Fast Lane

[CoastersNSich]

As someone who thinks that the government should do more things, such as better public transportation, and doesn't think everything should be run like a business....

I think what Kings Island and Cedar Fair is doing here is a good idea. Offer guests on a busy day the chance to ride the rides without waiting for a nominal fee, and let them get more out of their day. Lately, I've been critical of capitalism... but as a private business, I think KI is playing by the rules and as a business that provides entertainment, it's giving more options while enhancing revenue, something the company needs to do to pay off debt. Many of us know when to go to the park, and can go when crowds are less busy. And in the case of "being fair," the park only offers the program for 7 hours in the day, so in the mornings and evenings, there's no "paid cutting."

For those that asked, The Single Rider Line is now gone. It's honestly not as bad as you think its going to be, they only set a certain amount of wristbands per day.

Quite frankly, the SRL was a clusterf**k. Many of those who used it were groups, and even though staff would periodically close that line due to length, people would still hop into that line from the main queue thinking their wait was shorter.

[LordSkippy]

The way I see it, lines exist to assure peoplet that they will get to ride after the person in front of them and before the person behind them.

Therefore, the way I see it, these 'line jumping services' defeat the whole purpose of lines.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

I don't really see this has line jumping...I'm not really sure how anyone can really think it is...But to each their own I 'spose....

[markr]

If people are willing to pay the extra $50 for the Fast Lane, that is their perogative. However, I think they are waisting their money as even on the busiest days, the lines don't seem to be as busy as people think. ( For example, last year on a Saturday when Sean Hannity was in town, I clocked The Beast at a 45 minute wait as opposed to the 90 minutes stated on the sign. And I have clocked DB at 50 minutes from the entrance to Rivertown Junction.)I understand that I am speaking from the perspective of someone who lives near the park and goes frequently but I still don't think spending an extra $50 to avoid 45 to 50 minute waits is worth it. I can see spending this money to avoid 2-3 hour waits but the waits are never that long at KI>

[CoastersRZ]

Can anyone share any experiences they have had at a Six Flag park with their system?

1. Are there a lot of people utilizing it?
2. Is there a noticeable difference in line speed?

Well, funny you should ask such a question. I just returned from a three park (two park days), weekend trip with some fellow friends. The one park we went to that had the Flash Pass was Six Flags Great Adventure. We were prepared to buy a flash pass if needed. But fortunately, and to our surprise, the lines were relatively short. We did see quite a few people using flash passes though. Some rides had more people using flash passes than others. The prime rides seemed to be El Toro, (which is an incredible ride, but that is for a future PTR) and Kingda Ka.. The flash passes definitely slowed the line at Kingda Ka. The bigger issue we had was with the Platinum Flash Passes, as the ride crews gave little or no warning to when people would be using these passes. (Those passes entitled the holders a second consecutive ride). Visual Scan. We didn`t end up using a Flash pass, and rode everything, except for Green Lantern which had a full queue, and we decided it wasn`t worth the wait, especially after the garishly slow operations at Superman (they were averaged a dispatched train about every five minutes in our nearly two hour wait for it).

For those that asked, The Single Rider Line is now gone. It's honestly not as bad as you think its going to be, they only set a certain amount of wristbands per day.

I for one am disappointed that the single rider line on Diamondback has been eliminated. I often go to the park several times a season after work, and if the single rider line was short, I`d hop in it for a quick ride, to bypass the longer line. But if they were not monitoring the line, then the SRL could be longer than the regular line.

I can see both sides of the coin on this. It is a way for the park to generate some extra revenue. But it also can be seen negatively by the guests who are paying a pretty penny to enter the park as it is already., espceially when they already feel they are being nickled and dimed as it is. I am glad that they have restricted it to a certain time, as most of my visits to the park are in the late evening or early mornings. And I do agree that the perks for Gold pass holders seems to have dwindled a little bit over the last few years.

