Dollywood amusement park visitor declares fast passes are society’s biggest issue after waiting 90 minutes for a ride while paying guests skip ahead and VIP view of Christmas decorations: ‘even if I had the money, I would not buy it on principle’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Dec 12, 2025 10:00 AM EST

There is something deeply funny about discovering class consciousness while standing in line for a roller coaster surrounded by churros and screaming toddlers. This newly elucidated consumer goes to Dollywood expecting twinkle lights and cinnamon air, not a live demonstration of economic inequality. The line says 35 minutes. Reality says 90. Somewhere between the fading daylight and the aching calves, enlightenment dawns.  

Fast Pass holders glide by like aristocrats on a moving walkway, entire trains reserved just for them. The regular crowd looks on, powerless but still clutching funnel cakes like the poor man's protest sign. It's infuriating, but also kind of perfect. Nothing teaches the hierarchy of wealth faster than someone skipping ahead to scream in joy ten times before you even buckle in.  

Don't get me wrong, our philosopher-patron's argument is sort of spot on. There really was something egalitarian about everyone waiting together, sweating under the same sun, united by boredom and anticipation. The Fast Pass breaks that social contract, turning joy into a purchasable perk. The park stops feeling like a communal escape and starts feeling like an allegory for capitalism with roller tracks. 

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  • Amusement Park Fast Passes Are An Elitist Evil That Must Be Abolished

    Friends laughing at a nighttime carnival as one excitedly shows off a handful of amusement park tickets
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  • Recently I visited Dollywood to see their Christmas decorations and enjoy the festive atmosphere. I got there while it was still a little light out so I could ride a coaster or two before looking at all the lights.
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  • I hightailed it to the back of the park to a ride that was listed as having a 35 minute wait.
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  • I have no problem with that, it is a busy park. As I waited in line I started to notice the clock tick away.
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  • The sun faded slowly and soon it was dark, I had been waiting for 1.5 hrs!
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  • At this point I was committed and as I approached the corral to be guided into the ride, I saw the fast pass line being sent ahead.
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  • Not only that, they were getting a whole train to themselves! They were sending empty cars!
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  • Carousel horses lit up at a festive holiday carnival with a giant colorful Christmas tree in the background
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  • The ride was fantastic and the illumination of the park put me in a merry mood so I didn't think too much about afterward.
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  • The line for the train ride was also excessively long, they probably should have run them more frequently.
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  • This happened a few weeks ago and I keep thinking about it and getting angrier each time.
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  • Fast passes feed into people's inflated sense of superiority. They quite literally segregate the haves and have- nots.
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  • Crowd browsing a cozy, light-decorated wooden stall at a nighttime Christmas market
    via Peeradontax

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • There is something democratic about all of us having to wait on line together. We all get there when we get there.
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  • Now that doesn't exist if you've got the money to force yourself to the front of the line.
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  • Personally, even if I had the money, I still would not buy a fast pass on principle.
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  • I hope we as a society can agree to eliminate them, for the good of mankind!
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  • Adrift715 We were at Disney and paid extra for fast passes for Ratatouille. We arrived and saw a long line and chuckled.....then we were told that the long line was the fast pass line.
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  • elixir_mixer6 Amusement parks are just expensive. You gotta pay to play. We're in a classed society and the more money you throw around the more conveniences will be offered. Force is unnecessary at that point.
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  • Salty Temperature In my experience at several parks (not including Dollywood), fast passes don't result in empty seats. I have seen whole cars reserved for some sort of VIP though.
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  • phunky_1 It's not really elitist if you save for it as a part of planning a trip to go to a park once in your life. If you are already spending thousands of dollars to travel to the area, what's another $400 to not need to wait in long lines all day? I would just delay my trip slightly to save up the money, it's not like you need to be rich to afford it. My home park is six flags and it costs $200 a person for an all season cut the line pass. I have my kids buy their own from gift money. For the
    via TurkeyEater56
  • Wicket2024 I loved the old Disney way. You went to a line and picked up a fast pass, but it would only allow you to get one at a time, you couldn't hold onto multiple ride fast passes. It gave you a time to come back and you could go on other rides that had less of a line and come back at the time stated. It was free and anyone could do it. Now they make you pay for fast passes and it sucks.
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  • Bowwowchickachicka Question from someone who doesn't visit amusement parks, could enough people buy fast passes that no person without one has a chance to ride?
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  • readmore321 You're not wrong.
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  • RatzInDaPark This is the MUCH WATCH video on the subject for anyone who is interested. https://youtu.be/9yjZpBq1XBE Going to theme parks is one of my hobbies, and I never buy them. They're so expensive now that it's usually cheaper for me to go an entire extra day than to get fastpass
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  • Slight Suggestion_79 sorry but I like the paid passes. Especially at universal and even at disney. we went to disneyland and paid for fast passes for the cars ride. regular line 180 mins.... paid fast pass line? 15. It was amazing. Even at universal. Idc I already paid a lot for my vacation. whats a few hundred bucks to skip the line?
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  • 1235813213455_1 I wouldn't go to an amusement park without one. Last time I was at kings Island I rode a roller coaster 10 times while the people who got there when I did in the normal line didn't even go once. Totally transforms the day from a shit experience to something actually fun. I would recommend you save up and get one. Once with the fast pass is better than 20 days of lines.
    via TurkeyEater56

  • Whether or not abolishing fast passes will save mankind remains debatable, but the outrage feels honest. Standing in line too long can make anyone philosophical. The rides may be thrilling, but the real adrenaline rush comes from realizing we’ve recreated class society in the happiest place on earth, complete with premium access and a 2-hour wait for justice.

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amusement park theme park trip attraction disneyland entitled people
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