Fast Lane "Plus" Comes to some of the Cedar Fair Parks

[BB1]

What is done, is done, what comes, comes, and we can only not buy the product if we don't like it, or do buy the product if one does like it. BB1 who is not going to rant about it, and just state the facts.

We all get "good things" from CF once in awhile, some of us do hate it, but live with it, I know I have.

[lebeau]

Thanks for your nothing input! Dont post the same old same old please! Bring something new,if you have something to say,I would appreciate it myself!

Dude, no one on this thread has been more repetitive than you!

[Snowman]

Clearly any thread that brings Raptorguy out is a hot topic. Frankly I don't care who pays more money to get in line in front of me. I just want KI to open the park so I can get in any coaster line! It's less than a month everyone, try to hang on and not verbally destroy each other.

[marlfox_21]

I will just stick to good ol fashioned waiting in line with my cellphone locked away in my car. I go to parks to escape from everything, not to rush even more. But to each their own.

[SonofBaconator]

^ I agree, I don't mind waiting in line for rides. Half the fun is just waiting and watching youtube videos on your smart phone.

[marlfox_21]

More on the above statement, Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin once said to me "I go to zoo's when I need to take time to learn. I go to rainforests when I need to learn to take my time." Outstanding, in my opinion. I just don't get the need to rush.

[AZ Kinda Guy]

Why do people have such a hatred for a system they've never used?

[shark6495]

I used the fastpass system in Universal. It was a nice system but it did feel weird skipping lines and not getting to know people around you...

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

If I live lived locally and have a season pass to Kings Island, I have the whole season to ride all of the rides at the park and no need to buy something like Fast Lane to go to the head of the line. Now if I am making my plans to vacation at Kings Island for the one or two day stay, then I might just buy the Fast Lane pass option if my budget allows it, especially it the park happens to be crowded on the day(s) that my family is there.

[BoddaH1994]

No one has mentioned that the Disney one isn't "free" either. It's built into the cost of your ticket, whether you use it or not.

[Creed Bratton]

I took my wife out for dinner tonight,and we talked about our summer plans! When I told her ERT was only thirty minutes, she said " so i have a few minutes to get starbucks coffee and then the park is open! She is not happy, Im going to have to talk her into KI passes this year! She doesnt care much about fastlane because were locals and we just wont buy it, Ki is not a destination vacation spot like most of you on here think! We will just spend that money in other places! KI should be taking care of us locals if they want our money,because nobody I know is traveling to Ohio for Kings Island! Yet, I graduated from O.S.U and several of my friends will pay anything for fastlane at CP!!!!! I think KI is making a big mistake,but im all for spending our summer at KI, but my wife feels cheated! We spent alot of money last year,and she doesnt feel appreciated,to be honest! Im gonna do my best to keep us at KI,BUT SHE IS NOT HAPPY!

I hear you on the 1/2 hour ERT, we've talked about it on this site before. Part of it is isn't financially sound to do a full hour to have the current line up of ERT rides. I know when I've visited the park over the past few years including when I worked on Diamondback, ERT during the week wasn't worth being open for the entire hour....half of the time, there'd be the amount of people for 1 full train at the ride and that was it, having to cycle numerous empty trains or half full trains wasn't ideal. KI is a destination park by people from all over the world. There have been numerous coaster clubs from across th globe that make special trips to get to KI and to CP.

I don't think you're being "cheated" by having a 1/2 hr ERT (some parks don't even have that) or by the addition of FLP. If anything, as season passholders, Fun Perks is a way to reward the locals/passholders. Yeah, you have to spend money to get perks, but numerous grocery stores/gas stations do that too.

Why do people have such a hatred for a system they've never used?

Because it's a perceived change that they don't understand. They don't understand the behind the scenes side.

No one has mentioned that the Disney one isn't "free" either. It's built into the cost of your ticket, whether you use it or not.

We have . But Disney is a whole different ball park.