One thing is clear though,. Cedar Fair`s new President is already having an impact on the day to day operations at the parks. I mean, it was just last week that he visited KI and said that a fast pass type system could be headed to the park... Hopefully some other nice things are headed to the park that can be seen in a more positive light by all.

[bkroz]

Theoretically, the Flash Pass and other virtual queueing systems (which Kings Island's Fast Lane is NOT) do not change ride time, because you do wait just as long as everyone else, just not in line. But, there's and operations component to that, too, and things like the Gold Flash Pass and Platinum Flash Pass (as was mentioned) change it into something completely different.

That being said, I paid $25 for that service at Six Flags Great America this week. That $25 entitled me to virtual queueing, so I could make a reservation on Batman: The Ride and then actually ride it about 45 minutes later. Kings Island's system (as far as I can tell) is unlimited, with no virtual waiting. You could theoretically get front of the line access to Flight of Fear again and again and again and again all day long if you wanted. Bearing that in mind, it should cost more than a Flash Pass, because it imposes far fewer limits. So $50.00 is reasonable in that regard. And really, if Kings Island's Fast Lane was $25 or $30, it would almost be ineffective, as that much freedom with no forced waiting between rides would make Fast Lane lines as long as regular lines.

I think the pricing is about right (though, in the style of the Flash Pass, I think you should be able to pay $50 for one person, $80 for two people, $115 for three, etc. etc.), and that it's a unique take on the idea. We'll see if it works. I'm imagining that they'll introduce a more limited one-time-per-attraction pass for half the price like Busch Gardens did, and make this Fast Lane UNLIMITED into a more VIP experience.

P.S., did anyone notice The Crypt is not available for Fast Lane? Neither is Vortex (though that may be updated once it's no longer down for repairs). Seems strange that a ride that does tend to garner quite a crowd and was brand new eight years ago is not included... Maybe they just couldn't figure out how to get folks past the regular line? (Rendezvous point?)

[DropZone99]

Theoretically, the Flash Pass and other virtual queueing systems (which Kings Islands is NOT) do not change ride time, because you do wait just as long as everyone else, just not in line.

That being said, I paid $25 for that service at Six Flags Great America this week. That $25 entitled me to virtual queueing, so I could make a reservation on Batman: The Ride and then actually ride it about 45 minutes later. Kings Island's system (as far as I can tell) is unlimited, with no virtual waiting. You could theoretically get front of the line access to Flight of Fear again and again and again and again all day long if you wanted. Bearing that in mind, it should cost more than a Flash Pass, because it imposes far fewer limits. So $50.00 is reasonable in that regard. And really, if Kings Island's Fast Lane was $25 or $30, it would almost be ineffective, as that much freedom with no forced waiting between rides would make Fast Lane lines as long as regular lines.

I think the pricing is about right (though, in the style of the Flash Pass, I think you should be able to pay $50 for one person, $80 for two people, $115 for three, etc. etc.), and that it's a unique take on the idea. We'll see if it works. I'm imagining that they'll introduce a more limited one-time-per-attraction pass for half the price like Busch Gardens did, and make this Fast Lane UNLIMITED into a more VIP experience.

P.S., did anyone notice The Crypt is not available for Fast Lane? Neither is Vortex (though that may be updated once it's no longer down for repairs). Seems strange that a ride that does tend to garner quite a crowd and was brand new eight years ago is not included... Maybe they just couldn't figure out how to get folks past the regular line? (Rendezvous point?)

As always, you hit it spot on. I completely agree with everything you said.

Davestrome mentioned earlier, this is pretty much ERT, which it pretty much is! From 12-7 you can ride select rides (which are all pretty much the ones with long lines) as much as you want.

Really I feel like there is nothing to be upset about, we should be happy there is seven hours of ERT everyday now!

[Pagoda Gift Shop]

A good point goodyellowkorn182. I think Invertigo missing surprises me more than Vortex, since it is a shuttle and has less capacity. But it may be because there is no place to put a merge point in the small queue area it has.

