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FastPass Unfairness

Six Flags Over Texas: This is why FastPass should hurt ticket sales, especially season pass sales.

From Dale Phillips
Posted June 22, 2008 at 9:45 PM
The FastPass system appears to be legalized line jumping for those who can afford it. It reduces the value of a season pass. Soon if not now, the price of FastPass must be added to the price of the admission ticket in deciding if going to the park is worth the cost.


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From James Rao
Posted June 23, 2008 at 5:50 AM
As far as I know, Disney is the only major theme park company who does not charge for their Fastpass system...for now, anyway. And in many ways, I think their version of Fastpass is still the best and most fair. However, Disney has the highest ticket prices in the world, so they can afford to be "generous."

Six Flags appears to be the worst offender with two tiers of fastpass available, but with their reduced ticket prices, maybe it is not such a bad deal overall?

I do like the way Universal includes their Fastpass option as part of a Universal Resort stay, as that is a nice perk, but with only three Universal hotels it is a somewhat limited crowd. If Disney tied fastpass to their 8,000 resorts, ugh, what a nightmare! And rumor has it, Disney is testing that option....

Personally, I do not think parks should charge extra for Fastpass, it should be a free, controlled service accessible to anyone.

From hannah caller
Posted June 23, 2008 at 6:29 AM
I agree the fastpasses should be free the parks charge enough without having to pay for something else, for some people this is a once in a lifetime trip that they have saved a long time for and then they find out that they have to pay extra if they wanna be able to ride everything during their day, to me its not right, the parks should be bending over backwards to please guests we are after all what keeps them open!

From John Smith
Posted June 23, 2008 at 7:09 AM
another view of the fastpass, on days when there are not any big lines, during the off season, and someone buys the fastpass, they are out of luck. no refunds on the fastpass. so 20 bucks or so just got wasted.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted June 23, 2008 at 9:20 AM
Fastpasses should be free. Will somebody please steal Disney's idea for this!

Anyway, at SFGA, you got a fastpass for the Dark Knight Coaster if you bought your ticket during the prior season. Also, flash passes (as they are called) are cheaper for season pass holders. Still, the cost money....

From Derek Potter
Posted June 23, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Cedar Point used to have the "freeway system". They handed out a specific number of passes per hour for the most popular rides. They gave them away free. You could through most of the line and the wait would be about 10-15 minutes. They unfortunately discontinued this a couple of years ago. Really wish they would bring it back.

From Alan Ferguson
Posted July 11, 2008 at 3:45 AM
I think that season pass holders get the benefit of attending all season, and getting their money's worth over time. You can totally get a value 10 times the ticket price that way.

With these Fast Passes that are coming up, it really just caters to those weekend one-off tourists who aim to maximize their time in one day.

I figure it still pays more to be a season ticket holder, as you can work around these traffic trends and figure out how to avoid long lines for free.

From Scott Seal
Posted July 11, 2008 at 4:08 AM
While Alan's logic is correct, from a theoretical stand point, Dale is right as far as what people will think. Myself, I don't understand class envy, so I can't get my head around why someone is against a fast pass.

This is not medical attention, police services, or fire/rescue we are talking about...it's roller coasters and ferris wheels. If a person can afford a better seat at the ball game, he sits closer to the clay...why should that be different at a theme park? Everybody hates standing in line, and I'm a theme park owner trying to make money...how bout charging a little extra to get people to the front of the line. They get out of line, I make some money...everybody wins.

And Disney's FastPass is FREE, and so I don't understand ANY argument against that one, at all.

From Dale Phillips
Posted July 27, 2008 at 10:32 AM

From Dale Phillips
Posted July 27, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Bitter resentment of Fast Pass is not class envy, because it is not resentment of somebody having something better. It is resentment of Fast Pass holders taking something somebody else paid for, their turn to ride.
Fast pass is not at all like buying a better seat at a ball park, because Fast Pass holders get someone else's ride, not a better ride.
Not every body wins. People who ride fewer rides and stand in line longer, because Fast Pass snobs were ahead of them, lose. Theme park owners lose when people who can not afford Fast Pass in addition to admission tickets avoid the parks.
Scott Seal is correct that if Fast Pass were free for everybody, as Disney's are, the resentment could be avoided.

From Mike Bianucci
Posted July 29, 2008 at 3:13 AM
I prefer the first come first serve approach and everyone waits. I hate seeing a short line yet it takes forever to get to the front due to the "fast passers" cutting to the front.

From Andrew Holden
Posted July 29, 2008 at 11:22 AM
I would just like to point out that Fastpasses are free. Everyone is talking about how they should be free, and they are free. Also, due to the count of over twenty Disney resorts, I highly doubt they are going to link fastpassesto the resorts as a perk. The resorts already have EMH. Fastpasses are completely fair because everyone can use them.

From J Whetzel
Posted July 29, 2008 at 6:57 AM
First off, the fastpass or flash pass does not reduce the value of a season pass. A season pass allows you to visit the park as many times as you want, so if it's too busy you can just go back another day when the lines are shorter. A fastpass or flash pass buys you time and is more aimed to allow people who are on a one day trip get the most of it.

Secondly, how is the system unfair? The passes are available to EVERYONE. Even if you do not purchase one, you had the opportunity to. It was your choice not to.

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