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?

The way theme parks should deal with this is there should be a limit to the amount of people who are able to visit on any given day. But greed takes over and they allow unlimited amounts of people to visit despite the place being unfunctionable at that capacity.

Exactly what I’ve suggested, but apparently that’s laughable.

Puy du.foy /France and Spain is an incredible experience.
Efterling Netherlands
Phantasia land Germany
Europa park germany
Tivoli gardens Copenhagen

Go to proper parks

Having a good time isn't objective.

Some people like rollercoasters, others knitting. There isn't any basis for saying one activity is better than the other.

Rollercoasters do deliver a pretty extreme experience by any measure, and generally extreme experiences come at a cost level.

For a significant fraction of people the cost and effort is worth it, for others it isn't.

Do you think only unintelligent/uneducated people enjoy theme parks?

I’ve just opened my Efteling app and the longest queue time atm is 40 mins for one of the big rollercoasters, with most stuff around 20-30 mins (and some stuff only 10-15 mins).

It’s open till 10pm so still well in the prime of the day.

I’ve never queued for more than 35 mins there myself and quite a few things have basically been walk on.

It’s hard to justify some of the UK parks really v just going to Europe as the quality and experience is so superior if you’re a fan of parks.

No, you couldn't be more wrong. They have a huge geek following - techy-type people with brains the size of Jupiter who know all the scientific stats behind g-force etc.

Of course there will also be plenty of average and even dim-witted people who like them, but they definitely have at least their fair share of highly intelligent fans.

According to the link posted by that other poster @Pinkchickenwine 10% visits every year and 32% return (just not every year)

I didn’t look at them TBH, but I think they said it was 3 times a year? I don’t think 10% return a year is particularly high?

10% return annually
32% return but not annually

That is a rather good return rate. A third.
They can’t all have been duped. I imagine many are educated and able to look back on the day and assess whether they or not they felt that they’d been ripped off by greedy corporates

You don’t supposed that 32% some of the children are adults are they aren’t restricted to going during holidays and queuing and not getting their moneys worth?

Or GSCE times when they’re not in school for part of the term…..

So they get their moneys worth out of the greedy corporations?

Just a thought 🤔

I mean they do return, but probably after 10 years.

They do this for light trails(though that capacity has increased over the years too) and most other leisure events. Even crazy golf has a limited capacity. So why shouldn't theme parks? Its not laughable at all...

I really don’t get your point.

Is it that you think people who go to theme parks in peak season have all rocked up, entirely expecting a different day to what they expect, and leave feeling duped. Never to return.

And only those who are a bit thick return or those that return if they go out of peak season?

Ok you don’t get it 🤷‍♀️

Never mind!

I think they’re run by greedy corporations, that’s my point!

For some reason that’s not acceptable, for some.

I didn’t bring people intellectual level
into the discussion, one of your cohorts did. Possibly the one that’s had a lot of comments deleted.

Oh I agree they are run by corporations with profit as their overriding concern. Just like most corporations.

Following that logic though, if something wasn’t working for their bottom line, they would adapt it….

Whereas if this was something that people were dependent upon ie pharmaceutical company, then it would be amoral because people would be FORCED to accept it and the company wouldn’t need to adapt

Ok thanks for your thoughts on the matter!

I think they’re greedy and that’s my thoughts? Am I allowed my thoughts or do I have to agree with yours?

It”s not working as they have lots of unhappy customers.

No people don’t have to do it, bet you know, they like to enjoy a day out, after spending money to access it.

Your use of UPPER CASE letters is not going to make me agree with you or see your point any more.

So, the MN hat trick is all here:

a) continental theme parks (and accommodation) are better. So ditch the drive to Legoland and get a ferry or the Eurostar or a flight, arrange somewhere to stay, and fill your boots with rides in obscure theme parks in places like Finland or Germany.

b) corporations that run theme parks make profits. Boo, hiss. They should be charities.

c) people are ‘duped’ by these corporations. Plainly, the average Brit has the common sense and IQ of an earthworm.

Of course you can think they’re greedy.

But what you shouldn’t think is that no one enjoys these days and everyone leaves feeling duped.

clear?

Nailed it in every regard

It's a bit "Emperor's new clothes", though. It can takexa visit or two to realise you don't like a theme park. Yes, a small number do love it and keep going back. The majority don't. They get sucked in by the hype, and go once. Or you are like me - go once, have a good enough time, but realise it's not worth it. Over a decade ago, forget that it's not worth it, go again. Then remember why they aren't worth it.

Yep it’s dreadful. I have a season pass for my local park so I just pop in and out when I feel like it and when the queues are low. Makes it much more manageable.

I don’t enjoy them
but I am not their target audience
My teen and tween loves them
so… maybe once every couple of years, I have a day where I feel ripped off, they have a day they love.

Them’s the breaks