Fast Lane

PB-Reader said:
...what gives them the right.

Did anyone tell her the answer is "$50"? :)

PB-Reader said:
I finally got a review from a passholder who went with friends who only go to Cedar Point once or twice a year.

I asked my daughter how fast lane was Saturday June 9th. They did not get fast lane, they waited in line. (My daughter was slightly bothered, but maybe because of her friends)

The friends were getting weird feelings, wondering why these people got to cut in front of them, on Mantis, Dragster, for sure. So my daughter explained that they paid 50 or so dollars to cut in line. Both friends were saying that it's not fair, what gives them the right.

Eventually my daughter was showing them who had fast lane, and who didn't. And things calmed down. Never the less, even tho there are signs everywhere; The people who go once or twice, really don't even know that it is available, and fast lane does give somewhat of a sour taste to some people, at least at first...

I only get to go once a year and know about it. I have my fast lane passes bought already. These are the people it was meant for. Can't wait!

djDaemon said:

PB-Reader said:
...what gives them the right.

Did anyone tell her the answer is "$50"? :)

Not to be a 'meanie' but if you read the post you'll see that they did. :P

Going for the first time ever next week. Been talking about going for ten years(we live in Maine). Going to be there two days. Bought fastlane passes for both days yesterday. Been watching this thread since it started. I was going to wait until the second day to buy, as I thought I would see how the first day went without. My wife offered them to me as a Fathers Day present(she isnt going).I have to say my anxiety over the trip has basically faded away. No more planning to minimize waits, time for sit down meals, a walk on the beach, a nap mid afternoon if desired. Will maybe never get to go again,so really happy to marathon whatever we want. I know this pisses you all off, but for us once in a lifetime visitors, 50 bucks is a steal to make it a great trip.I won't be rude about it, or skip up the queue, but I will be perfectly happy to fork over my cash to ensure a great trip.

Good for you JL. You will consider it $50 well spent. Honestly, I think even having it for one of the two days may be enough. Two will definitely allow you to take your time and do whatever you want!

Thanks Huskerchad! I really weighed whether or not to buy it at all. Would it be worth the cash?Would I really need it on a Monday and Tuesday in June?
Am I line cutting? Will I piss off the general population? Well being a Disney Fastpass User for the past 17 trips, I decided that its no worse than that, and that taking advantage of a system put in place by the owners, completely legit, that will add value to the cost of this vacation,(which isnt cheap with airfare, car rental , lodging park passes and food) is completely ok.
Got to say I find it weird that no one was all mad about the VIP tour, which judging from the mad internet ravings in this post, would totally drive people who couldn't afford the high price of that over the top.In the grand scheme of what it costs for us to go to Cedar Point for 2.5 days, the extra 200 for us to get the full deal is pretty reasonable.
I understand the passholders complaint that they have to wait in line while I
walk right by, but for me, it is offset by the fact that they get to go 25 times a year. Hard for me to listen to you all moan about my once in a lifetime marathoning of coasters I will never ride again, while you all are doing walkons on a Thursday in May.
I understand you might all not get the first train on TTD the day Im there, but I'm lucky to be on TTD at all.
So don't hate me because I want to get the most out of my once in a lifetime trip to the best coaster park in North America.I'm so jealous of you all who live right next to it.
Dont mean to be an ass about it.Sorry if I am, and I want to thank everyone again on here who was so helpful in the planning of this trip for my daughter and I . I truly am over the top excited for next week!

I don't blame you at all JLinsky! I only get to go up 1 time a year and normally go for Halloweekends... so you'd better believe that I will be shelling out the extra $50.00 too!

JL, I don't know whether you'll really need it on weekdays or not. This weekend was my first and only trip to CP. We got there at 9PM on Friday (hadn't planned to be there Friday at all, but made good time) and got in a couple of TTD's and a Mantis ride without fast pass.

We are platinum pass holders, so we got in for ERT Saturday and got in two MF's and two Mavericks. Then we went down and got on to TTD with a 10-15 min wait. We could see the park filling up and had already planned to do fast pass on that Saturday, so we actually met up with another poster here and his wife and all bought fast passes with the group discount.

We rode MF probably 5-6 times that day. Maverick probably the same. Got in other rides on Mantis (didn't need FP), Raptor, TTD, Magnum, and a few others. It was a hot day and the park was very busy at first, but the crowds thinned out. In some cases the FP saved us 1-1.5 hours of waiting. In other cases there was no line and it didn't matter. Overall though it was an incredible value for $50. Being able to go around and get a couple of quick night rides on the Big 3 alone was worth it.

Sunday we did not do FP. We got in an early MF, waiting for the front seats (totally worth it), then chain rode Maverick for probably an hour (got in at least 5 I think). A few TTD's, another ride or two here or there, some lunch, and we were ready to go. If we hadn't done FP the day before we probably would have stayed around longer, but it was another hot day and we had a 5 hour drive ahead of us. This is where the pass really paid off because we didn't have to worry about wasting tickets or the hour that we spent in the park on Friday.

This wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime trip--we'll be back, but it may be the only time we make it this year. FP was $100 very well spent for us.

I know FP gets a lot of complaints, but some of the things are not true as it is currently being used (I can't speak for earlier in the season). First, it is by no means doubling wait times for non-FP'ers. In no case did I see fast pass riders being taken at a 1:1 ratio with FP'ers. At least at the big name rides, the gate attendants were careful about how many of each line went through at a time.

Second, the first train of TTD is not just for FP'ers. Again, I don't know if it's been that way all year, but as of this weekend, both sides were able to choose front or back train to load.

Thanks for the rundown! Wasnt sure if I was going to need it or not, but this frees us up if we want to do other things like take a swim or a break, and eat a real dinner, and then head back in for some serious night riding. The thought of 1-1.5 hour waits for stuff,when there is soooooooo much we want to get done in two days was brutal. If I can shave 5 hours of wait time off my day, that is valuable time in a two day trip.

It actually really depends WHEN you go. Even if it's a weekday,almost every day in July will be pretty crowded. May, on the other hand, is usually crowd-free. I'd say, if you still haven't bought your tickets and everything, try to go at the end of August on a weekday. Even if you don't get Fast Lane, you'll still be able to ride a lot with minimal wait time. Also, I'd suggest riding as much as you can during Luminosity, as the lines will probably be shortest at that time, other than early entry.

We are arriving this sunday afternnon, will get starlight passes for sunday night, and then full days monday and tuesday. We have been booked since February 2nd.

That sounds fine. Weekdays in June don't have horrible crowds, at the very least. And if you're going for two days, with FL, then you should be able to ride everything, along with early entry! I also happen to be going on Tuesday. :D. I hope you have a great time at Cedar Point!

Back on topic, does anybody know if the tickets could be sold if we wait until we enter the park and see the lines instead of purchasing online? The people I'm going with are reluctant to spend an extra 50$ dollars if the lines aren't horrendously long.

So far they have not sold out online, and they have been readily available at the park during the day.

I bought one today, it was worth every penny.

Okay...so let me get this straight. The passes generally don't sell out in the middle of the day, and the line wait times for FL are more or less like the following...

Rides like Corkscrew, Iron Dragon, and Windseeker (5-10 min)
Rides like Raptor and Magnum (15 min.)
Rides like TTD, Millie, and Maverick (15-30 min.)

......right?

Just bought a fast pass voucher online. Can I turn it in at the Soak City Entrance for a band or do I have to go to the front gate? Or better yet, can Breakers give me a band in the lobby?

^^It really just depends on when you go. I went on a saturday and the lines varied throughout the day. One time Maverick and Millennium had about a 10 minute wait, but later in the day they were both walk-ons. Also Magnum was a walk-on and Raptor was almost a walk-on. TTD was the longest wait with about 30-35 minutes for the front row, but 20 for a middle row. So bascially you are correct, but the waits were different throughout the day and I'm sure on a weekday the lines would decrease.

Ok, I have been going to Cedar Point for nearly 10 years now, I'm 17 now. I personally do not like this new idea, as it is very unfair to people like me, and i guarantee at least half of the posters on this site, cannot afford, even if they only go once or twice a year. What I would like to know is, would me and my party run into problems with fast lane users this satruday? Im going with my Aunt and Uncle, and this is the only day available. Any info would help a lot, since this is a new turn for the CP I have known and loved.

I'm gonna herein post my very last thoughts on fast pass, virtual queueing, fast lane, and all the related and sundry variations out there.

Here's what I don't like about it. It just feels wrong. I know the argument has been made that people have gone through the same exact experience in terms of airline seats, loge seating at sports events, reservations at restaurants, and so forth. Each one of those examples could be and has been counter-argued, and I won't get into those now.

But just as Robert Frost observed there's something about nature that doesn't like a fence, there's something about a park guest that doesn't like being reminded of the real world. The whole idea of an amusement park is escape--escape from worries, from drudgery, from rank or station or class, even sometimes from terminal illness.

And fast pass, in all its permutations, diminishes that sense of escape for more than a few among the vast majority of the 'coach' parkgoers. It strips some of the special away from what should be an extra-ordinary place, and makes it more, well, ordinary. I'm not sure making a little bit more coin is worth that intangible sense of loss among the customer base that the park fervently wishes and needs to have return again, and again, and again.

Maybe the data on the ground refutes this contention, in part. But I'm not convinced it isn't true.

Hey JLinsky.

Relax and have a great time and don't feel guilty about that FL wristband. I took my two daughters on a Tuesday in May and we did not get them and did not need them. We had a great day and rode everything we wanted as much as we wanted to. My good friend was there today with his son and he did buy them and his text to me was "WORTH EVERY PENNY". We both live in Nashville and I make it there once every five years and this was his first time. Make it your goal that you and your daughter make memories of the BEST coaster park I know of. Don't forget to give us a trip update. Have fun!