Ride Access Pass Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

[tayspru]

2024 is likely going to be their busiest year in a long time, they really should look at finally migrating the LL / Chessington system to AT. I have noticed additional WiFi boosters around the park this year, so maybe they’ll finally make the jump

 

[Benzin]

Can't say much for Chessie as it was far quieter than seen elsewhere but certainly would be an improvement.

Just need to ensure all the staff have the scanners required. Happened a few times last week and that obviously doesn't solve any problems.

 

[Skyscraper]

A friend told me earlier that they'd seen quite a few people online saying that RAP users can enter the park via the Galactica gate by showing their RAP photo card, even without a hotel booking. Does anyone know if this is true?

 

[NuttySquirrel]

A friend told me earlier that they'd seen quite a few people online saying that RAP users can enter the park via the Galactica gate by showing their RAP photo card, even without a hotel booking. Does anyone know if this is true?

If the monorail isn't running I think they would probably be obliged to because it's a helluva walk to the entrance for those with reduced mobility.

 

[RIPCorky]

From Adventures with Autism's Scarefest vlog, this was Thirteen's RAP queue on the opening day of Scarefest...




My god.

Not able to queue? The irony

 

[Skyscraper]

If the monorail isn't running I think they would probably be obliged to because it's a helluva walk to the entrance for those with reduced mobility.

If the monorail isn't running anyone can enter via that gate. It appears RAP guests can use it even if the monorail is working. Could be because the Skyride is down, that would make sense. It's difficult for guests with impaired mobility to get across the park with it out of action.

 

[Benzin]

Not able to queue? The irony

Instead being forced to queue due to a system that is open to abuse and is openly discussed on various sites for years how to ensure you get away with doing so.

Let's not pretend anyone is happy with the situation as it is. Though maybe we should start limiting who can use things in all public life. Able bodied? No lifts for you and so on.

Towers probably should trial the digital version sooner rather than later.

 

[rob666]

Perhaps they should be "striving to aid mobility access" to all and get the skyride back open.
Like their accessibility statement says.
I have not seen nor heard of any striving.
At all.

 

[Poisson]

Limit the number of RAP. Paultons can do it, so it clearly stands in law. There's a quota of RAP bookings for entry per day, when that's expired, that's your lot. You may still enter as a standard day guest but have no RAP access. RAP to be digital pass only with Q bots available for a large deposit for those without phones.

Limited RAP slots per hour on rides to keep RAP queues to 10 mins or less. Everybody can ride then, even if they are unable to queue, without having to face 1 hour queues that are meant to be accessible.

All future rides should be built with a merge point (similar to FT merge point on Nemesis) and the queue should be flat, wide and a max of 10 minutes after that point. A selected row should have a double wide airgate and the queue wide enough for wheel chair and assistant to be next to each other.

 

[Islander]

Perhaps they should be "striving to aid mobility access" to all and get the skyride back open.
Like their accessibility statement says.
I have not seen nor heard of any striving.
At all.

You have full information on the issues surrounding Skyride then, any maintenance problems, issues sourcing parts, lead times? I mean I guess you must, otherwise there's no way that such a statement could be made

 

[Craig]

The park have been upfront about Skyride continuing to be unavailable and was communicated out to regular visitors via the resort update on the 1dt August:

As you will be aware, Skyride and Hex - The Legend of the Towers have not been open to guests as we would like. Whilst our teams continue to carry out work on these attractions, we have now made the difficult decision to keep Skyride and Hex - The Legend of the Towers closed for the remainder of the 2023 season. This will soon be live on our website. We know this will be a disappointment to many, however we want to assure you that this step is essential for the long-term delivery of these attractions. This will allow us to carry out extended maintenance on Skyride, which is required to help us preserve the experience for the future

As pointed out in the mail, it's also clearly advised on the website that it will remain closed. Yes, it sucks from an accessibility point of view, but in all honesty they don't need to be giving a running commentary as to their efforts in getting the ride up and running. As Islander points out, there's a myriad of possible reasons as to why they couldn't get it open this year, but it's not something that we as customers should expect to be privy to.

They've conveyed the closure to guests to allow them to plan appropriately. That's all we should expect them to do.

 

[rob666]

There is no mention of the closure on the accessibility section of the site.
They "conveyed the closure" for planning when the ride had been closed for half a season, and there has been no actual confirmation that the ride will reopen next year...they are "aiming" for it to "hopefully" open at the start of next season, no assurances.
No alternatives to the service have been offered, there was no prior warning.
I'm not at the level of mobility scooter or wheelchair, so there is no alternative for me, just miss visiting, again.
Second one this year.
When I asked if and when it was reopening, I failed three times to get any response, so I couldn't plan at all.

 

[rob666]

You have full information on the issues surrounding Skyride then, any maintenance problems, issues sourcing parts, lead times? I mean I guess you must, otherwise there's no way that such a statement could be made

I was given further information, eventually, as my complaint escalated.
I am still not satisfied with the eventual responses made, after months of asking, and I still feel an essential service for less mobile guests has been removed in a casual, stealthy manner, and after many years of use, my reasonable access to the park has been withdrawn unfairly.
They have been very economical with the truth, customer service and communication has been very poor, and the park have not focused on their own access policy.
It is just kind words, but no action.

 

[Craig]

But as has been pointed out before, Skyride has never been marketed as a mode of transport, it's an attraction. It's also listed under the rides section in the AccessAble guide. Its closure is pointed out in the Ride and Attraction availability page and as per the terms those rides and attractions are subject to availability.