[bkroz]

A good point goodyellowkorn182. I think Invertigo missing surprises me more than Vortex, since it is a shuttle and has less capacity. But it may be because there is no place to put a merge point in the small queue area it has.

I would think that for rides like The Crypt and Invertigo and others that may be hard to construct a separate line for, going up the exit would be enough. Perhaps on The Crypt, three or four seats at the end of the one of the rows can have yellow-painted shoulder restraints or something, and an employee can stand there to have people skip them. Same with Invertigo, simply taping off a row or two in the main station and allowing only Fast Lane visitors to use those lanes by entering up the exit.

Still, I maintain that I expect a one-time-per-attraction Fast Lane to appear sooner rather than later, and for the current unlimited variety to become Fast Lane UNLIMITED. After all, this system costs the park virtually nothing (with the exception of new advertisements and a few directional signs), so why not offer a $20 variety? I would absolutely invest in the $20 one, even if it only allows one ride on each attraction. But I won't be getting the $50 one. I don't really want unlimited rides, you know? So $50 isn't worth it for me. $20 for one line-jump per attraction would be, and it would cost the park very little extra to have both versions (limited and unlimited) functioning at once.

The only thing working against that is that I'd have expected them to try limited FIRST, and THEN bring an unlimited option to the table based on the former's success... Maybe having the unlimited version first means they don't intend to introduce a limited one. Again, sad - I won't pay $50, but I would pay $20. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, that's $20 less than the park is getting from at least one customer, and isn't $20 better than $0?

[LongliveKingsCobra]

Skipping only once works well for many parks (ala Universal) and works for us too. That way you can multiply the times you ride, aka going in the morning: wait in normal line, peak time: use the pass , once its died down: wait in normal line...ect.

However, if they do use that as an option I will feel bad for the people (they ALWAYS DO IT! Even when they had the Gold Pass VIP Entrence to the rides) they use it way to early or when the rides wait time is very short, then they waste it....poor people....

[standbyme]

The park offers a VIP tour, that has front of the line passes, and not many people on here seem to be blowing up about that.

Is this a request?!

[TheLip2]

Maybe the $50 amount is so that a huge amount of people don't do it, that way people waiting in line don't get angry when 30 guests go to the front of the line.

Good point. If it was cheap then everyone would get one and it would be pointless.

Reading the comments on KI facebook is making me mad. Why are season pass holders so angry at this, its not like KI is making anyone pay more money its a choice. I know you payed a lot for your season pass but still it's not the end of the world. Just wait in the line like you always do and pretend the Fast Lane isn't even there.

People are upset because this essentially allows people to legally "line jump" as long as you "bribe" the park with your $50. Bottom line is now the lines will be even longer for "regular folks." I hate the idea. Disney implemented the idea correctly with fast pass the virtual queue. Everyone is treated fairly and the same for no additional price. Patrons enjoy the park more and possibly spend more money cause they aren't stuck in line.

They didn't say noticiable difference. it says "You won't wait longer" - From their official account. Which, as we know, is just outright false.

We all don't necessarily "know"....everyone just needs to experience it themselves while they're at the park BEFORE we start complaining like this...

I don't know what you are smoking, but the WAIT HAS TO BE LONGER! You could argue that people won't notice but you can't argue that there will be NO DIFFERENCE! That is impossible unless they figure out how to increase ride capacity to offset the people that get to cut in front of you. To say it another way . . . you may not see lines that much longer, but you will WAIT longer whether you notice it or not.

[bkroz]

Maybe the $50 amount is so that a huge amount of people don't do it, that way people waiting in line don't get angry when 30 guests go to the front of the line.

Good point. If it was cheap then everyone would get one and it would be pointless.

Reading the comments on KI facebook is making me mad. Why are season pass holders so angry at this, its not like KI is making anyone pay more money its a choice. I know you payed a lot for your season pass but still it's not the end of the world. Just wait in the line like you always do and pretend the Fast Lane isn't even there.

