To think 2 hours queuing times is wrong at Merlin?

[ToBeOrNotToB]

We went to Chessington Howl’oween. The queues for most of the big ticket rides were 2 hours long all day. Some were 90mins. We went on 3 big rides in total. Shouldn’t theme parks limit number of visitors to guarantee better value for money? (It costs over £100 for a family of four to visit).

We went to efteling this year, it was marvellous, a couple of the adult rides we queued 20 minutes for, all the others 10-15 or no queue at all just walk around the path and go on. Rides were much better for DS too. Worth the six hour drive, but spoiled us for UK theme parks tbh

It’s just so disingenuous to claim that no one knew that spending hours in queues was part of the theme park on the Saturday before halloween tickets they were paying for. It wasn’t unexpected in the least.

Especially if you’re wanting to go on the big rides with 2 hours queues. It’s expected. They often design the sodding queue as part of the ride experience at many theme parks.

This is like complaining that the supermarket was too busy and there were big queues for the tills when you decided to do your Christmas shop at 2pm on Saturday 23 December. And that you think it’s Tesco’s fault for letting all those people in.

Imagine how expensive theme parks would actually be if the no more than 20 minutes for a queue expectation were to be realised. Or how hard it would be to get tickets for the Saturday before halloween etc.

That sounds hideous. I can entirely imagine it. I remember once going to Legoland for the fireworks event and it took an hour and 20 minutes to get out of the car park (i think they did something different in subsequent years as people complained so much - kids who needed the loo, freezing in our cars, nowhere yo buy a coffee etc)

I think it is worse since lockdown. We have only ever enjoyed Merlin parks when we bought passes. We chose a year, got them with Tesco vouchers, and then did the parks so many times i lost count (we lived between Chessington and Legoland at the time).

I genuinely feel sorry for people who pay for a day pass on a peak day. It is exhausting and so disappointing. With a pass there is no stress or pressure - you can pop into Legoland to use the play areas and always catch a last big ride in the "join a queue 5.59pm and ride when the park closes".

We did Chessington after covid ended without passes and i felt very ripped off. The kids had fun but as an adult i found keeping them happy in long queues very stressful.

Merlin won't improve the experience while people are prepared to pay for it. And they will pay and pay.

I honestly think it is only worthwhile to do peak days or special events if you have a Merlin pass. Otherwise only go on a school day - plan to go on a school inset day, it is your best bet.

We went to chessington when it first reopened after lock down (which was a bad decision but it was the kids Christmas present to have a night in the hotel and it then got cancelled because of covid). The first day we got there at 12, we got on one ride.

Second day was better as we had early access so managed the log flume three times before 9am, got a couple of goes on the old bubble works and then caved and bought passes. The whole thing cost nearly a grand.

DLP was no better and has even put the kids off going to Florida.

@KweenieBeanz Thanks, you’re on my wave length. I grew up down the road, saw the park evolve over time and I agree with you. Vampire used to go round twice. They turned a profit. Now it goes round once and you queue 2 hours for it. I’d say there are some rich stakeholders laughing all the way to the bank just now. I went in May and queue was 60 mins all day.

This is nonsense.

I remember waiting in 3 hour queues for nemesis at Alton towers in the 90s.

And the long queue (with themed entertainment) to get on star tours at Disney in the 80s.

it’s just the theme park thing.

I guess they don’t need to as everyone still goes!

I would absolutely expect two hour queues during a massive Halloween event at a theme park.

Which is also why I'd never go

Why would they change their business model when thousands of people are willing to fork out hundreds of pounds each to stand around in a series of queues all day?

Disney California do limited queue jump slots for many of their rides as part of your standard ticket price. It meant queues were way more manageable and we did the whole park in a day (we didn’t get there particularly early either). Didn’t feel ripped off like I do at Thorpe Park etc.

It's like they say - you're not in traffic, you are the traffic.
YABU for visiting on Halloween weekend and being surprised that it's busy.

We went to Disney Paris in 2019. It took us 2h to get through security and we only managed to do 1 ride as they mostly were 90mins-2h queues. Put me off going there again

i want to go to legoland and was thinking Easter holidays (2nd week) but most likely will go another weekend not to spoil the experience so i feel your pain op

I didn’t go on a weekend. I always go at busy times. I’ve just never seen 2 hour queues before. I remember the Nemesis opening. That was mismanaged too!

This is why I have never been to chessington. My kids are desperate to go but I just don't see the point. I think you have to play hooky for a day.

It’s half term, people know it’s there and will go.

Exactly. It was your choice to pay and go, and you went knowing it would be busy. What a pointless thread.

Well the Op wasn’t expecting it to be that shit were they?

I remember the time when queuing for an hour was considered excessive. That would considered a reasonable wait time for a popular ride now.
I suppose enough people turn up “hopeful” every time and ignore the reviews about wait times. The repeat customers have passes they use at quiet times so Merlin couldn’t give a shit.

@ShaunaTheSheep so pointless…yet…

The queues at theme parks (alton Towers and Disney) have always been known for being hours long and I think if it's under 2 hours long you are doing good.

I went to Alton towers in the summer holidays and last week over half term. The queue times during the summer holidays were 60 to 90 minutes, expect Smiler, though this was a day when the rides were constantly breaking and we got a free return day at the park hence us returning again in October.

I do wonder if they say the wait times are longer than they actually are, to get more people to pay for fast track!

@SpinningFloppa and @Thatiswild was this in July? Loads of school trips go then so it's actually a really busy time. Probably just as busy as the school holidays.

O/T but how was Thomasland? Why age would you say was appropriate?

It was just standard and expected. Even in the 90s.

How much are you willing to pay for a ticket so you don’t have to queue?

I assume you went during half term.

???

The queues at theme parks (alton Towers and Disney) have always been known for being hours long and I think if it's under 2 hours long you are doing good

No, not always. Only recently. When I used to go to AT in the school holidays in the 1990s and 2000s a long queue was 45 minutes not twice that and more. And they never had to shut rides/close the queue to rides due to numbers of people.

I think some people on here are a bit dense. OP has started a thread about what is acceptably busy and where the line is between "very busy" and "unacceptably busy and unfair for the price paid". She had said several times she expected busy but that it seems to have gone to a whole new level. Not that hard to grasp, surely?

Agree. We went to Alton Towers with friends this time last year. They love it & assured us it would be "so much fun". We spent 2 days queuing.

Conclusion: we are not theme park people.

@BlackberrySky thanks, you got it. How long is too long and shouldn’t consumer have a say about that?