Fast Lane is now Officially "The Flash Pass"

There seem to be two issues going on which we're having a hard time separating:

1) Is q-bot a good business move? Six Flags seems to think so, though on some rides like KK it pisses a whole lot of people off. A whole lot.

2) Is it ethical? The only way I would see it as unethical is if a person paid for a ticket not knowing what they were getting into. i.e. if Six Flags purposely mismanaged lines or downplayed the availability of q-bot so that a person who paid gate price expecting to have 20 minute lines found 40 minute lines because of q-botters and bad capacity due to q-bot (i.e. single train op, double load cycles, always letting q-botters ride in front row).

There's no need to get freaked out by the drug addict comparison. Its a joke dude, and ya I have worked with meth addicts.

Its intended to point out the frustration should not be so directed at each other on this debate. The source of this divisive issue are the folks I'm frustrated with.

But you are more than welcome to get ticked off about the presentation. Just trying to avoid repeating ourselves as requested. Apologies for any offence I may have caused.

Yeah man I totally know it was a joke dude - hence the statement "sarcasm or not, you're still an idiot".

Second, I'm not offended by your comment. the meth addiction was her own dumb choice, I could care less what she did with her own life, I have my own to live. What does bother me, however, is the senseless comparison of something so trivial as a fast pass, to something like a drug addiction.
Jeez man if someone is THAT into their rollercoaster hobby, they need to get laid or something.

When I go on a vacation, or to hang out at CP, I go to relax and have a good time. I don't need this "I can't believe the park is letting people CUT in MY line!!! I am going right to guest relations ASAP!!" attitude. If a line is too long, I won't wait in it. Period. If that means I have to shell out a couple of bucks to save me some wait time, so be it.

I'm an active person and I don't like to stand still for hours on end. it's just not my thing.

-Josh

^ I agree, you shouldn't waste any more time debating it. I hope you are successful in distracting yourself from such trivial issues.

Appreciate ApolloAndy's break down of the debate, 1st as a business concern and 2nd as an ethical concern.

I would add a 3rd, which is the difference between free to cut and pay to cut, since it is true both can be considered cutting.

I'll continue with the drug comparison since folks seem to enjoy it so much. All access virtual queues are a bit more like a safer drug, (like pot). Even though everyone is using it, nobody is really getting hurt. If a group cuts in front of me as a wait for MF then I cut in front of them on the Raptor, it all pretty much balances out, as long as folks are free to do so. If everybody cuts is it still considered cutting?

With pay-to-cut you have a large group excluded, not allowed to cut back in front of the smaller group. And the smaller group can cut all day long in front of the larger group. Whether you are a fan of FlashPass or not it shouldn’t be too hard to see the situation as a recipe for frustration.

Now you can be a fan of FlashPass and still recognize it not such a smart business approach for Six Flags as it trys to rebuild its fan base. *** Edited 3/24/2006 8:08:37 PM UTC by rc-madness***

^As far as I can tell, I'm not the one who's "debating" this issue.

You're still polluting this thread with your mindless drug comparisons. What is it with roller coasters and drugs for you, man?

Maybe if you'd quit wasting all your money on pot and meth, you could afford a fast pass at a six flags??

Just a thought.

-Josh

*** Edited 3/24/2006 8:21:50 PM UTC by Raven-Phile***

I can understand your frustration rc and your frustration is not alone but there is always a consumer looking for a way to make their experience more relaxing and Six Flags is offering Flashpass as a way to try to do that. Don't want to wait in the lines for your time to ride pay us more money and we will let you wait elsewhere, which they actually would prefer you spent that time playing games, eating and shopping, but we all know where everyone spends it.

Here's a rediculous idea that might work to soothe your problems with waiting in 2 lines at one time. If you scan your q-bot you can only ride rides that are not on the system when you are waiting for a ride time you have reserved. How would you enforce it though? I mean we all know Six Flags isn't staffed to put someone at the front of the queues to make sure that all people entering don't have a qbot with a waiting time on them.

By the way I would love to see a greeter with a height check stick at the begining of all coaster queues. Talk about a customer service that is really needed. It stops the person from wasting all their time in the line and then getting told "Sorry, Little Johnny/Little Debbie is too small to ride." It also stops the arguement from occuring on the platform which slows dispatch times. So not only does it save the people with Little Johnny/Little Debbie time, it saves everyone time and frustration.

I too feel bad for those poor kids every time it happens.

Good point Raven. The more Meth I take, the pot I need, the more pot I take the more Meth I need. No money left for Q-Bots. Life is so unfair.

Just lookin' for ways to lighten the discussion guys. Obviously not so successful. My bad...

Truely, its not a class issue. Busch Gardens can charge $100 for people to ride SheiKra, and I wouldn't have a problem with it. If only the rich ride it, so be it. Sacrafice my access for someone else paying more, that's crap. I've said enough. *** Edited 3/24/2006 8:53:42 PM UTC by rc-madness***

Hey! This whip is worn out! Get me another one!

Get up I tells ya!

-Tambo

Geez RC, if you're not willing to "sacrifice your access" (which you're not doing AT ALL with a fast pass, since you're still getting access...)for somebody who's paying more money, how do you even get by in life?

Have you ever flown on an airline other than Southwest.....where the first-class passengers actually get to board first? I bet that just irritates you to the core. They paid more money to ride on the same plane as you, yet they get to board BEFORE you.