People are upset because this essentially allows people to legally "line jump" as long as you "bribe" the park with your $50. Bottom line is now the lines will be even longer for "regular folks." I hate the idea. Disney implemented the idea correctly with fast pass the virtual queue. Everyone is treated fairly and the same for no additional price. Patrons enjoy the park more and possibly spend more money cause they aren't stuck in line.

Consider how few people will actually pay an extra $50.00 for this. Really consider that. Then consider them all divided among every ride in the park. Theoretically, it may sound very unfair. And perhaps in principle it is. But we shouldn't masquerade our anger at the unfairness and morality of it as a genuine concern for the "regular folks"... They will hardly notice the difference.

You also can't really argue that it's better for the park financially to use the virtual queueing like Disney. Sure, with Disney's model there's a chance that visitors will spend their extra time eating, drinking, or shopping. But with Kings Island's version, the park will get $50 extra dollars, straight up, no questions asked, with very little additional cost on their end (no distribution machine maintenance, no extra staffing for food and shops, no staffing at distribution machines, no paper or ink for said machines).

From the park's financial point of view, this system works. And while the image of two or three (or even ten) people cutting you in line feels very unfair (and in fact may be very unfair), the fact is that those three people will hardly make a difference in your real park experience, and at most you may be delayed one or two trains. Diamondback holds 32 riders. I doubt 32 people will even buy this pass on any given day (if they did, the park would make $1600, by the way), but if they did and all 32 of them cut you in line for Diamondback, you'd have to wait ONE additional train (which is, what one extra minute based on the dispatch rate?) Consider, if 40 people cut you for Drop Zone (which, again, I doubt 40 people will even have this pass on any given day, much less all be at Drop Zone at the same time) - you will wait one extra cycle. Just one. Would that really ruin your day? Again, the notion that these people are "cutting" you is certainly annoying. I agree with that. But a reasonable person calculates that they will wait for maybe an extra minute and a half, and the park is making - pardon the expression - an ass load of money.

And this pass is not for us. It's not even for folks who visit the park frequently with friends. This is a very specialized offering that is aimed at infrequent visitors who only have the chance to visit Kings Island once or twice a year, and only on Saturdays, for example. As I said, if 40 people buy this pass for a day, the park has just made $2000. That seems unlikely to me. And please please please consider: Disney's system is very nice, but it is not free. A one day ticket to a Disney park will cost you $85.00 plus tax, and if you think that the Fastpass system isn't folded into that, you're crazy.

Keeping that in mind, consider: maybe to outfit Kings Island with a universally-accessible FastPass style virtual queueing system (distribution machines, tickets, additional staffing, machine maintenance) would require that the park charge $70.00 for a one day ticket. Maybe you'd find that very much worth it on a Saturday in July. But what about in April? May? A Wednesday in June? August? During these times, most rides max out at a 10 minute wait. Would you use the Fastpass system then? Almost certainly, no. There would be no point... But you'd still be paying for it, wouldn't you? With a park the size of a Disney park, that extra, tacked on price that grants access to the virtual queueing is worth it year round, and all days of the week. At Kings Island, it wouldn't be.

Let's at least see how this system works for at least one full day before we talk about it being the worst thing ever. (I'm not suggesting that's what you're doing, TheLip2, just trying to stage a pre-emptive strike against those here who will cast their opinions of the morality of this system under the guise of guest experience).

[Dalefan]

This Fast Lane could be just a test run. Hence why it was done so late.

[TheLip2]

Maybe they can use the extra money to keep spare parts on hand for the rides.

I like capitalism. It made this country great, but that was during a time when business seemed to have morals and ethics. They treated customers like guests and employees like family. I think what we have now is capitalism run amok. Capitalism goes awry when unprecedented greed drives it. I'm not saying that is what this is right now, but we don't know how many a LIMITED NUMBER of passes is and we don't know how possible increased revenue will be spent to improve the guest experience. It sure looks like an elitist money grab on the surface though.

