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The Merlin VIP Annual Pass

Is the unlimited fastrack perk worth it? As of yet I've never been to AT or Thorpe Park on weekdays, but if it's anything like Drayton Manor is, I'd assume there would be little to no queues so there'd be no point.
 
Sauron97 said:
Is the unlimited fastrack perk worth it? As of yet I've never been to AT or Thorpe Park on weekdays, but if it's anything like Drayton Manor is, I'd assume there would be little to no queues so there'd be no point.
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definetly worth it, more so weekends. Plus it includes waterpark (needs 24 hours prebook) and golf.

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ihaveaspergers said:
definetly worth it, more so weekends. Plus it includes waterpark (needs 24 hours prebook) and golf.

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Includes Waterpark. No need to prebook. :p Just scan your pass at the turnstile. Get a free towel. And will even get a 20p loan for locker use

That’s The VIP lifestyle for ya :rolleyes:
 
bluesonichd said:
Includes Waterpark. No need to prebook. Just scan your pass at the turnstile. Get a free towel. And will even get a 20p loan for locker use

That’s The VIP lifestyle for ya :rolleyes:
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Ive heard people have managed but oficially we are suppose to prebook arent we?

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Sauron97 said:
Is the unlimited fastrack perk worth it? As of yet I've never been to AT or Thorpe Park on weekdays, but if it's anything like Drayton Manor is, I'd assume there would be little to no queues so there'd be no point.
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Personal to you I would imagine. It depends highly on when you visit and what parks you visit.

Thorpe and Chessington can be unbearable but I hardly go to either.

Then bear in mind if you stay in the Thorpe Shark hotel you get unlimited fastrack anyway. Get evacuated from a ride or anything breaks when you're in a queue, another fastrack. Go to guest services if you're experiencing a crap day due to downtime etc (common at Thorpe and Towers) if you don't want free return tickets because you're a MAP holder, more fastracks. With a pmap, £5 vouchers for more fastracks.

Then you've got the amount of times they don't check your ticket at station or merge point which happens alot. So basically, without paying for a single fastack all year or having to fork out for a VIP pass, I've managed to end the season with around half my £5 vouchers, half of last year's vouchers, a fastrack for the Smiler, a 1.4mtr Towers fastrack and 5 Thorpe fastracks.

I know it's not the same for everybody, but I rarley visit Towers on peak outside of scarefest and I utilise single rider alot. I'm not used to waiting more than 10 mins for anything and refuse to hand Merlin wads of cash to skip queues.
 
I entertained the idea of unlimited fastrack last Saturday, but decided against it because I'd rather not give Merlin more money than necessary. Queues ended up being more manageable than I expected.

I'd say it would definitely be worth it for busy days where 50min+ queues are the norm.
 
Brad97 said:
I entertained the idea of unlimited fastrack last Saturday, but decided against it because I'd rather not give Merlin more money than necessary. Queues ended up being more manageable than I expected.

I'd say it would definitely be worth it for busy days where 50min+ queues are the norm.
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Good point there, I suppose with previously having required RAP I see greater value in.FT even on fairly quiet days

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Brad97 said:
I entertained the idea of unlimited fastrack last Saturday, but decided against it because I'd rather not give Merlin more money than necessary. Queues ended up being more manageable than I expected.

I'd say it would definitely be worth it for busy days where 50min+ queues are the norm.
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Not going to lie, it would have been lovely to have had unlimited fast track yesterday. But then I've ridden all the rides so much all season, it wouldn't have mattered to not get everything in 3 or 4 times a piece.

I don't understand how anyone's queues are so bad they'd need fastrack out of scarefest, fireworks and Summer holiday weekends. The vast majority of the season queues are easily managed. I've struggled to use completely FREE fastrack vouchers, hadn't needed to use a single one all season until Wednesday of this week
 
Thanks for the info guys. How busy do Alton and Thorpe tend to be be on regular weekdays out of interest? Are they walk on, or should you still expect a reasonable queue time. If the latter is the case, I'll probably consider getting the pass next year.
 
Sauron97 said:
Thanks for the info guys. How busy do Alton and Thorpe tend to be be on regular weekdays out of interest? Are they walk on, or should you still expect a reasonable queue time. If the latter is the case, I'll probably consider getting the pass next year.
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Towers you'll walk on the majority of rides on off peak weekdays no problem. Thorpe reduce capacity however on quiet days but again, choose your days carefully and you can get a lot in.
 
I don't really blame Merlin for introducing things like like unlimited fast track, if people are prepared to pay for it, why not? It's easy money for the park.

What I dislike is how it's implemented on rides such as Spinball Whizzer, where platinum pass guests are paraded next to the standard queue line.

This obviously causes some resentment amongst the commoners who may have been waiting patiently for an hour or so, whilst also making VIPs or disabled guests feel uncomfortable having to go past scowling faces.

I'm personally not willing to spend such money on platinum / VIP passes, but if I was, I would expect to be treated much better than they currently are.
 
The 'special' treatment for VIPs has to be part and parcel of the pass, to a degree to distinguish it from the others. Standard and platinum passes are seemingly too popular for their own good at this stage.
 
I still don't think it's acceptable to ask regular guests to get off if a VIP pass holder shows up (if that that is indeed the case).

I can understand moving for elderly or disabled guests, most decent people would offer to anyway, but for anyone else is just wrong; no matter how much you pay.
 
I want to stress, it was only once (probably 3-4 months after the VIP MAP was 1st introduced) so it was lightly that staff either overstepping, or following carelessly given orders from Alton/merlin.

It hasn't happened since...elitism, on the other hand...
 
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