Virtual Fast Lane VS Wristbands: which do you prefer

With Kings Dominion/Carowinds and the legacy SF parks (minus DL) using virtual Fast Lane for 2026, it got me thinking what I would prefer.

I don’t mind the concept of having a reservation system for Fast Lane, but I hate the idea of having to use my phone for my FL. Personally, I like the wristbands, especially since (at least at CePo) you can get it replaced at any GS or Retail location if you have a receipt. What do you guys think?

I know this is going to sound like an old man rant.... but I personally only want to use a wristband. I don't want to carry my phone around all day, risk losing it, it getting stolen or any of the above. I would be in deep s*** if I lost my phone, so why take the chance? My phone stays in the car when I go. If CP or KI ever get rid of the wristbands, i'll just have to stop getting fastlane all together.

Twisted Timbers: "No Phones allowed!"

Six Flags: " FAST LANE ULTIMATE POWER!!@@#@$ BRING YOUR PHONES!!!"

Average Customer:

I just love the constant, non-stop rebranding/repricing/refurbing of products, just weeks before the season starts. You bought a Gold Pass at a certain time? Now it's a Prestige Pass. You want all-parks access? Sold out here, but not there. $999 here, but $499 over there. And now the parks are congregated into "regions" like athletic conferences, and you may or may not have to activate your pass at the park you purchased it at. And what if you bought all-season Fast Lane without knowing you were really buying Fast Lane Ultimate (or reserve?), and now anyone wanting to use it has to have a phone on-hand. Need it here at this park, but 8 hours away at that park not neccessary.

Over a season or at a park like Disney that has their **** together technology wise? Phone. One day at Carrowinds? Wrist band. My phone has been my camera for I don’t know how long so it comes with me.

I need my iPhone with me at all times, because I use it constantly. What if I'm in line, and I see someone wearing something that I might want to buy later? "Hey Siri... Add Super Mario Hat to the Shopping List."

Or what if I see two cute little squirrels dancing around a tree? Double press my photo button and snap a few pictures, then edit the picture, tap to use AI to delete that stupid stroller out of the background, and post it on Facebook so three or four people will tap Like.

Or what if I want to pay for my meal, but I just don't want to reach into my pocket and pull out my wallet to get out my card? I love contactless payment, even though I have to touch the pin pad to enter my pin, and to tap tips, and to choose whether or not I want a paper receipt.

Oh yeah, and what if my DJI Pocket camera's battery ran down. Stupid camera. It's like disposable these days because once the battery doesn't hold a charge anymore, you have to just throw it away. I'll probably never get one of those stupid cameras again. I like the gimbal, but my phone takes better video anyway.

I was a late cell phone adopter. I think I started when iPhone 6 came out. Now I can't live without it.

When I am forced to put the phone in a locker in order to ride, I worry myself silly, and it physically hurts my heart.

Both wristbands and phones (or Q-Bot) are great for different reasons. (And terrible for different reasons.)

If you really get to basics and be objective, you don't need a phone all of the time. You're making choices.

Nothing makes you realize you can live without your phone like a cruise with no wifi package.

There should be no problem if the parks go to a free locker and metal detector system like Twisted Timbers has at KD. You go past the FastLane check in... get to a point go through a metal detector. Put your phone in a free small locker. Go ride. Come back and get your phone then go on your way.

The issue will be on rides where they have a hard problem finding a place to put the lockers easily accessible from the fast lane merge to main queue and the ride exit.

I'm looking at Jersey Devil at Great Adventure which has no loose items but the lockers are in the entrance queue with a pain in the ass to get back to from ride exit.

I’m not a fan of virtual queues. If you’re too lazy to stand in line, you don’t deserve to ride.
And I'm not a fan of lockers either—especially the ones at TT2.
Which parks, besides KI, allow phones on all rides?