Fastrack 2013

[bensaund]

Why should I waste money on Fast tracks when it only goes into Merlins back pocket and making everyone elses day worse....

FYI if you paid £70 for your entry and fast tracks, I only paid £74 for my MAP for the entire year 

So unlimited entry into many attractions, if we go to Thorpe and its looking like a busy or rubbish day we go home.

When AT is a 4 hour drive away it is not that easy just to go home if it's looking like a bad day..

Its a 3 hour drive for me, I head to smaller rides if there is like a 90 minute queue. I've done all the rides loads and loads of times so I seriously don't mind missing out to avoid a queue or expensive Fast Track

[Jammydodger]

Even at peak, its easy to navigate the park to avoid any excessive queuing.
Head the Forbidden Valley first thing, do those rides within the first hour. Stick to the flats until lunchtime. Head to the next big coasters during lunch, head to the shows and dark rides after lunch, and finish up the rest of the coasters at the end of the day.

A better way to look at it next time, is to think (the average earner) spent an hour of their life working hard to achieve the money to spend on that fast track ticket. Is it even worth it?

[bensaund]

With all my visits to all the Merlin parks last year, only once my friend brought a fast track ticket and Rita broke down whilst in the queue, so kind of pointless and never bothered again.

To be honest most of the time I queue 20-30 mins, 40 at most. I know exactly which rides to "run" to when the park opens and ensure I'm at the front of the queue. Also with a mix of flats I always manage a good ride count. I'm not a nutter who has to do Nemesis 25 times in a day, but I get a good 10-15 rides in a day and enjoy it.

One morning I managed Stealth 9 times and Nemesis Inferno, saw and Colossus all in the first hour at Thorpe. Sometimes it is down to luck, good judgement and the weather.

[aircanman]

Even at peak, its easy to navigate the park to avoid any excessive queuing.
Head the Forbidden Valley first thing, do those rides within the first hour. Stick to the flats until lunchtime. Head to the next big coasters during lunch, head to the shows and dark rides after lunch, and finish up the rest of the coasters at the end of the day.

A better way to look at it next time, is to think (the average earner) spent an hour of their life working hard to achieve the money to spend on that fast track ticket. Is it even worth it?

While it is easy to try and avoid the queue issues etc, but if Alton Towers are intentionally slowing down ride run times or not putting enough cars on to keep the queues higher, this is really quite unfair to the public, which makes them think they have to buy fast track tickets.  This practise, if it is happening, needs to be stopped. 

[12344321]

That is not happening so you do not have to worry! It is only on very quiet days that rides will not run all trains they can and staff will always work as hard as they can, we have never been told to slow down to make people but fasttrack tickets! A new system has been introduced in the way they are administered this year that limits how many can be sold so the normal queue should move easier as well.

[aircanman]

That is not happening so you do not have to worry! It is only on very quiet days that rides will not run all trains they can and staff will always work as hard as they can, we have never been told to slow down to make people but fasttrack tickets! A new system has been introduced in the way they are administered this year that limits how many can be sold so the normal queue should move easier as well.

Hope so, we went last year on the 18th Sept, and Air / Nemesis were running one train each and had queues of about 30-40 mins throughout the day, rita and thirteen was the same as well.  Even Oblivion had a good 20 mins wait on it.  Only had 2 cars on.

[JaykeAT]

That is not happening so you do not have to worry! It is only on very quiet days that rides will not run all trains they can and staff will always work as hard as they can, we have never been told to slow down to make people but fasttrack tickets! A new system has been introduced in the way they are administered this year that limits how many can be sold so the normal queue should move easier as well.

Hope so, we went last year on the 18th Sept, and Air / Nemesis were running one train each and had queues of about 30-40 mins throughout the day, rita and thirteen was the same as well.  Even Oblivion had a good 20 mins wait on it.  Only had 2 cars on.

I went the day after and nemesis was back on 2 trains with no queue whatsoever

[Dom]

im not actually that bothered by the price of fast track. i get the platinum fast track every year because i go to the park during scarefest and its normally really busy with high queue times. plus with platinum you get to ride them as many times as you want and so you can ride more rides and more often. i think the longest ive queued with a fast track is 10 minutes and that was for nemesis in the dark.

[bensaund]

Your Merlins ideal guest who doesn't care how much you spend.

[SmilingMonkey]

It's worth mentioning that with advance ticket purchases and hotel stays you get access to a select number of rides earlier than on-the-day entry. That hour is perfect for getting a few goes in (and usually includes Rita/Oblivion).

In my opinion MAP holders and hotel guests should get fast-track included with their pass/hotel stay. Universal operate this policy (your hotel key is your pass) and then charge a premium for an all day, albeit 8am - midnight so slightly more worthwhile, fast-track ticket.

[bensaund]

We all like Fast track, but I don't believe hotel guests or MAP holders should get fast track as they/we all get ERT. Otherwise the normal day guest looses out.

[SmilingMonkey]

An alternative may be later opening for hotel guests beyond the (quite frankly) ridiculous closure at 5pm/6pm when they have two hotels and plans for further guest accommodation.

[Trisnie]

An alternative may be later opening for hotel guests beyond the (quite frankly) ridiculous closure at 5pm/6pm when they have two hotels and plans for further guest accommodation.

What I would do would do is keep the shops and eateries open till 7\8 for every one and have some of the rides open and like ert perhaps open it up to people who pre-book the tickets or even if they really want to make money charge extra for it to on hotel guests.

[Dom]

Your Merlins ideal guest who doesn't care how much you spend.

i save up as i do only go once a year and in my opinion queuing can sometimes mean that you can't go on everything and at least with a fast track you are sort of guaranteed too

[Trisnie]

Your Merlins ideal guest who doesn't care how much you spend.

i save up as i do only go once a year and in my opinion queuing can sometimes mean that you can't go on everything and at least with a fast track you are sort of guaranteed too

And that is the whole idea of FT
I don't have a problem with it as such but I don't think it should have a totally unlimited a once per ride option is the most I would ever go

[jamjamz]

Your Merlins ideal guest who doesn't care how much you spend.

Its not about how much money people spend on the fastpass. Its the experience they get from buying it. I work hard for my money and can only get to go to thorpe and alton in busy seasons due to work and for me to get what i want out of the day these fastpasses are ideal. For me the fastpass gives me the same freedom and experience as someone at the park on a quiet day...if u get what i mean.


 

[jackgcse]

Lets stop the argument, Fastrack is fine if people wish to use it, and if that's how they intend to get the most out of the day, so be it. As for overselling Fastrack, that is a different matter...However everyone in the world is happy to pay a premium for an exclusive option!

[Heisenberg96]

Looks like ill have to start paying £21 for fast tracks then...scream has been ruined.

[TB2]

Looks like ill have to start paying £21 for fast tracks then...scream has been ruined.

Or just plan your day properly...

[Heisenberg96]

Looks like ill have to start paying £21 for fast tracks then...scream has been ruined.

Or just plan your day properly...

You can't predict that with AT. It's luck of the draw. I've tried planning rides and times out but it never usually works