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Ride Access Pass Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

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ihaveaspergers said:
Problem is not everyone has the other documents.

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Well they need to get them then?

Some of this conversation is absurd. What's the law? Reasonable adjustment?

The current adjustments are far beyond reasonable, without thinking up other variations.

Ultimately, a busy theme park won't be for everyone. It's unfortunate but it's true. Destroying the theme park in trying to include everyone, so eventually no one can enjoy it, is not a reasonable response.
 
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I’m autistic but I choose not to accept the access pass I hate the feeling of queue jumping so I only go off peak and if I have to go peak periods I tend not to do rides unless queues are very short I’m happy just walking round the park and the gardens but I find Blackpool pleasure beach easier during off peak then towers tho I always feel every ride is walk on which makes life easier
 
Reminds me of that story from some Uni last year where they wanted to ban people from clapping in some kind of debating club or choir or something as someone who wanted to attend couldn't cope with the sound of the clapping. Welcome to 2019. Unfortunately there will be people reading this who don't see any problem with what I described above.
 
To think it was only 15 years ago where there were no restrictions on the RAP where you could do pretty much every ride you wanted WHEN you wanted to. To think then it would have been possible to get off Colossus at Thorpe and head straight to Stealth just like that. Even if I personally found it better, the card system is a lot more fairer to everyone.

Back when I was a kid (I'm on the spectrum btw) it was pretty much a necessity for me going on peak days but now as I've gotten older I've began to tolerate it a lot more. But I could never do it on a peak day by myself but I avoid them nowadays for obvious reasons. I do get it's not as easy for some people to avoid peak days, but it is possible, I've gone to Thorpe on Sundays when it's been pretty much dead so I wouldn't have to queue (or at worst just barely) and I'd be satisfied.

Unfortunately from what I've gathered nowadays is that people just essentially use it as a free fasttrack. Every Tom, Dick and Harry could get a "friend" who has a "disability" and use them to get on the rides quicker. It's not fair on all park guests who do this, both people who use the queue and people who do genuinely need the RAP. I think though if operations at parks (and not just Merlin tbf) were a lot better the queues were at least move a lot more quickly so you wouldn't be stuck in one place for ages which is something that has always stressed me out.

bluesonichd said:
or just get rid of rap altogether and do as Gardaland advise their disabled guests
"
COME PREPARED

During your visit to Gardaland you will often find yourself queuing, in crowded, noisy places. Bring things with you to distract the person with a cognitive disability, such as games, tablets and headphones. Simulate the situations you might come across at the Park. Think about the problems you might have and how to deal with them."
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I actually think this a fairly good idea tbf. If a disabled person is with a carer, then there carer will guide them through the queue so they don't (temporarily) hold it up.
 
bluesonichd said:
:rolleyes:
When you can get RAP for having a nut allergy , the system is completely broken
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I have a severe peanut allergy and was joking last year that I could probably get RAP for the very reason given above! Do I need it? No. Am I going to abuse the system and try to get it? No as I am not a hypocrite.

I've said it before but RAP at Merlin parks is a joke. Pretty much everyone and their dog could get it if they wanted to and on busy days RAP queues are stupidly long. Rides that struggle at the best of times have to cope with a long main queue, a long fastrack queue and a long RAP queue. No one wins in this situation.

And I have never seen the same situation at any other parks I have been to in Europe or the US. So it is a very British problem.
 
Rob said:
I have a severe peanut allergy and was joking last year that I could probably get RAP for the very reason given above! Do I need it? No. Am I going to abuse the system and try to get it? No as I am not a hypocrite.

I've said it before but RAP at Merlin parks is a joke. Pretty much everyone and their dog could get it if they wanted to and on busy days RAP queues are stupidly long. Rides that struggle at the best of times have to cope with a long main queue, a long fastrack queue and a long RAP queue. No one wins in this situation.

And I have never seen the same situation at any other parks I have been to in Europe or the US. So it is a very British problem.
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It's not just rap it's carers passes and other adjustments too. The whole system is too easily abused and the adjustments too easily got. There was even a post on one of the Facebook groups where people were flouting being able to use blue badge spaces to park closer to the entrance because they get rap.

Merlin need to get stricter with it all, those who really need the adjustments will be able to get the paperwork.
 
I agree that Merlin should be asking for paper work. However will people be willing to hand over their medical records to obtain a RAP pass? I can see them receiving bad press over it

Personally I'm not fussed, but others may think it's an invasion of privacy
 
This is a very uk problem of not wanting to upset anyone nowadays whether it be in a theme park or otherwise and the benefits of the slightest type can be very rewarding in today’s entitlement society
 
speedy said:
I agree that Merlin should be asking for paper work. However will people be willing to hand over their medical records to obtain a RAP pass? I can see them receiving bad press over it

Personally I'm not fussed, but others may think it's an invasion of privacy
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I'm fairly sure they used to do it this way. And if people don't want to provide proof then tough - they can wait in the main queue.

