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The Merlin VIP Annual Pass

ihaveaspergers said:
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VIPs let ride hosts decide, isn't that what ride hosts are supposed to do?

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Apologies for replying to an old post, but I must respectfully disagree wit this.

It is entirely the passholders responsibility to have consideration for other people and not even make a request that they know is unfair to other guests in the park. Its called having a basic level of respect for other people.

There is most certainly a way to use the benefits of fast pass/ VIP / Qbot without being a complete kn*b in the process.

Having asked about the waiting list for VIP previously, only to be told that the waiting list is full (however illogical that may be), and questioned the illogical stance of denying me the opportunity to even join a waiting list to spend thousands of pounds with Merlin, I am again wondering if this is the sort of group I wish to be tarred with the same brush as anyway.

This weekend I spent two days at Legoland with the family - one as a standard pass holder, no fastpass or qbot etc. and the second day we purchased Qbot ultimates for thr 4 of us. Basically VIP level fastpass for the day.

I experienced both ends of the scale, and never has "with great power comes great responsibility" been more apt. As the Qbot cut down wait times by 95% we basically had instant access to fastpass queues. My 4 year old daugher wanted to go on the balloon ride, Ariel Nomad I think its called, and we duly pressed the button and by the time we had walked a minute to the ride, it buzzed and told us we could ride. We got straight on.

Having been in the normal queues the day before I know seeing people short cut the wait is annoying, but its their perogative if they want to pay to do it. Today I was on the other side of the fence, so when my daugher asked if we could go on again, I said yes, but later. Even though we could have pressed the button and gone straight back to the qbot queue, it would have just been taking the p*ss in front of the other users. The minimum I was going to make my daughter wait before going on again was an hour, well past the 30 min queue time. I would then not be inadvertantly rubbing anyones nose in it that had already possibly seen us ride earlier.

Trying to blame a ride host for honouring what was an arrogant and rude request in the first place, really is clutching at straws to justify a p*ss poor attitude.
 
RedBall said:
Apologies for replying to an old post, but I must respectfully disagree wit this.

It is entirely the passholders responsibility to have consideration for other people and not even make a request that they know is unfair to other guests in the park. Its called having a basic level of respect for other people.

There is most certainly a way to use the benefits of fast pass/ VIP / Qbot without being a complete kn*b in the process.

Having asked about the waiting list for VIP previously, only to be told that the waiting list is full (however illogical that may be), and questioned the illogical stance of denying me the opportunity to even join a waiting list to spend thousands of pounds with Merlin, I am again wondering if this is the sort of group I wish to be tarred with the same brush as anyway.

This weekend I spent two days at Legoland with the family - one as a standard pass holder, no fastpass or qbot etc. and the second day we purchased Qbot ultimates for thr 4 of us. Basically VIP level fastpass for the day.

I experienced both ends of the scale, and never has "with great power comes great responsibility" been more apt. As the Qbot cut down wait times by 95% we basically had instant access to fastpass queues. My 4 year old daugher wanted to go on the balloon ride, Ariel Nomad I think its called, and we duly pressed the button and by the time we had walked a minute to the ride, it buzzed and told us we could ride. We got straight on.

Having been in the normal queues the day before I know seeing people short cut the wait is annoying, but its their perogative if they want to pay to do it. Today I was on the other side of the fence, so when my daugher asked if we could go on again, I said yes, but later. Even though we could have pressed the button and gone straight back to the qbot queue, it would have just been taking the p*ss in front of the other users. The minimum I was going to make my daughter wait before going on again was an hour, well past the 30 min queue time. I would then not be inadvertantly rubbing anyones nose in it that had already possibly seen us ride earlier.

Trying to blame a ride host for honouring what was an arrogant and rude request in the first place, really is clutching at straws to justify a p*ss poor attitude.
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Saying to a host "we don't mind if you split us up" is hardly rude or arrogant and from the times I've been with VIP groups that gets said.

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Irrelevant.

I'm pointing out the arrogant, self entitled attitude of asking to take a party of 26 people on at once in the first place.
 
RedBall said:
Irrelevant.

I'm pointing out the arrogant, self entitled attitude of asking to take a party of 26 people on at once in the first place.
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Again, the times I've been we don't ask to all get on at once, we specifically say the above, if the host offers that's on them, it's neither expected nor demanded for 26 to go on at once.

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Other than in the example on this thread, where it was.

As for wearing self made clothing with VIP emblazened, and VIP lanyards like some form of Mayoral chain, that simply enforces the self ego massaging that accompanies this attitude imho.

Perhaps its just me, but I spent my time with the Qbot hiding it in my pocket and only getting it out at the front of the queue away from view of others like I was dealing crack.
 
RedBall said:
Other than in the example on this thread, where it was.

As for wearing self made clothing with VIP emblazened, and VIP lanyards like some form of Mayoral chain, that simply enforces the self ego massaging that accompanies this attitude imho.

