Seventeen-year old Robbie Zirpollo has a problem. As the film opens, his mother is driving him to his new summer job. We learn that Robbie has grown up in Oceanside, California, but now he and his mother have moved to Colorado for a fresh start, as his father has taken the family's savings and his secretary to Mexico. Robbie's mom has, through an uncle, gotten him a summer job at Water World on the grounds crew. The adventure begins when Robbie meets Alex and gets moved to Aokee's Surf & Snack shack to work. Alex convinces Robbie to enter the park's "Employee Olympics" to bring the Surfer King trophy to it's rightful place among the concessions crew. Tiffany, the park owner's daughter, has other ideas for Robbie.