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 think there have been studies that have proven that a park that doesn't have this "fast pass" type arrangement has much lower queue times overall.

Ultimately it comes down to the extra cash the parks make. Once you're through the door, they either want more money out of you or they don't really care whether you're having a nice time or not.

In Disney, they always prioritise people with lightning lanes so if you happen to get a stream of LL guests, they just keep letting them in, without anyone from the regular queue being let in.

I don't agree with your DH that the people that are buying the tickets are unreasonable, but I think the parks are unreasonable for either selling them in the first place; or by selling so many that it makes the parks unbearable for other guests.

We've bought them in the past for either special occasions or if it's somewhere that we're not going to go back to again, or for a long time.

I wouldn't pay £200 per person for the privilege though, whether I could afford it or not!

We went to Thorpe Park on DH's birthday one year, which is after the schools have gone back in September. We just bought regular entry tickets on the usual 2 for 1 deals.

We'd done every ride by lunchtime, had the pizza buffet for lunch then re-rode everything we wanted to and were still done by 3pm!

Went on the rapids and went round 3 times because it was so quiet!

Do it OP it's one day and you only get one life. Sometimes you just have to say fuck it and break the odd rule. Very little queuing and a whole load of adventure. Have fun!!

I do think they are a bit wrong and for dicks, but I also did get one for Universal Japan because we only will have one day there. I felt guilty but also pleased with my decision. And a lot poorer afterwards!

Oh ok, so that makes it ok to take pleasure in someone not getting something they paid extra for? Fine if that’s the kind of person you are, I guess!

It reminds me of the sketch where they were selling early-boarding passes at the airport and said they were so popular "everone has bought one"

Wherever you go, if the fast pass or Q jump etc aren't restricted to people with disabilities or any other specific criteria, how on earth is it immoral? To buy something they sell?

I can't see how it's any different than paying more to have better seats at the theatre or a concert or to go first class on a plane or train
(I know it has ever so slightly different, but morally, I don't think it is)

I think you just need to decide if you can afford it and if you can afford it, whether it's worth it or not. If it's worth it and you can afford it and you don't have to lie to get it then I don't see the problem.

Yep, I'd book annual leave and day of unauthorised absence.

I do it on DS's birthday or as close to it as I could, I'd be honest with the school about what we were doing so DS doesn't have to lie about it

It's different because it impacts on the people who haven't bought them, because they have to wait even longer. It's not the same as seats in the theatre or on the plane because those don't impact on the other people.

As for "it can't be immoral because it's available to buy" I just don't even know where to start!

FWIW no, that’s not how it works at all. My daughter is disabled and has a RAP, they let on a specific number of rap/fast pass each time. Usually around 20% of the ride at most - so one car of rap/fast pass and four cars of the regular queue. Some rides work differently but it’s still around 20% or less. Sometimes you do have to queue even with the rap but obviously no where near as much.

Also, for those wondering, the RAP (ride access pass)/free fast pass for disabled people works something like this: (plenty of applying and rebooking and organisation required before you start), on the day when we arrive I chose our first ride on the website and it gives me a qr code to show at the front of the queue that means we can get straight on (we = my disabled daughter and upto 3 others), the operator scans the code and the website then sets a timer than is roughly equal to the current queue time, so if it’s a 60 minute queue then we have to wait 60 mins before going on our next ride. And so on. It’s brilliant because it means we can spend the ‘wait time’ doing other things - like walking to the next ride which takes us longer, or toileting or eating which take us longer as well. Very valuable for disabled people.

Thanks for explaining. I guess it might mean that sometimes there is a bit of a wait if there are lots of RAP and fast tracks that enter the queue at the same time and the park is super busy. This would be quite frustrating if you have already ‘virtually queued’ (RAP) or paid £200 (fast tracks) and still had to wait, and it might feel like the normal queue is moving quicker (even though it’s not!)…..I think I’ve talked myself into going in term time weekday!

Well yes, if that was the condition of getting cheaper seats. Its not new, people do this every year for the Proms, Wimbledon, etc.

Rap queues no, because these are for people that are unable to queue. My daughter has one for her anteverted hips. Fast tracks? Yes.

Huh? Where have I said anything about taking pleasure? My comment was in response for calling people tight for not buying the fast pass

No, I was calling the person I quoted tight - stop making stuff up!

Ok tell me what I've made up? It's not nice to call someone tight for not buying fast passes either is it?

I don’t see that it’s unfair? Well it is but much of life is - if you can pay more you can also have a bigger house or a fancier holiday. It’s not stand-out unfair.

Life isn’t fair, and neither are theme park queues. The entire system is built on the same principle that runs the world money talks, and everyone else waits in line.

Fast track passes aren’t about fairness; they’re about business. The park makes more money, and in return, those who pay get a better experience.

Meanwhile, the standard queue moves even slower, making the option to "buy out" even more tempting. It’s designed that way manufactured scarcity.

Your DH is absolutely right that it makes things worse for those in the normal queue, but that’s the game and whether you like it or not, the game isn’t changing.

You can take a moral stand, refuse to pay, and teach your kid that waiting builds character or you can pay, skip the lines, and teach him the real lesson: that in life, those with the resources to avoid the grind usually do.
@NameChangedSummer

I didn’t call “people” tight. Sorry you can’t afford fast passes though 👍

Yes, we had this at Universal and my disabled DC had to exit the queue before the ride as we had been waiting in the queue so long that they had a full blown panic attack. Universal didn’t seem to really care, they are all about the money and give fast passes to all those staying at the most expensive resort hotels. Disabled people have to use the same fast track entrance. It made it almost impossible for DC.

Fine, don't start.

it's a theme park fast pass, not a kidney.

So true 🤣

It's not selfish.
Anyone who can afford a fast track, it is free to buy it. That's what they pay for.

But they have PAID! 🤷‍♀️

They’ve not elbowed their way to the front or shoved small children to the ground!

It’s your DH’s decision whether he pays (for himself) but if you want to fast track just buy for you and your kids and leave him to bloody seethe in the other queue. If he hates queueing, there’s a remedy for that, but he can’t resent others for paying not to. How’s it selfish when they’ve parted with their own money - they’ve not made him pay more. They wouldn’t be able to do it if it wasn’t a legit option. He sounds like a barrel of laughs on a day out.

Miserable bastard.

Also ppl/parents with kids who have hidden disabilities getting side-eyed after having to pay more to ensure their trip out (which they’re entitled to as much as anyone else!) isn’t sheer fucking hell says a lot about our twattish society sadly.

We pay for fast pass or express in Orlando parks and other Disney/Universal parks. We will also sometimes book hotels that include them in the rate.
whilst it was better when FP was free for all there are just some days we don’t want to queue. If at a park for more than one day we will often just do express for one day and queue the next.