New fastlanes at SFGA

[regulator0407]

later this year SFGA will be switching from punch hole fastlanes to electronic fastlane passes

there will be an electronic scanner at the fastlane merger

[Timmy179]

Makes sense, as alot of employees are actually needed.... but now that I think about it, youd still need an amployee to stand there and let you in... Im guessing this is just there to prevent employees fgrom giving free ins??


Im interested in what your source is.

[regulator0407]

nono man, the machines are already at the fastlane merges...
they have already put one in at giant drop...

[superb]

Sounds good, but how do you know this?

[rct2wizard360]

The machines are at SUF, V2, Bull, basically every Fastpass ride. I like the system actually. Prevent freeloaders from picking up an unused Fastpass.

[twixmix0303]

They are the systems that look like they control a fire alarm system. I saw maintenance installing one, there's a Linksys wireless router in it. Kind of nifty.

[StealthNet]

Are we sure that this isn't LoQ?

[regulator0407]

LoQ?

[Bob O]

This just makes the system even worse and easier for SF to attempt to fleece there guests and give me even more incentive to spend less money insidew the park.
Now if they went to a free fastpass system, that would be great and a customer friendly service o offer there guests, but instead they will try to pry more money out of there guests and still loose many millions a year due to incompetent managment.

[Dmrbug]

Who knows if this will be good or bad or why they are even making a change. Hopefully this will be a good thing.

[tooexcited914]

It sounds like a good idea to me. But why would SF have a free fastpass system? Then almost everyone at the park would have fastlane.

[SFGAmfan]

I always thought fastlane was a bad idea. It upsets the guests that are waiting in hour+ lines that see people just cut in front of them. It makes the normal line longer at times when there is a high volume of fastlaners present. And also, if someone was to buy a fastlane, they would likely get on all the rides in one day, which in turn would mean they would only spend one day at the park where as someone who didn't buy a fastlane on a crowded day wouldn't get on all the rides, so they might buy a second day ticket, giving the park even more money because that person would have a whole second day of buying food, drinks, souveirs, etc. But then again, I am not a business person or Six Flags. But wouldn't it seem like Six Flags would want ALL of their guests to enjoy there day instead of a select few? I guess I just don't understand the hospitality/entertainment industry.

[greatamerica2003]

This just makes the system even worse and easier for SF to attempt to fleece there guests and give me even more incentive to spend less money insidew the park.
Now if they went to a free fastpass system, that would be great and a customer friendly service o offer there guests, but instead they will try to pry more money out of there guests and still loose many millions a year due to incompetent managment.

That was very defamatory and slanderous.

If you don't want to spend the money, then don't. Nobody is forcing you to. And a Fastlane entry really doesn't make your wait that much longer.

[Danhockey04]

This new system is going to be just like how it is now. You are going to buy the tickets, and go to the ride, they will not be free. This system will not be Q-bot, it will be the same as fastlane, just with electronic instead of hole-punches.

[Chitown]

This just makes the system even worse and easier for SF to attempt to fleece there guests and give me even more incentive to spend less money insidew the park.
Now if they went to a free fastpass system, that would be great and a customer friendly service o offer there guests, but instead they will try to pry more money out of there guests and still loose many millions a year due to incompetent managment.

That was very defamatory and slanderous.

If you don't want to spend the money, then don't. Nobody is forcing you to. And a Fastlane entry really doesn't make your wait that much longer.

You need to just get used to Bob O's posts. Almost every post he makes focuses on ripping into the park saying that it rips its guests off any chance they get. Yet, he still continues to visit the park on a regular basis. Go figure.

[Carlo]

The new system is a very good way for data Analysis. I am sure that they are installing this system in a way to analyze the data. Then in the future they may offer other Fast Lane Products. Like Unlimited Fast lane, where you can use it as many times as you want. Or have a Special Gold season pass were on every visit you get 2 Free Fastlane rides.

