fast pass systems
Now, i've never come into contact with one of these systems but as i understand it, they all involve taking or paying for a ticket or equivalent , which will allow you to skip the main line for a ride during a designated preiod later in the day. For it to work, obviously there has to be a limited number of tickets per day.
My thinking is this: Surely the people in the normal line simply get p*ssed off and frustrated when, having waited their turn fairly, they have to wait even longer because another lot of people come in and effectively line jump. I know that everyone has the same opportunity to obtain/purchase a fast lane type ticket, but, what about the peolpe who have to arrive late. In the case of the free 'first come first served' tickets just the early arrivals would get one. It just seems like the park is improving the day of some guests at the expense of others, which doesn't seem fair.
I'm not asking for information on the different types of system, because i've read about them previously, but what do other people think on the whole 'fairness' issue i just mentioned?
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However, I'd say it's decidedly UNfair that the system causes standby times to often be double or triple what they'd be without fastpass (or even with fewer fastpasses). Additionally, it creates longer lines at neighboring non-fastpass attractions. I think the only way fastpass saves you time is if you use it on every ride it's available. Say, if you get one for Space Mtn then go wait for Splash Mtn in standby, you've just given up your time savings. It makes spontaneous riding more frustrating, and requires more thoughtfulness and planning.
I liked CP's stamp system because it drastically limits the number of users which makes standby lines less frustrating, but the day I was there if you weren't in line waiting to get a stamp for Millie by the time the booth opened you were out of luck. Most people didn't have a chance to learn what the system was before it reached it's max # of users. Pretty unfair.
Don't even get me started on paid or hotel-perk line jumping. Way unfair.
I believe the only way to be really FAIR is to return to standby only and have single rider lines on every possible ride. After all, line jumping systems don't increase ride capacity, single rider lines do. That's more fair for everyone.
*** This post was edited by ThemeDesigner on 11/22/2002. ***
Disney's FastPass is free to anyone who pays admission. If a guest fails to use it and waits in the stand-by line they have no right to get angry.
I won't comment on the others.
Moosh
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It's much more complicated than it seems. All of those numbers-hourly capacity, daily attendance, standby wait times, Fastpass wait times, single riders, empty seats, ect.
What Disney invented is a fair system to those who understand it. To those who don't or those who refuse to use it (mainly because they suspitiously think "what's in it for the park?") it is extremely unfair. Standby lines at any Disney park is sometimes unreal.
Everyone has the oppurtunity to use it, but a lot do not.
I believe that Universal's Express pass system is fair except for when they charge for the tickets (I know that they have done that before, if not still doing that now), or when they allow resort guests unlimited use of express just by "flashing" their hotel key card. I know that I have heard talk about only allowing resort guests 1 express entery per hour, which I believe to be a little more fair than unlimited. I don't know if they are doing that or not.
As an ex-ride opp at Universal, I noticed a LOT of guests in the standby lines getting pretty frustrated when we loaded every other ride vehicle with guests in the Express line. I would guess that about half of the guests in the park didn't even know the had Express or what it was. A lot of guests would ask me, "How much is it to get an Express pass?" after they figured out what they were.
Mostly, my point is that it is so complicated and confusing, that some guest just don't want to deal with it. This creates a negitive situation for those guests, even if it is a "fair" system.
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I belive the Disney Fastpass system is best as well. It gives you the opritunity to go wait in line for one ride while getting a fastpass for another, thus you just did 2 rides while only waiting in one line.
The Q-Bots give basically the same results, but they are not free, and the wait time is still based on the line, instead of giving set times like the Disney version. Q-Bots are just too expensive to give the same service Disney gives for free.
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
You can usually get a very good deal on Q-bots. I swear by the system and would not go to a Six Fags without it anymore. It' great IMO and I don't mind paying the extra.
CP's system IMO sucks as unless you are there at 10 for Millie you are screwed.
Oh well I will take my morning Maggie ERT anyday.
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Mamoosh said:
Disney's FastPass is free to anyone who pays admission.
agreed!
If a guest fails to use it and waits in the stand-by line they have no right to get angry.
agreed!
I won't comment on the others.
Moosh
C'mon 'Moosh you can tell US how ya feel, we promise not to tell anyone what you say...;).
We've discussed this many times. I've used almost all of them: Q-bot, FastPass, Universal Express, CedarPoint's Fastlane (or whatever) and even that stupid ticket idea CP used the year MF opened.
I like them. I use them. I'm willing to pay a nominal fee for them. I'll continue to do so.
As for the free systems, no one should be able to complain - equal opportunity.
As for pay systems. You get what you pay for. True with hotel rooms, restaurants, cars, houses, liquor and now with amusement parks.
It's all good. :)
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Without Lo-Q I never could have rode what I did when I went to SFOG this summer (Sunday, July 7th). It was an awesome system.
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'Buzz member since 3/25/01
Top Steel:SUF(SFOG)Wood:Rampage(VisionLand)
Themeparks are all about making money, and with many having a limited season, they'll make it anyway they can. Park guests who are getting in the park an hour earlier are paying through the nose to do so. Have you ever looked at the prices for the hotels that have the early entry? Sure it'd be great if we all had the same monetary means and Q-Bots/Freelane/Fastlane/Fastpasses when entering a park, but hey, Life isn't Fair!
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2003-Gotham City @ SFA presenting Bathroom the Ride-Please remain seated at all times
With regards the systems where you have to pay: When people opt to not buy the special pass, they are paying the same amount as previous years (when there was no fast lane type system) but are having the quality of the day out reduced because of longer lines. However, as has been said, this is indeed just business and is just a similar sort of thing to an increase in the entrance fee i suppose.
With regards the free systems: Presumably it is just the case that you have to get there early to get one. To take CP as an example, do you have to be staying in one of the on site hotels which enable early access to get one? Even if not, what about the people who want a lie in and want to take their time to get to the park; the quality of their day out will be reduced at the expense of others.
The reason i think that it's unfair is, at the end of the day, the experience of A FEW is improved, whereas the experience of A LOT is reduced. Anyway, as someone above said, life isn't fair!
Mr Rush said:
The reason i think that it's unfair is, at the end of the day, the experience of A FEW is improved, whereas the experience of A LOT is reduced. Anyway, as someone above said, life isn't fair!
...and THAT is the reason I signed the FAFL petition started by Alan Jaczyszn (apologies for spelling, and I thought MY name was hard, lol)....
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