To ask what you think about ‘fast track’ passes for kids/adults with no special needs

[hopingforabrighterfuture2021]

Interested in views on this. Talking about the ones you pay for as a extra to the admission price.

YANBU = it’s people’s money, if theme parks want to sell them to make extra cash, let them. If you have the money and want to spend it on getting on rides faster, why wouldn’t you.

YABU = It’s another way of allowing people with more money a better service, and isn’t fair on people who can’t afford to do this.

Or, discuss.

I haven't voted because I'm not sure which way I would vote.

I think that they are just a money making exercise for the owners and not really fair on those who can't afford to pay extra. Although why should we pay extra? Tickets cost an arm and a leg as it is.

And the more people that buy the fast track tickets, the longer that line will get anyway which will defeat the object of fast track!

With the ridiculously high prices anyway I think it's unfair. Yes, as with everything it's a money making exercise and some people won't have the money and that's just life, but also, they've already paid their entry. If lots of people buy a fast pass it won't be fast anymore, and the people who have paid their equal entry fee won't get to ride the ride.

It's a way of allowing people with more money a better service - like so many other things in life! I'm not sure why this would be different?

@Orangebug

It's a way of allowing people with more money a better service - like so many other things in life! I'm not sure why this would be different?

OK so you're in the normal queue for say 30 mins, someone with a fast pass joins the queue after you, gets on and wants another go so rejoins the fast queue and you get moved back to be behind them again. Does that seem fair?

If they don't do this, they'll just increase the price for everyone.

And it's no different to anything else in life - if you want a premium service/item you pay more.

I drive a Ford Focus, if I had a lot more money to spend I'd drive something else. I don't complain that I should be able to have a Ferrari when I can only afford a Focus.

On the other hand if I buy artisan bread I don't expect to pay the same as others are paying for the cheapest sliced white.

Seats in theatres/gigs/sports events etc.

Places like Legoland limit the number of fast passes available each day. But, goodness, the cost is extortionate. Tricky one.

It depends where you’re queuing. I’ve been to Florida a couple of times and did Universal ( no interest in Disney, sorry) and although it can be a pain waiting, the queuing area is usually themed and part of the ride in my opinion. It’s also a good opportunity for people watching. X

So long as it’s clear before I pay that other people may have priority due to paying more then it doesn’t bother me, I’d know what I was letting myself in for.

Of all the things capitalism makes unfair this doesn't even register. If it upsets you that someone else who pays more gets to queue for less time you should have a think about alllllll the other ways people with more money 'jump the queue' every day.

We buy them wherever possible. I don’t mind paying extra to have a better time.

Some places I’ve been to have a tiered system for them, like the base tier allows you to schedule a time to join the fast queue and the top tier doesn’t have to be pre-scheduled. Either way they make a day out with the DC more enjoyable, if more expensive.

Which newspapers is this for?

The whole premis of this is wrong though - if paid for fast teack passes are "unfair" because some people can't afford them, the entire existence of theme parks is equally "unfair" because some families can't afford to go to them, some can afford to go more frequently than others etc. Every paod for free time activity is inherently unfair because some people can't afford to pay so miss out.

Its very I'm alright Jack to stamp your feet and demand that the thing you can afford is fine even though not everyone can afford it, but anything you can't afford is unfair.

Tbh I roll my eyes inwardly at smug looking paid for fasttrack pass holders and notice the frequenct tendency for the families to be "led" by a loud, ostentatious, obnoxious seeming, dad- figure who seems to be towing a less keen family in his wake... I wouldn't be sorry if there were no paid for fasttrack, but the whole "its not fair" argument is hypocritical in context.

My sister enjoys theme parks and always buys the priority tickets when she goes with friends (no children involved), they'd all rather go to less theme parks but have a better experience when they do go. They're all in their mid 20's and some working minimum wage but they'd all rather save up for it and get the priority tickets. It's not like going to the supermarket and paying for parking closer to the store or for faster check out, it's a premium experience in and of itself.

I certainly think they have their place in theme parks/amusements and like @AlmostSummer21 said, there's many other types of entertainment where you pay a premium for a better experience. It's impossible for some places (theatres for example) to give everyone the same experience, you can also get great deals for not being in the best seats enabling people to experience something they might not be able to afford otherwise.

Another example of prioritise everyone means no one gets priority.

What really pisses me off about them in at a lot of places it’s people paying to use the same queue that those with needs meaning they can’t queue have to fight to access and as such making the queues longer for those who need it and making the place less accessible.

We did it at the Top of the Rock in NYC. I hate queuing.

Disney did offer free fast passes when we went. Theme parks are such a rip off without paying for smart passes

"But, goodness, the cost is extortionate."

But it has to be. If it was a reasonable and affordable amount, everyone would do it, negating the benefit.

I think often they're virtual queuing rather than fast track.
So you say want to go on the Dragon Roller Coaster. You tell your fast track app. It says it's 11:30, the queue is approximately 45 minutes, so you can book any time after 12:15. However the advantage you have is that in those 45 minutes you can sit down comfortably and have lunch, or go on one with a shorter queue etc.

Doesn't really bother me, something I would never pay for, and we just adjust what we do according to the queues.

It's an underhanded way of removing the provisions for disabled people. After all, can't have them getting to the front of the queue when people with more money have to wait with everybody else, can they?

Sooner or later, the size of the rapid access queues will be so large that the people who are unable to wait so long without seating/shade/less noise/whatever is affecting them because of their disabilities will be back to finding them completely inaccessible again.

Have you only just noticed capitalism

Not for a newspaper. Just interested in people’s opinions. Also obviously it’s much like most things in life, where people who can pay more get a ‘better’ service. I actually don’t have strong views either way really.

The higher priced fast track tickets enable them to sell the "standard" price tickets for less.

Take away the fast track ones and in all likelihood theme park owners would need to raise the price of the standard tickets to make the same profit. This actually hurts the poorest more as they end up spending more, or can't afford it at all.

I was fine with capitalism previously but now you've raised this matter I think we should nationalise legoland.

I’ve never been to a theme park, but do you feel the same way about first/standard class travel, stalls/circle/gods seats at the theatre, McDonalds/smart restaurants for lunch? In most areas of life, money buys a better/easier experience.