"Fastpass" like system to be trialled at Movie World

[Park Addict 93]

Have heard from several people that a system simliar to FastPass will be trialled at Movie World during these holidays possibly starting tomorrow. No infrastructure will be installed for this trial, rides included in the trial will be the main coasters (SE, GL and Scooby). Apparently it also will be free! (at least for this trial)

[kujotess]

Yeah it's official, Movie World now has a 'Fast Track' system http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150665493147182&set=a.452895337181.251091.106147617181&type=1&theater

[Randy23]

Movieworld FB: This week at Movie World we are trailing something pretty cool, it’s our new FAST TRACK system. FAST TRACK will allow you to “reserve” a time to ride your fav’s, so you can make the most of your day... As if you needed another reason to visit Movie World this week Does this mean everyone will get one? then there will be no-one in the normal queue?

[Original]

^ Wow you guys are quick. Yesterday when I read this my guess it was some kind of late April Fools joke or something (can't trust anything you read on that day ) but it appears to be true!! My guess is that they will only make a limited amount of these available so everyone isn't trying to grab one??

[RussellSmulders]

Im currently at movie world and am using the fast pass system I have spares that I kept and will post photos of them. Each pass has a time on it that goes for 15 mins and are in limited supply. Green lantern you use the exit to enter, superman has change the chains to try and make two different lines but it was less than 15min wait so pass was useless. I'm waiting to 2pm to try scooby doo and wild west falls doesn't have the fast pass. Arkham asylum will have it but it isn't ready yet and this is only a one week trial and after the trail you will have to pay for it if they decide to use the fast pass. I believe the q4u is a better system or even just paying extra and having a wristband and have a fast lineup cause this system seems to use alot of extra staff around 2-3 per ride so its not going to be cost effective

[CruiseSF]

By the sounds of the system it seems as if its cheap and nasty and was poorly thought out.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Paper-style fast passes work fine at Disney parks. I don't see the park investing huge amounts into a trial, but if it proves successful, then rolling it out and making it much more value for money than a Q4U would be a good marketing point. 'Front of the line' or 'enter through exit' systems can be made to work. Personally, if they can do it cheaper than Q4U, make it available and easy to use - maybe by scanning ticket or vip pass in a machine similar to disney's fast pass so that everyone can use it, but restricted to so many, so often, and i'm all for it. Charging extra for it though - not sure if that will be popular. Time will tell.

[joz]

My take on ‘Fast Track': It's free for the trail and that's great; its a level playing field, so if I get there early I will be able to use the reservation for the one or two rides that we really want to go on while being able to spend more time with the non riders in my family. I recently took some relatives to the park with me (3 kids, me and 2 pensioners) and we spent a lot of time split up; there were many times that I wanted to sit down for a beer or coffee but ended up queueing for things with the kids instead. So if this means we can still get in a couple rides with the younger kids while still getting to sit down and relax for a quiet beer or coffee with the non-riders then I'm in favour!

　

If it costs after the trail then that's also great, as it's a very good reason not to take my family to Movie World. Thanks for saving me yet more money! Coffee and beer are both cheaper elsewhere, and a day at the beach is free. I've said in the past that not having a pay to cut system is a positive point of difference for Movie World, and I've also pointed out in the past that per cap spending didn't increase when Q4U was introduced at DW, it just got re-allocated. Honestly why any park (where the main product sold is fun and a good time) would choose to piss off it's normal guests for no significant increase in revenue is a mystery to me.

[Randy23]

Here's some pictures

[Bmull19]

Ended up removing this post...

Edited April 2, 2012 by Bmull19

[CruiseSF]

Hopefully they end up making it like Disney's Fastpass, with similar distribution (machines they monitor how many passes each person has so they can only have one for each time slot.) As long as they don't change it would be good, if they charge it couldn't be any worse (well it could but you get the idea).

