Bowser
TS Member
Would they be two manned merge points though? Unmanned merges at LEGOLAND are a nightmare.
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Ride Access Pass and Disabled Access - 2024 Discussion
Would they be two manned merge points though? Unmanned merges at LEGOLAND are a nightmare.
AstroDan
TS Team
It doesn't? Great! So the RAP guests who are there will have a much better day and others can happily choose to book for alternative days.
Should be better for everyone.
Alexsniff7
TS Member
i tried to book last night and my valid rap didn't work when i tried to enter the barcode.
so now i either have to stand in the main queue and be accused of not needing one or cancel my entire trip either isn't good option
Dave
TS Founding Member
Great that it’s now limited so genuine RAP guests are not in long queues.
Not great that it went live early however.
I would assume if you need RAP the normal queue isn’t an option. It’s a shame the system hasn’t worked for you. I would assume they have some margin so might be worth emailing and explaining the situation.
Not great that it went live early however.
I would assume if you need RAP the normal queue isn’t an option. It’s a shame the system hasn’t worked for you. I would assume they have some margin so might be worth emailing and explaining the situation.
Bowser
TS Member
Managed to figure it out and got ours booked (visiting the following weekend, already had Water Park and accomodation booked so would have been out of pocket if we couldn't get RAP as unable to visit without it).
Glad they've made the experience more stressful.
If i wasn't on this forum i would be completely unaware of these changes, as i'm sure will be many who simply arrive on the day with their pass as usual.
Here's the new FAQ which will be well received i'm sure:
www.accessibility.merlinentertainments.biz
Glad they've made the experience more stressful.
If i wasn't on this forum i would be completely unaware of these changes, as i'm sure will be many who simply arrive on the day with their pass as usual.
Here's the new FAQ which will be well received i'm sure:
Ride Access Pass Questions | Merlin Entertainments Accessibility
www.accessibility.merlinentertainments.biz
BarryZola
TS Member
What about people who already pre-booked tickets and hotels and everything months ago? Then specially get up and get on the website at 10am only to find out that they never had a chance of getting a RAP pass for the day. Towers have done it again. Social media will be a good read 
Alexsniff7
TS Member
it's not that i physically can't stand in queues but autism and dyspraxia makes it very difficult. so nothings stopping me from using main queue but it's a very stressful experience
Dave
TS Founding Member
What about people who already pre-booked tickets and hotels and everything months ago? Then specially get up and get on the website at 10am only to find out that they never had a chance of getting a RAP pass for the day. Towers have done it again. Social media will be a good read
I would assume much like the normal day tickets that if you have a hotel booking you can get RAP. They will have held back some quota for the resort.
It would be stupid if they didn’t.
BarryZola
TS Member
"I have a Resort Hotel Booking - Do I need to pre-book a RAP? Yes, even with a hotel booking, RAP users will still be required to pre-book their reservation to the attractions". From their own page on RAP booking. https://www.accessibility.merlinent...-a-resort-hotel-booking-do-i-need-to-pre-book
You'll have 3 groups using RAP on opening day. Those who managed to book between midnight and 7am this morning, those who complain about the ridiculous process of booking this morning (and will be given a RAP as good will), and then those who turn up oblivious to the whole new system on opening morning and guest services will back down and give them a RAP anyway.
Skyscraper
TS Member
Chessy's passholder day has also sold out.
Edit: Merlin could be in hot water now
From the Merlin Additional Needs Customer Support Group.
Last edited:
Bowser
TS Member
They have already preemptively addressed that on the FAQ:
Why are you discriminating and limiting the amount of people with disabilities to visit Merlin attractions?
The new Ride Access Pass pre-booking system is for main rides within the theme park, not the theme park itself. Guests wishing to visit Alton Towers Resort, LEGOLAND Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures Resort and Thorpe Park will still be able to book admission tickets as normal.
