Theme parks are ruined if you don't pay for a fast pass?

[Twoweeksinaugust]

AIBU to think it's hardly worth even going to a theme park on a sunny day unless you want to pay the £300 extra for a fast pass?
The queues are absolutely awful, and it's very hard for the dc to understand that although it looks like we'll be on the next turn, a dozen people come through woth a fast pass and teh queue doesn't move at all.
It just feels beyond the reach of a normal (but expensive) day out, and is now in the realms of a once every two years thing if you want to buy the passes?

You don’t agree with capitalism?

And many don’t like and don’t return, and they’re entitled to an opinion as well!

You’re very invested in this thread! A shareholder perhaps?

I don’t agree with the way the theme parks are run by greedy corporations (do I need to put a laughing emoji 🤣, to save you doing it).

HTH

Again, why did you quote me with a laughing 😆?

Why did you think that was ok? To put me down, to quieten my view, if my views aren’t the same as yours, you’ll laugh at them?

Do you have issues in taking part in open discussions face to face? Do you laugh around the dinner table at peoples opposing views? or is this behaviour only when behind a keyboard?

This has to be one of the more bizarre threads on Mumsnet.

We are discussing… theme parks. Some like. Some don’t like. No one forced to go. These business crack on with fast passes because R&D has confirmed that it works for them.

And that’s that really!

Right, I’ve got to pack for my holiday!!

It may actually be beneficial for them to have less visitors if they can get more spend per visitor. It isn't about cramming as many people into the park as possible. It's about maximising the revenue. Again you don't seem to understand how businesses work.

You say it is easier for you to get to Germany than Alton Towers, but that isn't true for the average person visiting Alton Towers. It's certainly more expensive. By the time you have paid out for plane flights, parking, possibly hotel stays and increased park ticket prices (I think Europa Park is more expensive than Alton Towers) you probably may as well have bought one of the much hated fast passes at Alton Towers.

I notice you didn’t answer my questions!

And now you’ve got to go because you’re “busy”?

Some can have one view, some can have another, as you’ve just said, so why laugh at other views?

I have long been of the view that you can tell people true politics rather than their virtual signaling from how they act at theme parks.

Tories - think people will more money can pay for a better experience which reduces the cost for others. Those in the queue get to pay a lower entrance fee experience the rides but have to wait.

Labour - people should all pay the same higher price and get the same experience. Without the people paying for the premium experience the core experience would cost more for everyone.

Anyone who buys a fast pass is a tory at heart. I think this tension is what upsets people.

While I can see the attraction of fast passes , surely its only a matter of time before so many people have them that its going to create another queue? And time for super fast passes ?

We just got back from Disneyland in Paris and was actually shocked at how short the queues were on Saturday/Sunday V weekdays. Had no problem at all over the weekend queues were around 5 minutes for rides like Slinky Dog and Indian Jones!

They limit the amount issued per day to keep the fast pass queues relatively short.

Useful thread for me. A reminder not to get swept away by the idea of some big theme parks because they aren't worth it.

And to just go to Europa and Puy du Fou instead.

Somebody should complain about these Theme Park dodgy practices to Trading Standards.

They are taking the piss in order to maximise profits.

Part of the ongoing Enshitification Process from companies on products and services.

I get where you are coming from but this has been the case for years. We used to do theme parks on inset days.

I'm a Fastpass-er. We go to Alton Towers every year for a day. I like to go when the weather is nice and not take my kids out of school for it. That means we go when it's busy and can manage 3 decent rides. Yes the FP is expensive at £116pp including parking but we get a full day and get to ride everything.

Oh for goodness sakes! Really?

I don’t need a reminder to remind me how much I hate theme parks!

But… I don’t think that the tens upon tens of thousands up people who will be visiting themed parks in this country just today, a number of which will sell fast passes, are in some way stupid passive robots nor do I think the theme parks are violating trading practices 😆

What was your question? Sorry scan read your posts

why I laughed? I found it funny? The idea of these greedy corporates somehow misleading people into parting with their cash and being cartoon crooks!

If you click on post history it’ll show it for you.

Are you new to MN?

I found it funny when challenged you became “too busy too continue”

It happens a lot on MN, lots of flouncing like that!

I love watching a good flounce!

It's hardly flouncing. Some posters on MN do have other stuff to do. It's not like you were making any real points of value. Just that you think Theme Park are greedy. In which the answer is easy - don't go. It's no biggie.

Yes.

It’s no biggie indeed, and if you’d read my posts I don’t use them 🤷‍♀️. Do you understand the point of AIBU?

I suppose just repeating a bit of my post, then putting 😆, denotes the debating level of the poster doing it!

Anyway I must flounce I’ve got some paint to watch dry!

Is it a flounce when a poster leaves a thread to do something and then returns when freed up? @Pinkchickenwine there is a world
beyond Mumsnet.

although the world you see beyond Mumsnet would appear to be a horrible place where theme park owners are “greedy corporates” somehow exploiting many tens of thousands of people who you see as lacking mental capacity to make a decision how they spend a day.