29yrswithaGApass Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Some say it gets them on more rides faster. Others say it costs money and prolongs waits for the riding public. Where do you stand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasmspiritblue Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I hate it, it gets really annoying when people cut in front of you right before you get on. The only reason I may like it is because I might get a flash pass job next year and I will be getting money for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Justin Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Since I only had 1 day there. It was worth it for me. However to make things even in the world. For all the coasters, I asked if there were single riders/ group of 3 as I was riding alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I voted bad thing but I have mixed opinions about it. I would never get it at Great Adventure since I go so often but if I was traveling from somewhere far away I can see the benefit of it. I also like that it is more fair than Fast Lane at Cedar Fair where you can just go into the Fast Lane entrance as much as you want without any kind of wait and hearing reports how it can almost double the regular line because people can keep riding the major coasters over and over again without having to wait for a ride reservation time. My biggest problem with Flash Pass is Platinum Flash Pass with the double rides. It can be very annoying to think you are going to get on the next train, only to see Platinum users ride again. I'd like to see them get rid of it and keep the Gold and Regular levels. In the past I used to think parks would purposely not run at full capacity in order to increase Flash Pass sales. I still remember seeing a photo trip report from Fright Fest in 2006 where they had the sign up saying how busy the park is and to expect longer wait times and then some coasters like Nitro were only running 2 trains. Thankfully that doesn't seem to happen anymore since after all 3 trains are ready to go on Bizarro, Green Lantern and Nitro, they seem to almost always run 3 trains and I have very rarely seen a coaster run 1 train except on days when the park is empty where even the single train isn't going out full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scipiomask Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I voted good thing, because I've used it several times this past season and it's really helped. I don't think it makes that much of a difference in the time that people in the normal line wait, and hey, if you have extra money and not a lot of time, it can help you make the rounds more efficiently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 It always comes down to if you only have one day to visit, it's absolutely worth it and the best thing ever. If you are a passholder or a day guest who doesn't upgrade to Flashpass it sucks. I used it the first year it was rolled out at SFOG (they were the first park to have it) and I only had one day to be there, and it made my day. I've had Flashpass a couple of times when family has visited GA and it was worth splurging so we could enjoy the day with little or no wait for rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) I hate it and all upcharge fasspass in general, it's like they are forcing you to pay extra to have a good time on top of the admission/season pass/parking costs you have already paid. Though I don't think flash pass hurts standby lines too much at GADV, it is a nightmare over at HH. Water slides do not have that high of a capacity like a coaster, so waterpark fastpasses are a bad idea since it really bogs down standby lines. Despite going to HH 8 times I didn't get to slide on all the slides because of the how badly flashpass back up the standby lines, it has made HH my least favorite waterpark. I almost even hate HH now due to the stupid flashpass. Edited November 12, 2012 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafreak Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I do think its a good thing for the occasional use or limited visits, however the price is a little ridiculous, other parks that are not six flags has made it some what affordable, and Disney seems to have perfected the way it works, but i think it needs a make over, i get the pricing, its alot like going to the new medowlands stadium if you pay the money your taken care of, but i think they can look at other parks and revise and tweek the system a bit to make it something more appealing to everyone. the platinum flash pass price of over 100$ is just plain stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 But, apparently the price doesn't keep people from buying Flashpass. They regularly sell out of Flashpass units. They charge as much as the public is willing to pay. Other parks have guests who won't spend that much, but that's why they also charge less for parking and everything else. The New York Metropolitan Area market is an expensive place and people just expect to pay more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafreak Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 ^^^ I guess you do make a valid point on that, ive wanted to go flashpass a few times this season , and i can afford it but cant bring myself to paying that much for a platinum pass, i have gotten used to buying food in the park ,mainly because its just easier and its one of the very limited panda expresses around here,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) I refuse to spend money on a upcharge flashpass, it is like rewarding the parks for being scabby (IMHO). If a day gets so crowded you need a flashpass, I'll just go home instead. Because of the debacale flashpass has caused in HH, I do not plan to go there nearly as much this coming season. It's easier to get on even Hershey's few slides than HH's slides unless one ponies up for a damn flashpass. Edited November 13, 2012 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) I'm hoping that with Premium Passes getting Hurricane Harbor for free next year, they might consider opening up during the week in early or mid June. Then maybe it will be easier to have a good trip to Hurricane Harbor without Flash Pass. I did use the Lo-Q texting system at Lake Compounce 2 years ago and I liked it but it was a lot cheaper than Flash Pass. It was $1 - $3 per person to use per ride, depending on the ride and the crowds for that day. I was there on a Friday and all rides were $1 except the coasters that were $2. It was well worth $1 per person to skip a 30 minute line at Ghost Blasters. Edited November 13, 2012 by Yoshi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daved Thomson Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 