Tbh they really need to focus on fixing the que time boards, or doing somthing to them because I don't think I've qued the time it says on the board. Once when the park was like empty, Saw said 60mins, me and my friend were going to walk of but I looked in the actual que, there wasn't even anyone inside, it was just walk on.

I get what Mccy is saying (and thanks for sharing! Didn't know that!) , but that doesn't mean the system is fine does it?

It doesn't matter who updates what, you can't get away from the fact that queue times are still constantly wrong on the boards, which means Fastrack is being falsely advertised.

We have a dedicated role in the Park whose responsibility it is to check the queue times of each ride and update the boards to keep them as accurate as possible.

As Mccy correctly states, our Commercial team have no influence over the queue times, and we never state queue times inaccurately in order to inflate Fastrack sales.

We know the queue times are not always accurate, and it is something we are working very hard on to improve internally. We care about the experience our guests have on Park, and this is the reason for us trialling systems like Reserve 'n Ride which we hope to offer as a permanent solution in future.

We do our very best to keep queue times as accurate as possible, but sometimes technology lets us down, and queue times can change very quickly, when a ride temporarily closes down for example. So we will also very soon be launching a Queue Hotline, where people can text in and let us know if the times are inaccurate, so we can update the boards with the most up to the minute information.

Thanks for the excellent detailed reply.

So we will also very soon be launching a Queue Hotline, where people can text in and let us know if the times are inaccurate, so we can update the boards with the most up to the minute information.

This seems like a great idea, glad you are taking it seriously as no matter how innocently the over stated queue times errors occur they will always look suspicious coupled with some of the more aggressive sales techniques. Good work!

Sorry in my last post what I meant didnt come across, she didn't say she tells them the correct queue time, they phone the ride and ask them what their accurate queue time is and then asks the ride to update it

This hotline thing makes me wonder, how successful was the old anti-social behaviour one?

Will people use it? Dunno, depends how much OUTRAGE people have if the queue isn't precisely accurate...

I was there the other day and one of the doors going into the cinema was open and there was loads of stuff in there. I'm not sure what it was though because it was too dark to see.

I was there today with a swarm queue stating 45 min queue so I bought a fast track got there and there was 4 people queuing in the main queue and the 30 min queue was after the fastrack queue. The girl told me to go back to the fastrack hut and ask for a refund as there was no queue at the normal entrance.

They happily gave me my £5 back and apologised!

Still misconception on queue times but at least they gave me a refund!

So we will also very soon be launching a Queue Hotline, where people can text in and let us know if the times are inaccurate, so we can update the boards with the most up to the minute information.

The hotline sounds a good idea, but you shouldn't really need to get your customers text you informing you that your information is wrong, for me this screams that Thorpe do not have control over the very basics of queue times.

For many guests they rely on this information to plan their day and this does indeed decide if guests will want to splash out on Fast Tracks or not.

Many of your guests are paying a premium price for their entry into the park and if they see large queue times, they may even pay more money to beat these queues. The only ones benefiting here are Thorpe Park as they are gaining additional revenue from Fast Track sales.

Guests who purchase Fast Track tickets expect quick access to the rides (well you would expect so as your paying a premium for this service), but if those guests find out they brought a Fast Track ticket and they don't in fact get quick access to the ride, they end up stuck in a 25 min 'Fast Track' queue or there is almost next to no queue on the non Fast Track queue and don't go back to get a refund like Emmaxr2i, then they will walk away from the park feeling completely ripped off.

You only need to view Trip Advisor and Facebook to see the number of guests not happy. 233 1 and 2 star reviews on Trip Advisor at the moment and these are only the guests who are reviewing.

After visiting Port Aventura Thorpe / Merlin fastrack really isn't run that badly at all. Each ride has a vending machine to purchase fastrack outside its entrance, with some rides having their own little booths to purchase. Ride staff don't seem to fussed atall about the normal queue and fastrack are more often that not let straight on... Good for us but I wouldnt like to stand in their normal queues!

Along with that, on the busiest day Bacco had a constant full fastrack queue, which cant have been any less than 40 min which I can only assume its either unlimited or its limits are set way higher!

And then make the Disney comparison. Its not a race to the bottom etc etc etc

Surely Europa has the best method of Fastrack and all parks should be emulating that?

Surely Europa has the best method of Fastrack and all parks should be emulating that?

Yeah it doesn't have one! Perfect for everyone!

Yeah it doesn't have one! Perfect for everyone!

Apart from those who would like the option to pay more and queue for less time which there clearly is a large demand for

Clearly isn't a demand for it at Europa, rather the demand is that the rides eat throughputs like me in a chocolate factory...

You shouldn't be allowed to pay to queue jump - it's that simple.

You shouldn't be allowed to pay to queue jump - it's that simple.

Thing is its a way of life and not just in theme parks, you can pay a few quid and get to the front of the queue at Airport Security and of course for a few quid more the front of the line to get on board the planes! If it wasnt for fastrack there will have been trips I would have wasted my time queueing instead of enjoying the rides so I do have to disagree with that, whilst they may not be demand in Europa I guess its clear in the UK theres plenty of demand here.

