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

Why is it any more immoral than paying for access to the park in the first place, when some people can’t afford to do the same?

This is a distinct possibility on a busy day. It's like the fast track boarding passes that Ryanair and other budget airlines sell. I've seen them call those passengers forward and everyone except about 6 people step forward and join.. the same sized queue it would have been anyway. Imagine that when you've paid £200 extra.

I agree. We tried to go to a theme park last year, no fast track as it was extortionate and it was a total waste of time. It was really hot, only managed about four rides across the whole day, the kids were miserable, never again 🤣

Perhaps it’s better to reframe it as:

”people who only go the once for special occasions can afford the money to pay for fast track”

and “people who can afford an annual pass and live close enough can afford the time to go frequently”

different ‘affords” but equally fine

If he thinks fast track is unfair, then he’d be horrified at the VIP tickets at universal studios in LA. We knew this was a one and done visit in our lifetime so decided to spend the money. There isn’t always a separate fast track queue. You have a guide who literally pushes through the queues to get you to the front. Was part comedy, part awkward as we just skirted past all the adults and children. Totally worth it though as we got to do all the rides.

For context, RAP as distinct from Fast Track are only issued to disabled visitors, and the threshold to prove eligibility is high. The disabled person has to submit highly sensitive information to Nimbus Disability as a third party who will assess what, if any, adaptations the person is entitled to. This has to be done for every visit unless you are willing to pay for an access pass. It's one of many, many admin tasks that disabled people and their carers have to undertake in order to be able to access everyday places.

Frankly, it's completely inappropriate that OP brought RAP into this at all. Merlin cap the number of RAPs to ensure that there isn't a disproportionate impact on queues. The issue here is with paid for fast track.

I agree with your husband.

I think it's pretty sad wealthier kids effectively push in front of kids who are less well off - or their parents at least. Particularly as ticket prices are super expensive.

It's sad. We should all just queue unless disability etc.

I doubt one fast pass person walking past you and your DH queuing in the normal line is picking up on your disapproval of a fast pass 😂
we got fast passes at Disneyland and it worked out to be more cost efficient, as we got to go on all the rides we wanted to in one day. If we’d not have done this, I reckon it could have taken three days to do it properly.

In every area of life, including education and healthcare, housing and holidays, cars and clothes, restaurants and theatre seats, those who pay more get a better experience. Are the people who pay £150 per seat to see a big west-end musical "selfish and immoral" for chosing the seats in front of those who have paid less and get a less good view? Purveyors of these services and experiences tend to offer different grades to experience for different budgets, having estimated the size of the group of people likely to be willing to pay at each price point. A trip to an amusement park is not part of your inalienable human rights, so you have the freedom to either choose to pay for the level of experience you want, or to choose not to go. People who are richer than you are mot "selfish and immoral" for choosing something nicer than someone poorer than you can afford. There is no virtue worth admiring in those who choose not to, unless you decide to spend the money you could have spent on upgrading your experience to instead buy basic tickets for some deprived kids who otherwise wouldn't be going at all - if you spend the money saved on something else for you that you value, that's not one microjot more or less "selfish"

I can't afford to go to theme parks at all (not that I'm bothered, I don't do big rides and would rather pick my own eyeballs out with a rusty spoon than go) but you can be damn sure if I was going, I'd buy the fast passand wouldn't give a monkeys if someone wanted to judge me for that. Who wants to spend a fortune to stand in a queue?

And would you think that's fair?

We did fast track for a birthday one year and it was well worth it - we’ve had passes on and off for years .

my advice for Thorpe would be to get there early to get through all the security queues before 10 so you get to the rides quickly at 10 and can probably get on 2/3 rides before the queues start building . Thorpe is quieter in the morning .

Also the first week of the summer holiday is normally quite quiet in my experience.

Some people can't afford to go to Thorpe Park at all. Is it unfair for you to go and not them?

Well, yes, it is, but that's a capitalist society for you. The only difference is the people who can't afford to go don't hang around by the gates staring at you and making you feel uncomfortable. Capitalism is largely made viable by the fact that they don't.

Basically is it unfair? Yes, of course, the same as everything is unfair. Why does he have a Mercedes and I have to ride a bike? I don't see any reason to single this out.

A lot of disabled people use RAP passes so, just for that, your husband is being a dick. Those particular people will have been given a return time so have waited elsewhere and then come back. Whilst it looks like they’re skipping the line, the queue time has been altered accordingly to accommodate for this. Yes, there will be people who will pay but that’s their choice.

Ultimately, the only way round it is to go on a random term time day. I fondly remember going to Alton Towers one day and we rode all the big ones at least 5 times and left after only about 5 hours as we’d had enough 🤷‍♀️ Literally the only ever time we’d done that!

How is it unfair to buy a fastpass and use it? It would be unfair to push in the front of a queue without a pass but if you have bought a fastpass then you have paid to get on the ride faster. For years when I had 4 small children I could not afford to go to Thorpe Park at all so I took them to the local park, swimming or the library and that's just how it was. I never looked at people who could go to Thorpe Park as being unfair. They just had more money than I had at the time. But now I am a grandmother I can afford fast passes so as soon as my 9 year old grandson is tall enough for the big rides I am paying for a fast pass for me, my daughter and the grandson and we are going to have fun (and not queue for too long). I'm in my sixties but I do love a roller coaster....

Better to teach your son that if he works hard, saves hard and does well in life he too can get a fast pass. Good motivation to work hard at school. If you knuckle down and succeed then you too can have nice things in life.

Nah, what you inherit is more important these days!

i would buy queue jump for just a couple rides. It makes the journey to Thorpe park worth it, as otherwise you spend 9 hours queuing for 3 rides (an experience of mine when I was younger).

Every theme park does it, time is money.

do not do full access, it does not seem worth it!

We went to legoland last weekend and it was the same story. I did even look at the fast track pass price because I wondered the same thing, whether it was worth it. Apparently it’s horrendous in the summer. But I don’t think you can call someone who has shelled out £200 a dick - that’s a lot of money to pay on top of a ticket just to not queue.

Id see if you can go on an inset day or something. I found a really good website that tracks park
business times that we use quite a lot:https://queue-times.com/parks/2/calendar

Exactly.

And I take it the OP's DH won't be buying lunch there, because some families will be eating the curly sandwiches they had to bring.

Will he buy a coffee?

Nah that's immoral if some people had to bring a flask.

your husband is being ridiculous. When our DC were little I could no more have afforded to take them to a theme park that I could afford a private jet to the Maldives. We just didn't have enough money. I didn't think it was immoral that other people could afford those things.

Everyone's a dick and being unfair until it's you with the pass! Get the pass and have a great day.

Don't like them

We always tried to go to theme parks on teacher training days and it was always much quieter.

But some people can’t afford theme park tickets full stop - so should people be banned from going at all?

I'd look at the fast past queue as the normal price for it, and the regular queue as a discount for those who are willing to queue.

Leave DH in the normal queue to ponder the meaning of life and go on the ride three times with FT passes for you and DC, while he is waiting.