On another thread I posted that Kings Dominion sold Beagle Bucks at a 10 percent discount to platinum holders. Does anyone know if they do that here?

[Dalefan]

Maybe they can use the extra money to keep spare parts on hand for the rides.

I like capitalism. It made this country great, but that was during a time when business seemed to have morals and ethics. They treated customers like guests and employees like family. I think what we have now is capitalism run amok. Capitalism goes awry when unprecedented greed drives it. I'm not saying that is what this is right now, but we don't know how many a LIMITED NUMBER of passes is and we don't know how possible increased revenue will be spent to improve the guest experience. It sure looks like an elitist money grab on the surface though.

On another thread I posted that Kings Dominion sold Beagle Bucks at a 10 percent discount to platinum holders. Does anyone know if they do that here?

I got Snoopy Bucks from Cedar Point after i paid $15.00 over on my season pass in 2005. I used it in the park and loved it. It was like using money i didn't have. Lol.

[bkroz]

Maybe they can use the extra money to keep spare parts on hand for the rides.

I like capitalism. It made this country great, but that was during a time when business seemed to have morals and ethics. They treated customers like guests and employees like family. I think what we have now is capitalism run amok. Capitalism goes awry when unprecedented greed drives it. I'm not saying that is what this is right now, but we don't know how many a LIMITED NUMBER of passes is and we don't know how possible increased revenue will be spent to improve the guest experience. It sure looks like an elitist money grab on the surface though.

On another thread I posted that Kings Dominion sold Beagle Bucks at a 10 percent discount to platinum holders. Does anyone know if they do that here?

You are right. And capitalism tends to tie in closely with supply and demand. Something tells me that these $50.00 will not be flying off the shelves. Let us suspend reality for half a second and say that 400 people bought this pass on any given day (which is absolutely nonsensical - the park would make $20,000 in one fell swoop), and that those 400 people divided themselves between the 10 available rides (that's 40 people per ride), they would fill about 1.5 trains / gondolas (based on most rides holding between 30 - 50 riders). As such, you would wait an additional one or two cycles (which would barely be noticeable), and the park would make $20,000. Again, that's a very simplified and in my opinion would never ever happen, but hopefully that helps you understand how little the guest experience will be realistically affected by this system outside of the "annoyance" of seeing someone "cutting" you, and how greatly the park will benefit.

It's a testament to capitalism. This system, contrary to Disney's, is pretty much pure income. There are no machines or tickets, and comparatively little extra staffing. There are no Q-Bots or return time calculators, and no deposits necessary. Just a few additional signs and some marketing. The guest experience is barely affected for the "regular folks," and the park makes heaps of money. Really, there's little complaining to be done. At least, not yet...

You pay extra for the floor seating at concerts. You pay extra for the booth with the food at the baseball game. You pay extra for the car with greater gas mileage. You pay extra to see the 3-D film. You pay extra to see the dinos. And now, you pay extra to wait less in line. That is life. Those with certain privileges (including money) to spend get more stuff, get less hassle, get better opportunities, and get places faster, even if it's unfair. Just recognize how little this will affect you as a regular guest in the regular line.

[Tanna]

They used to have a "cutting in line" system for Gold Pass members too, and it all worked out. Also, wouldn't the people "cutting" be in line anyway? so it shouldn't really affect the time considerably.

$50= good price that will limit the number of people using system, so wait times for other guests aren't dramatically increased

<$50 means more people would be using it, and that would actually mean longer wait times.

The park offers a VIP tour, that has front of the line passes, and not many people on here seem to be blowing up about that.

I always thought the the body was counted in line, even though it wasn't there at the time, also. I thought Fastpass worked by clocking in at a certain time, leave, then come back to your place in line as if you were standing there the whole time. So the ten minute wait for a ride was in reality, still a forty minute wait, even though the bodies were 'invisible".

