To think the fast track queues at Thorpe park are unfair?

[NameChangedSummer]

Disagreement with DH.

we have an annual pass for Chessington and I don’t mind waiting there as we can easily go another day. However on a busy Saturday there are so many RAP users and Fast Track that the main queues can take 2 hours and move very slowly. As I say i don’t really mind as are annual pass holders but the young DC get quite impatient! DH does get annoyed that people can pay to literally queue jump.

However, DS has just reached 1.4m and is desperate to go to Thorpe Park in the Easter holidays for his birthday (the ticket being his main 10th bday gift). It will be his first time, the only time he goes this year, we won’t be buying annual passes. I’ve looked and for £200 (x2) we can buy a ‘ultimate’ pass that would allow fast track to every ride and very little queueing. We can afford this and I think it would just make the whole day so much more enjoyable and special for DS’s 10th Birthday, rather than queuing all day and getting on a handful of rides.

DH however thinks that people who pay to queue jump are dicks and it just makes it worse for the main queue on busy days, so is very reluctant and just wants to get a normal ticket and deal with the queues. And put the money towards a Merlin pass next year when the younger DC is taller and we can just do more often.

is DH being unreasonable to say they are unfair?

I am kind of with your husband on this. Theme parks are not cheap anyway, costing around £200 for the day for a family of 4. Then adding on even the most basic fast pass it is usually another £120 or an extra £400 for everyone to have an ultimate fast pass, making a day out around £600+ for a family of 4 which is just not affordable. I don't see why normal people should miss out because of the high price.
Drayton manor seemed to organise their fast pass system better when we went last year as they filled half a ride from that queue and half from the normal queue. Legoland was awful and just kept taking the fast pass queue meaning the normal queue didn't move. It was horrendous and incredibly unfair. I assume thorpe park would be similar as both Merlin. If it is like Legoland then I also feel it is a bad system for those with disabilities because the fast pass queue is the same for those who pay for a pass and those with disabilities. Because they let so many people buy these fast pass tickets, these queues are now a lot longer and they have started to actually restrict those with the disability passes (yet still making the paid for pass available on the same date which I find very cheeky).

You can look at it as paying for more rides, or spending less time queuing for the same number of rides.

DH and I used to go on the first Thursday after the Easter Break every year. It was always very quiet! In your position I'd buy the fast track, especially as it's a special day.

It is sad and I hate the system. The pre Covid Disney system was much much better (3 free fast passes) but now that is all gone for paid ones.
Universal is also much better in effect for a lot has build two separate rides so the queues are where possible separated out until the end.

But there are a limited number and they do get sold out so either way those who haven’t bought them are disadvantaged

principles are worth having it they can elicit change but not just for the sake of having them

Totally agree with spending the money to not queue so long. Who wants to queue for longer then necessary! I would absolutely pay for the ability to ‘queue jump. It’s every man for himself at theme parks, especially during school holidays and weekends.

We always pay for fast track; there's no point going just to stand in queues all day.

Ok, but what about the act of their friends telling them all about their day at the park, or showing photos? That would be unfair if you think that way. It's not at the detriment to others. You would have to queue whether they're in the fast track or not. It just speeds their process up.

If it bothers the kids that much maybe they shouldn't go at all? They're privileged compared to many children to be able to go in the first place so deal with the fact that some kids parents can afford the next tier of tickets.

It's life. You have more money, you can afford to pay for better service. Ideally no one should have to pay to get good service (and I don't think queuing for two hours is good service) but people are always going to pay if they can for a better quality of service.

I don't see a problem buying the fast pass if you can afford it or go on a quieter day if you prefer.

I agree with your DH. In most situtations, allowing people to pay extra to skip a queue while poorer people stand for ages is immoral. That's not to say I would never do it, as I think it's the system that's immoral not the individuals that use it.

Yes, it's not unfair because it's not something essential like healthcare.

Maybe they'd saved for months to take their kids there and couldn't afford the fast pass on top ( no idea on costs) Not that they are " tight,"

It's a scam all these theme parks anyway charging a fortune and you only get to try a few rides on a day out. Luckily I live a short drive from adventure island so used to take kids there. Might not be as fancy but not ridiculous queues most of the time and actually get to do rides. Much less expensive as well

I wouldn’t go so far as calling it immoral. It’s immoral that some children in this country will go to bed hungry tonight and many people have to sleep on the streets. It’s not immoral that some people can pay to jump a queue for a rollercoaster. Maybe a bit of perspective needed?

It was Legoland we went to and you’re right, the pleb queue didn’t move

Maybe it’s a good example of societal privilege at work. Those who are wealthy, well educated and have family inheritances to the front. Those who live in deprived areas with working class families and renting - to the back. It’s probably useful for the kids to get used to it now.

We found the same at Legoland at Christmas. We couldn’t understand why the wait time was so long when the queues were relatively small. Then we realised that there were entire rides filled with fast pass holders, so it could be the second or third ride before the normal queue moves at all (and then only by a couple of people, because of the majority being fast pass). I’d hate to see how bad it gets at busier times of year.

If they are doing fast passes, they need to limit how many fast passes can be used each time a ride runs - it would still be quicker for the holders but not quite so detrimental to others.

The real 'moral issue' with fast track isn't that some can afford it and others can't, it's that while people are prepared to pay up to £200 each for a fast pass, there is no incentive for the theme parks to do anything to improve the queuing situation generally.

In fact, it's a disincentive because if they introduced a completely new system to minimise queuing (e.g. everyone having time slots by default) they would lose the revenue from the fast passes.

Essentially they are being rewarded for incompetence.

Immoral? It’s a theme park, not an essential service. What about all the people who can’t afford it even without the fast pass? Should the theme park just close its doors?

Systems can't be moral or immoral, only ethical or unethical. Morals are always individual.

Remember, if they got rid of fast pass then they will want those revenues somehow so all ticket prices would go up.

Would you go for this offer ?

We came over from Dublin and has the best day ever . It's really reasonable and includes all day fastpass . Everything is covered except the newly opened ride .

Also includes a night in the Shark cabins and a decent breakfast .

You get the free fastpass becausethe park is closed one day either side of your stay and the usual offer is for '2 days and 1 night'.

https://www.thorpepark.com/short-breaks/offers-packages/breaks-with-fastrack/

Edited - forgot you are constrained by the fines over there !

So after discussing with DH we are now seriously floating this idea. Taking annual leave and DC a day unauthorised absence from school and just going on a term time weekday in the first week back next term…

I agree with your DH completely, fast track passes are fucking dreadful. At least when they were free and you just got a timeslot they were useful, but making them paid - at a venue which is already an expensive day out for so many families - is just unfair and elitist.

BUT also having experienced Chessington at the weekend and the impact the fast passes have on the main queues, and the knock-on effect of actually how few rides you end up being able to go on as a result, I'd probably pay the money as a one-off, otherwise you're looking at getting on about 4 rides during the whole day and it's just not worth the entrance fee and won't be a good birthday for your DS.

100% I would do this.

What I think is totally immoral is people paying money for priority access to government services that everybody is OBLIGED to use (eg immigration at the airport).

Imagine if I paid extra for priority access to NHS operations.

That said, your DH is being annoying simply for the reasons that if he prevails you'll resent him each time you're standing in a slow-moving queue!

It’s something I’ve never understood. I’d pay extra to be last on the plane.