Normal queues are also quick though. Can’t be many on site
-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
Ride Access Pass and Disabled Access - 2024 Discussion
- Thread starter Leigh
- Start date
The queues are quick but I don't think it is a very quiet day, there are just very few in the fast track and rap queue the normal queue is quite long, for instance wickerman queue was only 30 mins from just after the switchbacks something I would normally think was about a 60 min queue and it was moving quite quickly, the same could be said about quite a few other rides
Bowser
TS Member
Looks relatively quiet on QueueTime, nothing in the red, Nemesis 20 min, Oblivion 5 min etc.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
From the MAP Facebook group (account required), this really doesn't help;
Claiming that RAP is sold out for august when both red and yellow are still available for all dates! Just fuels unnecessary arguments.
Claiming that RAP is sold out for august when both red and yellow are still available for all dates! Just fuels unnecessary arguments.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Still good for discussion purposes right? Another issue that's plaguing t system.
Bowser
TS Member
I don't understand the purpose or mindset of posting such easily disprovable statements. All they're doing is wasting peoples time and potentially willing the problem into existence.
That being said i am concerned the summer of RAP is going to be a shitshow across the Merlin parks in terms of RAP availability. I think it's inevitable they're going to have to implement further restrictions such as:
- A limit on pre-books. Realistically do people need 3 active bookings for one park?
- The digital parks need a booking management option.
- Loss of privileges if you repeatedly miss bookings without cancelling them (as with MAP)
That being said i am concerned the summer of RAP is going to be a shitshow across the Merlin parks in terms of RAP availability. I think it's inevitable they're going to have to implement further restrictions such as:
- A limit on pre-books. Realistically do people need 3 active bookings for one park?
- The digital parks need a booking management option.
- Loss of privileges if you repeatedly miss bookings without cancelling them (as with MAP)
Benzin
TS Member
Gotta push the "we're being punished for no reason agenda" somehow. Classic trope seen in politics these days after all. People will just see the post, not fact check it and also be mad because "thanks kids are crying".
The truth here clearly is that they don't want to have to pre-book, since the entire school holidays are currently free to book up.
If they've got to put more limitations on for things to work then they'll have to. Takes time for these things to get sorted given the free-for-all it had created.
I would hope that the Facebook group delete that post (or lock it), commenting that misinformation on a MAP group will not be tolerated. But MAP holders seem to hate the parks more than enthusiasts do.
The truth here clearly is that they don't want to have to pre-book, since the entire school holidays are currently free to book up.
If they've got to put more limitations on for things to work then they'll have to. Takes time for these things to get sorted given the free-for-all it had created.
I would hope that the Facebook group delete that post (or lock it), commenting that misinformation on a MAP group will not be tolerated. But MAP holders seem to hate the parks more than enthusiasts do.
Blackhole_Sun
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
I think the cap is working well.
It was sold out (as per signs outside of guest services). Hardly saw any RAP queues at all today across the park. I’ve never seen Wickerman with zero RAP queue but today it was empty.
This meant the main queues moved like a dream.
It was sold out (as per signs outside of guest services). Hardly saw any RAP queues at all today across the park. I’ve never seen Wickerman with zero RAP queue but today it was empty.
This meant the main queues moved like a dream.
Bowser
TS Member
Bit early to say imo, AT was the quietest it has been since the system was implemented yesterday and now it’s off peak. Don’t think we will have an accurate picture till at least May Bank holiday weekend.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
Just stumbled across an Instagram profile called Stop Towers RAP Booking System.
I can appreciate that people are frustrated at having to pre-book, but considering that last year, we frequently saw RAP queues hit 40-60 minutes at busy periods (let’s not forget that the whole point of RAP is for people who can’t queue) surely there had to be some sort of change to the system.
It also seems that the very vocal objectors to this change are suggesting no viable alternative.
I can appreciate that people are frustrated at having to pre-book, but considering that last year, we frequently saw RAP queues hit 40-60 minutes at busy periods (let’s not forget that the whole point of RAP is for people who can’t queue) surely there had to be some sort of change to the system.
It also seems that the very vocal objectors to this change are suggesting no viable alternative.
Benzin
TS Member
That's because the majority of the vocal ones are the ones who've likely been abusing the system for years and are annoyed they can't anymore.
One commenter on that profile was sad they'd lost an internal contact at Merlin because they've moaned about it to them. Says it all.
Unfortunately these complainants tend to mean everyone gets lumped in even if most are fairly agreeable to the system. Compare it to what Disney are doing atm with their system only being available to those with autism, can only imagine what the responses would be if Merlin did that.
Bowser
TS Member
I just got an email from Merlin telling me about the new RAP pre-booking system 
Edit: Just to update as not sure if this was confirmed but the email states:
At Alton Towers Resort, prepare for an enhanced experience at Nemesis Reborn and also Hex with both ambulant and non-ambulant RAP queue lines.
Edit: Just to update as not sure if this was confirmed but the email states:
At Alton Towers Resort, prepare for an enhanced experience at Nemesis Reborn and also Hex with both ambulant and non-ambulant RAP queue lines.
Last edited:
Blackhole_Sun
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
So does the cap move up and down each day?
I was under the impression it was set at a cap and that was it. If it reached the cap yesterday how could the RAP queues increase?
Bowser
TS Member
Unconfirmed, though another user who mined the data had stable figures for AT and fluctuating numbers for Legoland.
Regardless the busier the park is the knock-on effect is busier queues all round.
Blackhole_Sun
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
Understood, however, as I stated the RAP was sold out on a Sunday weekend and I didn’t see any of the monster queues which are normally there. It wasn’t dead for a Sunday but it wasn’t busy either. They can’t really anticipate the busyness of the park in advance on a weekend surely?
I feel it’s a massive improvement on what was the procedure before. Yes, they will have complaints that users can’t get RAP but that’s better than complaining the queues are too long.
If the park was busier it would create longer lines for the main queue but RAP should remain as a walk up service when the time out has elapsed. They way it is supposed to work.
Bowser
TS Member
The longer main queues are, the more fast track there are, the more batching has to accommodate 3 queues.
RAP hopefully will work as intended soon but I think what you saw on Sunday was more likely due to the overall quieter park as we are still in the phasing out period of only accepting pre-books.
imanautie
TS Member
Merlin have officially said a few times it depends on overall attraction capacity, and the data backs that up.
Interesting Disney have this in their policy "Eligible guests will now also only be able to enroll in the program once every 120 days, up from the previous 60 day restriction" so effectively those who use their RAP can only use it once every 120 days so a Annual Pass holder couldn't just expect to use RAP on every visit. I suppose that gives some access to attractions for those who can't queue without allowing it to be an unlimited free fastpass. I can already imagine the RAP Facebook groups if Merlin proposed this, it yet maybe if the current changes doesn't solved the problems maybe thats what may happen next. After all Merlin only needs to provide 'reasonable' adjustments and they could perhaps argue restricting it in this way to ensure it is a very short physical queue for people who do get it is 'reasonable' particularly those who just buy a ticket and visit once a year over regular MAP visitors which may reduce MAPs too.