I ditched my expensive office space to work out of a theme park instead – I’ve saved thousands and it’s more fun
HAVE you ever dreamt that you could work from the happiest place on earth? Well for Carly Camarra, she has made the dream a reality as Universal Studios Hollywood theme park has become her office. Now a lot of us are working from home there’s no reason to limit ourselves to working from our bed […]
HAVE you ever dreamt that you could work from the happiest place on earth?
Well for Carly Camarra, she has made the dream a reality as Universal Studios Hollywood theme park has become her office.
Now a lot of us are working from home there’s no reason to limit ourselves to working from our bed or kitchen table, as many are discovering.
Carly said: “I didn’t miss my office space much when I was typing alongside Beetlejuice and going on rides during my breaks.”
As a freelance writer she can take her work wherever she wants, so has chosen to work from a theme park that is within walking distance from her home.
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In 2020, Carly swapped her shared office space that she was renting for $550 or £405 a month for a Universal Studios Hollywood’s annual gold pass which cost $290 or £213.
Her only work requirement is a solid internet connection, so instead of setting up a desk at home, she used the incredibly fast, complimentary WiFi at the parks.
Along with the great wi-fi, Carly found she was was immediately surprised by the number of outdoor and indoor working spaces.
She now has her favourite areas which she likes to work from including the cosy Parisian Courtyard, which is decorated with European Old World charm, to the The French Street Bistro delicious cold brew.
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She has characters that interact with her while she works who work at the park and admitted that: “My favourite part of working in the parks was getting to interact with the roaming characters, like Beetlejuice, Frankenstein, and Dracula.”
As for her lunch break, Carly had her pick of the restaurants and even liked to get in a quick Studio Tour on a 45-minute tram ride that has been running since the 1960s.
She said it: “Is a relaxing way to unwind while touring Universal’s working film and television lot.”
Included in her pass is a behind-the-scenes tour so she got to see a lot of productions from hit shows, too.
Having a stressful day can be ended with a relaxing bath or a trip to the pub but for Carly, she often ends her workday by catching a thrill on a rollercoaster.
She was often able to take advantage of single-rider lines, which shorten the wait for those going solo, what a way to end the day.
However if Carly ever did fancy a drink, she had her pick of the spots from ‘The Simpsons’ Moe’s Tavern to Harry Potter’s Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head pub.
Sharing her epic everyday adventures on Instagram, Carly shares her incredible experiences with her thousands of followers.
She also got to know the park’s staff better over time as they added to her unique work location and took advantage of the parks many happy hours.
Carly also had her parking included free with the pass and 15% off most food, beverages, and merchandise. I frequently purchased lunch while in the park
She loved watching the park change for the seasons, especially the most recent Christmas, Halloween and holiday seasons.
It became another one of her favourite parts of being in the park so frequently as she got to see the decorations and atmosphere change throughout the year for the celebrations when different food and entertainment overtakes the park.
Carly found she got her money’s worth and the pass was definitely worth its price, especially since she used it countless times.
The writer also used her annual pass to visit the park for pleasure and loved being able to visit any time, even for just a few hours.
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