[Park Addict 93]

Im currently at movie world and am using the fast pass system I have spares that I kept and will post photos of them. Each pass has a time on it that goes for 15 mins and are in limited supply. Green lantern you use the exit to enter, superman has change the chains to try and make two different lines but it was less than 15min wait so pass was useless. I'm waiting to 2pm to try scooby doo and wild west falls doesn't have the fast pass. Arkham asylum will have it but it isn't ready yet and this is only a one week trial and after the trail you will have to pay for it if they decide to use the fast pass. I believe the q4u is a better system or even just paying extra and having a wristband and have a fast lineup cause this system seems to use alot of extra staff around 2-3 per ride so its not going to be cost effective

Arkham will not have this trial implemented I can assue you. Q-bots will not work well at Movie World with the loose item policy, with the proper infrastructure and limits like Disney's Fastpass it will work well. The trial will last all these holidays and it is not currently planned to be a paid system.

[bladex]

i've got something better it's called single rider privilages and it always works

Edited April 2, 2012 by bladex

[Gazza]

By the sounds of the system it seems as if its cheap and nasty and was poorly thought out.

Dude its a 1 week trial, so they aren't going to producing fastpass style machines for one week of use. And what exactly makes it "poorly thought out"? Edited April 2, 2012 by Gazza

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

The more I think on this the more I hope MW doesn't put in a paid system. If the Disney "scan your entry ticket" system is implemented, it would be fantastic. Apart from Scooby and Superman, the separate queue lines work well. Superman and Scooby would need a complete re-design of the station houses to work properly - but a recent discussion about Scooby's old 'gremlins theatre' locations might provide the solution (rather than bringing the 2 queues into one at the start of the ramp (after the large hall), the fastpass queue could come in the existing emergency exit (underneath where the TV screen is). Put your grouper there, instead of at the top of the queueline. (Although this doesn't really work with their reduced staffing levels). Superman, in my opinion, would need either a redesign of their ramps (maybe a straight ramp up the right hand side?), or else put a back door in on the opposite side of the station... I don't think it's feasible to let people use the exit gate for superman. All the other major attractions (including WWF) can utilise the exit ramp for fast pass holders, and Arkham would be able to use the side door that was, at one point, a temporary entrance (and now has some wonderful wallpaper on it). I'd love to see a sort of 'central' fastpass system in guest relations too - this would be something else that they could use as an 'apology' or 'compensation' offer - print off a few fast passes for guests (with an immediate ride time, rather than a delayed one)... could also well be used for someone to get a pass for everything (at different times) rather than having to walk all the way around to get each pass, and then all the way around again to use them. So long as they don't charge for them.... I'd also be interested (if they use a barcode-scanner style pass system) to see them roll it out at WnW - Splash Cash already has the barcode on it - why not use it for that as well?

[CruiseSF]

Dude its a 1 week trial, so they aren't going to producing fastpass style machines for one week of use. And what exactly makes it "poorly thought out"?

I am talking about the idea. Not bring in machines straight away. I was taking note of the extra staff members that are needed in the current set up. Sorry I didn't mention that in the post. I figured people could understand.

[RussellSmulders]

It will cost money once they bring it out and scooby has the fast track on the left side and normal line on the right side inside scooby once both lines meet up we get Moved on in groups which doesn't speed up the line unless it's the summer holidays but I'm all for a wristband system that can be used at certain times of the day or a special line for fast track the current method is very messy only time will tell if movie world can get the right balance

[Gazza]

I was taking note of the extra staff members that are needed in the current set up.

But if they don't have machines yet, then you'd have no choice but to have humans doing the work of issuing passes, so I'm not sure what you were wanting to be done. ....If you were wanting to do a 1 week trial of this type of system, what would you do? At Disney, its about 3 extra staff to run fastpass per ride isn't it? One supervising the machines and controlling the line that (sometimes) forms there (Ever seen the fastpass line at Epcot for test track at park opening....its longer than the standby lol), and one that checks fastpasses at the return entrance, and then one at the merge point before boarding . Edited April 2, 2012 by Gazza

[CruiseSF]

But if they don't have machines yet, then you'd have no choice but to have humans doing the work of issuing passes, so I'm not sure what you were wanting to be done. ....If you were wanting to do a 1 week trial of this type of system, what would you do?

I was just making a point of the way its currently run, as we don't even know if they are thinking about machines.

At Disney, its about 3 extra staff to run fastpass per ride isn't it? One supervising the machines and controlling the line that (sometimes) forms there (Ever seen the fastpass line at Epcot for test track at park opening....its longer than the standby lol), and one that checks fastpasses at the return entrance, and then one at the merge point before boarding .

