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Ride Access Pass and Disabled Access - 2024 Discussion

Bowser said:
...including what are typically some very quiet periods like November and early January.
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I don't believe at Legoland those are particularly quiet periods anymore... their Christmas event is very popular, with no real difference in how busy the park feels across the event and when compared to main season (not the height of August, but a normal weekend say).
 
Islander said:
I don't believe at Legoland those are particularly quiet periods anymore... their Christmas event is very popular, with no real difference in how busy the park feels across the event and when compared to main season (not the height of August, but a normal weekend say).
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We’ve been the past 2 years in January and for us it was much quieter than normal. Queue time data has them as historically very quiet too (even the December dates).

Did Chessington too last year and that was dead with everything walk on. There just isn’t the culture of visiting theme parks at that time of year in this country (not to mention the infrastructure issues).

Both parks have reduced their hours this year which presumably is a combination of the much discussed cutbacks and anticipated lower crowds.
 
That'll be the other thing, if there's a lower expected crowd, then the number of available RAP slots will also do down.

Otherwise you'll have the park with a very top heavy ratio of RAP queues being longer than the standby. Which defeats the point.
 
Benzin said:
That'll be the other thing, if there's a lower expected crowd, then the number of available RAP slots will also do down.

Otherwise you'll have the park with a very top heavy ratio of RAP queues being longer than the standby. Which defeats the point.
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I don’t think RAP is altered in relation to estimated crowds per day, it’s a percentage of capacity. That might be lower for the Xmas events but should still be set well in advance as opposed to released according to ongoing advance bookings.

The top heavy scenario wouldn’t play out in any scenario because the capacity should be manageable regardless and time outs will reflect whatever happens to the main queues (though this only works with the digital system).
 
I think though the issue could well be that if you give out 1k RAP and then the attendance is only 2k (or even 3k), then at least half the guests will be using RAP.

Which defeats the point in having the limit.

At what point is the ratio acceptable given the alternative?
 
I think the number of RAP is low enough to negate that combined with the digital system closing queues if too many people request a ride.

Also in that unlikely scenario some RAP users would naturally use main queues as they would be shorter than the time outs or closed queues so I think it would resolve itself.

Only really an issue at AT where queues can’t be controlled and RAP all swarm on Wickerman when everything else is broken.
 
The email does confirm that the RAP prebooking is here to stay though. Personally I’m very happy about that - I was a but worried Merlin were going to backtrack on it with the number of complaints they’ve been getting all season, but hopefully improving the booking system should make it easier for everyone.
 
No mention of assisting disabled guests with an announcement of the skyride opening again next year, so we can make plans then?
As it has been closed now for a full two years for "repairs".
Thought not.
Maybe a fresh excuses sign outside the stations, that'll do.
 
Leigh said:
The email does confirm that the RAP prebooking is here to stay though. Personally I’m very happy about that - I was a but worried Merlin were going to backtrack on it with the number of complaints they’ve been getting all season, but hopefully improving the booking system should make it easier for everyone.
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I agree. Hopefully we see some further improvements such as step free access pass for wheelchair users (the numbers are so low each day that denying access because RAP is full feels super harsh)
And maybe a separate RAP for beebies/kids only
 
A CBeebies only RAP I think would alleviate a lot of issues, many families seem to bemoan that they don’t even ride anything outside of that area anyway. Just a different coloured RAP card would do the job
 
Alphe86 said:
I agree. Hopefully we see some further improvements such as step free access pass for wheelchair users (the numbers are so low each day that denying access because RAP is full feels super harsh)
And maybe a separate RAP for beebies/kids only
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Isn't that kinda the point of the red & yellow "tiers" currently in place?

Not sure if there are the numbers to require a dedicated wheelchair user RAP. Least not when we've visited in the last year.

Separate one for kids could be an idea. And could potentially stop people trying to blag going on Nemesis on their 6 year old's wristband. Though again would need to consider when kids can get diagnosed with things that require RAP (traditional CBeebies age isn't often) to ensure it doesn't get abused. I mean I could claim that my 2 year old doesn't understand the concept of queueing (she attempted to go on a Funfair ride that was in motion) so she should qualify. But it's because she's 2 and has no concept of such things.
 
Shaggy_Dog_ said:
I never knew that. I just assumed that the colours related to ambulant and non-ambulant.
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Here’s the full description:

Red Ride Access Pass – for guests who require a Ride Access Pass due to cognitive conditions or who require assistance boarding or evacuating rides or attractions due to any mobility requirements. Those with a Red Ride Access Pass must be accompanied by a personal assistant / carer who should be able to assist them with boarding a ride or attraction and aid them in the event of an evacuation.


Yellow Ride Access Pass – for guests who do not require the assistance of a personal assistants / carers to board or evacuate rides but due to a medical condition are unable to wait in a physical queue line.

Red holders have to book a minimum of two slots.
 
Merlin have quietly amended RAP so you can amend bookings online now!

But before you get too excited:

- You can only change date, you can't cancel.
- You can only change it once, which would be fine except for the above.

Hopefully it's midway through the update process. I don't understand the logic of implementing something much needed yet doing it so badly. At which stage in the process is this approved and how have those conversations gone?
 
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