BarryZola
TS Member
I'm sure a lawyer would be able to successfully argue that you wouldn't pay over £50 to just go and walk around a theme park and not be able to go on rides, if it ever needed to go that far. Let's be honest, it was always going to cause issues bringing in this RAP booking months after everyone had already actually booked their tickets for opening day. If they weren't totally incompetent, they would have brought in the RAP booking at the same time as tickets started becoming available for the season months ago. You've got people now who have especially booked days off work, booked expensive hotels, booked their park tickets etc etc and now finding out that after doing everything they were told to do (get online at 10am on a particular random day that they had to put in their diary - no way to run a business), they find that they had ZERO chance of being able to go on rides on that day that they've booked. I don't think anyone could argue that this is in any way acceptable. It's no way to run a business and is terrible optics...potentially worse legally (if someone really wanted to push it). Most of us predicted that this was going to lead to issues.
Benzin
TS Member
You can VISIT the park, just can't go on anything if you can't queue.
Website going live early is a foolish thing that a number of companies continue to do. You'd have thought places would have realised this by now.
Though of course the problem would be as soon as one person found out it was live then the news would spread like wildfire.
Website going live early is a foolish thing that a number of companies continue to do. You'd have thought places would have realised this by now.
Though of course the problem would be as soon as one person found out it was live then the news would spread like wildfire.
tayspru
TS Member
Legally though there’s no distinction between a ride like Wickerman or Bugbie round. To say that you can’t access any attractions is - legally speaking - false. You can still access the park itself and experience many of its attractions. As well as this, terms of park admission never guarantee access to all rides for anyone.
It’s not a good look, it’s not perfect, but ultimately it is legal
It’s not a good look, it’s not perfect, but ultimately it is legal
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
The Ride Access Pass is a privilege and not a right. Access to the rides isn't being prevented, if you've bought a ticket but there aren't any RAP slots you're still able to use the main queue. The only exception to this, and those who may have legitimate legal means of complaint, are those who aren't ambulant.
The system needs a redesign, so that RAP holders are able to see if the daily quota for RAP passes is full when, or before, booking their tickets.
BarryZola
TS Member
I would never claim to know the absolute legalities of this. This has been rolled out terribly though, and it was so predictable. I'll give an example, and put yourselves in this situation.
You're wheelchair bound but love all of the big rollercoasters. It's the main reason you go to Alton Towers (probably the only reason). You've booked tickets to go on opening day 2 months ago. You've had to book a day off work to go which was a bit of a faff to sort out. You've booked a hotel nearby that can't be cancelled to get your money back. Then you find out ages after booking all of this that Towers/Merlin want you to do something additional that has never been needed before, for you to access the rides, which is the only reason you would want to go. Then they tell you how and when to do it, so you set your alarm clock especially. Then the time comes that you've been stressing about, because now your day will be completely ruined if you can't book this slot and get on the rides that you like. You log on at 10am on the dot. Sorry, Fantabulously sold out!
Boom! You had zero chance of ever getting access to those rides you wanted to get on, by following the companies own instructions exactly. Wow. The people working in customer service are sure going to be busy!
You're wheelchair bound but love all of the big rollercoasters. It's the main reason you go to Alton Towers (probably the only reason). You've booked tickets to go on opening day 2 months ago. You've had to book a day off work to go which was a bit of a faff to sort out. You've booked a hotel nearby that can't be cancelled to get your money back. Then you find out ages after booking all of this that Towers/Merlin want you to do something additional that has never been needed before, for you to access the rides, which is the only reason you would want to go. Then they tell you how and when to do it, so you set your alarm clock especially. Then the time comes that you've been stressing about, because now your day will be completely ruined if you can't book this slot and get on the rides that you like. You log on at 10am on the dot. Sorry, Fantabulously sold out!
Boom! You had zero chance of ever getting access to those rides you wanted to get on, by following the companies own instructions exactly. Wow. The people working in customer service are sure going to be busy!