Cedar Point is a place that holds happy memories for many grownup kids in Michigan who spent hot summer days twirling and swirling and riding the rails. That’s why it’s such an excellent venue for a team building trip for your employees, your sports team, or any other group of people who need to work closely together. To make the most of it and ensure an enjoyable and productive time is had by all, here are six tips for your team building trip to Cedar Point:
1) Set the stage
Leave titles at the office. It’s difficult to build a team that feels empowered and valued if the boss or department head is treated differently than the staff. Instead, let everyone know that the playing field is level and each person is on equal footing with the next. Also emphasize cooperation and collaboration, not competition.
2) Odd couples
During the bus trip down to Cedar Point, ask each team member which ride or activity they enjoy the most and which they find most challenging (e.g., refuse to go on) and write down their answers. Then, using this list, pair people up, so that each pair has one lover and one refuser who can then help the other at least attempt to meet their challenge. For example, one person from marketing will not even consider a roller coaster ride, while another from sales believes the higher and faster the ride the better and can’t wait to get in line for the new record-breaking Steel Vengeance. A match made in collaboration heaven! Pairs may need to be shuffled, so everyone has the opportunity to both meet their challenge and to be the support person.
3) Fuel and refresh
Provide good food before, during, and after your trip. Plan to bring both healthy and not-so-healthy snacks and beverages for the rides down and back, so no one gets “hangry” on the road. While onsite at Cedar Point, provide your team with meal vouchers for any of the more than 50 eateries or, for teams of 25 or more, choose a catered all-you-can-eat buffet from the menu.
4) Make a splash
If your team includes members who prefer the water to dry land, they may be happier meeting the challenges at Cedar Point Shores Water Park, 18 acres of slides, pools and more. For example, it takes teamwork to ride the Storm Surge Raft Ride that plummets a raft full of people 76 feet into a pool at the bottom, or float your teams down Runaway Rapids, an action adventure on water!
5) Celebrate achievements
Give prizes! Decide on a few prizes that recognize those who overcame the greatest challenge (like taking their first-ever ride on a roller coaster), provided the strongest support (the person who held their hand on that roller coaster ride), and the person who was the most collaborative and helpful. It might be wise to keep these prizes under wraps until the ride home, so that team members aren’t tempted to focus only on winning, rather than team building.
6) Listen and learn
Gather feedback after the trip. Ask what people liked, didn’t like, what they would change, and what they recommend for the next trip. Also ask those who successfully met and overcame their Cedar Point challenge to share a brief description of what it took, who supported them, and how it makes them feel to have accomplished it.
All team building exercises are great but rising to the thrilling challenges at Cedar Point constitutes a trip for the record books, and Indian Trails can help make it perfect. Find out more about our luxury motorcoach charters and request a quote today.
