Is Dreamworld's Q4U queue jumping?

[Parkz News]

Is Dreamworld's Q4U queue jumping?

Ever since Dreamworld on the Gold Coast announced Q4U, its incarnation of Lo-Q's QBot "virtual queuing" system, debate over whether it is queue jumping or not has ensued. We put the question to readers of Parkz once and for all. Is Q4U queue jumping?

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[paauly101]

Wow. Can you really do that with the Q4U? Im getting me one of them! I hate que jumpers but this is a little different because its not like you have just decided to jump to the front of the que.. You RESERVE your place in line. The Q4U just gives you the most out of your time in the park. If the other people dont like it then they should have got themselves a Q4U. I like the idea of it and i really hope it stays.

[wondercam]

I think they should just leave the Ques how they were. Think that your waiting all day for a ride and you get to the front and someone pushes past you. It's annoying. And I think this is a way for dreamworld to make some easy money. Anyway thats my thoughts, correct me if im wrong, WonderCam

[Lotl_90]

Just to clear a few things up, the user of the device doesnt need to go anywhere near the ride itself to reserve their spot. It is all done using the device. Dreamworld also has more Q-Bots for sale now, as 130 were seling out every day, and there were quite a few dissapointed people. Im with the opinion of Lo-Q. In no way (IMO) is it queue jumping. Users are still waiting the same amount of time as everybody else, that I know for sure. Guest comments about the system and its use have all been positive, and guests who see other guests using them then go to get one for themselves. Especially families. Anyone who has waited in a 90min queue with children will understand the interest in wanting to utilize this system. Normal riders are not disadvantaged in an overly large way, as the Q4U riders are mixed in with normal riders to fill up each cycle. If the Q4U line is becoming over large, they will send a whole ride/train of Q4U guests to keep the lines moving, where possible. I think if dreamworld can successfully offer this service and keep the same level of operating 'efficiency' then they may as well go for it. Maybe if Macquarie sees a bit more money coming in they will be more willing to spend a bit more. Anyway, thats my two cents worth.

[Bush Beast Forever]

Sorry but Richard's example shows it really is queue jumping. While it's true that Q4U users wait the same amount of time at these attractions, they are highly likely to use that time to ride other rides and therefore use more of the park's capacity. During peak periods when the park reaches capacity it really is a simple equation. If a Q4U user gets to go on say 5 more rides in a day because he has paid for the device those 5 rides will have come at the expense of other non paying guests. The more Q4U are sold the more extra capacity is eaten up and the less rides other guests will be able to experience. This should be seen transparently for what it is; an effort to increase expenditure per guest. Now DW already do plenty of things to increase expenditure like installing upcharge attractions and having paid early admission. I don't have any particular problem with those. The difference is because those things don't directly detract from other guests experience of the park. This does.

[Richard]

Thanks for those corrections regarding the functionality of QBot, Lotl_90. I've fixed the article to clear these minor matters up.

[SuperYoshi]

I think they should just leave the Ques how they were. Think that your waiting all day for a ride and you get to the front and someone pushes past you. It's annoying. And I think this is a way for dreamworld to make some easy money. Anyway thats my thoughts, correct me if im wrong,

I agree.

Users are still waiting the same amount of time as everybody else, that I know for sure.

Yea but their not waiting in the heat,standing in the same spot and only moving every 5 mins are they?

If the other people dont like it then they should have got themselves a Q4U.

They are limited... so not everyone can get them. But i suppose, if they made enough so at least half the park could use them, their would be hardly anyone in the line, meaning that it would be a waist of money(us), since (their point) is to not que in long lines. Edited January 15, 2009 by Movie_World

[New display name]

Well I agree with Richard QBot is queue jumping and as per normal Dreamworld is ripping people of by saying its ok if you pay for it. What gets me the most about this is Dreamworld tell you on there web site” It means you can try other rides”. Last year on a Saturday before Dreamworlds peak season I waited for 1.12 hours for the moto coaster and in comparison I waited 15min in peek season to ride the jet rescue at SeaWorld. I can’t see how Dreamworld can justify there current entry tickets for people (keep in mind Dreamworld has just put gate entry up) who are not buying a QBot if Dreamworld has decreased what that person can go on in a day. By my calculations a person who does not have a QBot would have to wait for an extra 1560 guest per day if the QBot riders got on 2 extra rides per day. Shame Shame Shame.

[qldtaw]

It is ridiculous to think that introducing Q-Bots is queue jumping. It is an amazing invention and simply gives consumer more choice. When entering a theme park you enter on the theme park terms... you don't like it... pay for the Q-Bot or don't go to the park. I was at Six Flags Great Adventure and New England in August last year and used them the whole day... once society is introduced to a new idea, feature, product, ticketing option they are afraid... becuase society is afraid of change. Is it fair that people with Visa cards in some cases can purchase tickets to concerts earlier then the public? is it fair that people who are a member of the RACQ get into Dreamworld early? Life isn't fair... money talks... you got the bucks you get the perks.. easy as that.