I really do NOT like the concept of some guests paying for the ability to essentially "cut ahead" of everyone else in line. The Disney system of assigning ride times is free and does not create a sense of entitlement among guests. The Flash Pass as well as preferred parking simply shifts the burden of basic services that the park should be providing to the guests and does so all in the name of profits. I really feel these types of payments for entitlements create a certain level of tension among everyone in the park. If you want to park close to the gate, get to the park early. If you don't want to wait in line like everyone else, then you really shouldn't go to a theme park. The concept of "pay-one-price" that Six Flags pioneered really has given way to the need to "nickle and dime" (with $5 and $10s) if you want to reasonably enjoy your day. You should not have to pay extra to maximize your enjoyment at the cost of the enjoyment others experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsblumen Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Truthfully, I really hate flash pass. I don't like when someone has a double ride band or sits down in the row you are about to sit in. On skull mountain, where they have rows blocked off, that is ok, because I understand that is a flash pass row. But when you waited a long time to get on a ride and you are about to get on and the attendant comes over and tells you to wait one more train it makes me nuts when I am with a group of people. You try to get on the same train (specifically for the picture, I have the season pass flash drive), but now you all have to wait again because someone just had to stay in your seats. Flash pass is expensive, but I have never used it. When the park gets to busy, I leave because I don't live far, and I will always go back. Along with the people who say that their "friend" is at the beginning of the line, flash pass goes along with it, but is "legal" because they paid for the "cut the line privileges". One day, I was waiting in line for Kingda Ka because it just opened around 12:00. All the flash pass users rushed over and there were about 70 at a time that went right in front of me. The flash pass line ended up to be longer than the real line. I don't know how the flash pass system really works, but I know it was just chaotic. I understand that Six Flags is trying to make more money, and it works, so I just leave when it gets to busy and avoid the summer and fright fest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzaman10000 Posted December 1, 2012 Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 I do not like or dislike the Flash Pass, it's sometimes worth it if it's a crowded day at the park. It's also a good idea for one time visitors who are trying to get on all the rides. I've only gotten it once and it was the regular version. The system doesn't make a huge difference in lines because you have to reserve a ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyroger Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 I hate it, I NEVER liked it, It would be a waste of money too, I could be waiting in line then Flash pass comes cutting in line again. You know rides are supposed to be free once you pay to get in the park. The Flash pass is not something that you can get more of something that you already have to pay for.(Like food with the Season Dining pass, I never have to go out to the car!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owtoty Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 I like it and don't like it. The one time I got it I got the gold, so I waited 10 minutes for Superman which was an hour wait. I also got it once in Hurricane Harbor, and it wasn't worth it at all. I had to wait 45 minutes until my reservation when the people in the actual line said it was a 30 minute wait. But that was only at the bottom of the stairs. At the top, I had to wait another 30 minutes! I really only enjoyed it for one tube slide (I forget the name) that had separate stairs for flash pass and a flashpass tube line. I think they should have that for every ride and slide. Flashpass needs it's own line. Not one that intersects with the normal guest line. I really enjoyed the quick queue at Busch Gardens in VA. There is an option where you can get a cheaper version where you can ride every ride once, and one ride twice. Each ride had its own line for it and it helped a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermom05 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Hate it hate it hate it. Like being in a caste system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daved Thomson Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 I'm no fan of any system that creates an "I'm better than you, and because of this, i shouldn't have to wait in line, because I have more money than you" atmosphere. The same is true for their privileged parking policy. Management, really IS creating a hostile environment for guests and these policies only make it harder to enforce any sort of line cutting policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro#1 Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 I did use the Lo-Q texting system at Lake Compounce 2 years ago and I liked it but it was a lot cheaper than Flash Pass. It was $1 - $3 per person to use per ride, depending on the ride and the crowds for that day. I was there on a Friday and all rides were $1 except the coasters that were $2. It was well worth $1 per person to skip a 30 minute line at Ghost Blasters. I hate the place and I will never go there again, but the texting system seems like a great idea. No sell outs, no lost devices, and no long lines to get Flash Pass. I have never used Flash Pass at GA, but I will probably use it later this season especially because you get a 2 for 1 with the season pass. Either way, it gets the park more money which means more new rides. If people are willing to pay more, give them a way to. Also, it doesn't slow the lines down too bad, and everyone has the option of getting one. You don't need to be a millionaire to afford one. However, the rerides on the platinum level are quite frustrating and I wish they would do away with them. They could just shorten the wait time more to make up for no consecutive rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANofNJ Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 I have never used it, but if I was traveling to any park for just one visit, its worth the extra money to get a lot more rides during the day. As long as guests keep buying it, its never going away. Its just something you have to deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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