Pros
The guests are usually amazing - you genuinely meet some of the most incredible kids and adults and they are so grateful for helping make their day. My team is amazing and we are like a big family. The job can be really fun! We don't take ourselves seriously and each day is so different - you go from singing happy birthday to seeing a child's face light up when they get to give their bear traits. It's a totally different type of retail and something new and fun despite how long you have worked in the sector for.
Cons
Communication isn't great. It's often last minute and the company changed their mind frequently. Plannograms and changeover guides are often only uploaded a few days before, or promo aren't sent through until the morning of the day they're supposed to change. You can often feel like a glorified Bear Builder because it's all about keeping the payroll tight, and it's hard to get off the floor to get rotas / paperwork etc done. Being chirpy 100% of the time is seriously draining. You have to be at max energy all day and during peak, that is really tough! From time to time you get some of the rudest, most entitled guests who make a fuss over a stuffed toy. The focus on delivering amazing service is often overshadowed by the expectations to sell, sell, sell. If you aren't delivering metrics, it's "why?" when in actual fact sometimes it's out of your control despite having tried your best. There's inconsistency with reward and recognition, and I personally feel unappreciated.