed up to do the 530-mile Centennial Bike Tour from St. George to Logan, Aug. 18-25.
Hang gliding is about the only intensive-thrill sport he said he doesn't have the nerve to do.
In the winter, he's both an avid skier and snowboarder.
Some marvel at his many hobbies, but he said he's not married and gets plenty of time off.
What does he like most about his Lagoon job?
"I enjoy seeing people come out and have fun," he said. "We're a very unique business, we make fun . . . I love the people."