Universal and Busch go beyond queue management with paid perks

Seems to me the queues @ USF/IOA are half the experience....too bad for the VIPs.

-'Playa

(who quit using Universal Express for the above reason)

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

Thats stupid, your whole day is shot in 1 hour.

this kind of bull sh*t makes me so mad. this is just paid line jumping that leaves the the average person (one without $3000) in the dust. The rule should be to just make everyone wait an equal amount, but these big parks, deperate to make a buck, will do anything to take advantage of the public. it makes me sick.

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Jim Fisher:
I'll repeat my opinion that I'm opposed to anything that creates mulitple classes of riders during regular park hours.

So you're for Communistic parks? ;)

I agree with Lord Gonchar, even though these practices may not seem 'fair' to the ones not in the VIP lines, the parks are out to make a profit and if offering this service increases profits, even slightly, then they might as well do it. These systems only impact riders significantly if it isn't run properly. Otherwise the parks are offering a service for those willing to pay for it while hopefully having little impact on the general admission crowd, that's capitalism.

I've heard it mentioned on this board before on how amazing it is when enthusiasts complain about these systems, unless it's called ERT. ;)

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Syntax Error
*** This post was edited by SyntaxError on 7/8/2002. ***

How many people a day do you think will have the hundreds to thousands of dollars to do this? I seriously doubt you'd have more than one group a day touring the park, and in that case, it would displace all of 5 minutes of you line-waiting time. I don't see this as an inconvinience or problem at these parks, just because of the sheer numbers. It's like high-rollers at casinos, they get in at the best tables, get all the VIP priveledges, but don't really interfere with the rest of the patrons. And I think the rates will keep the numbers of this VIP group down. Max profit for the park, min interference for the people.

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Crito, ergo sum.

At the moment this thing is not a problem because only a few people that can afford this kind of treatment vist parks that offer it. But if too many people start doing this, say 1/4 of the people in the park at any given day, than it will become a problem.

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Monster Ride Op
Cedar Point

The difference between the examples Lord Gonchar gave and this are ultimately important - the examples aren't taking anything away from normal paying guests while these systems do.

If you go to a concert, you can't help the fact that some seats are closer to the stage than others - that's just the way concert arenas have to be set up. So yes, a person should be able to pay more money for front row seats. The same thing goes for hotel rooms; if you pay extra money, it's definitely justified that you should get extra things. With this system, however, you've got *one* attraction (a ride), not *several* (such as several different hotel rooms or different seats in a concert). If you pay for a front row seat, you're not only getting extra but you're taking things away from others. That's why these systems are unfair and wrong.

Think back to when amusement parks were all pay-per-ride. The POP passes were a huge deal and parks (and guests) were happy to convert to the new system. Now, both systems are being combined into one which just doubles the price you pay to visit a park. The POP that used to get you rides now just gets you into the parks - and now you have to pay big bucks to actually ride anything. That's money grubbing at its best (or worst, as the case may be).

-Nate

My objection to these types of services is different: when I go to a theme park, I want to RELAX. I don't want to have to think about how to work the fastpass, beeper, gizmo, etc., or to find the "special" queue for the ride. I have to think at work- I don't want to think at the park.

With VIP you don't have to, a guy takes you there. :) LOL! I think this is a great idea!
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Why do they report power outages on TV? SANDWICH! Feel free to call me Mack. Or S00perd00perhyper. *** This post was edited by S00perGIR on 7/9/2002. ***

It's not a problem now, but when 1/3 of the people in the park have tickets to cut when ever they want, that is when you'll notice. When the line you are in isn't moving you will have a problem with rich jerks cutting in front of you for their 3rd or 4th ride while you wait for your first. Unless you are one of those rich jerks. If you truly have a problem with waiting in line, careful planing can help you avoid most big waits. Be at the gate when the park opens, don't be at the park during peak hours, and do the popular rides early. Some dopes are just too lazy to think that far ahead. I like parks because the classes between people are left at the gates. It is too bad that will soon change once they bring those cutting prices down.

Lord Gonchar - there's a difference between what you said and paying to inconvenience others (cutting in line). When you pay for a better hotel room you're not forcing others to have an even worse room, which is equivalent to making them wait longer.

Lord Gonchar said: Your hotel room has just a simple bed, TV, and bathroom for $69. Why do others get a jacuzzi, refrigerator, balcony, extra space and more? Because they paid $199 for a better experience.

Gonchar, it doesn't work like this for folks who are visiting an amusement park (and I see I'm not the only one of this opinion). I fail to see any reason why paying more should entitle you to cutting in front of those in line who have waited perhaps an hour or more to experience a ride.

