Why It All Starts Here | Fun Intended - Ep. 1
Why We Started the Podcast
Launching “Fun Intended” has been something we’ve wanted to do for a while now. Working as the Digital Strategy Manager at Metropolis Resort means I spend a lot of time thinking about the guest experience and it hit me, there’s so much that goes into the magic of what our guests see (and a TON they don’t!). I wanted to pull the curtain back and share some of those behind-the-scenes moments, the stories about our team, and just how intentional we are about creating fun every single day. We don’t want the resort to feel mysterious; it should feel like a place you know and love.
Meet Danie: Our Culture Creator
For our very first episode, I sat down with Danie Grint, who I always introduce as our Director of Training and Development (but she can be called our “culture creator”). Danie runs the show when it comes to hiring, training, and making sure the Metropolis vibe is strong for both guests and team members. Want to know something funny? That now-famous, “Thank you for calling Metropolis Resort, where the fun never stops,” greeting actually took six months to get right and a year to stick. Now it’s in our DNA, so much so that staff use it without even thinking!
What “Rooted In Family, Together In Fun” Really Means
On this first episode we wanted to dig into Metropolis’s “core focus”.It’s way more than just a slogan for us, it helps us guide our decisions internally. Dani talked about those family roots: her grandfather built Action City because he wanted somewhere for his grandkids to have fun. We started with three families and, over the years, it’s all grown and changed, but that desire to create epic memories for families is still at the center of everything we do. Whether you’ve been coming here for years or it’s your first visit, the whole goal is to help you make those lasting memories, together.
Our Five Core Values (and Why We’re Obsessed With Them)
It took a brainstorming session with our whole leadership team (I’m talking post-its stuck on every surface!) to whittle down who we really are at our core. In the end, here’s what guides everything:
Compassionate: We care - about guests, teammates, and our community.
Eager: We bring energy, excitement, and a willingness to learn every single day.
Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one’s watching.
Diligent: We give every job our all and always follow through.
Creative: Thinking outside the box is a must and we want everyone’s ideas.
It’s always a work in progress, even now, not every senior leader can list all five off the top of their head, but it’s still built into what we do every single day. These values show up everywhere, from how we greet guests to the wild ideas our frontline team has for making things even better.
We Take Team Ideas and Run With Them
Some of my favorite “aha!” moments come from our staff on the floor. Life jackets in the waterpark? Crocs at the go-kart track so nobody’s left out because of shoes? All ideas straight from our team. Creativity isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something we rely on, every single day. The more input our team has, the more awesome we can make your stay.
Why the Fun Is Always, Always Intended
If you’ve stayed with us, I hope you’ve felt it. Every process, policy, and detail is planned with your experience in mind. It’s honestly such a compliment whenever someone points out our customer service and a huge part of that is Danie’s non-stop work to train, coach, and support our young team. We’re all here to make you feel welcome, recognized, and at home. That’s what fun intended means to me.
What’s Next? Be Part of Our Story!
If you loved this peek behind the curtain, join us for our next episode! And if there’s something you’re dying to know about Metropolis Resort, let us know, maybe your question will be the topic of a future show. Last but not least, if you’ve ever had a great experience with one of our team members, drop a shoutout in the comments! We’d love to share it with the crew that made your stay special.
Thanks so much for reading (and listening)! Catch you on the next episode of “Fun Intended.” Make sure to listen to the full episode right here!
