Q-Bot? Flash Pass?

[Three]

This weekend I'm hitting two Six Flags parks. On Friday, we're going to Fiesta Texas, and I don't anticipate needing any queue help at a park with six roller coasters on a Friday.

 

However, Saturday we're going to Six Flags Over Texas. It wasn't my first choice to hit such a big park on a Saturday in the middle of summer, but it ended up being the more economical choice.

 

Anywho, what sort of system is in place at SFOT? And how exactly does it work? I've seen the words "Q-Bot" and "Flash Pass" tossed around here and there, but I have no idea exactly what I need to do to acquire such methods. And the Six Flags site really sucks ass at shedding any light on the situation.

 

Main questions:

 

1) What will I have to pay?

2) When will I have to pay it?

3) Where will I have to pay it?

4) What rides would this be good for?

5) Do you think I need to be looking into this at all (are my worries about how busy the park will be accurate?)

6) Are their limited quantities I should be concerned about? Would this require me to wait in line before opening?

 

Thanks for any light you can shed on my cluelessness.

[cprocks22]

I used Q-Bot when i went to SFNE on a saturday in july and it helped a lot. To andswer your questions:

1. Depends on how many people, it is kind of expensive but worth it if the lines are bad.

2. Right after you get into the park usually, ask the ticket person and they will tell you.

3. At the Q-Bot place, just to warn you there may be a short line but its usually no big deal.

4. At SFNE it was most of the big rides, S:ROS, B:TDK, Mr. Six's Pandemonium ect.

5. On a saturday possibly, just depends on how long the lines are, go into the park first to one of the main rides and look at the wait.

6. Yes the Q-Bots can sell out but i doubt it would happen on a saturday in June.

 

Hopes this helps!

[dougstanton]

They are normally $20 for the first person and then $10 for every person after that. There is a huge downside to these things which is why I don't really care for them. What it does is, if the line is 2 hours long, it gives you a time, 2 hours from when you scanned it. If you scan in any other rides, there time doesn't start until after you do that ride. The only time I have used them is when I have gotten free coupons. I think you could conquer all of the coasters at SFOT without a Q bot in one day.

[The Herbster]

I'm considering the q-bot thing. We (6 of us) are going the SFGAdv at the end of August (31st to be exact). If we get it , it will cost us $106 (almost 50% of the entrance fee!!!!). Any ideas which rides are q-bot active at SFGAdv? Is it worth getting?

[coasterguy618]

^All coasters and log flumes.

[coaster1]

Main questions:

1) What will I have to pay?

2) When will I have to pay it?

3) Where will I have to pay it?

4) What rides would this be good for?

5) Do you think I need to be looking into this at all (are my worries about how busy the park will be accurate?)

6) Are their limited quantities I should be concerned about? Would this require me to wait in line before opening?

 

For SFOT:

 

1) $20 for first user, $10 for every user after up to 6 people

2) When you first rent it

3) At the Flash Pass office to the left inside the main gate

4) La Vibora, Titan, Texas Giant, Sponge Bob, Superman, Batman, Mr Freeze, Roaring Rapids, Splash Water Falls, Runaway Mountain

5) They have about 600 Q-Bots ... unless its super busy

[methylene]

I haven't been to SFOT in over a year since I lived in Dallas, but I should be able to help.

 

 

Main questions:

 

1) What will I have to pay?

I think it's $30 for the unit and maybe $10 for each person afterwards. Two people= $40.

 

2) When will I have to pay it?

When you choose to rent it. There is only a limited number and it is first-come, first-serve. I'd get it as soon as I enter the park. You'll need it, I promise you.

 

3) Where will I have to pay it?

As soon as you enter the park, it's to immediate left (before you reach the square).

4) What rides would this be good for?

Almost all the rollercoasters, exceptions being (from memory) Mine Train, Shockwave, maybe Flashback. It's also good on the log flume and Superman (S&S combo tower). I don't think it's good on the 1st gen Intamin freefall. I have no idea if it is used at all on their 10 new flats they've installed since I've been.

 

5) Do you think I need to be looking into this at all (are my worries about how busy the park will be accurate?)