[Richard]

This article is not about the issue of whether QBot is a valid addition to a theme park. If you read it, then you'll see that the sole purpose of this article is to address the specific claims by its inventors and Dreamworld (along with other parks using it) that QBot is not queue jumping.

[New display name]

quote"It is ridiculous to think that introducing Q-Bots is queue jumping." What do you call it if one guest actions directly have an impact on another guest time in the park? quote"It is an amazing invention and simply gives consumer more choice." I would not call it an amazing invention I prefer a pace maker or a bionic ear as an amazing invention. quote"When entering a theme park you enter on the theme park terms... you don't like it... pay for the Q-Bot or don't go to the park." When guest brought there annual passes last year they where not informed that the value from the park would be reduced unless they spent more money.

Edited January 15, 2009 by skeetafly

[Lotl_90]

It all comes down to how you want to look at it really. Personally, I see that yes it may be reducing capacity on one or two rides for a short period of time, but realistically, even if the Q4U guest was standing in the queue line in front of you, you would still have to wait for them to ride before your turn. I dont see it as too much of a difference. If people were actually not waiting for the ride and walking straight on and riding, yeah i'd have a problem too, but they are still waiting for the ride. A lot of Q4U guests show up early in an attempt to get on the ride early, and in every instance will be turned away, or told to wait until their designated time. If too many guests are booking for a ride or showing up at a ride, the 'Virtual line' is closed (so that no more bookings can be made) until it clears and the physical queue is reduced again so that the normal queue waiting guests arent made to wait longer than is fair. I think you really have to experience the system before you can make a clear cut decision. Sure, it may be an excuse for dreamworld to drag every last cent out of the guest, but its just like any decision, It benefits the people who use it and the people who dont use it (for whatever reason) are going to whinge and complain. I see both sides of the story, and im not discounting anyones POV, but im more inclined to run with the company on this one.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Lotl_90

[Shcotty]

As for the queue jumping, the people with Q4U wait the same amount of time as they would have if they were in the queue and are also paying for the service of not having to stand in line. There is a limited number of units available each day and hopefully this number would vary depending on how many people are in the park on that given day so that there is a balance between virtual queuers and those standing in the line. I was there the week between Christmas and New Years with it in effect and chose not to buy it and managed to get on each ride at least once and that was in peak period. Not once did I think that people were jumping the line when I saw them go past. Infact I might actually get it so that I can fit more into my day next time I go.

[qldtaw]

QUOTE: 'I would not call it an amazing invention I prefer a pace maker or a bionic ear as an amazing invention'. I thought this was a forum for Theme Parks and rides not medical forum? As far as crowd crontrol goes and virtual queing name one other invention in this field that performs the same task. Being at Six Flags Great Adventure with one actually meant i got to go on most things.. without it i would have been hard pressed to get on half the rides. A device that allows me to view all rides and the times i can virtually queue for them along with reserve my spot from anywhere in the park... i call that pretty unique... wouldn't mind being the company that thought of it and a re reaping the benefits. QUOTE: 'When guest brought there annual passes last year they where not informed that the value from the park would be reduced unless they spent more money'. Mute point, it is standard practise with all 'anuual passes', concert tickets, anything like that, that the promoter can change features of the purcahsed product at their discretion. What about people that buy a three park superpass and on the day that they go to Movieworld Superman is not working and they don't get to ride it? All theme parks reserve the right to close and open attractions where they see fit, which etexnds to pening hours, entry price.. and sorry add-ons like Q4U. They are well within their right to add them against their annual pass holders.

[Gazza]

As far as crowd crontrol goes and virtual queing name one other invention in this field that performs the same task.

Disney's Fastpass.

[Original]

Well then I would say that the hydraulic launch is a a more amazing invention then Q-Bot. While yes you are queing like everyone else, you are able to maybe have lunch, go on a few extra rides, this is therefore is unfair to the people who actually waited in line, Q4U holders are getiing on more ridesb than the average person like Richard said. What about people who wanted buy one but are sold, or people who don't have a lot of money, they have saved up everything to go, only not to get the most out of their day becasue someone paid money they don't have to get more rides than them. The thing is DW have low capacity rides and most staff their make no effort to at least load the rides as fast as possible unlike WVTP staff!

[Gold Coaster]

Hope they introduce these to Screamworld. Wait times at those events is a big turn-off for me which is why I never go anymore. Much as I love our parks at night, it just isn't worth it

[kieron5379]

The Q4U system is currently in use in every six flags in the United States. In great Adventure in Jersey the unit sells for $44.99 for one person on a standard unit and $89.99 for one person on a gold unit (which cuts 75% of the que time of ur waiting time). Some of the parks sell in excess of 1000 units a day. I think that $15 for one person at Dreamworld is not an unreasonable price to pay for the convenience of not having to stand in a que line. And the fact that the unit is only able to que for one ride at a time means that the user does not have the ability to "jump" que lines. Also, Original, this is not an issue about park staff. On a recent visit to Movieworld I found that the ride operator had bought a new pair of jeans the day before. So i don't think its particularly fair to blame somebody who day in, day out has to put up with people complaining about the heat and how they've had to line up for hours and they're day's ruined because they haven't got all of the rides in that they wanted to do.I think that all ride operators grin and bear alot regardless of what park they work in. Overall, i think that the Q4U is a step in the right direction for the park. It shows that Dreamworld is grasping a concept that has taken off in the US and running with it. As with the issue of que jumping i feel that if someone wants to pay for the convenience of not having to stand in line but still wait the same time, then i say go for it. i certainly would.

