Fastrack

[AHW]

Welcome to the Fastrack topic. Discuss anything relating to Fastrack here...To start of, Will Rush, Slammer and Samurai be having Fastrack this season? And will Unlimited Fastrack be on sale?

[Alex]

Feck knows why it's popular. Bloody bore-fest.

[Joe]

I understand tourests visiting Thorpe Park from places far away, because they will want to get on everything, when I went to America and visited there theme parks, I sure wanted to buy Fastrack, but they only sell ultimate in Islands of Adventure :|Lets settle it at this, fastrack is a rip off for people who visit the park often?

[Alex]

It's a ripoff for anyone, but people who visit less frequently are more willing to pay for it.

[Phyciodes]

yeah definetely a rip off. I remember a time when I was going on Colossus with fasttrack and the guy signed the box for the nemesis inferno fasttrack by mistake. The good thing is we kept on using it on Colossus for about 5 times after that because they didn't sign it at all for some reason.

[Mark9]

It's a ripoff for anyone, but people who visit less frequently are more willing to pay for it.

Let me explain why fastrack is rubbish:-The idea behind is that by creating a stand by queue you are reducing the main queue as some come back at later times. By having it on a few rides the effect isn't to bad. However Thorpe's methods mean is it 9 or 10 rides have it. The only two major rides being Detonator and Rumba Rapids. Now the problem with Fastrack is that they sell to many of them and to many options. How many does Stealth have for example. Now considering Fastrack people are the priority it means the main queue only get a look in when theres few people around as the ratio is normally 2 fastrackers to every one normal queuer. So while you say its only a rip off to those who visit frequantly, its also a rip off to normal people who have already spent 30 quid each to enter only to have those with a bit more cash on them to stroll by pass unrestrained. Its a ridiculous method of queue jumping as by having a few with reduced queuing, you have 100% more queueing longer.

[Marc]

Now considering Fastrack people are the priority it means the main queue only get a look in when theres few people around as the ratio is normally 2 fastrackers to every one normal queuer.

In recent visits where has been many times for example Stealth fastrack line is full, which is around a half hour wait, it seems this season they wont happerly let in loads of fastrackers, just a group or so at a time so whilst they still q a shorter time the main q isn't ignored.

[MikeC]

Spamhead Marc :oAnyhoo, I really don't agree with any of the people's comments above, about fastrack being crap. People may think HB Leisure are stupidly annoying. I do. But just spare a *second* to think how much money these two thigns bring in for Thorpe. It's a lot. Whatever fanboys will say, Thorpe won't be getting rid of fastrack too soon.

[iCharlie]

Most of us are used to going every few weeks, most people only one/twice a year and purchase fastrack to get the most out of their day. Therefore, its a good investment to the park & should be very profitable, no matter what you think.

[MikeC]

Exactly. If fanboys really, for once, looked at the perspective that the parks looks at it,

[Mark9]

I'm sure the parks look at it an excellent view. However you forget that they need to keep the guests happy and by having these ridiculous methods of queueing word of mouth fails. If all that queue goes away and says how horrendous queues are at Thorpe, they are unlikely to visit again. Thus damaging Thorpe's return visits. Yes theres new guests coming every year but they need to keep oldies happy to.

Therefore, its a good investment to the park & should be very profitable, no matter what you think.

It is profitable but thats the problem. So many low throughput rides and it doesn't work. You can hardly say Fish was breaking the bank and yet look how Fastrack prices have risen this year.Extreme(Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, X:\No Way Out, Tidal Wave or Loggers Leap) ?7.00Adrenaline(Rush, Samurai, Slammer, Vortex) ?7.00Stealth ?4.00Ultimate(Unlimited Fastrack rides all day!) ?40.00From what used to be ?4 at the beginning of 2006 to a 75% increase by May 2007. Thats the problem with fastrack.

[Themeparksandy1981]

Fastpass at Disney parks are free and not so long ago they were free at thorpe and alton towers.

[Mark9]

Ladies and Gentleman, raise your glasses. Chessington no longer exists

[James]

^ Just like to point out that Extreme fastrack is actually ?9.

