So how many of us use fastrack?

[BigAl]

^ Same here.

If something gets a large queue, I go on it in the morning and before the park closes as the queues are shorter. For example, on my first visit to Universal's Islands of Adventure (last Summer), Dragon Challenge had a queue length which fluctuated between 60 and 90 minutes, so I went back in the evening when it was 10 minutes instead. I went on everything that wasn't a major attraction during the middle of the day and managed everything.

I do that at every park I visit and have never needed to use queue jump tickets.

 

[AstroDan]

If I receive fastracks due to a breakdown and/or complaint, OK, but I generally do not purchase fastrack in the UK.

I will purchase it if visiting a very busy and/or badly operated park abroad though, especially if it's an expensive holiday. Example would be Cedar Point in August, Millennium Force had a 2+ hour queue and having spent £2,000+ on the holiday, I felt justified in buying fastrack.

The facts are, parks aren't going to remove it and I suffer in queues due to Fastrack enough of the time so I am happy to use it in some situations.

Otherwise, just visit Europa-Park.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[LiamC]

I've only ever used fastrack once, at Towers during the last Saturday of Scarefest in 2012, as I hadn't been to the park in perhaps 2+ years and actually wanted to do some rides. However now, and prior to this, I wouldn't touch it with a barge poll.

That and quite a lot of the time the queue line is part of the whole experience. For example I really wouldn't want to miss out on queues for rides such as Wodan at Europa Park (not that these do fastrack) and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at I.O.A as these are both excellent examples of highly themed, immersive queue lines.

 

[Sam]

I think, due to extraordinary circumstances, it is acceptable for an enthusiast to buy Fastrack in a poorly operated park that they've spent a lot of money and travelled a very long way to get to. It's such negligible numbers that it doesn't make a difference - and I'd perfectly understand if American enthusiasts bought Fastrack at Towers if visiting on a busy day.

But the actual concept of it is simply wrong. We are British. We wait in line. When the Carsten Höller's 'Test Site' (the slides) were installed at Tate Modern, everyone from the art critics and the intelligentsia of London right down to the casual day-tripper from Coventry had to wait in the same queues. Before Fastrack, queues were the great leveller.

I think Meat Pie is going a bit far in his use of Fastrack as an analogy to the problems of capitalism as a whole. I don't think you need to go that far. It's simply an unfair system. You should not be able to buy extras for any service that makes everyone else's service demonstrably worse. The best example would be a restaurant where the more top-price meals that are ordered, the worse the cheaper meals taste. When you buy Fastrack, you are making a decision to endorse a system that allows you to pay extra to make everyone else wait longer. It's simply naff, and that's why the best European parks (DLP, Efteling, Europa) avoid it. Because it's wrong.

 

[Fredward]

Some of these replies are so laughably funny, segregation! ha! If you want segregation in a queue system, how about you look at that bad coaster somewhere in the globe that if I remember correctly had a separate entrance for women.

chillll bro'ssss, it's just a queue system.

It's also funny that these same people who complain about how fastrack treats people better but they won't say no when the park offers free fastrack. "I will never buy fastrack as it affects the other guests in the queue... wait... you said free fastrack for 30 odd of us for carnival, don't mind if i dooooooo"

 

[Dan.B]

Put it like this:

You don't know me. I've got a giant chocolate cake in my arms. I'll sell it to you for loads of money. You probably wouldn't take it. Then I say it's free and that I'll eat it in front of your face if you don't take it anyway.

So yes if it were free, why not?

 

[Adam]

The fast-track system which is out of the financial reach of most families

You do know that a single fastrack is like £5 right?

 

[Sam]

You do know that a single fastrack is like £5 right?

Exactly. Once they've already spent a fortune getting into the park and on food & drink, the vast majority of families will not want to give up another £20 or £25 just to get on one ride.

chillll bro'ssss, it's just a queue system.

It's not a queue system though, is it? A queue system - like single rider, or front-row queues - aim to reduce waiting times for everyone by increasing throughput, and allowing people to wait a bit extra for a better seat, a choice that is open to all guests for free. If you're a group who don't mind not sitting at the front, then your queueing time will be shortened by the existence of single rider and front row queue.

Fastrack is simply a legitimised queue-jumping system. It is effectively a park taking money to waive the rules about queue-jumping, and turn a blind eye, but organised into a proper system. It is basically a bribe, to be allowed to legitimately break the rule of queueing that has been standing for hundreds of years.

What is different is Disney's Fastpass, which is open to everyone at no extra cost, and exists to distribute queues evenly throughout the day (rather than make money, though this may be changing), and systems where riders can pay to wait in a 'virtual queue' and eat a picnic or something. This latter system, as long as the waiting time is roughly equivalent with the time of the actual queue, doesn't have an impact on the waiting times of the 'stand-by' main queue.

It's sad that there are enthusiasts who seem to think that this is acceptable - or even a good thing. It's shameful, naked profiteering that reduces the quality of everybody's day, and the proof of that is in the fact that the absolute top-tier parks refuse to succumb to it.

 

[TheMan]

The facts are, parks aren't going to remove it and I suffer in queues due to Fastrack enough of the time so I am happy to use it in some situations.

Otherwise, just visit Europa-Park.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Precisely. Though ironically I cannot afford a trip to Europa lol! All the cash I spent on Fast Track! ;D

And incidentally, those who broadly condemn any enthusiast (and I know a few who use it, who don't like mentioning it, it's quite absurd) for using Fast Track, who then take FREE ones are in essence enjoying a 3 tier system.

You are essentially queue jumping queue jumpers who have actually paid for the privilege. This could be a family who has saved up to enjoy a trip, I have met plenty of those on park - far from "wealthy" who choose to use them. The "wealth" argument holds no ground.

