It was my first year in Japan and I hadn't really got the hang of how far Japanese folks will go to do something. During Golden Week, the busiest time of year for domestic tourism in Japan, my wife and I decided to hit Fuji Q Highland for some theme park action.
We got there early and the haunted house was just a mere 20 minute wait in line. Cool, I thought. 20 minutes is nothing and certainly worth it considering the size and suggested quality of the haunted house. The good news is, it was. It was worth it completely. The attraction design and storyline was worth the 20 minute investment.
The next ride we lined up for was the classic wooden roller-coaster, the Fujiyama. It towered high in the air just calling us to this monumental ride. My wife and I made our way to the start of the queue far from the designated entrance.
20 minutes transpired.
Another 20...
An hour...
Maintenance men were hurrying to the ride.
Another hour...
Another.
4... and... a... half... hours.... later and we were sitting atop the roller coaster ready to be plunged into a thrilling 40 seconds of shear exhilaration.
That's right. 40 seconds.
I had just spend 4 and a half hours of my life in line for 40 seconds of fun.
A lot went through my mind while I was waiting in line. To the forefront of my thoughts were two things that follow from each other:
1. This investment is not equalling the reward. I mean it is obvious, right? But we have all done this stupid waiting game before whether it is a line in a theme park, for the latest release blockbuster, or even at the bank. The thing is, we just stand there and wait. We tell ourselves that we have already invested this time so we may as well keep waiting so our time investment accumulates and we are less likely to leave the longer we stay.
But this is all just a bit of a fib really. Your investment in time has no more real purpose when your wait one hour than when you wait four hours. The outcome is still the same.
The trick is to look at the goal and work backwards. I ask myself, what am I going to gain from this? What am I willing to invest in it? Once I have decided I know when to walk away and write the whole endeavour off as a bad investment or just not invest in it in the first place. This is why I rarely go to theme parks these days and when I do I invest in some sort of fast pass that will get me to the front of the line and my time is not waisted.
Oh and I always remember to bring my smartphone so I can read a book.
Since that day you would never find me waiting for ages for something. Hey if there is an excessive cue at the bank (after making sure I can't do it online first) I would rather waste 10 minutes writing a complaint to the bank about an excessive cue (you'd be surprised. I may be just what the overworked staff are after to hire more on and you may just find yourself privelagewith an appointment mades especially for you).
2. Why am I paying money for the privilege of acting like cattle lining for the slaughter? Seriously, think about it. Theme parts are roughly 80% waiting and 20% ride or attraction. You are paying top dollar to wait in line! You are paying for the privilege to queue. Anywhere else, you would consider this an outrage.
Anywhere else, you would not have to queue and you would probably have a much more genuine experience to boot. I still have fond memories of sliding down a natural stony slippery slide in a national part near Toowoomba in South East Queensland. I remember the smell, the scenery the fun of the day so much more than my times at a water park. Plus, it didn't cost me a cent. My memories of theme parks, however, are blurred and a mix of fun and waiting for fun.
So why am I enduring most of my day lining up like some product on a conveyor belt. Has the industrial revolution brainwashed me so much?
Cut it out! You're better than this. You've got better things to do!
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