to think that "Fast-track" is just paying to push in?

[Scholes34]

Just that, really. After spending a day with four kids at Alton Towers and a lot of time in various queues, is fast-track really just paying to push in?

[theodorakisses]

What is it to do with politics? I haven't flown economy since Blair came in, I didn't notice them leaping into the cabin and begging me to share my champagne with a poorer person. I can afford to pay for things so I do. Mn really needs to get a grip, it really is like the 6th form common room. Such bitterness and jealousy must eat away at you and make your life so sad. It's fucking Lego land not a workhouse.

[theodorakisses]

Are there seriously people who don't approve of first class seats? Please elaborate!

[OddBoots]

I've never used fast track but I think by the amount they cost they probably make Merlin enough that they can afford to build more rides and better electronic signs making each ride's queue proportionally shorter.

The queues now are shorter (in time waiting) now than when I went as a teenager before fast track existed.

[theodorakisses]

I can't understand why attractions aimed at families think that huge queues would be something most people would want to experience. Surely a family friendly place wouldn't expect children to stand for hours like that. I would rather eat my flip flops personally.

[Growlithe]

They only sell a certain amount of them, on a 'when they're gone, they're gone' basis. This means that the fast track queues don't get too long (because that would obviously be pointless), and that the ordinary queues aren't too affected.

J.K. Rowling won't allow fast track on the HP ride at Universal Islands of Adventure. (Boring fact of the day)

[theodorakisses]

I wonder if JK also refuses to fly first class and sits in Ryanair planes

[Growlithe]

I bet she didn't have to queue for two pigging hours to get on the ride either.

[TheFuzz]

I wouldn't pay the extra - crazy money. You need to manage how you go round a park - i.e. turn up early and hit the big rides or those at the rear of the park first - you'll rattle off quite a few early on. Means you can 'eat' at lunch without worrying about chucking up !

We've only ever used fast track in Disney, but that was part of the package as we were staying within Disney. You still had to queue for 10-15 minutes per ride, but you go upto the rides fast pass tickets, it then issues you with a time slot and you then go away. You can also only have one fast pass at a time - works well.

With Alton Towers, the fast pass system can be massively expensive.

[Growlithe]

Here's a tip from DH who is a Themepark Geek: Most people, when entering a themepark, instinctively go clockwise. Go anticlockwise.

[jojane]

if everyone got a qbot free which marks your spot in the queue and you could only queue for one ride at a time then surely this would be beneficial for the theme park as that hour people are normally waiting in a queue for a ride they would now be buying a drink or ice cream etc? plus would be happier as not bored in a queue?

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

"It's Alton Towers not a bread queue! You are talking like people are being disadvantaged by having to wait a bit longer to go on a roller coaster!!"

Exactly. Insane thread!

I can't afford fast track btw but being disabled, I get to queue jump. Unfortunately, I now could not cope with a theme park at all which is gutting because I am a right dare devil.

[Groovee]

We've only ever used fast track in Disney, but that was part of the package as we were staying within Disney.

Everyone who enters the disney park with a ticket is entitled to Fastpass. But still find their fastpass queues can be long.

[Growlithe]

Disney Fastpass queues are hardly long compared to the main queues. I think the way that Disney Fastpass works is fairest for everyone, and no one has to (or can) pay extra for privileges. But, you know, it's Disney so of course we have to slag it off whether it's fair or not.

[Whathaveiforgottentoday]

I liked the disney system. if I remember you could book a place using fast track for some of the busier rides but you were limited to how many. I think if you used it you had to wait 90 mins until you could use it again. We used it about 3 times for the very busiest rides.
Also liked the baby pass deal at disney. If you have a younger child then, then 1 parent could queue with the older child whilst other parent waited with the baby/younger child. Then when they come off the ride you swap and the parent who waited outside can go straight back on with the older child (we were escorted back in through the back of the exit). Fantastic idea and we used it several times. Hope that makes sense?

[Rufus43]

Love Disney fastpass!

If some people don't mind the qbot how do they feel about getting near the entrance to a ride and then 10 people join the person in the front, after you have queued for an hour.

Not a biggy and I know that you can't do this on lots of rides but I have been to "shows" at theme parks where this has happened.

Genuine question! Just curious as to your thoughts

[Mrsrobertduvall]

I have a V and A membership so I can queue jump and get to see David Bowie 8 times

[Hulababy]

The queue times given should not be affected by fast track as that should be taken into account.

At Disney it certainly is. There are two wait times given - one by the normal entrance for their wait time and one is the time or FP users in the FB queue. Disney are free but you are limited to how many you can have - done on time and can't get a second til the specified time on first has expired. And you have to return to the ride at a specified time.

However in places where it is paid for and no specified time I assume they use past knowledge for estimating the time to wait.

In some theme parks every so often they give someone in the queue a card to hold on enterig queue. You then give it in at end of queue and they use that to calculate queue wait times. Though they are only ever roughly accurate in that if it says queue time is 40 min - well, yes, it was 40 min ago - might have changed now.

Rides breaking down whilst you're waiting is my biggest bug bear!

[Hulababy]

Groovee - Is universal FP £36pp? I was sure it was a lot dearer, hence never using it. Mind we've ever really needed to queue much there apart from Spider-Man I think.

[Growlithe]

At Universal it the cost varies depending on how busy they expect the park to be. Real supply and demand in operation there.

[scottishmummy]

Oh keep up,cattle class is dreadful travel conditions.squashed in like livestock
Save the rhetorical question for when you understand what what being said
Cattleclass refers to the grim airless,cramped conditions not the individuals.jocular innit

[monicalewinski]

Fastpass is ace! Also single rider queue; I took kids to Alton Towers a couple of months ago and we single-ridered all the big rides.

[Groovee]

Hula, depends on the time of year. We paid $60 at Universal Studio's when dh decided we should get it.

We found some of the fastpass lines in Disney quite long but we were there over 4th July. We remember the times we used to walk on normal ones, the days before we had to stick to school holidays.

[Growlithe]

Just had another look at Disney Fastpass as we are going next year. They are currently testing a new system where you can book up to 3 fastpasses per day, from your smartphone (you don't need to go to the machines at the rides) up to 60 days in advance, for no extra cost.

Now that is a good system.

[Pixel]

I can understand booking a 'slot' for your ride because that can benefit everybody, much more efficient than queuing, but queue jumping? I can't understand how that is sustainable, what happens if everyone has paid to queue jump?
Ds has autism and we have taken him to a couple of parks (Legoland when he was younger and I won some tickets, and I think Paulton's Park once) and we used the exit pass scheme because we wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. He gets very distressed in a queue. I must admit I felt rather guilty pushing in but it was really only a few rides as there are surprisingly few things he can go on anyway. Most things within his capabilities he isn't allowed on anyway because he is above the height limit we still have to pay the same price to get him in the park though .
However we haven't bothered since hearing that people can pay to queue jump as I fail to see how we will have any advantage. Will we find ourselves just queuing amongst the queue jumpers and ds still having a meltdown? At Paulton's park I got fed up with the dirty looks so we attempted to queue for a train ride thing and ds was in such a state by the time we got to the front that he wouldn't get on it anyway and we had to push past all the tutting mummies to get back out. No way am I paying a small fortune for a 'fun' day out like that.

[Growlithe]

Pixel I may be wrong but I think you would get on before the fastpass people because they will be in a different queue to you. I was at Legoland earlier in the year waiting for DH and DD to queue and come off a ride and the exit queue people went on before the qbot people.