If you've ever been to a concert with assigned seating, how do you feel about the people who paid to sit in the front rows while you got stuck with the nosebleed section?

Don't you get pissed when someone passes you on the highway because they paid more money for a smoother riding, higher horsepower car?

Case in point, in every day life, someone is ALWAYS paying more money than you to get something done faster. You simply can't avoid it.

-josh

No, I get pissed when Southwest allows you to bribe them into taking the seat away that I already paid for, then I miss my flight!

Crap, I hope the airlines don't start looking at the financial advantages of FlashPass. They're even more desperate than Six Flags. I'm out of here...

Tambo, if this horse is so dead why do you keep riding it? *** Edited 3/24/2006 10:54:52 PM UTC by rc-madness***

First of all, if you don't want to risk trying to get on an overbooked flight, then don't fly Southwest. As far as that relating, ehhh... a flight is transportation and it's usually time sensitive. If you're planning riding a ride in a time sensitive manner, as in down to the exact minute, then you're crazy. A ride will always be there. It's not like an airplane that once it's gone, it's gone. The train returns to the station in under 4 minutes (usually) and you will have an opportunity to ride.

Airlines already have a "Flash Pass" system - look at Continental's OnePass, United's Red Carpet Club, etc... Every single one of them boards the plane before you, as a regular ticket holder, does. The way you get there is you either buy a membership to elite status, or you earn it with frequent flyer miles. It's the same exact principle as buying a flash pass for a day.

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Raven-Phile said:
Hurrrrrrr SIX FLASG IZ BAD!!!

If CP did it, I'm sure you wouldn't be calling it "organized crime" - just because you're a cheap ass and are jealous of the people that spent money to have a flash pass, doesn't mean it's Six Flags' fault.

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Before you start labeling people that you have know knowledge of, you should ask yourself if what you intended to post doesn't make you look like a total donkey. In case you lack the knowledge to understand the donkey reference, get your self a thesaurus and look up the word(If you have any money left from all the continuous Q Bot rentals you apparently do).

Buying a Flash Pass is like buying more time in the park. You bought a 10 hour ticket and I bought a 15 hour ticket (which cost more). I will get to ride more rides. If you want to buy a 15 hour ticket, they are available for purchase. How is that unfair?

That's a very unique way of looking at it, Alan. I like that angle too. :)

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At the very least this discussion inspired me to do a new shirt for my site.

Front - Virtually Queued (complete with little graphic of virtually queued guy in line)
Back - The Real Me Is Waiting In Line For Another Ride

It might be the first coasterimage shirt I actually wear to parks. :)

Seriously though, is there a single park related topic that gets people as impassioned in their opinions as the virtual queue thing does?

*** Edited 3/25/2006 12:27:28 AM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

What was that last post Gonch? Sorry, I missed it because I was over in the smoking section for a few minutes. Were you asking what topic could possibly get more impassioned then the virtual queue thingy? I'll have to think about that during my next smoke break. ;)

*** Edited 3/25/2006 12:32:12 AM UTC by Incidentalist***

Ahhh, park smoking is a good one too.

I suppose it's becoming a non-issue as most parks are going to the dark side and setting up designated areas.

Although at IB there was actually an indoor spot to eat that allowed smoking. :)

If only they would allow smoking in the Flash Pass queues. Talk about ticking people off. :)

How about a system where the park allows you to hire one of their employees for the day. He/she could wear a shirt that says "Tangible, Virtual Incidentalist" and he could do all the virtual waiting for me. Since he's actually a warm body in the queue, people couldn't complain when we switch places getting onto the ride. You can hire as many as you want, any takers? :)

Just having fun since nothing is getting accomplished in this thread.

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Coasterphan said:
Before you start labeling people that you have know knowledge of, you should ask yourself if what you intended to post doesn't make you look like a total donkey. In case you lack the knowledge to understand the donkey reference, get your self a thesaurus and look up the word(If you have any money left from all the continuous Q Bot rentals you apparently do).

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Yeah man. I totally get it. 10 points for you and your whitty sense of sarcasm.

PS: bonus points for the "hurrrr you buy q-bots so you can't afford a thesaurus" reference, as well.

Douche.

-Josh

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Raven-Phile said:
Airlines already have a "Flash Pass" system.

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The airline analogy is probably even better than you intended. Typically, preferred membership is a loyalty program. The highest tier of elite flyers has flown over 100,000 miles in a single calendar year. The reward for giving the airline so much business is early boarding, better seats, and (sometimes) better food.

But that "early boarding" part is frequently available to anyone, IF you're willing to pay for it. For example, with my USAirways Dividend Miles Mastercard, I automatically board at the same times as the lowest tier of their preferred customers, even if I should drop out of that preferred tier (although I still haven't :) )

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Raven-Phile said:

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Coasterphan said:
Before you start labeling people that you have know knowledge of, you should ask yourself if what you intended to post doesn't make you look like a total donkey. In case you lack the knowledge to understand the donkey reference, get your self a thesaurus and look up the word(If you have any money left from all the continuous Q Bot rentals you apparently do).

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Yeah man. I totally get it. 10 points for you and your whitty sense of sarcasm.

PS: bonus points for the "hurrrr you buy q-bots so you can't afford a thesaurus" reference, as well.

Douche.

-Josh

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Perfect example of someone whose has more than lost the arguement.