I sympathise with those struggling with the Skyride's closure, I've visited with people who have difficulty walking myself when it's been closed so I know how difficult it can be for those with limited mobility. However, it should be noted that on those very accessibility pages the park publicly offer wheelchairs and mobility scooters, available to pre-book for those who do not have access to their own. I don't see how you can state the park have been "economical with the truth" when we have zero public knowledge of what's gone on behind the scenes to try and get Skyride up and running.

 

[Dave]

The ultimately point however is the Skyride is not classed as an aid to mobility. You can get from each Skyride station on foot (or chair) with complete level access (and since the path between the Gloomy wood end of Haunted Hollow and forbidden valley is now open you can also get between each point without any significant hill.

I understand the frustration but the system is down, they have no legal reason to offer an alternative as they provide level access and they have no legal reason to tell you why the system is down.

 

[rob666]

It doesn't matter what the attraction is classed as, or marketed as, it has been an actual aid for the less mobile since it opened.
Simple, unavoidable, ultimate fact.
I know many other park attenders who see it as an essential aid to full mobility in the park, and I have used it as such, virtually every year, to get around the park with service users, and due to my own medical conditions for over a decade.
Service withdrawn without notice.
Poor.
The "other alternatives" have been there for years, and the park have already agreed that they are not suitable for all park users with limited mobility.
Why should my first ever use of a mobility scooter or wheelchair be at the Towers?
No thanks, I don't want to go there for another decade at least.
It is the distance that is the issue, not the walking.
Frustrating isn't the word.
No autumn leaves this year on the quiet days after Scarefest.
My two planned, half organised visits both out the window, no Curse, No Nemesis hole, no fun in my new shed, no big treat for my ex client, just another round at the bar in Crevettes.
They always ask about my dodgy ankle.
And they take my money...in cash.
edit...
Economical with the truth...took me four months before I got a human response at all, despite "someone will contact you "...and an eventual response of not very much.

 

[Dave]

It doesn't matter what the attraction is classed as, or marketed as, it has been an actual aid for the less mobile since it opened.
Simple, unavoidable, ultimate fact.
I know many other park attenders who see it as an essential aid to full mobility in the park, and I have used it as such, virtually every year, to get around the park with service users, and due to my own medical conditions for over a decade.
Service withdrawn without notice.
Poor.
The "other alternatives" have been there for years, and the park have already agreed that they are not suitable for all park users with limited mobility.
Why should my first ever use of a mobility scooter or wheelchair be at the Towers?
No thanks, I don't want to go there for another decade at least.
It is the distance that is the issue, not the walking.
Frustrating isn't the word.
No autumn leaves this year on the quiet days after Scarefest.
My two planned, half organised visits both out the window, no Curse, No Nemesis hole, no fun in my new shed, no big treat for my ex client, just another round at the bar in Crevettes.
They always ask about my dodgy ankle.
And they take my money...in cash.
edit...
Economical with the truth...took me four months before I got a human response at all, despite "someone will contact you "...and an eventual response of not very much.

By that logic a large number of theme parks that are bigger in size that have no transport rides are deliberately penalising people?

I know you don’t believe them but enough people on the forums have hinted that the park intended to open it this year but unavoidable issues stopped them. We have seen them working on it all season (scaffolding up etc) so it’s clearly not been their intent to keep it closed for cost saving purposes.

And they won’t give you the details as it’s commercially sensitive and not just for themselves, but for the suppliers of the parts/ the manufacturer of the system.

I don’t know the details of the issue (I just trust the word of those that do) but let’s hypothetically assume it’s because a company can’t get the parts to Towers. If Towers state that publically, although we wouldn’t have a clue who is the supplier other companies will and then the supplier can argue that Merlin have impacted their business. It’s just not worth the risk.

 

[rob666]

By that logic a large number of theme parks that are bigger in size that have no transport rides are deliberately penalising people?

Nope, because that wouldn't be a sudden withdrawal of a previously offered service, would it.
I know I'm on a hiding to nothing here, but I stand by the points I have made.
Customer service and information regarding the matter has been poor.
Alternatives have not been suitable for many customers.
If they do "strive to maintain access to all customers", more could and should have been done.
Less mobile customers have not been provided for fairly in these specific circumstances.
In my humble opinion... grumpy at not having had my varied coaster ration this year.

You can only ride the National so many times you know.

 

[Benzin]

The ultimately point however is the Skyride is not classed as an aid to mobility. You can get from each Skyride station on foot (or chair) with complete level access (and since the path between the Gloomy wood end of Haunted Hollow and forbidden valley is now open you can also get between each point without any significant hill.

Depends on the definition of significant. The hill up to Alty Mans in Haunted Hollow isn't a complete cake walk (though the worst one is X-Sector).


In terms of Skyride, few parks if any ever fully admit to the technicalities of ride closures on the official record. I'd imagine Towers are especially loathe to do so as all it takes is one person selling the story to the red tops and suddenly under the media storm once more. The question would be what would be a suitable alternative? Would be a logistical & HS nightmare to have additional vehicles intermingling round the park, and it'd probably take about the same time to get from place to place. Would also imagine the park like others is screwed by the issues plaguing the supply chain.

Skyride not being open would be burdenous for me as designated wheelchair pusher, but not the complete end of the world. I'd just end up more knackered than normal or just say I'll take the baby into CBeebies all day instead.

Think Rob needs to admit he's getting old and accept the use of a mobility aid. Though that non-returnable fee probably puts him off as that means at least 2 rounds of alcohol down the drain.

 

[rob666]

I admitted I was old the first time I was mistaken for a grandparent, on the Beach, about a decade ago.
Never used scooters/wheelchairs either, not planning on it for a decade...I'm a gardener for a living!
Would I be safe using them after a beer?
Constant time on feet, combined with driving, and uneven floors are the killer combination, but the Towers has been manageable despite issues for over a decade, relying on the skyride.