[shark6495]

If I live lived locally and have a season pass to Kings Island, I have the whole season to ride all of the rides at the park and no need to buy something like Fast Lane to go to the head of the line. Now if I am making my plans to vacation at Kings Island for the one or two day stay, then I might just buy the Fast Lane pass option if my budget allows it, especially it the park happens to be crowded on the day(s) that my family is there.

Agreed 100% . If my wife and I, and maybe kids in the future, pay money to travel across the state or across the country to visit a park, which means we paid for a hotel as well, then well if I can afford it I will buy a Fast Lane or fast pass no matter the park. Also it depends on how many days we had at the park. If we have only 1 day at the park, lets judge the weather when we get there. Busy day yes Ill buy one. Slow day no way.

[Jr for Birdy]

Thanks for your nothing input! Dont post the same old same old please! Bring something new,if you have something to say,I would appreciate it myself!

Dude, no one on this thread has been more repetitive than you!

Your right,I will shut my piehole now! I dont mean to come across as a crybaby,but looking back,i am! My apologies.

[Tanna]

If I live lived locally and have a season pass to Kings Island, I have the whole season to ride all of the rides at the park and no need to buy something like Fast Lane to go to the head of the line. Now if I am making my plans to vacation at Kings Island for the one or two day stay, then I might just buy the Fast Lane pass option if my budget allows it, especially it the park happens to be crowded on the day(s) that my family is there.

Exactly. I just bip over to KI for a few hours at a time. I have time to meander. If I don't get on a certain ride, there's next week.

I think Fastlane helps put the park higher up on the list of options for families taking that week long vacation. Nothing could be worse than piling into a car for 17 hours and then spend half your vacation piled in line

If I had to choose between two parks, I'd go for the one that gave me more fun time and less wait time.

[CedarPointer]

No one has mentioned that the Disney one isn't "free" either. It's built into the cost of your ticket, whether you use it or not.

Don't forget Fastpass+, which I find far more worrying...

[flightoffear1996]

My only gripe about the hole fast pass system is they shouldn't be aloud to take premium seats away (front or very back of the train). We already have to wait extra long for those seats as is. I couldn't tell you how many time on Top Thrill Dragster a fast pass user picks the front seat. After waiting an extra 30min for the front I didnt want to have to wait any longer.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

Easy way to fix people wanting to ride in the very front or back of the ride is to fill the cars on the first available seat and not allow them to choose. I remember when I first started at Kings Island and rode The Racer, we could not choose where to sit but were placed in the next seat by the ride op. If 100 people all wanted to ride the front of the ride, logic tells me that you will wait longer to do this and I am no Mr. Spock. If the parks start to see that there is a huge demand for them to ride in the front, they might just start to charge the dehire fans for this privilege, just like airlines are charging extra for window seats. But it is far more easier to place them in the next available seat on a first come basis.

[KI FANATIC 37]

It will go away when they stop making money off of it. And honestly, if I was there on a crowded day, I would buy the plus because I don't spend a lot of money at the park anyway. I pay $90 a year for my pass and u normally only eat one meal while I'm there. I would much rather pay for a plus pass then wait in line all day and not have a good time. It just varies on how some people like to spend their money.

[tuxedoman52]

This makes no sense why they would do that. And Beast and Firehawk?? REALLY!!!

[TheCrypt]

Obviously it makes enough sense for management to add a tiered option.

[TombRaiderFTW]

My $.02: Firehawk was added because it's a low capacity ride. Beast was added for sheer demand. It has a decent capacity, but it's one of the most popular rides in the park. Combine the two and charge extra, and you've found a way to make more money and keep people from complaining about how Fast Laners are slowing the lines down. I'm not a big fan of Fast Lane, but if you're going to offer front-of-the-line passes in this format, Fast Lane Plus is, objectively, a really clever business idea. It seems like the park is trying to sap more money from the patrons--and really, the profit opportunity is part of it--but FLP is actually doing the naysayers a favor.

