Paultons Park: General Discussion

[GooseOnTheLoose]

This doesn’t bother me in comparison to the parking claim because in practice it is not fast track as we know it. It has no impact on the (already short) queues which is the main gripe at other parks and it is very much the luxury VIP service it claims to be rather than something sold separately.

I agree that the operational impact is negligible. You aren't going to be stuck at the brake run of Storm Chaser for ten minutes waiting for a procession of VIPs to board, as you would be at the merge point of The Smiler.

However, I struggle to see how this is any less disingenuous than the parking claim you rightly took issue with earlier. They are two sides of the same marketing coin.

With the parking, they are pretending a standard feature available to everyone is a specific perk of the Annual Pass. With the VIP package, they are pretending a specific product doesn't exist, simply because they have bundled it with a lanyard and a high price tag to gatekeep it.

My objection isn't operational, it is semantic. Paultons explicitly states: "We do not offer a separate ticket or fee to skip ride queue lines".

If I cannot buy the queue jump without the host, and I cannot buy the host without the queue jump, they are intrinsically linked. You are paying a fee. You are skipping the line. The fact that the fee is extortionate and includes a chaperone does not change the nature of the transaction, it just limits the clientele.

If a restaurant claims "We do not sell chips," but offers a "VIP Potato Experience" where a waiter hand feeds you French Fries for £200, they are still selling chips. They are just being pretentious about it.

 

[owenstreet7]

I agree that the operational impact is negligible. You aren't going to be stuck at the brake run of Storm Chaser for ten minutes waiting for a procession of VIPs to board, as you would be at the merge point of The Smiler.

However, I struggle to see how this is any less disingenuous than the parking claim you rightly took issue with earlier. They are two sides of the same marketing coin.

With the parking, they are pretending a standard feature available to everyone is a specific perk of the Annual Pass. With the VIP package, they are pretending a specific product doesn't exist, simply because they have bundled it with a lanyard and a high price tag to gatekeep it.

My objection isn't operational, it is semantic. Paultons explicitly states: "We do not offer a separate ticket or fee to skip ride queue lines".

If I cannot buy the queue jump without the host, and I cannot buy the host without the queue jump, they are intrinsically linked. You are paying a fee. You are skipping the line. The fact that the fee is extortionate and includes a chaperone does not change the nature of the transaction, it just limits the clientele.

If a restaurant claims "We do not sell chips," but offers a "VIP Potato Experience" where a waiter hand feeds you French Fries for £200, they are still selling chips. They are just being pretentious about it.

When the accommodation opens, I'd imagine they may start bringing in a one shot fast pass for lodge guests like Energylandia does

Thinking a few years into the future though

 

[Bowser]

When the accommodation opens, I'd imagine they may start bringing in a one shot fast pass for lodge guests like Energylandia does

Thinking a few years into the future though

I’d be surprised, there just isn’t the facility to accommodate this on most of the existing attractions without a hoard of people blocking the ride exits. It’s already quite awkward on many with RAP and you’re typically the only group there.

Of course plenty of parks have relented despite this (looking at you Plopsaland) but many haven’t and I’d say those have an ethos more in line with Paultons.

 

[owenstreet7]

I’d be surprised, there just isn’t the facility to accommodate this on most of the existing attractions without a hoard of people blocking the ride exits. It’s already quite awkward on many with RAP and you’re typically the only group there.

Of course plenty of parks have relented despite this (looking at you Plopsaland) but many haven’t and I’d say those have an ethos more in line with Paultons.

Truth be told, I don't imagine fast track will be added to any of the flat rides maybe with the exception of Cyclonator. Adding fast track to every ride including children's ride seems to be a Merlin thing.

Most parks will typically add it to their headliners and with Paultons, I believe they'd only have the capacity for it on the exits at current.

If anything, I'd imagine it'll be the main coasters and Cyclonator we see FT for if anything.

I'm thinking if anything, a virtual queue like at Europa Park is more likely with the park's capacity for FT.