Phones on cue for theme park rides

9:16am Wednesday 5th March 2008

• Play Video

IT is one of the biggest headaches for people trying to enjoy white-knuckle rides at theme parks - endless queues.

But now Flamingo Land has introduced a high-tech solution to the problem - "virtual queuing" using mobile phones.

Visitors to the theme park near Pickering who join the pioneering Q-Buster scheme will be issued with a wristband and a unique nine-digit number which they text to register.

Thrill-seekers who pay for the £5 service will then be called to rides when it's their turn, by-passing the waiting queues.

The park said it was the first in the world to introduce such a system.

Flamingo Land boss Gordon Gibb said the scheme covers seven of the attraction's most popular rides - Kumali, Velocity, Lost River, Splash Battle, Cliffhanger, Wild Mouse and 4 D Cinema.

He said: "Market research has shown that queuing for rides is the number one reason why people choose not to visit theme parks. We introduced Q-Buster in a small, experimental way last season, and our visitors who used it told us it made their time at Flamingo Land much more relaxing and enjoyable. So we've decided on a full-scale introduction of the system for 2008.

"People shouldn't really be surprised we're leading the way with virtual' queuing. Flamingo Land has always been at the forefront of technology and we've got some of the most advanced, cutting-edge rides in the world right here in North Yorkshire."