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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to hate the concept of fast passes?

204 replies

IloveConkers · 29/06/2022 06:14

Hi, we went to a theme park recently and purchased fast passes. I will never do it again. It felt so wrong for my kids to walk past people in the other queue and take priority because we had paid extra. My husband thinks I am being ridiculous. AIBU?

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 29/06/2022 06:15

It’s no different to paying for business class or extra legroom.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/06/2022 06:17

I agree it does feel a little off and the passes are so expensive that it feels like only those with lots of money are entitled to them.

I used to like how Disney did them. They were free but you could only have one fast pass assigned to your ticket at a time and they only released so many per hour slot. That way everyone could benefit and you could queue for something else whilst ‘queueing’ for your fast pass space.

Soontobe60 · 29/06/2022 06:17

Does it also feel wrong that you can actually afford to take your children to a theme park when many many parents can’t even afford to get through the gates?

AndPeggy08 · 29/06/2022 06:20

I hate the concept of them but after going to Alton Towers and spending the full day there for the kids to only get on about 4 rides, I’m ashamed to say that we only go now if we can afford a fast pass.

I think they are overpriced and hate that you can even buy them but if we’re going for a fun day out I want them to have fun instead of being stood in a queue for up to 2 hours at a time.

Penguinsaregreat · 29/06/2022 06:22

I wonder why pubs, restaurants and supermarkets don't do this. Serious question. Can you imagine how pissed off those without fast passes would get? I don't see any difference myself.

Siameasy · 29/06/2022 06:23

You could apply this to many scenarios. Are you immoral to own a car when others can’t afford it?
This is capitalism; you not buying fast passes doesn’t benefit those who can’t afford to. So carry on, if you want.

Sirzy · 29/06/2022 06:23

The thing that annoys me about them is places lumping them together with the access passes for those with disabilities which makes those queues longer and less accessible

carefullycourageous · 29/06/2022 06:24

I agree they would feel strange, I think it is ok to dislike them.

Original poster
IloveConkers · 29/06/2022 06:27

It would benefit those that can’t afford them as we wouldn’t have been skipping the queue ahead of them.

OP posts:
lmnopeepee · 29/06/2022 06:27

Only thing that annoys me is the fact that they are put together in our queue (disabled queue)
We cannot stand. They pay not to.

NumberTheory · 29/06/2022 06:28

Without some sort of skip the line feature I don't find a lot of theme parks reasonable value for money. The fast passes are expensive, but we only get to about one theme park a year, and I'd rather pay twice the price and get two or three times the number of rides and a lot less tedious standing. Other people may be able to go more often, even have a season pass and not want to spend as much on a single day because they get more in other ways.

But I don't like the way it splits people into two classes right there - seems like a clear generator of social friction.

Disneyland had a fastpass system for a while that was more like a wait-where-you-like pass. You went to the ride and got a ticket that would let you walk on at whatever time they estimated you'd spend waiting in line. You cold go off and do what you wanted in that time. You could get one ticket at a time.

I liked that. It was available to everyone, but you didn't have to stand in line for an hour at a time. But I don't think they do it anymore.

transformandriseup · 29/06/2022 06:35

I think the concept is a great idea as you don't miss out on any of the rides you came to see. Disney's fast passes are great as they are free Grin

KellyJonesLeatherTrousers · 29/06/2022 06:35

A reflection of society in many ways - you can pay for better education, better healthcare, better travel, better housing - I guess because you have to physically walk past others it’s uncomfortable and ‘in your face’. Maybe if people had to walk past the masses to pay for better services in general, whilst others face poverty, we would be in a better place.

JuneJubilee · 29/06/2022 06:36

Siameasy · 29/06/2022 06:23

You could apply this to many scenarios. Are you immoral to own a car when others can’t afford it?
This is capitalism; you not buying fast passes doesn’t benefit those who can’t afford to. So carry on, if you want.

Of course it does! The non fast passers have to wait even
longer!!

I think it's just life though. Whether it's 'fair' or not it just shows how life works in most countries, fast passes are the least of the problems. Everyone in the park is 'more privileged' than many.

HappyHappyHermit · 29/06/2022 06:37

I agree and find they ruin the experience, if you have a ticket you should all be in the same queue. I can afford them if I want, but will never do so.

gamerchick · 29/06/2022 06:39

Sirzy · 29/06/2022 06:23

The thing that annoys me about them is places lumping them together with the access passes for those with disabilities which makes those queues longer and less accessible

Agree.

OneCup · 29/06/2022 06:40

I agree. Theme parks should just let in X amount of people a day so there would be no queues. Of course this won't happen.

Velvian · 29/06/2022 07:00

Going in term time is the only way to have a decent day out.

Isonthecase · 29/06/2022 07:03

They drive me mad. I think it's a way to keep down headline prices as realistically there's no point going without them as you get on about 3 rides and the queue times are wildly inaccurate. And don't even get me started on the way the theme parks keep half the rides shut to inflate the queues for the open ones...

BooksAndHooks · 29/06/2022 07:10

lmnopeepee · 29/06/2022 06:27

Only thing that annoys me is the fact that they are put together in our queue (disabled queue)
We cannot stand. They pay not to.

Yes we stopped renewing our annual passes as the access queues were getting too long for ours to cope with. Even with the wait the time and go back there would still be a long queue and often not reflected in the waiting time they gave you on your card.

snowmanshoes · 29/06/2022 07:14

Disney fast passes aren’t free anymore!

balalake · 29/06/2022 07:15

I would prefer no queuing but to restrict numbers so that did not happen probably would mean much higher entrance charges, which would exclude many people.

PineForestsAndSunshine · 29/06/2022 07:16

If they stoped selling fast passes they'd have to raise the ticket price for everyone to generate the same profit. This would give the illusion of equality as those that couldn't afford it would now not be able to access the park at all.

I do agree with you that it's a terrible system, but I think fair is the wrong word.

SmileyPiuPiu · 29/06/2022 07:17

I think its silly personally. They should just reduce how many people are in the park. And I totally disagree with when they mix it with the accessible queue.

CecilyP · 29/06/2022 07:20

KangarooKenny · Today 06:15
It’s no different to paying for business class or extra legroom.

It really isn’t. You’re still getting the same flight to reach the same destination at the same time as the people who pay more. The paying to jump the queues, lengthens the queues and completely changes the experience for everyone else sometimes to the extent they wouldn’t have bothered going if they’d known.