Syntax Error said: I've heard it mentioned on this board before on how amazing it is when enthusiasts complain about these systems, unless it's called ERT.

BULLSHOOT. ERT has nothing to do with what we are even talking about here. ERT happens once or twice a year at a park, not every single day like the "pay more to get more" scenario we are discussing. This has been the easiest comment to shoot down on the whole board, ever.

Syntax Error also said: even though these practices may not seem 'fair' to the ones not in the VIP lines, the parks are out to make a profit and if offering this service increases profits, even slightly, then they might as well do it...

Well, isn't someone starting to sound like cold blooded Jane Wyman on Falcon Crest? I'm sure it's a source of extra income, but they better not bite the hand that's feeding them (i.e., a significant portion of the 99% of "average" park goers might just choose to go someplace else strictly out of principle). I think there are better ways to improve the bottom line, don't you? *** This post was edited by ophthodoc on 7/9/2002. ***

If you're wealthy enough to afford such perks, you're probably too egotistical and self-absorbed to realize the distressed mass of riders waiting for hours in the sun for one ride. Should you take advantage of these people, it's probably far to late you save you, but just for kicks, put yourself in their shoes. Imagine waiting in a long, meanderring line for what seems to be an eternity, and up walks Mr. Bucks strutting and picking his teeth with a solid gold toothpick. Since Daddy handed him everthing he needs in life, he has no real consciounce. He casually sticks a wad of greenbacks down the operators shirt pocket, and like the greedy bastards they are, the park accepts, and lets him ride. So, I ask you Johnny Highpockets, next time you find yourself reaching for the wallet, look back at all the hardworking patrons, whose hard earned money got them there. Think twice, but I for one don't expect any miracles out of you.

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-SD

"Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees."
-J. Willard Marriot

Amen apu.

I guess I didn't make my point clear earlier.

If these systems are run properly, they probably wouldn't add even 5 minutes of waiting for a ride. I've been to parks that have queue management systems that I have NOT taken part in and it didn't affect my wait time significantly at all. Now, on the other hand I have heard about stories where these systems were managed poorly and caused considerable waits for those who didn't use the system. I'd be among the first to complain about those systems that were run poorly, that would be biting the hand that feeds you.

And ophthodoc, do you really think I was serious about the ERT comment? I just think that everyone is getting way too worked up on this whole thing. I am sure that if the parks see a negative impact on guest experience, most of them will pull the system.

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Syntax Error
Jane Wyman? Probably more like John Ross Ewing, Jr. ;)

Apu, I missed the part where being wealthy means that you are egotistical and self-absorbed. Also, I don't understand why you make a reference to "daddy." Especially in this age of nouveau riche computer industry millionaires, most of your young wealthy people have earned their own money.

Call me one of the guilty ones. I've ponied up the money in the past for VIP tours at WDW, and felt they were well worth the money. Yes, I cut in line at Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean at MK and Test Track at Epcot, and I had VIP seating for the Fantasmic show at MGM. Sue me. My money is just as "hard-earned" as anyone else's, and if that's how I choose to spend it, then I don't see the problem. If you choose not to, once again, that's your choice. If you want the finer things in life, whether that be vacations, homes, cars, etc., you have to pay for them.

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no love for the whiners *** This post was edited by Mark W. Baruth on 7/10/2002. ***

I agree (sort of). I make a hell of a lot more than most people my age, and I won't apologize for it. I earned it.

However, while capitalism is a great thing, I just don't feel it suits Walt's alleged philosophy. If you didn't have to pay so much to get into the park in the first place, I'd be a gigantic advocate of these systems. Since it's more than $50 per person, I'm cautious to form a strict opinion.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"We used to hate people, now we just make fun of them. It's more effective that way." - KMFDM, "Dogma"

Although I am TOTALLY aginst paying for express access, VIP is a little different. While you do get to go to the front of the line on the rides, that is only ONE of the advantages to useing VIP. You also get a personal tour guied to take you around the park and tell you interesting things about each area. Did you know that IOA paid 1 million dollars for a tree in JP? Or that the paint used in Marvel Super Hero Island is really moter vehicle paint and changes color when the sun moves from morning to evening?

Getting a personal tour of the park sounds like great fun to me. "Cutting" to the front of the line is only part of what you're paying for though.

The reason I don't see it as too much of a problem is that it is so expensive that not many people can afford it, and that therfore reduces the number of tour groups that "cut" in line. When I worked at JPRA we had only about 3 or 4 tour groups a day. I assume that that was all of the tour groups at the park that day. It doesn't sound like a problem with such a low amount of people takeing advantage of it.

Paying for a book of express tickets is another story all together.

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-KoRn is the Millennium Force of ROCK-