You can't really compare Disney and MW's operations, MW would fit in one land at disneyland.

[Bmull19]

But he can compare them in this situation. Whilst MW is smaller, it's still '3 staff per ride'. Disneyland is bigger, so it has more rides which need more staff to attend to. MW is smaller, but has less rides, so less staff. I hope you realize that a bigger park doesn't have the same running costs as a small park.

[rappa]

Disney rides typically cycle between 1000 and 3000 guests per hour on their rides, movieworld is more like the low 100s, same as a busy day at MW is 8000 people and a busy one at Disney is 80 000! Comparing the operations is just silly. I think the system may work if it is free and how it's designed because it doesn't sound like a BYPASS the line system, just a REDUCE the line. Superman still has the wait on the ramps, Scooby the last section to the load platform and I'm guessing at GL they are not just letting you straight on?? I feel on these rides it may work but also only in peak season with multiple ride vehicles. I don't think the system would work for Arkham with only the one train and it's lower capacity with a longer cycle time, but you never know. Nice to see something being given a decent trial that may or may not work, shows some real thought is being put in.

[Park Addict 93]

^^ ^ Whilst capacities greatly differ in my opinion you can compare them as Fast Track is a similar system (paper based not requiring a Q-bot) GL does not require a wait, unless there is a backlog of Fast Track users. My views on the system observed today, including a scan of a "Fast Track" Ticket.

Edited April 2, 2012 by One day holiday

[qldtaw]

It amuses me when i read people that are against the whole 'pay to get ahead of the queue' all i can say is welcome to the present and get ready for the future. Paid levels of privelage are coming to basically any form of entertainment... turns out people want to pay to get a premium experiences... I travel the world doing all sorts of crazy stuff and i am so thankful whenever there is an option to pay for a better experience or a more 'gauranteed' experience. When i was in Magic Mountain i had a platinum Q-Bot which was over $250 plus my entry ticket... plus $30 to get on X2... so a total of $310. Worth EVERY penny. I got on Tatsu 3 times... we walked past literally HOURS of queue. At the end of the day if you cant afford to buy the higher privelage pass then dont buy them and stand in line. Whats the big deal? What ACTUALLY effects you? I will never be able to afford to fly 1st class... so i sit back in economy happily watch a tonne of movies not sleep and land OS and have a holiday. Should they not be allowed to have classes of airplane travel? Gold Class and VMax cinemas? What about different classes of a car.... Special edition movies with extra content... Blu-Rays with a 3D version and 3 copies digital/physical... What about a game with extra features? So why not a theme park?........ Disney doesnt charge for their system because they make an ABSOLUTE killing out of a huge range of other aspects of their parks over and above basically every other park around the world. A huge component of their customer dollar spend comes from travel, accomodation and shopping. Along with being large enough that they literally capture people for days on end, sometimes weeks! In my opinion Disney has implimented the Fastpath system to combat crowd management. However rumours are circulating that even they are looking at creating a paid tiered system of better fastpath access. And in true Disney form it wouldnt surprise me if this was built into the program from the begining and its a flick of a switch to activiate it. You scan your entry ticket to obtain a pass... simple update scan ticket and the ticket range determines that amount of time the person waits...

[rappa]

I'd post an opinion combating the points you made, some of which I actually found offensive but I get the feeling another active member of this community will shortly do a much better job than I would. I will say though that adding an extra level of comfort option in a plane, or a gold class movie lounge doesn't AFFECT the experience the people not opting for that service have in a negative way, they simply miss out. Paying to avoid a que which makes other who don't wait longer DOES affect them in a negative way. I don't like penalizing those who can't afford things when they are trying to leave reality for a day and show their family a good time, perhaps even forget their troubles for a day. Especially when it's some snotty over entitled youth skipping lines whilst hard working families wait.

Edited April 2, 2012 by djrappa

[kujotess]

It doesn't work well for Scooby, even if you got it, you still have to wait 5-10 minutes for the lady to let you in to the crowded 10-20 minute line where the big area closes off onto the slant, lots of p*ssed off people.. Works well for Green Lantern, didn't get it for any other rides.