To think the fast track queues at Thorpe park are unfair?

Has he got a friend or family member with autism / ADHD / mobility challenges who he’d want to go with? It’s quite easy to get a free Merlin Access Pass and that allows the group to go with the person with the access needs . My friend in a wheelchair actively asks to go with others as he has an annual pass and knows others like to go with him if they’ll get quicker ride access so it’s win win for both - friend to go with and quicker access times. Obviously requires you to be close to someone eligible to go with.

@123ZYX but that's not true. The amusement park is going to sell the fast track passes to someone (they have a target number to sell). If OPs family don't buy the fast track passes, someone else will, the queues are going to be the same length for those with the cheaper tickets.

Marketing means getting the right product to the right buyers at the right price that both buyer and seller are willing to agree for the transaction. If theres X people who are happy with a basic ticket for £P that requires more queuing and Y people who are happy to pay twice £P for a premium ticket with less queuing then that's good business sense. Demand for the more expensive premium tickets will vary according to how much extra it costs and how much of a difference it makes, so skilled marketers will research to find the best price point to maximise their revenue. There isn't going to be a noble boycott of the premium option by all the people who can afford a premium experience on their day out, from a chivalrous desire not to make poorer people feel sad.

The difference with paying extra for fast pass compared to paying extra for better seats in a theatre s that paying extra for fast pass makes things worse for those who don’t have it - if some people can go to the front of the queue, other people have to queue for longer. In the theatre, the seats exist as they are - the choice is to either book an available seat, or don’t go. Someone sitting in a more expensive seat doesn’t make the experience worse for those in a cheaper seat

I don’t think having a fast pass is a dick move. I hate waiting in queues! we don’t get the chance to go to these places often and I don’t actually think it’s good value if you only get on about 4 rides all day??? We got fast passes at Legoland once - I know it was expensive but it was the BEST day with the kids, no stress, no trying to entertain them in long lines and we got on everything with ease which in my opinion made it value for money :)

Fascinating that taking a child out of school for a day at a theme park is less ‘immoral’ than paying for fast passes. Do either but it’s an interesting approach.

I’d go on a school day. A Saturday at Easter will be heaving.
Take him out of school as a one off birthday treat.

That wasn't the reason...

Oh whatever, I've seen enough of your posts on previous threads not to give a flying fig what you think of me.

Just because I think there is nothing wrong with people paying for a service that is offered at a theme park... 🤷🏻‍♀️

We have Merlin Annual Passes and go to all of the parks regularly and the queues at Thorpe are much better than at Chessington, even on a busy day we usually get on 8 to 10 rides, whereas at Chessington we have had many days where we have only done 4!

However, given it’s a special day and you can afford it I would get the fast tracks to guarantee you get on everything you want, queuing is bloody boring!! 😀

Do fast track queues ever really get as long as the main queue? They do limit numbers of fast track available. In the years I’ve been going to theme parks I’ve never seen a ridiculously long fast track queue. Plenty of times I’ve had to queue for like 20-30 mins. This happens. I’ve never seen anyone get annoyed. The main queue is normally way over 2 hours at this time. So it’s still fast track. I’ve only ever seen a family with a disability pass start shouting at the staff because they thought their pass took them directly to the front of the queue and weren’t happy they needed to queue behind other disabled people. I’ve never seen anyone else in the fast track/disabled queue get angry at a slight queue ever.

I often buy fast track if I can afford it. I can’t stand queuing so I’d rather go less often and pay more when I do. (I am actually autistic and I find queuing and large crowds really stressful sometimes but I’m not “not able” to queue so I don’t need a disability pass. So instead I save and buy a fast pass.

I don’t judge others that buy them at all if I don’t have one/have used my slots for the day. I may see them walking past me in the other queue but I tend to just think “lucky bastards”.

Ok so this wasn't calling someone tight lol. " Because are too tight to buy fast passes themselves but bitter and jealous about those that do"

i don't need fast passes as I don't go to theme parks thanks.

It's not queue jumping. It would be queue jumping if people with the same ticket category elbowed their way to the front of the queue. Buying an upgraded experience is simply a legitimate option in normal functioning of businesses. It's not like they keep the passes a secret. Your option is to buy a basic ticket and spend 7 hours queuing to go on 5-7 rides, or pay for the midrange ticket and cut the queuing time and go on a few more rides, or buy the top level ticket and get loads of rides with little queuing. It's a free and fair choice mediated by your budget. No one makes you buy anything you don't want to, but whining that the thing you want isn't cheaper is something you are supposed to grow out of by age 10 or so.

We pay for fast pass or express in Orlando parks and other Disney/Universal parks. We will also sometimes book hotels that include them in the rate.
whilst it was better when FP was free for all there are just some days we don’t want to queue. If at a park for more than one day we will often just do express for one day and queue the next.

But they have PAID! 🤷‍♀️

They’ve not elbowed their way to the front or shoved small children to the ground!

It’s your DH’s decision whether he pays (for himself) but if you want to fast track just buy for you and your kids and leave him to bloody seethe in the other queue. If he hates queueing, there’s a remedy for that, but he can’t resent others for paying not to. How’s it selfish when they’ve parted with their own money - they’ve not made him pay more. They wouldn’t be able to do it if it wasn’t a legit option. He sounds like a barrel of laughs on a day out.

Miserable bastard.

Also ppl/parents with kids who have hidden disabilities getting side-eyed after having to pay more to ensure their trip out (which they’re entitled to as much as anyone else!) isn’t sheer fucking hell says a lot about our twattish society sadly.

It's not selfish.
Anyone who can afford a fast track, it is free to buy it. That's what they pay for.

So true 🤣

Fine, don't start.

it's a theme park fast pass, not a kidney.

Yes, we had this at Universal and my disabled DC had to exit the queue before the ride as we had been waiting in the queue so long that they had a full blown panic attack. Universal didn’t seem to really care, they are all about the money and give fast passes to all those staying at the most expensive resort hotels. Disabled people have to use the same fast track entrance. It made it almost impossible for DC.

I didn’t call “people” tight. Sorry you can’t afford fast passes though 👍

Life isn’t fair, and neither are theme park queues. The entire system is built on the same principle that runs the world money talks, and everyone else waits in line.

Fast track passes aren’t about fairness; they’re about business. The park makes more money, and in return, those who pay get a better experience.

Meanwhile, the standard queue moves even slower, making the option to "buy out" even more tempting. It’s designed that way manufactured scarcity.

Your DH is absolutely right that it makes things worse for those in the normal queue, but that’s the game and whether you like it or not, the game isn’t changing.

You can take a moral stand, refuse to pay, and teach your kid that waiting builds character or you can pay, skip the lines, and teach him the real lesson: that in life, those with the resources to avoid the grind usually do.
@NameChangedSummer

I don’t see that it’s unfair? Well it is but much of life is - if you can pay more you can also have a bigger house or a fancier holiday. It’s not stand-out unfair.

Ok tell me what I've made up? It's not nice to call someone tight for not buying fast passes either is it?

No, I was calling the person I quoted tight - stop making stuff up!