And yes, I have used Fast Lane before. I only had a handful of hours on a Haunt Saturday last year to hit all the coasters with friends who hadn't been to KI since the 80's/90's. It worked, and we had a great time, although we got many stank eyes along the way. I just don't like the idea of being able to jump in front of other people. That, and I think I'm the only person in the world that finds anticipating a ride while waiting in line to be part of the experience at a park. (Then again, I've been known to ride rides I'm not in love with just to see how people react to the ride, so...)

[zombiejane]

I dont think most of you know how Fast Lane works.

At CP, on rides that load one train at a time, you are integrated into the line at a certain point (not directly at the station)....you do not get to immediately board the ride if there are people ahead of you at the integration point. If 50 FLP holders hit that ride at once, not all of them get to jump ahead of everyone else. A certain number will be allowed through, then a certain number of non-FLP holders will be allowed in, and so on.

For CP rides that load 2 trains at once, one train is for non-FLP and the other for FLP.

I havent used the KI FLP, but from observation they do not integrate like CP.....but you dont jump staight on the ride either. You still have to wait behind the people that are IN the station about to get on (unless, of course, there is a lane with no one already in it). But that is just from what I have seen. I've only really ever observed it on Diamonback, Delirium, and Drop Tower.

Who knows what it will be like when FLPP starts...

Though, if anyone does get an FLP @ CP....you better have a thick skin and maybe a taser... Last year we ran into several mean non-FLP holders in and out of line. One guy seemed like he was on the verge of jumping into the FLP line to re-arrange my face.

[Gordon Bombay]

I dont think most of you know how Fast Lane works.

At CP, on rides that load one train at a time, you are integrated into the line at a certain point (not directly at the station)....you do not get to immediately board the ride if there are people ahead of you at the integration point. If 50 FLP holders hit that ride at once, not all of them get to jump ahead of everyone else. A certain number will be allowed through, then a certain number of non-FLP holders will be allowed in, and so on.

For CP rides that load 2 trains at once, one train is for non-FLP and the other for FLP.

I havent used the KI FLP, but from observation they do not integrate like CP.....but you dont jump staight on the ride either. You still have to wait behind the people that are IN the station about to get on (unless, of course, there is a lane with no one already in it). But that is just from what I have seen. I've only really ever observed it on Diamonback, Delirium, and Drop Tower.

Who knows what it will be like when FLPP starts...

Though, if anyone does get an FLP @ CP....you better have a thick skin and maybe a taser... Last year we ran into several mean non-FLP holders in and out of line. One guy seemed like he was on the verge of jumping into the FLP line to re-arrange my face.

Thanks for posting how Cedar Point's works. KI's is very different operation wise mainly just because of the variations on how the different ride's physical lines were built - none of which were originally built with Fast Lane in line.

Your comments point out two major points to me: 1) The way in which FL users are integrated and 2) The angry "regular" patron. Both are examples of how poorly operated and executed this "Fast Lane" system has been. Wristbands and keeping the lines together is nothing but a cheap move. I'm surprises Ouimet allowed it, let alone KI management.

[The Interpreter]

Gee. What was the second line for Diamondback for? Future premium line....

Or single rider line. You pays your money and you takes your choices.

Terp, who likes to ask questions.

[Creed Bratton]

I dont think most of you know how Fast Lane works.

At CP, on rides that load one train at a time, you are integrated into the line at a certain point (not directly at the station)....you do not get to immediately board the ride if there are people ahead of you at the integration point. If 50 FLP holders hit that ride at once, not all of them get to jump ahead of everyone else. A certain number will be allowed through, then a certain number of non-FLP holders will be allowed in, and so on.

For CP rides that load 2 trains at once, one train is for non-FLP and the other for FLP.

I havent used the KI FLP, but from observation they do not integrate like CP.....but you dont jump staight on the ride either. You still have to wait behind the people that are IN the station about to get on (unless, of course, there is a lane with no one already in it). But that is just from what I have seen. I've only really ever observed it on Diamonback, Delirium, and Drop Tower.

Who knows what it will be like when FLPP starts...

Though, if anyone does get an FLP @ CP....you better have a thick skin and maybe a taser... Last year we ran into several mean non-FLP holders in and out of line. One guy seemed like he was on the verge of jumping into the FLP line to re-arrange my face.

