Paul2014

Storm Surge I do agree with you on even though I am one who uses fastrack, they do automatically just try to empty the fastrack line before the other queue and it is one ride where you do feel slightly embarrassed as you see people glancing at you but that's down to either staff making wrong choices or how the team have been instructed to operate the queue.

If they were queue jumping I hope you reported them to the ride hosts?! If what you mean is they were using their fastrack then obviously that's not an issue as that's what they're entitled to do regardless of the normal queue. Obviously the case of Storm Surge is a staffing issue, report your feedback to guest services.

Pass holders are supposed to use the booking system, this lets the park know how many are coming and times of arrival so they can be ready for us. Also making a booking on the site triggers a process where the park is supposed to phone you to confirm parking etc but your right even if a park has issued its allowance for the day they aren't going to turn away people willing to pay. It's just the fact of the Merlin, as long as people are willing to pay fastrack or even priority entry (London attractions) then they will keep offering them.

The fastrack issue though isn't pass exclusive, if no VIP's turned up you'd still have people buying fastrack.

That's something a lot of us have been saying and the fact that you actively make sure you visit more places to get even more value. For Thorpe I'd often pop in on way home from work, get a few goes on Stealth and then back home.

Rerides aren't part of the pass, I guess sometimes people will ask and staff say yes as they don't want an issue. Last year water rides at most attractions the staff would say you can stay on if you like (that's the staff offering not guest asking) those that demand it are wrong. I wouldn't say the pass is wrong, just the name.

I remember that active thread, got heated and then suddenly they all moved over to the Facebook group.

That sort of behaviour isn't on, but again at Alton were giving out mixed messages on re-rides. I know on coasters they don't allow it but when they notice your wristband / pass and your on a ride such as the Flume, rapids etc they actually say "oh you go round again you don't want to get off" (at least they did last summer) There was also the case of certain staff on Air telling us not to use the fastrack and go to disabled and then the host at disabled saying no and arguments started as it was then "well he / she told us to use it" A dedicated thread would be good, might get other VIP's to talk as well.....I'm sure I'm not the only one on here lol

Marc has a point and it's part of the feedback that a few of us have given them, they sold the VIP brand on being just that, VIP - the first few weeks of the pass it was just that but after that the experience became different at each park (Alton being the best to now the worst) the updated info last October is supposed to standardise the experience between attractions. The name platinum has been thrown around a few times. It's ironic you mention Alton Dan, as it's well known by us holders that Alton hate it. Maybe there is a few demanding people who ruin it for us who only expect what we're entilited to but if there are it should stop from this season. Also even if the price did increase then I'd still expect it to sell, not only the fastrack but the fact you get 4 tickets which give 4 people park entry and fastrack for the day - at Thorpe's prices that's over £500. I don't mind talking about the pass and flaws, notice there isn't much of it on here. There are issues but it's Merlin who's created them.

I expect that was last year, Merlin did themselves no favours as we kept getting told different things about where to queue and what was on offer. Last October we all got updated info clearly stating where to queue and each parks procedures. If the parks didn't want to sell the pass they wouldn't be making the new efforts that were discussed today. The pass is here to stay but will be refined.

I am a VIP passholder and as already said the hospitality we've got this weekend doesn't affect any other guests. Exclusive ride time only happens after the ride queue has closed. I guess you can argue fastrack hindered everyone but that's an argument that'll never change and there will always be fastrack regardless. Chessington also have VIP hospitality next weekend, it's a push by Merlin ready for the next set of passes to go on sale.

Such a shame given the other rides out of action as well.

Also expect the Swarm queue line to close at 4pm, once the queue line is empty there's a VIP event both days. I know a few posts in here said they might extend to 5pm if it's busy but for the Swarm they won't.

The VIP invites have just been sent out and they also only list the original four rides closed.

The booking page might change today, Chessington's yesterday didn't require pass numbers but today they've changed it and you have to type a pass number per ticket.

Booking page has changed since yesterday, it's now classed as two days (yesertday the ticket covered both days) and you have to supply a pass number for each ticket.

I am a VIP pass holder, and obviously adding fastrack at half term is just another money making method. The terms state we get unlimited fastrack every visit excluding Christmas events. Even we were surprised at Summer Nights but on the times we went our VIP hosts were making it clear the perks were still active for the evening (even though it was walk on) Things have changed since October though as all pass holders got booklet telling them where to queue etc. Keeping the post on topic, I can't see the need for fastrack for half term but if they can make money then they will.

Not surprised by it considering there will also be VIP pass holders using unlimited fastrack.

Why not book them in via Friends & Family, plus it's a couple of pound cheaper, than the 2-4-1.

Even as VIP pass holder it was poor tonight, the amount of priority passes around was unbelievable (not that I have any issue with people being given them). It's time guest services actually listened and actioned guest feedback instead of silencing people with priority passes! Even we last week got issued priority passes proving the point that they don't listen and just want you out of the office.

Although not really for this thread but the VIP pass does create it's own problem, that being the name VIP implies you are treated above anyone else, something that Merlin were aware of but have decided VIP is the correct name and will continue. If the pass was called "Ultimate Pass" or something like that then there wouldn't be any expectations of the pass holder. We only got "VIP" access to Studio 13, and that was probably because it was totally oversold fastrack and as has been said before when a VIP guest complains they have no solution in place to remedy to the complaint because the obvious fix would be offer a priority pass, something that some VIP'S have reported as being offered to them which doesn't solve the problem and in turn creates more issues as it then appears the member of staff isn't taking the complaint seriously and just wants to fob you off. Most if not almost all VIP'S behave within the terms but staff are told to offer spontaneous VIP treatment, it could be we're just seeing that.

It's been updated with a booklet that was posted to all VIP holders at the start of the month, they just haven't updated the website.When we collect our unlmited wristbands, we also get given a bit of paper with our details on and a list of the mazes, you then go to the maze and a host signs the maze and that means you can't use VIP again for that maze that day.

As a pass holder myself, when we visited Legoland I was really surprised at the amount of under 10's we saw, same at Chessington.

The park know the amount of VIP guests coming each day as you book via the VIP site so they should then lower the amount of fastracks on sale according to the amount of VIP's on site, thus balancing it to be fair.VIP holders also only get one entry to each maze per night, no time specified so unless they all go to the same mazes at the same time it just unlucky. The staff use their discretion with VIP guests, it's not a given that you turn up and then get let straight on although last night when we went on Studio 13 we were put straight to the front, that was the only time for us.

Remembering that VIP Pass holders get access to the Park from 5pm, they have an event between 5pm - 7pm.