I just ended my CP this week. I came down for the Spring Advantage program for '09. I worked in attractions and one of the more popular rides -- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic Kingdom.
Regardless of where you work, and as you already know, it is exactly what you make of it. No attraction is any more or less "extravagant". Working in attractions, you work repetitive routines. The way I see it, is that your luck on location depends on who you are working with. It won't be the ride itself that makes your CP amazing, it's how you interact with those you spend the majority of your time with. Because in attractions, you work and work and work. I know as a cast member in the MK, I worked crazy hours! Not as bad as Merchandise (who would find themselves there till sometimes 5am...on the clock, not counting time spent waiting for a bus), but I did have shifts going as late (or early) as 3:45am.
My work was thrilling and challenging at first. I was learning a new attraction and experiencing the rotation - and it was exciting. It didn't take long, however, before I got very used to what I was doing. The positions became almost boring and, like any on-stage position, the guest complications didn't help. However, I made friends with nearly everyone I worked with and getting to work alongside them at the attraction was so much fun! In attractions, you are required to work together in order to operate the ride. You have to understand the methods of other cast members in order to provide a smooth and fun experience for the guests and it's fun if you allow yourself to enjoy that experience.
Working at BTM, I did have to deal with height restrictions, fastpasses, wheelchair accommodations, ride breakdowns, and the responsibility of making sure the attraction ran safely. It's tiring work and sometimes frustrating, but it's a test of tolerance and certainly a strengthening experience. I LOVED my CP and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I don't believe any role is overrated. Attractions is a lot of work, but a rewarding one, I think.
I should mention a part of working in attractions that I didn't care for. Fastpasses. If you work a FP attraction, you will quickly find that it feels like 90% of people don't understand FPs. Also, 90% of people use a FP as if it is their VIP ticket to get on at exactly the moment they want to be on. You have to watch the clock and accept FPs at the appropriate time and lots of guests want to arrive 30+ minutes too early. Also, if there is ever a wait with FPs (even if it is a 5 minute wait) that is deemed unacceptable. Regulating this operation is frustrating. The stories I have from dealing with these passes are crazy!
If you feel like you can handle this type of role, I would definitely recommend it. I had a good experience with it -- and not because of the attraction I worked at but because of how I let myself enjoy it.
