Amusement parks should be some of the happiest places on earth! So why in the world would someone cause drama and fight someone there?

Well, we’re about to find out.

This young man worked at an amusement park, and after doing what he was supposed to, a disgruntled dad decided to take matters into his own hands.

Let’s dive into the story and find out how the worker won in the end!

Attempting to Assault a Teenager May Help You Get Your Way

I started working at the local amusement park when I was 16 back in 2005. It’s one of the country’s bigger regional parks, a seasonal, corporate themed place.

That first year I worked on one of our bigger roller coasters where the heigh limit was 48 inches in order to ride.

Given that it’s a Saturday in the summer, we’re pretty busy.

By 4:00 PM our line to ride is already at a 1 hour and 15 minute wait. We rotate positions every hour between checking bars, “driving” the ride and “greeter.”

I had just got sent down to greeter, which is where you stand at the front of the line and tell guests how long the wait is, that they can’t bring their alcohol in line and most importantly: check the height of any kids who may not be tall enough.

Seems reasonable…

We had a metal scale the kid would stand on. You’d make sure they were standing straight up and then slowly move a bar across the top to make sure it touches their head.

If the bar can freely swing across and over their head – they don’t get to ride.

Height checks are important, not just for safety, but if you miss a kid and they wait an hour in line under the hot sun with their already stressed and annoyed parents only to be told as they’re about to get on the ride: “Hey, you’re too short,” you get a nasty scene on your hands.

Some parents are totally cool about it all and actually encourage their kids to get measured, but most parents are total jerks about it.

I’ve had all kinds of responses to denying kids from: “I fought for your freedom, what do you mean my kid can’t ride?” to “He’s tall enough to watch the Nascar race!”

Let’s get into the story…

But this one was my favorite of all time:

So it’s about 4 o clock, I go down to greeter to relieve the girl who was there. Everything’s going ok until this little girl comes by with Mom and Dad.

I politely say: “Excuse me guys, do you mind if I check her height before you enter the line?”

Dad: “She’s ridden it before, she’ll be fine.”

Me: “I’m sorry sir, I still have to check her and if she’s tall enough I’ll give her a wrist band so that you guys don’t have to deal with this again.”

Dad seems annoyed, but has his daughter stand up nice and tall on the scale. I measure, she’s nowhere close.

I tell her to put her feet together and stand up as straight as she can (pretending to make an effort and act like you care usually helped), but she’s still a good 1.5 inches too short.

I let the parents know she won’t be tall enough to ride. Girl starts crying, Dad is mad but quiet and mom starts trying to explain to the daughter why she can’t ride.

The family walks off to the side, about ten feet from me. Dad has sunglasses on but is just staring at me, clearly angry.

Mom is holding her daughter trying to make her stop crying while trying to convince Dad to move along.

Dad stands there staring for a good ten minutes, by now I feel uneasy. So I walk over to him and say:

Me: “I’m really sorry guys, but rules are rules, tell you what is there another ride you know she’s tall enough for? I can get you a pass to skip that ride’s line.”

Dad: …. (just keeps staring)

Me: “Is there anything I can do?”

Dad: …. (staring)

By now I’m kind of annoyed and maybe a little too arrogant for a 16 year old with a first job so I say: “Well if you’re gonna stare at me…”

When all of the sudden Dad wakes up and starts going nuts:

Dad: “Staring at you!? I’m not staring at you! Why would I stare at some fat kid who makes kids cry? You enjoy ruining kids days, fattie?”

I cut him off with: “Leave or I call security.”

Dad: “You’re gonna hide behind security, fatty?”

Me: “Grow up, get lost or I’m calling secur……”

Before I can finish my sentence the next thing I know he steps towards me and swings with his right fist.

What kept him from hitting me was his wife jumping in between us, daughter in her arms, as she screamed at him and grabbed his arm. I was stunned – who tries to assault some 16 year old kid?

This escalated quickly!

I ran back to the booth, called security and ran back to find the Dad. He had taken off running while his wife and kid tried to catch up behind them.

Security came, I told them what happened they said they’d keep an eye out.

Three hours later I’m coming back from break when I see him in our ride station, sunglasses on and staring at me again.

This time his kid has a wristband (whoever gave it to her wasn’t doing their job). Wife is nowhere in sight.

I call security who arrives with two actual police officers. As he and daughter are about to get on the ride, the cops motion for him to get out of line and come with them.

They exchange words at the back of the station and escort him away as he carries his once again crying daughter. The whole time he keeps staring at me.

I waved goodbye and smiled. He and his family were ejected from the park.

I ended up working there for seven more seasons and despite stories like this it was one of the best jobs I ever had.

Here’s what the comments had to say…

This person says what they would have done.

Another commenter pointed out the obvious.

While this person has had similar experiences.

Overall, everyone agreed they did the right thing.

Everyone knows it’s always safety first at amusement parks. Someone needed to put the dad in his place, and I’m glad it worked out in the end.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.