Employee Spotlight: Winter Wonderland Edition

Every winter, Hyde Park transforms into one of the busiest and most lively festive events in the UK. Winter Wonderland Hyde Park is one of HBL’s biggest projects of the year, and behind the scenic lights, festive atmosphere and bustling crowds are the teams that work tirelessly to deliver memorable experiences for guests. That’s why for this month’s Employee Spotlight, we’re recognising the three HBL Supervisors who played a key role in keeping everything running smoothly throughout the Winter Wonderland season – Eabha Fitzroy, Joshua Cullen and Dylan Mcnair!

Their Journey to Winter Wonderland

Each of them worked on the Winter Wonderland project through a unique HBL journey. When Dylan Mcnair first joined HBL in 2022 at Alton Towers, he eagerly accepted secondment opportunities overseas, including Global Village in Dubai and Germany. For him, stepping into a supervisory role at a large-scale event such as Winter Wonderland allowed him to work closely with the management team.

Meanwhile, Eabha Fitzroy joined HBL in 2020 while looking for a fun and fast-paced job. She saw Winter Wonderland as an opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and grow within the company. As a Supervisor in Emerald Park, taking on the same role at Winter Wonderland proved to be exciting and fulfilling, albeit in a much busier environment.

Joshua Cullen began his HBL journey in 2022 at Emerald Park in Ireland before being offered the chance to work at Winter Wonderland that same year. Although this was his fourth season of Winter Wonderland, Joshua still looked forward to the excitement of each day.

A Day at Winter Wonderland

At Winter Wonderland, no two days are quiet, especially during the peak periods. For all three of them, the day typically starts with meetings with the management team to align the team with the day’s objectives and priorities. From there, they would prepare engaging and informative briefs, including the ‘Management VS Operator” brief, which helps the team to get to know each other, work together and feel motivated before heading into a long and busy shift. With each Supervisor responsible for overseeing a specific game individually, the role required them to ensure everything ran smoothly, maintain high operational standards and support the staff throughout the shift.

Facing the Challenges

An event like Winter Wonderland naturally comes with its own set of challenges. For Dylan and Joshua, one of the biggest tests was ensuring that both staff and supervisors stayed energised and motivated throughout the event. With big crowds and physically demanding shifts, it was important for the team to stay focused and positive. “When the teams are in sync and working together, they can easily face the challenge and come up with the right solutions,” Joshua says. Eabha focused on the importance of communication. By maintaining an open channel between management and operators, she helped create a safe space for feedback, support and encouragement.

Highlights from the Season

Some moments from Winter Wonderland stood out as more memorable than others. Dylan’s defining moment was his daily briefings. Speaking in front of large groups had significantly improved his self-confidence and communication skills. Eabha similarly found that the morning briefings were the highlight of her day. It helped to build camaraderie and create positive vibes before starting their shifts. For Joshua, the most memorable day was when they broke the record for the highest-performing day for HBL.

Lessons from Winter Wonderland

When asked about the biggest takeaways from this year’s Winter Wonderland season, Dylan, Eabha and Joshua all found increased confidence when placed in a leadership role. All three supervisors led large briefings, managed teams of 25-30 staff, and maintained high standards, which ultimately contributed to stronger leadership foundations. Dylan leaves the season with expanded management exposure, while Eabha is keen to continue learning and building on her leadership experience to take on greater responsibility and contribute to larger-scale operations within HBL. As for Joshua, he looks forward to returning to Emerald Park and continuing to develop his career.

Winter Wonderland Hyde Park is a big event that demands adaptability and top-notch leadership at every level. This season, Dylan Mcnair, Eabha Fitzroy and Joshua Cullen demonstrated all of the above with their contributions, playing an important role in the success of the event. A job well done to all three supervisors for all their hard work throughout the season!