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Do you get fast passes?

S

snes2

Roller Poster
Do you ever purchase fast pass or do you endure 2 hour long lines to get on a ride?
I've never purchased a fast pass before but if I visit Walibi in the summer, I might have to get it for untamed!
 
When we were at Universal we stayed at on of the Premium onsite hotels so we got free fast pass. They were so good- I don't think the holiday would have been nearly as good without them!
 
I believe in them. Especially for those rare weekend visits. I usually wait until the day of to gauge weather and crowd, though. I look at it if its already costing me 2k or so to be there, another 500 for insurance to get my fill seems oddly justified. It costs me more because we live light years from the closest "real" park. Six Flags Chicago would be the closest, and that's an easy 14 hour drive or so.
 
If it is free, get it.
Just once for upcharging fastpass: When I was 6th grade, went to Everland for school trip, and T Express was pointing 150 min wait, so I bought Special Fastpass that includes fastpass for 2 people+ a rider cam video. Had a great experience for skipping the line.
 
I don't tend to but have once on DBGT at Thorpe for my 1st ride on it. It had 2hr queue and kept breaking down, lengthening the queue further. Had voucher bringing price of one ride fast-tracks down to £5 so used on DBGT, even that queue was long due to the ride breaking down again!

For the most part, I don't as it is instant profit for the park and unless it's stupidly busy, i don't even consider it.
 
I never do, unless it's complimentary from an event I'm attending. Then, I try and refrain myself from abusing their perks! ;)
 
I prefer to go on quiet days rather than get fast passes.

Admittedly when I git my platinum pass at Carowinds this year it came with a free fast lane plus, and it was nice getting to walk past the stupidly long lines, it if you avoid obviously crazy busy days then they shouldn’t be required.
 
I've gotten Fast Lane at Carowinds, KD, KI, and CP before and it's worth it every time. If you don't have much time to spend at a park and really want to ride as much as you can then the extra 70 dollars or so is more than worth it.
 
These days, I judge it on the day after being burnt a couple of times buying them online beforehand only to find on the day that they were completely unnecessary.
 
Not counting Disney - with their included ones - I've done it once in recent memory.

Had a trip to Canada's Wonderland on a Sunday in August thanks to a bit of self-inflicted scheduling compression, and decided to get the FastLane+ in advance (bought with my park ticket). In the end, I was really glad I did. Wouldn't have struggled to get all the creds without it, but wouldn't have been able to have as many rides on Behemoth and Leviathan without it. In the end, worthwhile.

Then again, I almost always avoid going to the big parks on days like that, so it's not something I would do regularly.
 
I wouldn't when close to home, but the further afield or the more special ones then it becomes very likely. Unless there is a deal to buy ahead of time, judge on the day and if possible plan to go when its quiet(er).
 
Regarding paid-line-skippers, for me it's situational. I don't have an exact cost/benefit analysis, but it depends on:

- How expensive is it?
- Is it really useful?
- Is there a ride that I'd really love to marathon? (Lech Coaster <3)
- Is it included in a larger, otherwise attractive bundle? (Platinum passes for a whole chain, etc.)
- Can I afford to stay another day at the park instead to have the best experience? (Sometimes not as I am doing several parks in a trip)
- Am I in a group taking the pass?
- Will I likely not return to this park anytime soon?

Based on that, most often don't bother purchasing those. Port Aventura's reported business model of making operations slower to sell more passes is one of the reasons I'm not that eager to visit the place.
 
Any enthusiast worth their salt will plan trips in such a way that fast passes are not generally needed.
That said, even the best laid plans can sometimes go awry due to unforeseen circumstances, and when that happens and you find yourself up against the clock with long queues ahead - Hell yeah, get your wallet out, skinflint!
There's also that undeniable sense of smug, self satisfaction you get when, with your ultimate fast-lane wristband proudly on show, you breeze past a 2 hr line full of grumpy, frustrated poor people, moaning about the lack of shade and the over selling of fast-lane wristbands.
Step aside, peasants, playahhh comin' through!
I can't help thinking of the time me, Delly P and Morton whored Steel Vengeance for an hour or so, walking past the same queue full of scum time and time again. (No offence, @Coaster Hipster ;) ) So worth it!

In short, then, generally no, but when needed, Hell yes.
 
Depends on the scenario for me.

If I am visiting a park abroad for the first time which I'm likely to never visit again/not for a very long time and there's hour+ queues I don't think twice at buying them.

If I'm in a park where I have already done everything or will be visiting again in the near future I won't bother with them.
 
Howie said:
I can't help thinking of the time me, Delly P and Morton whored Steel Vengeance for an hour or so, walking past the same queue full of scum time and time again. (No offence, @Coaster Hipster ;) ) So worth it!

In short, then, generally no, but when needed, Hell yes.
Click to expand...

Haha when I saw in notifications you tagged me in this thread, I immediately knew you'd be referring to when we met in Steel Vengeance's Q! No worries, I'm not being offended ^^

That day, fast-pass-free, I ended up whoring Maverick which had absolutely no line at all at the end of the day. Quite a fab consolation prize if you ask me ;)
 
Rarely buy fast passes as I generally go to Cedar Point on Sunday's during Halloweekends (30 minutes in the longest I've ever waited and that's generally for MF or Maverick). Lines are usually walk on to 15 minute waits in the 10+ years I've been doing that. SFGAdv is my home park and I work about 30 minutes away so I'll run over after work for a few hours during the week and haven't ever really seen terrible lines. That being said... if I walk into a park I may not visit again for a long time and it's stupid busy, I'll absolutely buy one.
 
Coaster Hipster said:
Regarding paid-line-skippers, for me it's situational. I don't have an exact cost/benefit analysis, but it depends on:

- How expensive is it?
- Is it really useful?
- Is there a ride that I'd really love to marathon? (Lech Coaster <3)
- Is it included in a larger, otherwise attractive bundle? (Platinum passes for a whole chain, etc.)
- Can I afford to stay another day at the park instead to have the best experience? (Sometimes not as I am doing several parks in a trip)
- Am I in a group taking the pass?
- Will I likely not return to this park anytime soon?

Based on that, most often don't bother purchasing those. Port Aventura's reported business model of making operations slower to sell more passes is one of the reasons I'm not that eager to visit the place.
Click to expand...

This definitely. I don't do new parks as much anymore and I'm fine waiting a longer time in most cases. Plus I don't want to blow $100+ for stuff.
 
I've paid for a fast pass once in my life, Cedar Point this past summer. The only reason I did was because everyone else in my group had one. Normally I just deal with the lines.
 
The only time I ever paid for a fast pass was for Smiler when we visited Alton Towers in August 2013 with my family (so in the middle of school holidays in the ride's opening year), since it was obvious we wouldn't be able to do everything without those. I do realize they might be necessary evil from time to time, but I generally try to avoid scheduling theme park trips in high season, so they're mostly not really needed, since the queues are fairly light.
 
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