[Dan9]

Fastpass at Disney parks are free and not so long ago they were free at thorpe and alton towers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I actually dont believe that. NO park would have free fastrack.

[Loz]

I actually dont believe that. NO park would have free fastrack.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It Is.You Put Your Day Ticket In The Machine And It Gives You A Time Slot To Come Back. Very Good System. Used It Loads.

[Joe]

Andy and Loz are right, I remember back last year in Disney land Magic kingdom, Stuck my entrance ticket in some machine and it gave me what they call "fast pass"... They have these machines outside each main attraction, It is a good system but I cant see this happening at Thorpe, Alton or Chessie.

[MikeC]

It used to happen at Thorpe, that's for sure. Called Q-Bot.

[Mark9]

Fastrak started in 1998 and was only on Dragon Falls and Oblivion I believe. The system was a bit crap as you had to have a ticket to ride, you couldn't just go into the queue. It stuck around for a while before being replaced and added onto Colossus and Air in 2002, since then being added to several attractions. It did used to be free but they started charging in 2004. Chessington's fastrack system started out at ?2 dont ya know.

[Phyciodes]

I suppose in a way it's better that it's no longer free because when it was free many people would want to have it and it would mean longer waits in the fasttrack queue. However now not so many people want fasttrack and those who do buy it are entitled to a shorter wait.

[MikeC]

From a fanboy point of view: I would like to see it removed. But, on the other hand, the amount of money it's bringing in for Thorpe, I would keep it, as it may help towards 2009 coaster. So don't just think that they are money grabbers. It's not.

[Phyciodes]

I personnaly think fasttrack is a good idea. If you want to get on all the rides at least once on a busy day then just spend a few quids on buying fasttrack.

[Alex]

Fastrack is a terrible idea regardless of how my money it makes. It encourages a hierarchical atmosphere and the idea that because Person A has more money than Person B, then they shouldn't have to queue as long.Everyone should have to queue the same amount of time, but instead Tussauds should focus their efforts on making the queuing experiance more enjoyable and part of the day, instead of trying to squeeze every last penny out of guests while they are on the premises.It isn't like Tussauds are straped for cash anyway, they just don't like spending it where they don't have to.

[iCharlie]

Fastrack is a terrible idea regardless of how my money it makes. It encourages a hierarchical atmosphere and the idea that because Person A has more money than Person B, then they shouldn't have to queue as long.Everyone should have to queue the same amount of time, but instead Tussauds should focus their efforts on making the queuing experiance more enjoyable and part of the day, instead of trying to squeeze every last penny out of guests while they are on the premises.It isn't like Tussauds are straped for cash anyway, they just don't like spending it where they don't have to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have to totally disagree with what you've just said.Tussauds are part of the entertainment industry, they're SUPPOST to get everything out of you, they wouldnt run places like thorpe if they didnt recive a good profit, thats the whole concept of it. The only reason they introduce new rides is to attract new people therefore making more & more."It isn't like Tussauds are straped for cash anyway"true, however - thats not the point, they're always going to try and make more, they're not going to spend a lot without reciving more in return are they? its the whole point of tussauds, they're a company.therefore they're going to keep costs for themselves low, so they will take shortcuts on theming & only add whats needed for the ride to look decent, sure, it could be better however, they have no real NEED to make the theming outstanding, because people unlike us dont go as often and are more intrested in the ride itself.The more they make, the better. the whole idea of it is to entertain you enough to the degree that they're making enough out of it. also, why spend it if you dont have to? it would be nice to see things being spent on, but they'd rather MAKE as much rather then loose it. its just the way things work, in industrys.

[Mark9]

Every parks supposed to make a profit, the difference is Thorpe are already making a profit, so why have the fastrack prices increase every 3 months. If Thorpe had built high capacity rides to cope then fine, they haven't. Parks Like Europa don't do it and they get an incredibly healthy attendence, compared to Thorpe that has a very bad consistency.

[Marc]

I know it dont matter now as the problems sorted, but I thought it was a nice touch of thorpe not selling Stealth fastrack when it was only running 1 train.