Celebrate National Smile Day with our Guest Experience Team

Date: May 31, 2025

At Hersheypark, we aim to deliver smiles and happiness from the moment you walk through our front gates! There is one team that we can count on to do it best: the Guest Experience Department! In honor of National Smile Day, we celebrate the team that provides the warmest and sweetest welcome to our guests at Hersheypark.

We spoke to current Hersheypark Guest Experience team members about their roles and experience! Check out what they had to say below.

Katie Anthony

Assistant Area Manager of Training

Meet Katie! Katie is the assistant area manager of training with the Guest Experience Department. “Guest Experience is a small but mighty department that covers a lot of ground at Hersheypark to ensure the best day possible for our guests. A huge part of my job is training our trainers to be successful in their roles and supporting them as they learn and grow while training our new team members!”

Katie explains what makes her job so rewarding. “As a manager, there is no better feeling than seeing those ‘aha’ moments with our team members, when the information clicks and they become confident in their role or current task. She goes on to share her favorite thing about working at Hersheypark. “It might sound cheesy, but how tight-knit the Park team is. I've worked at other parks of all sizes, and Hersheypark is the best I've seen with departments and leadership supporting each other and individuals' growth within the company. Theme parks are a unique environment to work in. Every day is different with its challenges and goals, but ultimately, our job is to make people happy. If one day at Hersheypark makes life a little bit better for someone, it's worth what we do for a living.”

Katie shares a recent memory that made a guest's day. “I was assisting with crowd control at the entrance for the event, and a family of season passholders came up. There was a little girl who was terrified watching the new Twizzlers Twisted Gravity ride swing out over the creek. She was concerned that she was too small to ride such a big ride. I asked her if she would like me to check her height “just to be safe” knowing that she was already tall enough. She nodded and followed me to the height board. Sure enough, when I measured her, she was tall enough to ride. I gave her some confidence and said, ‘You are absolutely tall enough to ride, but if you are concerned about swinging out over the creek, make sure you sit on the side facing the creek so you'll be facing away from it when the arm swings out.’ She decided to get on the ride and the parents thanked me for all of their help. Afterward, she came up to me and told me how much she loved it! To make a guest's day, it doesn't always have to be big gestures or giving something away. Most of the time, it's just little moments where we connect as people that make someone's day.”

Jaiden Yocca

Senior Supervisor in the Guest Experience

Meet Jaiden! Jaiden is a senior supervisor in the Guest Experience Department. Her role specifically handles seasonal guest experiences such as summer pool cabanas and holiday events like holiday Sweet Lights. “My favorite part about my job is helping our guests and team members when they run into an opportunity that needs to be fixed. In GE, it is our job to find solutions to ensure each guest has a memorable experience while in the park. I love to problem solve, and I love the impact I am able to have each day by making our guests happier!” 

Jaiden goes on to explain why she loves working at Hersheypark. “My favorite thing about working here is being in such a happy and positive environment. We truly are The Sweetest Place On Earth. My co-workers and team members are extremely supportive, and we are all willing to jump in and assist whenever it is needed!” She goes on to explain the professional benefits that come from working at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. “This job is more than just working at an amusement park; it's a place where you grow as a person, build strong friendships and make a real impact on people's day. The energy is fun, the team is supportive and there are so many opportunities to develop skills you'll use for the rest of your life like communication, leadership and customer service!” 

“At Hersheypark, you're not just doing a job, you're creating memories for thousands of people every day. Every question you answer, every problem you solve and most importantly, every smile you make is part of a guest's unforgettable day. My personal goal is to create happiness, one guest at a time. If you show up with a great attitude and a willingness to grow, you'll go far-- not just at Hersheypark, but in anything you do!” 

If you enjoyed hearing these stories and want to create your own memories as a Hersheypark team member, apply today! Check out all of our job opportunities.