Six Flags Q-Bot Fastlane: Regular vs Gold. Is Gold worth it?

Eric, you speak is if in amusment parks, these 'pay-to-play' people are being treated better. I don't feel that way at all. I have never used one of these systems(my park trips never seem to warrant it, I never wait more than 30 min. to ride), but I dont' feel like these people are just being "Treated Better". Better treatment would mean that I'm not being treated well, and the 'pay-to-play' person and myself are equals.

But, if, infact, that person chooses to spend more money(Don't quite understand how this becomes a "this person has more money" issue, the issue is just that that person, wheather they have more money or less money than me, are willing to part with more money...), then they are simply paying for a service that I did not. We are, at that point not equals. We have neither Paid the same amount, nor are we recieving the same services.

I don't understand the concept of "just because they paid more dosen't mean they should get more than me". If you go to your local Wal-Mart and buy $25 dollars worth of groceries, then find out that the person in front of you paid and recieved $125 dollars worth of groceries, would you be going back and getting your extra $100 dollars worth and just expect not to be arrested for theft?

It isn't line jumping in the least. Line jumping is when someone starts at the back of the line and moves forward past other people. Technically, Q-bot people don't really wait in line, and Fast pass people have a different line....Those persons are simply paying for what they want, how did that ever become wrong in this country?(isn't that the "American Dream"?)

Edit: BTW, the entire post is not ment to be directed @ Eric, but to the conversation at hand:). *** Edited 6/10/2004 9:15:15 PM UTC by TeknoScorpion***

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Lord Gonchar said:
It's not a raping and pillaging of the rules. It's a changing of the rules. The game has evolved, no one cheated.

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I think that the perception is that the rules have been changed unfairly-- that is, someone changed the rules in the middle of the game, without telling the players. If the park had said outright at the admission gate, "there are different levels of admission, bronze, silver, and gold, please choose one", then there might be less outcry. When people learn after the fact (waiting in line) that other people have obtained special privileges because they paid more money "on the side", then there is resentment.

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TeknoScorpion said:
It isn't line jumping in the least. Line jumping is when someone starts at the back of the line and moves forward past other people. ...Those persons are simply paying for what they want, how did that ever become wrong in this country?(isn't that the "American Dream"?)

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It sounds like the Gold Q-bot system is very much like line-jumping. (Regular Q-bot seems to be more equitable.) The perception for regular customers is that they have paid the general admission fee to ride rides on a strictly first-come-first-served basis. It is when they realize that things are not strictly first-come-first-served that they feel treated unfairly. I expect that attitudes will change in a few years, once the general population learns about the new system.

I do agree with the posters who say that it is likely that this is how things will be (though I don't like it much). But, I think that this pay-to-play system will only affect a small proportion of parks. For other parks (like the ones that have free parking or free soda), I do not see them moving away from a first-come-first-served system (though I could see them moving to a general admission plus additional-cost ride ticket system.)

Edit: another grammar correction
*** Edited 6/10/2004 11:07:01 PM UTC by James Ben***

One major problem I have with fastlane style passes is that, more often than not they slow up the capacity of the ride as a whole (most notably, when fastlane rides are merged with a separate load cycle rather than in the station). I don't have a problem with people paying to wait outside of the cattle pens/switchbacks when I'm waiting inside, but I think it's just idiotic when I have to wait significantly longer in the *regular* line because of the fastlane implementation. That seems like the park taking away a service and then making you pay to get it back.

In general, I'm all for virtual queing. How much better would it be if everyone just walked up to the gate of a coaster, took a number, and returned to ride when their number was called. You could actually enjoy shows and shops and food and arcades instead of standing in hot cattle pens in the blazing sun with your personal space being invaded by people who have no concept of personal hygiene. But no, I'm not bitter.

Ok I was at SFGAdv this past saturday and I would say the normal Qbot is not worth it since all it does it let you sit elsewhere for the wait rather than standing in line.... The Gold Qbot is good though since it cuts all waits to 1/4 the current wait time... also on S:UF, Nitro and Medusa we could still choose where we sat. Some Coasters have set row unless the ride ops were kind enough to fill empty spots on a train with Qbot and Special Pass riders. Thanks if any Batman ops are on here for the back row one time with Qbot and the Second row another time, due to 2 people in those rows and us being 2 people with a qbot :-) *** Edited 6/14/2004 2:19:17 PM UTC by dragonoffrost***

I've said this before, but there are all kinds of ways to part with your money at a park, and no one's forcing you to do any of it. You have your upcharge attractions, merchandise, ride photos, arcades, waterparks (which usually have a steep locker fee and are sometimes extra), concerts, water cannons, and last but not least is food and beverage. People are willing to pay more for extra frills, and I'll admit I've used Q-bot twice at Great Adventure and loved it.

Let's put it this way; the State of Maryland is seriously looking into special lanes of traffic that would be fee-based based on congestion. The more congested it is, the more you pay for the convenience of blowing by all those people stuck in traffic. Some of these roads are already in existence in other states. Is it fair? I'll let you decide.