[New display name]

A lot of people are beating around the bush here. Richard ask do you think QBot is queue jumping and some posted have not addressed this question. Example “As with the issue of que jumping i feel that if someone wants to pay for the convenience of not having to stand in line but still wait the same time, then i say go for it. I certainly would.” This does not answer the question is QBot queue jumping. (its queue not que)

[MichaelD]

Yes, a QBot is queue jumping simply because it allows you to ride more rides than physically possible if you were to join the queues for real (the example of riding Claw and Wipeout whilst waiting out the virtual queue time on Cyclone is spot on the money and exactly how I would use a QBot). So what? I'm sorry, but I don't care about the hypothetical family who can't afford the QBot and how they are disadvantaged by QBot users. I am at a park to enjoy myself as much as possible. For me, that means maximizing the number of rides I take and if I can achieve this by the use of a QBot then I will if the QBot is priced appropriately. If QBots fail to deliver (too many QBots, too highly priced, don't work properly) then they will not sell.

[Richard]

The only issue I have is with the fact that Dreamworld and Lo-Q choose to misleadingly advertise the system as not being queue jumping. Whether you're a supporter of Q4U or not (I personally am) doesn't change that this is deliberately skewing the truth so as to minimise potential upset from non-Q4U buyers. That to me is an issue worth discussing.

[JD_bunnies_supporter]

i thought it was a good choice too, lol. considering, the motocoaster and the cyclone arent the greatest rollercoasters iv been on, and compared to the 3 at movieworld, it was easy to pick against dreamworld. althought ToT and the claw r great rides, all i been hearing is bad reports about this new q4u stuff at dreamworld. it sounds similar to disney's fast pass.

[Spotty]

Where have you been hearing all this bad stuff about the Q4U? All I've ever heard about it is praise, and having used it myself before it does come in handy. Although as much as Dreamworld says it's not queue jumping. It is My usual cycle if I have the Q-Bot is, Reserve either Cyclone or the Tower, and go on smaller rides like The Claw or Wipeout.

[SuperYoshi]

My usual cycle if I have the Q-Bot is, Reserve either Cyclone or the Tower, and go on smaller rides like The Claw or Wipeout.

Thats what people hate about it . You see here is a scenario: You reserve your spot with TOT. Another guy walks into TOT and starts to line up. You go on the claw and the wipeout, meanwhile that other guy is still in the heat waiting. Then you go to the tower. Hes just about to go on, but then you arrive and take his place, then he has to wait another load, before he can get on. Its simply the case of people (that have Q4U) being able to explore the park, while other people that either, wanted to get one but they were sold out, didnt have enough money or just didnt know about it ,and didnt get one, have to wait in the heat and only move every once and awhile! Even you said it was queue jumping Hope this helps, Movie_World EDIT: This is what Richard said in the article he made:

The problem is that this argument against queue jumping is flawed. Let's say a family decides it wants to ride Cyclone and they load it up on the device. It tells them to come back in an hour. With an hour to spare, they head over to The Claw and enter its queue for say 20 minutes before riding it. With 40 minutes to spare they then walk over to Wipeout and give it a ride. With that, they head back to Cyclone and walk right up to the front and hop on the ride. They're riding with people who made the decision to enter the queue at the same time that they logged the decision on their Q4U device. Wow, the system works. Q4U is great, and best of all, it inconveniences no one! With that out of the way, let's look at a similar scenario. A family walks up to Cyclone. After a bit of dismay at the length of the queue, Dad really wants to ride so he sticks around and enters the queue. Meanwhile, Mum and the kids head off to The Claw, queue and ride it. A quick phone call to Dad to find out where he is, he tells them he's only halfway through the queue. Then the rest of the family checks out Wipeout. After they ride that they give Dad a ring and he tells them he's nearly at the front. The rest of the family thinks that's perfect and decide to meet him there. So they barge through the queue to where Dad is and in no time they're on the ride. Hang on... that definitely sounds like queue jumping, right? Well, apparently giving the park $20 makes it not.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Movie_World

[tipsy_bella]

This is not mistakingly advertised. Check how the systems overseas have advertised it and it is exactly the same. I think you are all forgetting, you are paying for the privilege of booking a place virtually and then going on more attractions. The system is available to all guests also, so everybody has the option of Q4U. Some of you are very anti Dreamworld currently - are you trying to tell me if Movie World introduced the system (for Batwing, Superman, Shrek 4D, Wild West, Scooby Doo, HSD, Lethal Weapon) to some of you would be the best idea WVTP could of made.