Realistically it's the only way to cut down on the abuse.

I see your point though, it's difficult and possibly insulting to ask someone in a wheelchair (for example) to provide written proof of their disability.
 
Merlin do currently ask for proof including a letter from a medical professional saying why you can't queue. It's just my opinion and few observations in park that it's the acceptance of this as proof that's leading to a lot of abuse. People are paying for these letters and I would guess that there are a few made up on a pc also. I think blue badges are the best form of proof; they're given for behaviour/ cognitive reasons (those who struggle in daily life and need adjustments elsewhere) as well as mobility and have a picture on of the person they're requesting rap for.
 
Trollydolly said:
Merlin do currently ask for proof including a letter from a medical professional saying why you can't queue. It's just my opinion and few observations in park that it's the acceptance of this as proof that's leading to a lot of abuse. People are paying for these letters and I would guess that there are a few made up on a pc also. I think blue badges are the best form of proof; they're given for behaviour/ cognitive reasons (those who struggle in daily life and need adjustments elsewhere) as well as mobility and have a picture on of the person they're requesting rap for.
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Not every disabled person can obtain a blue badge currently, although they are going to change it eventually so more people can qualify. I don't qualify for one yet.
 
RicketyCricket said:
I'm fairly sure they used to do it this way. And if people don't want to provide proof then tough - they can wait in the main queue.

Realistically it's the only way to cut down on the abuse.

I see your point though, it's difficult and possibly insulting to ask someone in a wheelchair (for example) to provide written proof of their disability.
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I agree with you actually. I have no problem showing them the necessary documents. However I don't know how easy they are to obtain.

Deejay said:
This is a very uk problem of not wanting to upset anyone nowadays whether it be in a theme park or otherwise and the benefits of the slightest type can be very rewarding in today’s entitlement society
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This sort of comment isn't constructive, IMO. Striving for inclusivity is not in itself a bad thing!
 
skyscraper said:
Not every disabled person can obtain a blue badge currently, although they are going to change it eventually so more people can qualify. I don't qualify for one yet.
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This is my point though, being disabled and requiring rap are two different things, not every person with a disability will need an access pass and I would imagine there Will be some people who need a pass who aren't officially disabled.

I know the blue badge system is changing which is great and I fully support that. I thought the current system allowed blue badges for cognitive reasons through social care review showing need even if the person didn't automatically qualify through pip/dla and that those with severe cognitive needs qualify automatically? I apologise if I'm mistaken. My thinking was if the person needs adjustments/ support for other areas of life e.g. not being able to understand queuing at Tesco, in school etc and/ or has behaviours which they would need support with in social situations then they should have a badge. I can see how some wouldn't as they wouldnt want social care involvement but if they manage generally in life without support and dont have the other proof merlin ask for (not dr's letters - pip etc) why can't they manage in the parks?

It is so difficult and such an emotive subject. I don't know what the answers are bug i do think dr's letters are a big issue in relation to abuse.

We did go to AT this weekend (2 days and did 6 rides in total with rap help) maybe I'm still recovering from the abuse we saw and am a little jaded/ frustrated/ angry with the system and the people that abuse it. I hate to think what people in the other queues think or what they see/hear.
 
speedy said:
I agree with you actually. I have no problem showing them the necessary documents. However I don't know how easy they are to obtain.
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If you fit the required criteria and entitled, then they should be easy to obtain. We always carry a copy of all required documents and hospital medical letters where ever we go.
 
About 10 years ago, my friend got a RAP due to epilepsy. He said himself he didn't need it but got one because it was fireworks and the park was busy. The system is definitely broken - and the parks know it.

The problem is that some RAP guests use it as free fastrack. In theory Merlin should be viewing the abuse as a form of revenue loss.

The genuine RAP users are being made to wait longer by the abusers which is totally wrong.

The amount of RAP is far more here at our UK Merlin parks than any parks I have been to in Asia, Europe or the USA.
 
AstroDan said:
About 10 years ago, my friend got a RAP due to epilepsy. He said himself he didn't need it but got one because it was fireworks and the park was busy. The system is definitely broken - and the parks know it.

The problem is that some RAP guests use it as free fastrack. In theory Merlin should be viewing the abuse as a form of revenue loss.

The genuine RAP users are being made to wait longer by the abusers which is totally wrong.

The amount of RAP is far more here at our UK Merlin parks than any parks I have been to in Asia, Europe or the USA.
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I think the reason Merlin appear to not give a crap about rap abuse is they do not want to risk the negative pr of actually enforcing the rules against a disabled person.

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They need to work with a range of charities and advocacy groups to come up with something that they are willing to put their names to. That’s a shield that will help with the PR spin.

If I was a genuine user of RAP I would go to the Daily Mail complaining how Alton’s Towers allow people to wilfully abuse the system and make life harder for those who need the passes with no consideration for them at all. That sort of bad press can go both ways.
 
That's actually quite a good idea. We all know the Fail love any excuse to rip in to Towers. ;)
 
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