Perhaps its just me, but I spent my time with the Qbot hiding it in my pocket and only getting it out at the front of the queue away from view of others like I was dealing crack.
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I have my lanyards covered in pins on to show my love for the parks, there's a fair bit I owe to them.
Other wear them so group members can meet up.

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Personally when meeting with friends, I have them rely on my face as a method of identification. If meeting with a group of strangers for the frst time, then yes, I can see the benefit of a lanyard or similar. After this initial meeting however, I again return to the face, as I find it has served me well as a means of identification for over 4 decades now.

Having ride pins on display is one thing, and understandable if people are fans. VIP emblazened hoodies, tshirts or other such gumf is, in my humble opinion, worn by a certain element that believe paying to receive a better service is something to show off to other people.
 
RedBall said:
Personally when meeting with friends, I have them rely on my face as a method of identification. If meeting with a group of strangers for the frst time, then yes, I can see the benefit of a lanyard or similar. After this initial meeting however, I again return to the face, as I find it has served me well as a means of identification for over 4 decades now.

Having ride pins on display is one thing, and understandable if people are fans. VIP emblazened hoodies, tshirts or other such gumf is, in my humble opinion, worn by a certain element that believe paying to receive a better service is something to show off to other people.
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We'll have to get you to join us some point, sure we can show we really aren't that bad!

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If somebody is already in the Qbot/fastpass queue, everyone knows they aren't there by accident and they have paid to shortcut the queue.

So what possible need would there be to reinforce and clarify this situation with some special attire I don know.

Thank you for your kind offer, but really if a group would be wearing some form of outward promotion of their perceived status within the park, its really not for me or my family.
 
Hasn’t it come up before that VIP holders are encouraged to wear their lanyards so they can easily be identified by staff for special perks they are entitled to?

Anyway the whole lanyard thing applies to everything, Premium passers wear them believing they also get special service. All the lanyards do is promote the passes for free for Merlin
 
RedBall said:
Perhaps its just me, but I spent my time with the Qbot hiding it in my pocket and only getting it out at the front of the queue away from view of others like I was dealing crack.
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Out of interest why do you feel the need to hide it?

Personally I think that what people do with their money is their own business. If i wanted to queue less then i would spend the money too. I don't understand the stigma against people paying for something that is readily available. Why judge people for buying when Merlin/ AT are offering?
 
I might print off some #BoycottFastrack flyers and throw them off the top of Ovlivion.

If no one in the whole park purchased, the queues would move a lot quicker and everyone's happy.

Every time I go to Europa Park the thought of going back to a Merlin park and waiting half an hour to move 10 meters in a queue fills me with dread.

However if people wish to pay for it, that's their right and I've no problem with them. My beef is with Merlin.

To summarise: I strongly dislike the concept of fasttrack.
 
I have been called Satan's spawn for using the system, but it is life in the modern world.
I have far greater anger for people jumping the NHS queues by throwing wads of cash at consultants who then use their contacts to get their patients treated quicker in NHS facilities.
Would be better if they simply didn't exist...but I try to think..."well, it will all help to pay for the next big ride."
Probably.
It should be banned on low throughput rides...could I use this post to sincerely apologise to all the poor blighters who waited an extra twenty minutes because we took up all the cars on the Grand Prix at BPB.
Fifty yard stares and mutterings of hate.
And it should never be used when rides are not running at full capacity.

EDIT...due to autocucumber
 
RicketyCricket said:
I might print off some #BoycottFastrack flyers and throw them off the top of Ovlivion.

If no one in the whole park purchased, the queues would move a lot quicker and everyone's happy.

Every time I go to Europa Park the thought of going back to a Merlin park and waiting half an hour to move 10 meters in a queue fills me with dread.

However if people wish to pay for it, that's their right and I've no problem with them. My beef is with Merlin.

To summarise: I strongly dislike the concept of fasttrack.
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Exactly I have no problem whatsoever with RAP but paying to put yourself ahead is not fair especially when theme parks are so expensive to begin with.

I'm all for spending your money where you want but for fasttrack it has a negative impact on everybody else
 
I have more hatred toward those people that stand in a queue for god knows how long, then invited about 20 of their mates/family into the point of the queue where they are standing. I don't understand how this is deemed a reasonable thing to do. We are the miserable gits that refuse to let them through. We got a right mouthful off some kids at Winter Wonderland. Sometimes, i like to pay for fasttrack, just to avoid a fight haha.
 
Smilertron said:
I have more hatred toward those people that stand in a queue for god knows how long, then invited about 20 of their mates/family into the point of the queue where they are standing. I don't understand how this is deemed a reasonable thing to do. We are the miserable gits that refuse to let them through. We got a right mouthful off some kids at Winter Wonderland. Sometimes, i like to pay for fasttrack, just to avoid a fight haha.
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For one it's against park rules!

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I wouldn't get rid of fastrack, it's good if you're a geek and you've only got one day at a park and want to do everything.

I would limit it much more than they do at the minute though. With a sensible limit it wouldn't have such a negative effect on other guests.
 
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