Paul_richard wrote:It's not that people are expecting too much from the VIP status, it's the conflicting information people are getting.
Take yesterday as an example, stageshoot's trip to Alton Towers. He was told by staff at Rita not to use the exit (despite other trips being told to do so) then later he goes back for another ride and he uses the fastrack queue and the staff tell him he's to use the exit as he's a VIP. That then causes a problem when you next ride as you would go to the exit as that's what you been told to do in the past.
It's those issues which are causing the negative comments, there is no consistency to what the procedures are.
Exactly, it is just a case of consistency. I want to know where to go on a ride each time I go to it. Of course if I go to the fastrack queue and the gate is shut (as it is on Rita and the Water rides at AT on slower days), then I know to go to the exit on those rides thats not the problem.
The problem is when you go to the fastrack line (Rita) and are told to go to the exit, and then the next time you go to the exit and are told to go to fastrack. "You already get eyes buring the back of your neck when you wander up the exit line, and feel like a right muppet when the ride op then decides you are in the wrong place and sends you off with a flea in your ear...
I have no issue with the fastrack lines at Alton, OK Yes Nemesis is a PITA but OK I live with it I bought a pass with fastrack and that is the fastrack on that ride and always has been I dont expect any different treatment from other fastrack users.
As someonone else said there is no quibble over the value of the pass.
First month we have hammered ours probably 50% more than we used our old premium passes on average
11 Visits to AT
6 Visits to the Waterpark (Late afternoon visits after being at AT)
2 Viists to Thorpe Park
Have another visit to AT later this week, TP on Sat and London Attractions on Sunday.
The only thing I am not really doing with the passes which I expected to is going ot AT at weekends, I figured with the fastrack I would go there more on Sat/Suns but so far have stuck to my odl routine of going in the week. Will have to see if that changes later in the year.
V to the I to the P wrote:As many have said it's not the VIP that's the problem it's the fast track queuing on some / most rides at AT (cannot comment on thorpe / Chessington as not been yet). Regardless of the VIP, how would you feel if you had just purchased a fast track for oblivion and when you got there half the people in that queue hadn't purchased one. Also I bet when Joe blogs buys a fast track to Rita or nemesis they don't realise they are not being fast tracked to the ride, but just closer to the ride, and not that close in my opinion. Plus if you purchase a 1 day Vip experience you get on the rides at the front every time. So what's the difference from their's to ours. Apart from the price obviously
Thats the problem with the "VIP" name on the pass, you are NOT buying VIP privs, as per the T&CS on the pass purchased you are buying an annual pass with the added feaure of UNLIMITED FASTRACK, thats the same as the £92 a day fastrack wristband, which just gives unlimited normal fastrack.
The VIP Daily packages are a different item and differnet price band, and yes they do allow all day front row riding, at a much higher daily cost, but the VIP name on the annual pass seems to be confusing some people into thinking that is what they should be getting. Its Not!