The money for Fastpass, plus the money spent by the Fastpassers while not waiting in line, can get some of the cool stuff that is being discussed about in these forums.

I've been reading, and let's face it, there's a big wishlist.

[Kilometers]

Maybe they can use the extra money to keep spare parts on hand for the rides.

I like capitalism. It made this country great, but that was during a time when business seemed to have morals and ethics. They treated customers like guests and employees like family. I think what we have now is capitalism run amok. Capitalism goes awry when unprecedented greed drives it. I'm not saying that is what this is right now, but we don't know how many a LIMITED NUMBER of passes is and we don't know how possible increased revenue will be spent to improve the guest experience. It sure looks like an elitist money grab on the surface though.

On another thread I posted that Kings Dominion sold Beagle Bucks at a 10 percent discount to platinum holders. Does anyone know if they do that here?

You are right. And capitalism tends to tie in closely with supply and demand. Something tells me that these $50.00 will not be flying off the shelves. Let us suspend reality for half a second and say that 400 people bought this pass on any given day (which is absolutely nonsensical - the park would make $20,000 in one fell swoop), and that those 400 people divided themselves between the 10 available rides (that's 40 people per ride), they would fill about 1.5 trains / gondolas (based on most rides holding between 30 - 50 riders). As such, you would wait an additional one or two cycles (which would barely be noticeable), and the park would make $20,000. Again, that's a very simplified and in my opinion would never ever happen, but hopefully that helps you understand how little the guest experience will be realistically affected by this system outside of the "annoyance" of seeing someone "cutting" you, and how greatly the park will benefit.

It's a testament to capitalism. This system, contrary to Disney's, is pretty much pure income. There are no machines or tickets, and comparatively little extra staffing. There are no Q-Bots or return time calculators, and no deposits necessary. Just a few additional signs and some marketing. The guest experience is barely affected for the "regular folks," and the park makes heaps of money. Really, there's little complaining to be done. At least, not yet...

You pay extra for the floor seating at concerts. You pay extra for the booth with the food at the baseball game. You pay extra for the car with greater gas mileage. You pay extra to see the 3-D film. You pay extra to see the dinos. And now, you pay extra to wait less in line. That is life. Those with certain privileges (including money) to spend get more stuff, get less hassle, get better opportunities, and get places faster, even if it's unfair. Just recognize how little this will affect you as a regular guest in the regular line.

I agree 100%! But it all comes down to living within your own means...if you can afford it, great! if not, then you don't worry about it...you don't buy it..you just pretty much ignore it!

When you all were younger, did your parents never tell you that whining won't get you anywhere? Same deal here...just because you complain doesn't mean they'll change it or give it to you JUST so that you can have it.

I'm only 15...and I seriously find it shameful that mature adults are complaining like this...if any of them have children, they've probably told their kids no at some point...their kids whined...but they probably didn't budge... What's wrong with this picture?

[AintNutinElse2Do]

I'm going to keep this short. I for one thought the lack of a fast pass system is what helped make Cedar Fair parks special. It kept everyone on a level playing field. With it now there KI no longer holds an advantage to me as a day trip over SFOG, I rarely spend time in waterparks otherwise it still would. Now granted I'd be much more likely to purchase a fast pass for Cedar Point as it's a much rarer trip so I guess I only prove the justification of the system.

[Gordon Bombay]

You pay extra for the floor seating at concerts. You pay extra for the booth with the food at the baseball game. You pay extra for the car with greater gas mileage. You pay extra to see the 3-D film. You pay extra to see the dinos. And now, you pay extra to wait less in line. That is life. Those with certain privileges (including money) to spend get more stuff, get less hassle, get better opportunities, and get places faster, even if it's unfair. Just recognize how little this will affect you as a regular guest in the regular line.

Best words in this thread.

[bkroz]

^ Thank you!