Can it be a system that is abused by excessive wealth? Oh without question. Do I agree with that? No, of course not. However is that the vast majority of FT users? Also, no.

I would rather they didn't exist given the alternatives, I certainly do not buy them very often, but there are some very contradictory opinions being thrown around in this thread.

The only person I know who could come here and condemn their use is Diogo. I watched him turn DOWN free ones on principle, and from Thorpe of all places!

Hands up those who have turned down FREE fast tracks or privileges on principles alone on a super busy crappy day? Or special event etc...?

And no, it isn't different.

PS: Welcome closed season chaos, I wondered how long until you joined us :twirly:

 

[Sam]

I have no problem with guests getting handed free Fastracks/exit passes due to complaints, or ride breakdowns. These are to compensate guests for something bad happening, and are not for the purposes of making a profit. Even EP occasionally give out exit passes due to ride breakdowns.

 

[simps100]

I used it a few times at Towers this year for the Smiler / Carnival not a huge fan of Smilers queue, even more so when wet so for me its been worth the money.

Bought a few Maze ones at thorpe too to ensure i got on them all.

Also at PA i bought the hotel one - Unlimited fastrack for a week for something like 55 euros its hard to say no.

 

[Dan.B]

HEY GUYS - Just discovered a new form of free fastrack ...

I call it SINGLE RIDER

 

[Adam]

You do know that a single fastrack is like £5 right?

Exactly. Once they've already spent a fortune getting into the park and on food & drink, the vast majority of families will not want to give up another £20 or £25 just to get on one ride.

But it's not like they have to pay £20 to go on a ride, they're willingly paying £25 to get on a ride faster to save queueing times. It's an optional perk. And when they've already paid say £160 on getting into the park, does that £20 extra really mean so much?

 

[TheMan]

I have no problem with guests getting handed free Fastracks/exit passes due to complaints, or ride breakdowns. These are to compensate guests for something bad happening, and are not for the purposes of making a profit. Even EP occasionally give out exit passes due to ride breakdowns.

I am not talking about those Sam. Which incidentally are the broad majority of the relatively small amount of times I have actually used FT this season, despite my opinions on it.

I am asking, whom that condone Fast Track can say they have never received and accepted a perk above that which the GP gain for normal entrance price?

It will bring a nice sense of balance to the debate.

 

[Sam]

I'm against the system, but if someone gives me free Fastrack, I'm not going to turn that down. Why would I do that? If the park choose to offer me free Fastrack for whatever reason, I don't see why I should turn them down. It doesn't make criticism of the whole system of paid queuejumping any less valid.

 

[TheMan]

I'm against the system, but if someone gives me free Fastrack, I'm not going to turn that down. Why would I do that?

Principles. As I say, I watched first hand Diogo do exactly that. He said to the lady, I do not agree with giving Fast Track out as recompense for a customer service issue, so whilst I thank you for it, I won't accept it.

If you don't agree with a system, then with choice, do not engage with it. I would prefer something different, do not like the over-sales, believe that the way it is run at times is very poor, but I do not condone others that choose to use it - even when I do not.

As an enthusiast I would like the see the best technology for dealing with queues utilised, but they are not. I know plenty of other enthusiasts that use it, but are actually nervous about speaking out about it.

That never really is an issue for me ;D

 

[Novas]

I guess i'm the kind of person that TM and Diogo would like to push down the stairs as I hate the system but I also tend to support it. :/

If it's just me & the mrs we'll pick a quiet day to visit where FT isn't needed, but if I'm with friends or family and it's busy I do tend to get a couple. It's a rip off, but I'm lazy and I hate queuing, sorry!

 

[Pixie-Ro]

*Stands up* My name is Roanne, I am an enthusiast and I am also...*gulps*...a fastrack user. *sits down*

Oh, and I'm not in the slightest bit ashamed.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Oh my, I seem to have become a case study. :-[

Yes, I proudly told Thorpe that throwing fastracks at me to go away was only going to make their problems worse.

... But I'm not going to lie and say I have never used one. When I've had free ones as part of a hotel package (in the days when they still did that or during Scarefest)... Or on the odd occasion that one of our lot just happens to have a fist full of tickets...

Either way, Fastrack is evil and needs to stop.

 

[TheMan]

*Stands up* My name is Roanne, I am an enthusiast and I am also...*gulps*...a fastrack user. *sits down*

It's OK Pixie, let it out.

I guess i'm the kind of person that TM and Diogo would like to push down the stairs as I hate the system but I also tend to support it. :/

If it's just me & the mrs we'll pick a quiet day to visit where FT isn't needed, but if I'm with friends or family and it's busy I do tend to get a couple. It's a rip off, but I'm lazy and I hate queuing, sorry!

Not remotely Novas. Diogo refused on principle, I thought he was crackers ;D haha! It isn't about whether you like the system or not, I don't like it. I think there are myriad better ways to improve the queuing system that doesn't involve a hoover, your pockets, and Nick's bank account.

Here is a perfect example of what you are talking about. A party I was with, with some young 'uns, didn't want to get split up - the other Dad didn't like the big ride, but his daughter wanted to go on Rita. Over an hour queue?

Don't be soft. So we bought a couple of Fast Tracks, I took his nipper on Rita, everyone was happy - we queued together for the rides everyone wanted to do, without having to split the entire group up for an hour. Job done.

On my own, I will happily vanish off on my own for rides I want to do, but when in a mixed group it isn't always appropriate - FT can offer a way to negate that. Of course, so could the queue tech we all know about, but AT wont put that in.

So because I am an enthusiast who uses the system sensibly, that makes me a class war mongering elitist segregating legitimate rule breaking scumbag ;D

Do me a favour ;D haha!