AIBU to get my DD a fast track pass for a school trip to a theme park?

Not for a school trip. If your DD was just going with friend and her parents, then yes.

On a school trip - absolutely not.

I 100% would

Just get it. She may not be permitted to use it but hey you tried, right. And dd can take any repercussions on the day

I think definitely speak to school to find out what the grouping arrangements are - if her and her friend are allowed in a pair and if school are ok with it I guess it’s up to you, but if there’s a chance they’ll be allocated to a group with students who don’t have fast passes, it would cause problems (say they were put in a 3 with someone without a fast pass).

Fast pass is stark ‘haves and have nots’: a shit dynamic for a school trip.

Ah, theme park communism. Who knew?

The last time I was at Alton Towers I went on a motorbike with a group of other bikers. It was a long time ago though.

It's amazing how many people will say, "do you want to go in front?" to a group of hairy people in leather.

I don't think year 7 and 8 could pull off the biker gear though.

Sorry useless post but it brought back good memories.

I would hope that schools expressly don't allow this.

To have kids queuing for a ride, watching their classmates with more money go past them isn't really what school trips should be about.

As for kids from families with less money learning that life isn't fair, they already know. They don't need reminding if it on what should be a fun day. And what exactly is it they'd be learning anyway, where their place is?

My experience of school theme park trips is you all just go and do your own thing and can be groups of whatever size you want

Personally I think your thoughts on haves vs have nots is correct- it’s going to split groups

You never pay for priority boarding at an airport then? Or a nicer hotel room? Or first/business class on a train?

No to the first and third. I've never understood paying to sit for longer on a plane.

And the second... Me having a nice hotel room doesn't mean someone else's gets worse. Theirs is the same. But if you get a fast pass, someone else waits longer. That's why it's different, and shitty.

I don’t think a school is the time or the place for this imo.

If I ran a school I wouldn’t do a trip like this at the end of term, as the parks are rammed and poor value. But if I did there is no way I’d permit the purchase of fast passes, not a chance. I’d have it as a condition of being allowed on the trip.

Imagine - a parent struggling financially (like many these days) who has stretched to coach and entry only to be told by their kid that everyone else in their friendship group is getting a fast pass. So parent shells out more - and the fast passes are generally more than the trip itself - or their child spends the day without their friends. Absolutely not. I cannot believe schools allow this.

Yes I would

Her friend is getting one so she wouldn't be in her own.

I works, however, recommend for those without one to use single rider if it's available as that can shorten the queue a fair amount on some styles of rides.

Not with 7s and 8s. They'll turn feral at best, but at worst, that's exactly how kids have horrific accidents in theme parks.

That was our experience at that age. Check in point and time around lunch time is then dial one at the end of the day.

One member of staff at a central base all day for other issues outside those times. Often a cafe area.

May not be allowed to just be in pairs though. Often it's a group of 4.

My daughter has just been to Drayton Manor, and they are basically left to their own devices.
If it's just her and her mate who will be going round together and they both have one, I don't see the issue. A larger group of friends with only 2 having a fast pass, then I'd say no.

The people saying you should say no so she learns the art of patience are complete fun sponges! I'm a teacher and I regularly take trips to Thorpe Park. At this time of year it is very, very busy (even on weekdays) because every year 11 and 13 student in the country is on their summer holidays. So I would definitely get her the fast track if it's a possibility, or there's a good chance she'll only get on two or three rides all day.

It's got nothing to do with being on an even playing field as you say..that's life some have more and others have less. The issue is only that the school will need to supervise the kids and keep them in their groups there will be no going off on your 'fast track'
@Coconutmeg are you really this silly to think a school trip is the time for fast track? Please ppl stop being so utterly ridiculous.

This is such a dumb idea. And it's not about morality. She'll be there with her school friends and going on rides as a group. Unless she's happy spending the day essentially by herself, don't buy her a fast pass.

So you think her child should queue and just let others breeze past her instead, because that's what will happen.

These trips are extortionate as it's why would the OP pay so much to have her child ride potentially 1 or 2 rides if she could instead make the trip more enjoyable.

Life isn't fair, let's not pretend anyone would refuse to pay on principal for their child if they could afford it. You don't have to turn everything into an opportunity to try and teach them some sort of moral lesson.

You never pay for priority boarding at an airport then? Or a nicer hotel room? Or first/business class on a train? Paying extra money for stuff generally gets you a better experience. It might be unfair, but it’s pretty much a universal thing the world over.

I don’t earn a huge salary. I am very unlikely to have more money than someone who I might be ‘queue jumping’ at Thorpe Park (which is an expensive day out in itself), I’m just choosing to spend it on different things.

Are you one of those people that wants everyone to get a medal on sports day?

No, just someone who thinks kids should learn to queue at a place where queuing is expected, instead of breezing past the poorer kids who have to learn to do it anyway.

But it's the OP's call obviously 🤷‍♀️

You're not a child, asking Mummy to fund your impatience, while the kids whose parents can't afford to fund theirs, have to learn to deal with it.

Ah? Parents fund everything their kids do, that's how parenting works. Are you one of those people that wants everyone to get a medal on sports day?
Life isn't fair, that's what they need to learn to deal with! I would quite like all the privileges that come with flying first class (so would my kids 😂) they won't be stamping their feet about it and crying it's not fair though 🤷🏽‍♀️ Same would apply if it was a school trip; your mates got designer luggage and loads of spending money and you haven't? Oh well!

I always pay for queue jumps, no point going otherwise. If you don't agree with the way a business is run, vote with your feet and don't go.