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

Maybe it’s a good example of societal privilege at work. Those who are wealthy, well educated and have family inheritances to the front. Those who live in deprived areas with working class families and renting - to the back. It’s probably useful for the kids to get used to it now.

It was Legoland we went to and you’re right, the pleb queue didn’t move

I wouldn’t go so far as calling it immoral. It’s immoral that some children in this country will go to bed hungry tonight and many people have to sleep on the streets. It’s not immoral that some people can pay to jump a queue for a rollercoaster. Maybe a bit of perspective needed?

Maybe they'd saved for months to take their kids there and couldn't afford the fast pass on top ( no idea on costs) Not that they are " tight,"

It's a scam all these theme parks anyway charging a fortune and you only get to try a few rides on a day out. Luckily I live a short drive from adventure island so used to take kids there. Might not be as fancy but not ridiculous queues most of the time and actually get to do rides. Much less expensive as well

Yes, it's not unfair because it's not something essential like healthcare.

I agree with your DH. In most situtations, allowing people to pay extra to skip a queue while poorer people stand for ages is immoral. That's not to say I would never do it, as I think it's the system that's immoral not the individuals that use it.

I don't see a problem buying the fast pass if you can afford it or go on a quieter day if you prefer.

Ok, but what about the act of their friends telling them all about their day at the park, or showing photos? That would be unfair if you think that way. It's not at the detriment to others. You would have to queue whether they're in the fast track or not. It just speeds their process up.

If it bothers the kids that much maybe they shouldn't go at all? They're privileged compared to many children to be able to go in the first place so deal with the fact that some kids parents can afford the next tier of tickets.

It's life. You have more money, you can afford to pay for better service. Ideally no one should have to pay to get good service (and I don't think queuing for two hours is good service) but people are always going to pay if they can for a better quality of service.

We always pay for fast track; there's no point going just to stand in queues all day.

Totally agree with spending the money to not queue so long. Who wants to queue for longer then necessary! I would absolutely pay for the ability to ‘queue jump. It’s every man for himself at theme parks, especially during school holidays and weekends.

It is sad and I hate the system. The pre Covid Disney system was much much better (3 free fast passes) but now that is all gone for paid ones.
Universal is also much better in effect for a lot has build two separate rides so the queues are where possible separated out until the end.

But there are a limited number and they do get sold out so either way those who haven’t bought them are disadvantaged

principles are worth having it they can elicit change but not just for the sake of having them

DH and I used to go on the first Thursday after the Easter Break every year. It was always very quiet! In your position I'd buy the fast track, especially as it's a special day.

You can look at it as paying for more rides, or spending less time queuing for the same number of rides.

I am kind of with your husband on this. Theme parks are not cheap anyway, costing around £200 for the day for a family of 4. Then adding on even the most basic fast pass it is usually another £120 or an extra £400 for everyone to have an ultimate fast pass, making a day out around £600+ for a family of 4 which is just not affordable. I don't see why normal people should miss out because of the high price.
Drayton manor seemed to organise their fast pass system better when we went last year as they filled half a ride from that queue and half from the normal queue. Legoland was awful and just kept taking the fast pass queue meaning the normal queue didn't move. It was horrendous and incredibly unfair. I assume thorpe park would be similar as both Merlin. If it is like Legoland then I also feel it is a bad system for those with disabilities because the fast pass queue is the same for those who pay for a pass and those with disabilities. Because they let so many people buy these fast pass tickets, these queues are now a lot longer and they have started to actually restrict those with the disability passes (yet still making the paid for pass available on the same date which I find very cheeky).

Not everyone who lives near has an annual pass. If they do I'd say that they are in the wealthy camp.

I think everyone should get to go on circa 10 rides a day, wherever you live, whatever ticket you have as opposed to some 4 and others 16.

That being said I'm not that passionate about this 😂 So I am going to duck out of the thread 😊

But some people live nearly so can visit often. Other have the annual passes so can pop in when they feel like it and don’t worry about having a full day out. Others it is a once in a lifetime day out so they only have that one day to do everything. It isn’t as simple as wealthier people pushing in front of others.

I think it's the act of children seeing other children jump the queue. I guess I find the inequality sad at such a young age. It's so prevalent in every other area of life.

It's a premium service but it's at the detriment of others.

If I could choose I would remove fast track all together. Children queue together. Families queue together. Everyone has a nice time. Queuing.

Except for those with disabilities.

However on a busy Saturday there are so many RAP users and Fast Track that the main queues can take 2 hours and move very slowly.

Please don't equate disabled people with a RAP with disability-less people choosing to pay for a fast pass. RAP users still have to wait the same amount of time as the standard queue, they just don't have to do it while standing in the queue itself. It's not a fast pass you still have to wait the same time between rides.

And Merlin now restrict how many RAP users can book in a day, so it's not RAP users who are causing the long queues. A family member has autism and rollercoasters are his autistic special interest. The family have paid for the most expensive Merlin annual passes so they can go for the maximum amount of visits, but still can't go if the RAP passes have sold out on a given day as he wouldn't be able to cope with queueing.

I feel your pain with being gouged for more ££ after paying out for tickets, but it isn't disabled people causing the issue.

Also Thorpe Park has many deals on (2 for 1 tickets and discounted tickets). Have a look for those.

We used fast track last year for my son's birthday at Alton Towers and they were worth every penny. We were in a different queue to people with RAPs and they took priority which I would expect. You did have to queue sometimes as they were good at not just filling the ride just with fast track tickets, for example on The Wicker Man each carriage had 6x fast track tickets allowed on and the rest was from the main queue. I wasn't aware of anyone judging us for using them, and I don't judge others either it's not like you are just pushing in. I pay for security fast track in airports and it's no different.

My teen LOVES Thorpe Park and has been many times on the busiest days (e.g Frightnight) and she always gets the fast track and gets to do everything several times. Although some rides have single rider queues which are also good. I think it's silly to spend the day queuing endlessly for a small number of rides. It's really not an enjoyable experience.

But is your son quite a daredevil as the rides in Thorpe Park are quite scary! Too scary for me anyway.

I think you can tell people's true politically leaning from their views on theme park queues. Lean to the left everyone pays the same to get in so should have equal access, lean to the right people who can pay more can get a better experience.

So with that thought process..

I can't afford to take my kids at all, so it's pretty sad that wealthier kids go at all and is unfair...

Or, we could accept that's it's a premium service offered and people are going to rightfully use it.

A friend and I were once the only two people on a Ryanair flight NOT to have priority boarding. We sat trying not to laugh as everyone else queued at the gate, and then after they’d got on, we boarded and sat together on the half empty flight.

We all decide what we choose to spend our money on - the people judging you for paying for fast track at Thorpe Park could have a bigger TV than you or more expensive holidays, or they could send their children to private schools. I don’t see it as being any different from an airport. I always pay for fast track through security, but don’t care about priority boarding as I always take check in luggage.