I always thought the the body was counted in line, even though it wasn't there at the time, also. I thought Fastpass worked by clocking in at a certain time, leave, then come back to your place in line as if you were standing there the whole time. So the ten minute wait for a ride was in reality, still a forty minute wait, even though the bodies were 'invisible".

The money for Fastpass, plus the money spent by the Fastpassers while not waiting in line, can get some of the cool stuff that is being discussed about in these forums.

I've been reading, and let's face it, there's a big wishlist.

Tanna, what you're talking about is called "virtual queueing," where a guest virtually reserves a spot in line. You used Disney's FastPass as an example, and you're right. That system is best thought of as "invisible bodies." You receive a ticket (or use a Q-bot handheld device at Six Flags or Dollywood), and from the moment the reservation is made, you will wait as long as everyone else, just not in line. So if the line is 50 minutes, you will ride in 50 minutes, you just have free time to do other things (like ride other rides, eat, shop, etc).

What Kings Island (and SeaWorld, and Busch Gardens and Universal Studios) employs is not virtual queueing. You do not have a place in line that is being reserved. Instead, you simply get to skip the regular line by entering through a secondary entrance. To differenciate, I'll call it a "line-skipping system." You do not need to wait for a specified time, and you do not have to wait as long as those in the regular line. Most places with that system offer a low-cost version (where you can skip to the front on each major attraction one time, for example) and a more expensive "unlimited" version (where you can go to the front of the line as many times as you like all day long - you can even ride over and over and over again as long as you exit and re-enter again through the secondary queue line again).

Kings Island's Fast Lane is that second type, and the park only offers the unlimited version.

Both virtual queueing and line-skipping have their advantages. Virtual queueing theoretically promotes in-park spending by opening up free-time between rides that leads visitors to shopping and dining. Line-skipping passes (like Kings Island's) offer guests the chance to ride much more without setting reservations and waiting out their assigned time, and the park makes a large lump sum (in this case, $50) right off The Bat, so promoting in-park spending isn't of immediate importance.

Using Disney's Fastpass as an example of virtual queueing again, the computer knows that x number of people will be in line for Tower of Terror during a certain hour of the day, and the distribution ticket's return time changes to make sure that there will not be a massive amount of people all flocking to the ride at once. The virtual queueing system, then, keeps crowds steady, but not overwhelming. Conversely, Kings Island's line-skipping system does not regulate or monitor, so it is possible (but unlikely) that every single person with a Fast Lane wristband might all decide to queue up for Diamondback all at once. If that happens, it'll look really bad to people in the regular line, who watch a dozen or so people "cut" in front of them as the operators try to get the Fast Lane visitors their promised ride. But again I stress, even if 32 people lined up in the Fast Lane for Diamondback at once, "regular" guests would only be delayed by one train (or about a minute).

[Tanna]

Thanks for the clarification.

Me, I need some time between coasters, or I'll grey/black out, so I know at least one person, maybe two, who will skip this plan altogether.

I believe there's only a limited amount of Fastpasses available each day, and I suspect the biggest hassle in the park will be at that window.

I'll need to hear from more people who had been to parks that use this system before I roll around in the ground at the absolute agony of letting someone in line before me.

All of us have juggled people ahead of us, at some time or another, to get the people that are in the same party on the same ride. I'm thinking it won't be much more different than that.

[Janie]

Facebook nearly universally hated this concept and you guys seem to love it. I'm going to go with "average age of user" as the defining difference. See, when we shell out our $170 for Platinum Passes at the beginning of the season, we do it as a family. Our Cedar Fair investment is our summer entertainment. Period. We have jobs, so we don't often make it during the week. We try to confine the bulk of our visits to the beginning of the season if we can, so we can get as much in at a time as possible. However, we do often find ourselves in the park on Saturday or Holidays. I think this is going to make the lines a nightmare. Especially while the staff is learning how to execute it.

