AIBU to hate the concept of fast passes?

[IloveConkers]

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?

DD has an access card and really struggled in an indoor queue that was also fastpass because obviously it was full of shrieking children and she can't bear it.

You must exist in a constant state of fury and resentment

To be fair though - a theme park doesn’t sound like a good place for your DD queuing or not queuing

This is making me look at fast passing deliberately. I am still more than happy to pay extra to jump the queue but now realise that there are people in the other line resenting me! I've just paid ££££ for what others have identified rightly isn't good value for money. I would suggest both fast pass and non fast people are chumps for putting up with it!

Still going back to alton towers this year and fast passing. We have free tix and discount hotel so seems a shame to waste it.

Yes I've always felt like it's unfair to be able to pay your way out of queuing. But that's coming from a place of being someone who can't afford fast passes. If I could afford it I'm sure I'd love it!

Fastpasses always make non fastpass queues longer. They let more fastpass people through to keep things quick.

So in a straightforward queue things move quickly for number 100. When you have a fastpass queue and normal queue, often 10 to 2 loading ... so say 10 people get on in fastpass line then 2 in normal, then 10, then 2.. number 100 in the normal queue is now waiting a heck of a lot longer if the ride is popular.

Things actually move a lot quicker on average without fastpass availability.

Sounds like the DD has sensory needs. So she might be a movement sensory seeker and love the rides, but a sound sensory avoider and not able to spend time in the loud queuing part. Or maybe she just wants to enjoy a day out with her family, or a friend's birthday party. Just because the world is generally inaccessible to us disabled people doesn't mean we don't want to join in! Disabled queues are what make it at least partly accessible.

Fast track passes at Universal in Florida are incredible.

If you stay a night at one of their onsite hotels, you get fast tracks included for 4 people for the day you arrive and the day you leave. You can save $400 doing it.

Slightly off topic, but I love fast track and won't go anywhere without them.

People want different things from a day at a theme park. For some, it's a very special day they do very infrequently, do they want to pack in as much as possible and are willing to pay extra for that experience. Others would rather spend less and visit more often and don't mind missing a couple of the big rides. Same as some people prefer to bring their own food, others are willing to avoid the hassle and pay more for the cafe. Fast passes offer choice.

@Mysterian I read that one of the US Disney parks tried a few years ago to expand the free fast passes so you could hold more and would not have to queue so much. Apparently it meant that the park became really overcrowded with people who would normally have been standing in neat queues- parks are designed on the assumption that X visitors will be queueing at any given time, and people can’t get round tbe parks if that’s not the case. So they decided not to stick with it 🤷‍♀️

For those who say it’s no different from private health care, private schooling or speedy bordering you are missing the point. People who use private health and education actually free up NHS and state schools, reducing the waiting lists/ meaning (in theory at least) more resources for everyone else.

With speedy boarding you aren’t greatly affecting the experience of the other passengers - you may get to board first but you take off and land (and disembark) at the same time.

Ditto people staying in 5 star hotels vs budget hotels, or prime theatre seats vs up at the top and barely able to see. Those who choose to pay more have no impact on those who have paid less.

With fast passes you are increasing the wait time for everyone else as the FP people jump the queue. And you may be making disabled people queue longer too.

That said, and as others have pointed out, there are arguments that people who buy fast passes are subsidising the ticket cost for everyone else and are making it more accessible/affordable.

Ive never bought fast passes but mainly because I’ve balked at the cost. I’m torn as to the morality (or not) of them.

I can see this. My son is autistic and we have gone to the front of a queue once for a sen screening. We felt ridiculous even though our son would have struggled a lot with the queue and crowds.

It's the same as speedy boarding on planes - if you pay more, you get to board first, while the rest wait in a queue. If everyone is given the option to buy this extra, I don't see the problem. However if someone is queue hopping in other circumstances, the bull horns come out haha

I agree it's a horrible solution to the problem.

A far better solution would be to substantially reduce gate prices and have individual ride pricing for the major attractions.

Meh. I don't see it any different than any other upgrade- if you can and want to buy it, and someone else doesn't, then you get the advantage. Can't say it would colour my day at all queuing less because I'd paid more- it would be a choice I'd made and they hadn't.

Don't pay it if you don't agree with it?

Fast passes are just a way of managing queues by giving the option to those that can afford it to not wait or money rich time poor.

Whether they are moral or not depends a lot on their context.

For example if there is some jolly important business man than can't possibly wait in the check in queue for a flight then I don't care if he pays extra to go first as I would rather save the money and wait as the flight is not going to leave without me if I'm at the Gate.

But I think most would disagree in using fast passes in NHS queues in say A&E where by paying extra I (with my broken toe) get to go ahead of someone lying on a stretcher with a stroke just because I can afford it.

The issue I have with fast track at theme parks is that it impacts young children and that when asked why are those children going first in the queue when we have been waiting an hour the answer is "because they have more money".

I know this is life and this is reality but it still sad to see at such a young age.

Yep. Capitalism innit. Good metaphor for private schooling vs comprehensive too.

I always consider getting a fast pass when going to Alton Towers - if it's busy then I'll get one but otherwise I'll save my cash.

It's possible that I'm a bad person but being able to see all the people I'm walking past is a feature not a bug.

Funny you posted this.

I took my little sister to Thorpe Park yesterday and got fast track tickets for all the rollercoasters. It was great as fast track took us all the way to the front and we didn’t have to wait longer than 5mins.

I get what you’re saying as for some rides such as SAW and Stealth, waiting times were 90/120mins and we’d just walk past them in the fast track queue. However I paid £90 for the tickets. It’s money well spent tbf

You paid for the privilege of having a fast pass. Enjoy it.

Just think - if we all walked everywhere instead of paying for a car. We wouldn’t get places Faster than the walkers.

or if we all didn’t go on holiday because some people can’t afford it then we could all sit in our houses enjoying the knowledge that everyone else was too.

or we could not buy our kids a Switch as some parents can’t afford too and we’d feel awful knowing our kids had a switch and others didn’t.

we shouldn’t buy fruit and veg in the supermarket as some can’t afford it and live off tinned hot dogs.

basically OP, every day we all make decisions about how to spend our money and unless you’re suggesting communism then this is how life works. Some can afford theme parks and some can’t. Some can afford dads pass and some can’t. Some can afford train tickets, piano lessons and football boots. Some can’t. Either give all your money away or spend it. You can choose. But don’t stop me spending it on fast pass tickets if I want to 😃

I’ve read some of the comments and people are saying it’s a clear divide of rich and poor etc.

It certainly isn’t. For example, it costs £35 for an online ticket to Thorpe Park. Fast track may cost £45 depending on what day you go. £80 for one person is hardly showing you’re rich. You could have just saved up for a day at a theme park because it’s a rare occurrence. That’s what I did anyway

@AtomicBlondeRose I think it suits the park if people are hanging around in queues half the day. Otherwise, they'd have to provide more rides

I once went on a mountain cable car that only took 30 people. You got a ticket and went back a couple of hours later at the allotted time. It worked v well, but only because there were other things to do nearby while you waited

I'm fortunate to be able to afford fast passes but I'm not apologetic for using them.
Me and my DH crushed Disneyland in one day. Fast passed were we could, cost us an additional $80 each.

Does anyone pay full price for entry tickets anymore? There are always vouchers in the papers, or on various groceries.