Theme parks are ruined if you don't pay for a fast pass?

You don’t supposed that 32% some of the children are adults are they aren’t restricted to going during holidays and queuing and not getting their moneys worth?

Or GSCE times when they’re not in school for part of the term…..

So they get their moneys worth out of the greedy corporations?

Just a thought 🤔

I mean they do return, but probably after 10 years.

10% return annually
32% return but not annually

That is a rather good return rate. A third.
They can’t all have been duped. I imagine many are educated and able to look back on the day and assess whether they or not they felt that they’d been ripped off by greedy corporates

I didn’t look at them TBH, but I think they said it was 3 times a year? I don’t think 10% return a year is particularly high?

According to the link posted by that other poster @Pinkchickenwine 10% visits every year and 32% return (just not every year)

No, you couldn't be more wrong. They have a huge geek following - techy-type people with brains the size of Jupiter who know all the scientific stats behind g-force etc.

Of course there will also be plenty of average and even dim-witted people who like them, but they definitely have at least their fair share of highly intelligent fans.

I’ve just opened my Efteling app and the longest queue time atm is 40 mins for one of the big rollercoasters, with most stuff around 20-30 mins (and some stuff only 10-15 mins).

It’s open till 10pm so still well in the prime of the day.

I’ve never queued for more than 35 mins there myself and quite a few things have basically been walk on.

It’s hard to justify some of the UK parks really v just going to Europe as the quality and experience is so superior if you’re a fan of parks.

Do you think only unintelligent/uneducated people enjoy theme parks?

Having a good time isn't objective.

Some people like rollercoasters, others knitting. There isn't any basis for saying one activity is better than the other.

Rollercoasters do deliver a pretty extreme experience by any measure, and generally extreme experiences come at a cost level.

For a significant fraction of people the cost and effort is worth it, for others it isn't.

Puy du.foy /France and Spain is an incredible experience.
Efterling Netherlands
Phantasia land Germany
Europa park germany
Tivoli gardens Copenhagen

Go to proper parks

Exactly what I’ve suggested, but apparently that’s laughable.

The way theme parks should deal with this is there should be a limit to the amount of people who are able to visit on any given day. But greed takes over and they allow unlimited amounts of people to visit despite the place being unfunctionable at that capacity.

thank you for bothering to do that for me!

So a tenth? Not prolific is it, I bet if it were more efficient it would be a lot higher than that, good job it isn’t though as the parks would let in more and more making the queues even more lengthy! I mean they could make it a certain number of people in the park and everyone gets a turn, but no you must pay to get in, then pay extra to make good use of the park.

Greedy corporations!

Edited to say quoted the wrong post.

Here are some stats: Theme parks in Britain – Who’s going and how often?

1 in 10 parents go to a theme park every 3 months.

Post me the stats, I’ll decide then.

The technology is now there to make 'virtual queuing' the default - almost all visitors will have a smart phone so an app could be installed - but the parks won't do it while they can charge extra for virtual queuing.

The other reason they won’t do that is because the park would be unmanageable. Their capacity is based on thousands of people standing in queues. If all those people were not in queues then the other areas would be like Waterloo at rush hour and miserable for everyone.

People paying hundreds to go to concerts… unfathomable to me but my word - I can fully understand that for others, travelling long distance, paying hundreds for a ticket, queues queues etc…. Would be totally worth it. For me? Hellish and a waste of my money

I have been a few times. I don’t enjoy. My kids loved.

my sister goes annually. She and her family bloomin love it! No fast passes

So the tens upon tens upon tens upon tens of thousands that visit theme parks every year… you think most of them go once and never again?

I agree OP, we went to legoland last October (not in half term but it was a weekend) and barely got on any rides. The queues were insane and far longer wait times than advertised, especially when the staff were so slow getting people on and off the rides (SO slow) and despite arriving very early, most of thw rides were not opened until midday. It completely put us off. By contrast, La Mer De Sable (which is quite near Disneyland Paris) was great with young kids and we had an amazing time (young kids mind - don't visit with established thrill seekers!)

It depends on the type of pass. If it's the premium, go straight to the front of the queue one, obviously it wouldn't work - so they cap the number of those they sell.

If it was the less expensive type which is effectively virtual queuing - you get a slot for the ride and turn up in that slot to ride it - then everyone in the park would be using virtual queuing, which would be much better. Yes, they would still have to wait but that time could be spent having lunch, walking round, possibly going on the less popular rides that had minimal queues.

The technology is now there to make 'virtual queuing' the default - almost all visitors will have a smart phone so an app could be installed - but the parks won't do it while they can charge extra for virtual queuing.