Well, I mean, you don't HAVE to get the items, do you? If you want rare items, you'll have to work for them. If you want more time to just socialize, you'll have to give up on trying so hard to collect
everything.
It's the same with credits. You have to play games to get them. It's not like you should be able to get credits automatically just by logging in and hanging out with your friends.
That being said, I don't have much of a problem with the dark rides. (Though they
could set out new releases
tad slower...). It's a great way to passively earn items when I'm busy doing something else.