Some people are not aware of the impact it has on guests in the main queue, other people simply don't care. Regardless, just because people want something doesn't mean they should be offered it, as in this case it is massively detrimental to others.

Sadly, the reason fastrack exists is not as a customer service - it's a massive revenue stream. We've now in a situation where queues are pretty much necessary to ensure that revenue is maximised. There is now a major financial disincentive towards building high capacity rides, and towards operating rides on high capacity on moderately busy days as an absence of queues represents a huge loss of potential income.

The great tragedy of fastrack is that demand feeds demand - with more people using the system the main queues move ever slower and more people feel compelled to buy as a result. A lot of people seem to already be in the mindset that it is impossible to enjoy a day at Thorpe without fastrack, but if it wasn't there at all I suspect that the vast majority of the time this would not be the case. Fastrack is little more than a con, a self-fulfilling prophecy that has completely fooled a large proportion of guests - if you buy fastrack for one ride, the time you save on that ride is lost on other rides as people pay their way in front of you. The only winners are those rich enough to pay for the unlimited packages, and of course the park who rake in millions from our suffering.

Clearly isn't a demand for it at Europa, rather the demand is that the rides eat throughputs like me in a chocolate factory...

One of Europa's main complaints by guests is that it doesn't offer a fastrack system.

Even more fair play to Europa for not bowing to every whim and just building high capacity rollercoasters time and time again

The great tragedy of fastrack is that demand feeds demand - with more people using the system the main queues move ever slower and more people feel compelled to buy as a result. A lot of people seem to already be in the mindset that it is impossible to enjoy a day at Thorpe without fastrack, but if it wasn't there at all I suspect that the vast majority of the time this would not be the case. Fastrack is little more than a con, a self-fulfilling prophecy that has completely fooled a large proportion of guests - if you buy fastrack for one ride, the time you save on that ride is lost on other rides as people pay their way in front of you. The only winners are those rich enough to pay for the unlimited packages, and of course the park who rake in millions from our suffering.

It's why I'm slowly turning away from the parks getting high capacity rollercoasters. Whats the point in any of them getting a 2000 people per hour giant if I know I'm still going to be waiting ages because 1000 people an hour are paying £5 fastrack and I'm just standing there wondering why I bothered visiting. I was a huge fan of The Smiler but because Alton decided over half the people allowed to go on it an hour were fastrackers then I haven't visited since. I wonder how many others out there a like me and have voted with their feet and not voiced their viewpoint to the parks.

Thing is its a way of life and not just in theme parks, you can pay a few quid and get to the front of the queue at Airport Security and of course for a few quid more the front of the line to get on board the planes! If it wasnt for fastrack there will have been trips I would have wasted my time queueing instead of enjoying the rides so I do have to disagree with that, whilst they may not be demand in Europa I guess its clear in the UK theres plenty of demand here.

Aaannnddd, back to page one we go....

May as well just lock this topic and let people read it in an infinite circle...

Some people are not aware of the impact it has on guests in the main queue, other people simply don't care. Regardless, just because people want something doesn't mean they should be offered it, as in this case it is massively detrimental to others.

Sadly, the reason fastrack exists is not as a customer service - it's a massive revenue stream. We've now in a situation where queues are pretty much necessary to ensure that revenue is maximised. There is now a major financial disincentive towards building high capacity rides, and towards operating rides on high capacity on moderately busy days as an absence of queues represents a huge loss of potential income.

The great tragedy of fastrack is that demand feeds demand - with more people using the system the main queues move ever slower and more people feel compelled to buy as a result. A lot of people seem to already be in the mindset that it is impossible to enjoy a day at Thorpe without fastrack, but if it wasn't there at all I suspect that the vast majority of the time this would not be the case. Fastrack is little more than a con, a self-fulfilling prophecy that has completely fooled a large proportion of guests - if you buy fastrack for one ride, the time you save on that ride is lost on other rides as people pay their way in front of you. The only winners are those rich enough to pay for the unlimited packages, and of course the park who rake in millions from our suffering.

Well said.

Now with Merlin going to float on the stock exchange those share holders are going to be wanting a lot of cash for their investments, so where do we all think this will come from... not investment into the park or customer service, but up selling and pushing fast track sales. One train operation anyone?

I will only fastrack if the queue is longer than 40 mins. I also go on weekdays in term time so it's quieter.

If the option is there to fastrack then people will use it. Take it away and you will have massive queues and unhappy guests. If I knew fastrack wasn't avaliable on a busy day then I would be put off going. I don't mind waiting an hour but anymore takes the piss.

Never brought Fast Track and never will do -.-

I baught a one shot for the swarm as the queue was ma-hoo-sive. Other than that, haven't used ut

Good for you MarkC, stick to your opinions!

Everyone will have a difference of opinions when it comes to fastrack.

Edited September 19, 201311 yr by Tommy
Patronising