Busch Garden's version of Fastpass - Quick Queue and Quick Queue Unlimited

[I M Fearless]

Sorry if this question has been asked previously, but I thought it may be worth asking again in case things have changed recently.

I will be visiting Busch Gardens on Friday 13th June (not a good date I know) but I was hoping to find out what people think about their Quick Queue and Quick Queue Unlimited passes?

Has anyone used them?

Are they worth the high price?

Did you find that they were necessary to get on all the rides in one day during the summer season?

Much as I hate the fact that people are able to pay to avoid waiting in line in the first place, I am worried that I may end up wasting hours in long lines and only get to go on a handfull of the big rides... this would be a disappointment as we only have one day there. If the quick queue passes are truly front of line access it may be worth while for us to buy them on this occasion as we are travelling from the UK and so the additional cost of the pass is reasonable when compared to the expense of planning a return trip.

I am not greedy, I just want to make sure I get a chance to ride everything at least once in the time.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I am one of the folks who are a big cheerleader for Quick Queue. Now, I haven't used it at BG (that park is still on our to-do list) but we have used it multiple times at SeaWorld. And we love it.

Yes, it truly is "front of the line" access. I love that its purchaseable (is that a word? ) by anyone....and an extra you can choose or not choose. It doesnt matter if you are staying onsite or off, visiting with an AP, via your complimentary admission from Discovery Cove, or with a regular ticket purchased at the gate....if riding the rides is important to you, you have the option to buy it (and the cost, IMHO, is really quite reasonable). If shows, animal feedings, etc. are more your thing, then you can skip it and save the $$'s.

If I were in your shoes, I would not hesitate to purchase QQ when you want to make them ost of your one day visit AND rides are what you enjoy. I, personally, think the cost would be very much worth the benefit for you. You will pack so much more into your day when lines become a non-issue. On Christmas Day 2012 at SW, we walked onto the Skytower when it had a 60 minute posted stand-by wait. Love .

 

[I M Fearless]

Thanks Gina,

I used a similar pass once before at Port Aventura in Spain and it was awesome (if not a little awkward) cutting right to the front of the line.

In some parks they sell so many of these passes it seems like the normal queue does not move hardly at all - I found this at US and IOA. There seemed to be loads of people skipping lines with passes and it was annoying to not be able to get onto rides more quickly.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I used a similar pass once before at Port Aventura in Spain and it was awesome (if not a little awkward) cutting right to the front of the line.

I didn't find it awkward at all, as the Quick Queue access is actually a separate entrance from the stand-by line and marked as such . There is no actual cutting in front of anyone or feeling like you are taking their spot .

 

[I M Fearless]

That would feel better.

Generally I dislike the concept in principal.

The reality is that it costs so much more to fly to Florida from the UK than it used to, I want to get as many rides for my money particularly at a park like Busch Gardens.

Disney is more about the experience for me and the long lines are not so bad in so much as they are themed and the rides generally have the higher capacity.

Thanks

 

[2girlsmom]

Busch Gardens is my home park, since we live in Tampa Bay. I would not recommend buying the QQ in advance, I have never felt it was worth having. At this point, including on Christmas Day, we have never needed to ride anything. The only ride that ever has a long wait thus far is Cheetah Hunt, and that may be around 60 minutes most days, but drops off usually to around 30 minutes in the midafternoon. The not yet open Falcon's Fury drop tower may also have 60 minute waits, but I would suspect most everything else would be 30 minutes or less, and in our experience Montu (suspended coaster, and my personal favorite) is virtually always 10 minutes or less, even though it is just past Cheetah at 60 minutes. Kumba also is usually very low waits, and Phoenix (the viking ship that goes all the way upside down) was literally walk on, my nephew on Christmas rode 10 times in a 40 minute period.

 

[I M Fearless]

That's brilliant news, thanks for your information.

I haven't been there since 1995 when Montu was being built - Kumba was the newest ride and was amazing, so smooth at that time.

I visited in the April and the Montu lift hill had just peaked out and they had put in the first loop - looked high as I recall, especially for a suspended coaster.

I can't wait until June, hopefully we won't need the quick queue then, I would be disappointed to only get one ride on each but we will spend the whole day there and are fairly smart tourer's when it comes to strategies.

I'm guessing straight into the park and do Cheetah Hunt, and then dash right over to Falcon's Fury and get in line.

I guess if it was super busy we could obviously upgrade to the QQ if needed.

Thanks

 

[2girlsmom]

We do usually head towards Cheetah first, if the line is short we ride, if not we skip past it to Montu for a time or two before heading to Timbuktu (where Falcon's Fury is being built) and catch Scorpion, the kids do Sand Serpent, I ride Phoenix, then all to Kumba. If you want to see all the shows too, the schedule gets a little tighter, but we have never had a problem riding everything at least once, and several things multiple times, and that's with spending an hour or 2 in Jungala while the kids climb around in the treetop trails.

 

[I M Fearless]

We have no kids with us so we are mainly there for the ride time.

I've heard the animals are worth looking at but I think we'll head to that for some respite once the park is at capacity and then head to the quieter rides towards the end.

 

[2girlsmom]

We do enjoy the animal exhibits but also like riding the sky ride across the park, which gives an excellent view of the outside animals as well as saving our feet a bit more of the walking.

 

[johde]

If you are planning on also going to Seaworld, you might want to look at the "Thrills and Chills" package either in Orlando or Tampa. I know it's one option I'm looking at for my trip just after New Years. You could get 1 nights hotel in Tampa, a "length of stay", I'm assuming 14 day, pass to Busch Gardens and Sea World, and 1 day of the one ride per attraction Quick Queue at each park. The price of the package is coming out almost the same as the price without the Quick Queue. That way if the crowds were bad you'd have at least 1 ride on each of the major rides at each park with minimal wait.

 

[I M Fearless]

Thanks, we have decided against Sea World this time.

We really don't have the time.

The UK Disney tickets are really good value compared to the USA ones, we get 14 day Disney park hopper tickets with unlimited Disney Waterparks/Transport for £273 so it makes sense to spend a lot of time there.

We want to do a day at Clearwater beach, one at U.S. and one at I.O.A. I'm sure I will get dragged round the malls for a few days as well.

There is too much to do in Florida, we considered Discovery Cove but it is just impossible to fit in. I love Magic Kingdom so with 3 days there, 1.5 Epcot, 1.5 DHS and 1 in AK plus some waterpark time the days get eaten up.

It's a shame because Sea World is hardly any extra with Busch Gardens, $10 more. I think we can get the free dining at Busch Gardens for $5 more but it depends on the food quality, but for $5 it can't be a bad deal.

Yeah the Quick Queue (without the unlimited) seems to have disappeared from their website.

 

[I Love Tigger]

Do all the big rides have a single rider line? My DH loves the roller coasters, but I'm afraid he won't get me on any

I had considered getting him the quick queue pass, (for Seaworld too) but if they have the single rider line it wouldn't be worth it.

Thanks

 

[nighttowll]

Are there any rides that don't participate? I've been looking for a quick queue ride list, but so far haven't found one. Thanks.

 

[I M Fearless]

I'm guessing Falcon's Fury would not be included as the through-put is bound to be terrible like all drop tower type rides.

 

[2girlsmom]

I've never noticed a single rider line for any of the rides at Busch Gardens. Definitely the newest rides do not have one. But again, at most the QQ would benefit you for 2 rides at the most at BG in our experience, and only those on the busiest days. I haven't heard any word yet whether Falcon's Fury will use QQ or not thus far.