To a teenager who has a Gold Pass paid for by Mom and Dad, they're not going to mind shelling out $50 of their lawn mowing money for a day skipping lines. I just think that's crap while my WHOLE FAMILY would renew our passes year after year. They push season passes because we're the people who keep the park in the business. Selling this as an add-on to season passes would have been awesome. As it stands, it's just a slap in the face to people who shell out the cash year after year to support the parks.

A friend of mine on Facebook pointed our how silly it seemed to be worked up about something so trivial, I responded that I take two things very seriously. Pie and roller coasters. Cedar Fair better not mess with my pie.

[windshawne]

Facebook nearly universally hated this concept and you guys seem to love it. I'm going to go with "average age of user" as the defining difference. See, when we shell out our $170 for Platinum Passes at the beginning of the season, we do it as a family. Our Cedar Fair investment is our summer entertainment. Period. We have jobs, so we don't often make it during the week. We try to confine the bulk of our visits to the beginning of the season if we can, so we can get as much in at a time as possible. However, we do often find ourselves in the park on Saturday or Holidays. I think this is going to make the lines a nightmare. Especially while the staff is learning how to execute it.

To a teenager who has a Gold Pass paid for by Mom and Dad, they're not going to mind shelling out $50 of their lawn mowing money for a day skipping lines. I just think that's crap while my WHOLE FAMILY would renew our passes year after year. They push season passes because we're the people who keep the park in the business. Selling this as an add-on to season passes would have been awesome. As it stands, it's just a slap in the face to people who shell out the cash year after year to support the parks.

A friend of mine on Facebook pointed our how silly it seemed to be worked up about something so trivial, I responded that I take two things very seriously. Pie and roller coasters. Cedar Fair better not mess with my pie.

You got it!! Very well said.

[mikejenkins1]

So why are we not seeing this feature at Cedar Point now?

That might be a park I would pay $50 to jump into lines for rides.

They have a set of big rides that I am sure people would jump at this deal for.

[Hank]

So for $50, you can go to the front of the line. Next, they'll sell a $100 pass to go to the front of the line before the others go to the front of the line. Then, they'll sell a $150 pass to go to the front..........

[Pagoda Gift Shop]

They already do. It's called a VIP tour and it costs $250 per person. But that is far too pricey for the average person, which is why they now have a $50 version for certain rides at certain times. I really don't think that it will be a significant impact on the current wait times. Remember that most coasters handle between 16-32 people per train. How many FastLane people do you really think there will be per hour? Maybe you'll have to wait 1-3 extra cycles?

[DaveStroem]

GYC, I think your naive to think that only 40 people per day will purchase a Fast Lane wristband. There will be that many on a slow rainy day in April when everything is a walk on. On a Summer day this will easily be 10 times that. Just like at McDonalds, they offer you fries with your burger. Now the "large" fry and drink are huge with a huge price tag to it. People like the best/large option and will shell out the $$$ without even thinking about it.

As to your assertion that it will not effect wait times, that maybe true for those rainy April days, but I can assure you it will make the wait time for John Q Parkgoer longer.

A few weeks ago we were at SFOT on a slow Monday. The line for Titan was about 150 people (3 switchbacks) yet it took 30 minutes to get on the ride. This was not because of slow dispatches, it was because the line was stopped where the FP entrance was. It was also not to let FP people in, it was to allow the one or two that did come down to enter without any delay. The person either by policy or ignorance allowed the station to empty and forcing half empty trains to be dispatched while people were standing in the queue.

I know this is a different system and IMO the worst possible way this could be implemented.

[MarketingExpress]

They push season passes because we're the people who keep the park in the business. Selling this as an add-on to season passes would have been awesome. As it stands, it's just a slap in the face to people who shell out the cash year after year to support the parks.

Quite a bold statement regarding the success of KI...

Actually, parks makes the least off their season pass holders since they are free to come and go as they please throughout the season, sometimes without spending a dime in the park.