[Bob O]

Greatamerica2003, the post was my thoughts on the way SF has implemented there fastpass type system and also points out the fact that they still lose millions upon millions of dollars while trying to pry as much money from there guests as possbile. Anyone who goes in line before me makes my wait longer, be it a few people skipping by jumping in line, or many who pay for the privilege.
While every park wants to make as much money as possible, most go about it in a more intelligent manner where the guests dont think they are being fleeced as much as they do at a SF park, then the company that does this isnt in debt like SF is where the actions are counter productive.
Chi-town, I go too SFGAM because in the area i live i have no other easy alternative or competition.While i enjoy the excellant coasters the park offers and do believe this is the best park in the chain, the corporate polices on stuff like fastlane is AWFUL . And because of policies like fastlane and the overcharging of items like soda i make it a practice to spend as little money at the park as possilbe which is much different when i go to other parks.
When you get to fastlane, what other parks ONLY offer a purchase only system?? I know disney doesnt charge, that USF has a pay or not pay option, but i havent been to a Paramount/Busch/Cedar Fair park that sold skip in line tickets. They may be other parks that charge for this that i havent been too or havent read about.
It makes little sense for SF to charge for a service that other parks give away free or dont even offer, and these parks mentioned arent manyhundreds of millions of dollars in debt, it seems like SF needs to realize if you want to make money you need to make your parks more family friendly and not gouge your guests for everything.

[Andrew]

I'm not downing SFGAm but I feel that they should try something like the "Freeway" that Cedar Point uses where you can get your hand stamped and return to the ride at a certain time. It eases the amount of people in line too because they regulate the number of people in line by the intervals in which they let people in through the Freeway line.

[onceler]

SFGAm should go the route of the Qbot rather than giving away something people are willing to purchase. SF is in enough debt, they don't need to be giving away a proven source of income. With Qbot or other vitural queing system, you would at least have somewhat of a limit to how many people can use the system in a given time period much like the reservation system Disney, Universal, and CP use.

[Cs6153]

I differ, on the other hand I like Fastlane. I would be more willing to dish out money to cut in line simply by the fact that a ton of people do not buy it. Then you get to cut in line legally and get in line. I do not thinkmany people are offeneded, because if they did and complaned systems like this would not be around (though I do agree that it is a crime they charge a arm and leg for pop). you just go into the fastlane entry and get on and ride no long waits
When I am at CP, the free freeway line to get a hand stamp is so long, it would be a waste of time to wait in it. I think you wait the same amount of time sometimes it is longer than the actual line for the roller coaster you are getting the stamp for. not only tht but you are waiting to get a stamp to wait to get in line then when you get into the freelane line you have to wait behind the same people that were in front of you before. talk about a waste of time

[Andrew]

I differ, on the other hand I like Fastlane. I would be more willing to dish out money to cut in line simply by the fact that a ton of people do not buy it. Then you get to cut in line legally and get in line. I do not thinkmany people are offeneded, because if they did and complaned systems like this would not be around (though I do agree that it is a crime they charge a arm and leg for pop). you just go into the fastlane entry and get on and ride no long waits
When I am at CP, the free freeway line to get a hand stamp is so long, it would be a waste of time to wait in it. I think you wait the same amount of time sometimes it is longer than the actual line for the roller coaster you are getting the stamp for. not only tht but you are waiting to get a stamp to wait to get in line then when you get into the freelane line you have to wait behind the same people that were in front of you before. talk about a waste of time

It didn't take that long when I waited in line for the hand stamps. I guess you have to be one of the first ones in line for it.

[Bob O]

If fastlane was a big money maker then i would bet that more parks would copy it.
But since almost all parks arent then it must not be that big of a money maker and they would perfer not to upset the vast majority of there guests who dont use it.
I havent used the Cedar Point sytem but have seen alot of long lines of people waiting to buy fastlane tickets.

[Andrew]

If fastlane was a big money maker then i would bet that more parks would copy it.
But since almost all parks arent then it must not be that big of a money maker and they would perfer not to upset the vast majority of there guests who dont use it.
I havent used the Cedar Point sytem but have seen alot of long lines of people waiting to buy fastlane tickets.

I went when the park wasn't too crowded. But then again I was one of the firsts in line for it.

[w00dland]

If fastlane was a big money maker then i would bet that more parks would copy it.
But since almost all parks arent then it must not be that big of a money maker and they would perfer not to upset the vast majority of there guests who dont use it.
I havent used the Cedar Point sytem but have seen alot of long lines of people waiting to buy fastlane tickets.

15 dollars a card. They only offer a certain amount of cards per day, and I've been to the park a few times where they have sold out completely. Clearly it makes money. Theres nothing to lose with this system.

[mschulz5]

Andrew, I know you are new, so from now on, you don't have to quote the post directly above yours. All of us automatically assume that is the post you are talking about if you don't do it. Just a tip for you.

As for me, I have nothing against Fastlanes. Think of it this way, if you are so pissed about people cutting in front of you in line, buy your own fastlane and shutup.