From experience with typical Saturdays, you will most definitely need it.

 

6) Are their limited quantities I should be concerned about? Would this require me to wait in line before opening?

As above, first-come, first-serve. No waiting in line for one especially if you head straight there after gates are open. And you might as well because they let you into the square but don't drop the ropes until right at 10.

 

 

Have a fun time!

 

Matt

[alpengeist04]

^Just remember that there's two different Flash passes(Q-bot), the regular and gold. ...and to answer your question, all the big coasters, log flume, and the rapids ride. There may be more, I just can't remember right now.

 

To save a couple minutes, I would print and fill out the registration form. ...and don't forget to take it with you.

http://www.lo-qusa.com/flashpass/regform.htm

 

Note: Both SFGAdv. and SFOT registration forms are at the link above.

[methylene]

^Just remember that there's two different Flash passes(Q-bot), the regular and gold. ...and to answer your question, all the big coasters, log flume, and the rapids ride. There may be more, I just can't remember right now.

 

To save a couple minutes, I would print and fill out the registration form. ...and don't forget to take it with you.

http://www.lo-qusa.com/flashpass/regform.htm

 

Note: Both SFGAdv. and SFOT registration forms are at the link above.

 

SFOT only has one level of Qbot...or at least they did until last season. What, exactly, are the differences between levels at parks that use them?

 

Matt

[coaster1]

^ SFOT HAS both, but they only offer the normal

 

Gold reduces the wait times by 60% techincally, but with the staff, most wait times are never correct, although this may have improved now that SF took over the system instead of outsourcing.

[methylene]

^ SFOT HAS both, but they only offer the normal

 

Gold reduces the wait times by 60% techincally, but with the staff, most wait times are never correct, although this may have improved now that SF took over the system instead of outsourcing.

 

I'm not quite sure I understand you.

 

I don't doubt they have the technology to offer both but in practice they've never offered both. The wait times with the qbot are excellent at any rate: hour-long line wait translates to 15-20 minute qbot wait.

 

Matt

[coaster1]

Technically the park did offer Gold in 2002 when the system was put into place, it was the test market as well as SFOG, but problems with the Q-Bot system and tax tables threw off the system, and we dropped it until 2003 at other parks after we got the POS/Q-Bot system integrated.

 

The waits are supposed to be the same as the queue, they offer no "faster" access to the lines, that is how the system was originally desgined. You could queue for the ride and go do other things like other rides, shops, eat, shows and you would be paged when your ride time was approaching.

 

The lines were reduced by about 10mins, due to the merge point, but no one at SFOT actually ever programmed the ride times correctly. If Titan was posting a 2 hour wait, Q-Bot users would wait around 20mins or so .. this was due to the poor management ran by Lo-Q USA, not alot has changed either, still not being used properly.

 

Plus the "Gold" technology is just an extra check box for the people working the registers.

[alpengeist04]

Very weird, SFOT does only have the regular flash pass. ...and how can SFGAm not have it at all?

[methylene]

Technically the park did offer Gold in 2002 when the system was put into place, it was the test market as well as SFOG, but problems with the Q-Bot system and tax tables threw off the system, and we dropped it until 2003 at other parks after we got the POS/Q-Bot system integrated.

Interesting. I lived in Dallas from 2001 to the end of 2004 and not once was I ever offered a choice in Qbot. It's good to know, however, as I'm planning on making use of the gold plan @ SFOG later this season.

 

Matt

[coaster1]

SFOT's Flash Pass is the old Lo-Q system (same as SFGAdv, SFNE, SFStL, SFOG) .. most other parks use the old coupon style, or SFEG's with the cool little lanyard pass.

 

Gold was only offered by select people .. we got tired of having to deal with system shutdowns and the whole POS network dropping .. so us at Corporate shut it down pretty quick ... since it was the same year as the new POS system was put into effect .. two new independant systems interworking together ... bad idea.

[noyzz]

We get the pass all the time at our park SFOG, It's $40 bucks for 2 if you want the regular pass, but the Gold is the way to go,you pay more but the ride time is cut by 75% so you can pretty much scan and ride.....have fun:)