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Ride Access Pass and Disabled Access - 2024 Discussion

GooseOnTheLoose said:
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.
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This may be naive but is there anything* stopping you booking the RAP pass before buying the ticket? Then you can presumably cancel the rap booking if you fail to get a ticket.

*Excluding the current omnishambles caused by selling tickets before the pre book system
 
Purely out of interest, I remember when prebook came In during covid somebody was able to find out the allocations - can anyone do that to find out how many RAP are allocated for Towers opening day?
 
That Guy said:
This may be naive but is there anything* stopping you booking the RAP pass before buying the ticket? Then you can presumably cancel the rap booking if you fail to get a ticket.

*Excluding the current omnishambles caused by selling tickets before the pre book system
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You can pre-book multiple RAP days without a ticket, ensuring other people don’t have access to them.
 
tayspru said:
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
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We don't know if it is ultimately legal until it is challenged in court.
I have been repeatedly told (by non thoosies) that the skyride issue is indirect discrimination, a clear cut case to be assessed under law.
Perhaps now someone will be willing to go to law on the cheap, with disabled group support, to clarify the issue.
Won't be this pirate though.
 
BarryZola said:
The Sunday is all booked out now too. Still not 10am.
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Apparently the system went live at midnight, so it's been online for almost 12 hours now already.

I'm hoping to god that the scarefest dates will eventually come online. Apparently they went online at midnight but were taken off not long after.

Edit: The Sunday of opening weekend is sold out for RAP as well now.
 
The system didn't go live at midnight as I checked but at the same time, the main tickets aren't available anymore...

When they announced the new system, they asked to book the RAP ticket(s) first before your main ticket(s). I was thinking they might open up the RAP tickets at 10am on the website but it's not happened, but as well, the 23rd have now greyed out.
 
Smoothing out those peaks in demand, for things like opening day, is exactly where this change wil have the biggest impact for those requiring RAP actually being able to.have access and preventing queues that they can't manage. It was always completely unrealistic that an unlimited number of people could not queue and have access on any given day, it could never work for those who needed it.

Bolting this on so late though is really moronic. You can't put people in a position where they have purchased and planned everything under one set of rules, then change the rules much later. The change needed to happen when tickets for the season went on sale.
 
You'll find that general Merlin/Alton pass day ticket allocations will run out quicker now, as people will book as many days as they can (3 or 5) in advance just on the off chance that they may go, because now RAP people essentially need 2 tickets for the same day, and if one is booked out, your other one is pointless for the day. So we're back to more people just booking things just in-case they might or might not use them.
 
Managed to get Chessington pass holder day booked really painlessly but obviously demand is a lot lower.
Socials are exploding over this.. was always gonna happen. With nemesis reopening etc

We’re gonna see a mad rush for opening whenever something “new” lands and obviously for scarefest and fireworks etc
 
Now I'm off to work for a couple of hours, I expect at least another couple of pages by the time I get home.
This could have been organised so much better, from a company that champions accessibility for all precious punters.
Bring on the first quiet rainy schoolday for me.
About a month methinks, skyride might actually be open by then.
Possibly.
 
BarryZola said:
You'll find that general Merlin/Alton pass day ticket allocations will run out quicker now, as people will book as many days as they can (3 or 5) in advance just on the off chance that they may go, because now RAP people essentially need 2 tickets for the same day, and if one is booked out, your other one is pointless for the day. So we're back to more people just booking things just in-case they might or might not use them.
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This is definitely going happen...

Didn't pre-book main tickets as per their instructions, it's a lose/lose situation now. As per Alphe86 on the socials, just checked Twitter – some guy is kicking off replying to a bot, and how they've pre-booked for opening day, are they going to crumble and start handing tickets out? Towers are also re-directing people to MRAP for resolutions, not great is it

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BarryZola said:
"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.
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Interesting and incredibly stupid.

I’m all for the cap but they have managed to completely balls its implementation up.

They should have had RAP booking ready before standard day tickets were available. They should allow the RAP and day ticket/ pass booking be made at the same time and they should have an allocation for resort guests.

Bowser said:
Urgh, i'm so anxious about all this already. Another layer of stress to what is already a challenging day. I'm sure it'll settle down eventually but probably going to look at Paultons for Easter holidays instead of Merlin now.
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Don’t Paultons have the same pre-book requirement?
 
mutti said:
Towers are also re-directing people to MRAP for resolutions
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Ultimately there is no resolution though. For access to be maintainable for those that are there they can't simply add a tonne more on top. People will be disappointed, but arguably less disappointed than turning up on the day with their RAP pass and finding a 45 minute queue they absolutely cannot do for every ride.

This is the better of two bad options Merlin find themselves with.
 
Skyscraper said:
They do indeed, but It's not as sought-after as the Merlin parks.
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Still the same system.

As for the legality I think the question will be reasonability. Now as with Skyride where I have made the opposite case to @rob666 you would never really know unless it’s tested in court but I suspect they will be ok for two reasons:

1) The rides have a finite capacity, therefore they can argue that in order to meet the requirements of the DDA they have to limit availability.

2) They limit access to non-disabled guests as well as can be seen with opening weekend day tickets selling out.

Still think it’s been implemented poorly however, if it works I might actually consider taking my disabled sister in law as it might actually be tolerable for someone who genuinely can’t queue.
 
In this instance, I think it would have worked better if they had allowed the RAP reservations to be made when the tickets for opening day were initially released, or not released the opening day tickets until the RAP system was also available.

I am also surprised that the ticket booking system and the RAP booking system aren’t integrated in some way. I think it would be good if they had some way of showing RAP availability for a given day, and then asking you if you want to add RAP reservations on top of your day tickets when you’re booking them.
 
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