You could say Beast's FLP line is "integrated" as it comes in just before the air gate lines.

[zombiejane]

I guess my point is, people with FLP don't get to jump onto the ride as soon as they hit the station.

Some rides have queue lanes like Diamond back, and you go straight to the station. As I mentioned before, if too many FLP holders hit the line at once, not all of them get to go into the station at once. They don't seat FLP holders to the exclusion of everyone else. They alternate between the lines to ensure that the non-FLP holders get to move through the line as well.

Rather than doing what Disney does (at least according to other posters) and charging everyone for the option to jump ahead in line. CF gives park goers the option. If CF does what Disney does, the price of tickets and passes will skyrocket and that in itself would probably price a lot of people out of even being able to go to the park...period.

My b/f and I are by no means loaded... We plan our trips WAY in advance, and budget ourselves accordingly to be able to pay for the things like the FLP. Do we purchase FLP at Kings Island? No, it's our home park and we can go whenever. Do I purchase them when I go to Cedar Point or other out of town parks? Yes, our visits to those parks are extremely limited and we want to get as much out of our trip as we can.

[Big Woody]

Well said Zombie. Watching this thread for the past 6 pages gives the impression that alot of people here havnt been outside of Ohio. Why is CF doing this? Because they're watching the other parks make money off of it. Relax..everyones going to get to ride. As far as Kings Island not being a vacation destination as stated earlier, my family will be visiting from FL in July. Guess we're the only tourists.

[Jr for Birdy]

There are tourists outside of the area(Ohio,Kentucky,Indiana),but nothing like Disney,CP,to name a few.Look around and see all the Reds clothing,Bengals,local high school t-shirts,etc. Kings Island wouldnt survive without those areas support I mentioned.Just my opinion,nothing more.I plan on having a blast no matter what they do!

[Tanna]

I guess my point is, people with FLP don't get to jump onto the ride as soon as they hit the station.

Some rides have queue lanes like Diamond back, and you go straight to the station. As I mentioned before, if too many FLP holders hit the line at once, not all of them get to go into the station at once. They don't seat FLP holders to the exclusion of everyone else. They alternate between the lines to ensure that the non-FLP holders get to move through the line as well.

Rather than doing what Disney does (at least according to other posters) and charging everyone for the option to jump ahead in line. CF gives park goers the option. If CF does what Disney does, the price of tickets and passes will skyrocket and that in itself would probably price a lot of people out of even being able to go to the park...period.

My b/f and I are by no means loaded... We plan our trips WAY in advance, and budget ourselves accordingly to be able to pay for the things like the FLP. Do we purchase FLP at Kings Island? No, it's our home park and we can go whenever. Do I purchase them when I go to Cedar Point or other out of town parks? Yes, our visits to those parks are extremely limited and we want to get as much out of our trip as we can.

That's another reason I don't mind FLP. prices are rising allover, and taxes are taking a big chunk of my dime. I also have to build a regulation pit bull fence and have a pit bull regulation cage for my Scottie, and that includes putting a ten inch deep walkway of cement along the fence.

FLP allows ME to be able to afford to get into the park. I honestly don't think KI ticket prices are very high at all, with Fastlane, it helps defray the rising costs a bit.

The Disney style pass would shut me out. I couldn't afford the Fast Lane option to be included in my ticket. I'm budgeting for a pass, but if I can't, that's life, but it's less to save for due to the option to buy FLP, and not the obligation.

I've had FLP people get onto the ride as I did, the riders get staggered, the FLP people sometimes have to wait. I've never had a problem with it. I've only seen, at the most, six people in Fastlane board at a time.

I can't visualize potential anger and/or violence over a ride line. I'm not doubting you, it's just I can't imagine anyone being so small minded over a five minute waiting time as to get angry.

[Ffej]

Wouldn't Flight of Fear and Firehawk have been the more logical 2 coasters for FLP? They're the two that tend to have the longest waits in the park that seem to be the most crippled by Fast Lane.