Today we’re starting a new series here on the Ride Entertainment Blog where you’ll get to know the people that make us the Gold Standard in the attractions industry.
Up first is Amanda Mercado, our Project Manager for Maintenance & Installations. When she’s not in the office, you’ll find her out at the worksite – hard hat and all – ensuring every aspect of your new ride installation is going as smoothly as possible.
KR: What brought you into the attractions industry?
AM: I originally went to school in Boston and got a summer job at Six Flags New England as a ride operator. All of us quickly became friends there and that really stuck with me.
KR: What’s your favorite ride of all time?
AM: Oh gosh, any roller coaster with just a lap bar!
KR: How would you describe your role here at Ride Entertainment?
AM: I do a little bit of everything, which I absolutely love about the position. Everything it takes from the start of a project, to the finishing out and final commissioning.
KR: How did you find Ride Entertainment?
AM: I had worked previously with Bill Wright (Managing Director of Installations) and then he introduced me to the whole Ride Entertainment team.
KR: What has been your favorite project to work on of all-time?
AM: We got to work with a coaster that had been sitting for a few years and not run. They had lost some of the “tribal knowledge” that mechanics get for “their ride” because of this lapse in operation. So we got to come in and do a complete rehab on the coaster. It was a really cool feeling to see it come back to life.
KR: What do you see for the future of the attractions industry, given the past 12 months?
AM: It’s proven that it’s a resilient industry! It seems like this year is going to come back strong and be where were should be. For what the industry was handed, it sure feels like we’re turning the corner in a good way.