• 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 Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Matt.GC said:
That makes giving in and forking out on a so called "VIP" pass even worse!
Click to expand...
In a way it does, however the benefits of a social environment such as a theme park can in some cases be beneficial. Which is kind of ironic when you consider the struggle of queues.

A thing to keep in mind is I approach this from a neuro diverse aspect being Asperger's myself(and can honestly say going to Alton Towers has helped me).

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Until the UK parks (much like Fastrack, the demand for RAP seems to be limited abroad) limit the reasonings for RAP this will continue...

I mean I could go to the doctor's and get a note to say I can't queue for a reason for £10... And since a lot of people now see RAP as free Fastrack and use any old excuse under the sun for it; those who DO need it will continue to suffer...

Maybe change it to Disney style where you go get a time off entrance and then come back instead of the current method... It's still fair but might reduce the "free Fastrack" idea...

Either that or limit it to Blue Badges and beyond at minimum to be entitled to it...


In terms of Europa Park (and other German parks) it's having to bear it or pay for Fastrack... But that's a government level issue rather than the park... Not sure what the situation is for wheelchair users though...
 
Benzin said:
Until the UK parks (much like Fastrack, the demand for RAP seems to be limited abroad) limit the reasonings for RAP this will continue...

I mean I could go to the doctor's and get a note to say I can't queue for a reason for £10... And since a lot of people now see RAP as free Fastrack and use any old excuse under the sun for it; those who DO need it will continue to suffer...

Maybe change it to Disney style where you go get a time off entrance and then come back instead of the current method... It's still fair but might reduce the "free Fastrack" idea...

Either that or limit it to Blue Badges and beyond at minimum to be entitled to it...


In terms of Europa Park (and other German parks) it's having to bear it or pay for Fastrack... But that's a government level issue rather than the park... Not sure what the situation is for wheelchair users though...
Click to expand...
They actually do something like that at Legoland using qsmart, you book a ride and have to wait Disney style before riding with one exception, you get a free one shot "instant access' however that is extremely limited. (The new ride isn't available as a one shot).

What's irritating Is because as far as I'm aware the accesso passport scanners could be used to scan qsmart so they could at any time bring it out across all of the parks.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I know this is going to **** a lot of people off, but I think the only solution to the RAP problem is the German option: If you can't queue, tough poop. Suck it up and queue, or go somewhere else where you won't be ruining our throughputs.
Click to expand...
It also make the parks completely inaccessible to a significant number of people, I don't think it's worth the throughput improvement compared to what throughputs would be if rap was managed correctly.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Maybe it's just my over-locigal brain, but I'm the kinda guy who, if I'm physically incapable of doing something, will shrug and go do something else. I'm fat. But I don't go around expecting public places to reduce the gravity so I can run faster. I just choose not to run.

Don't worry, I'll see myself out. ;)
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Maybe it's just my over-locigal brain, but I'm the kinda guy who, if I'm physically incapable of doing something, will shrug and go do something else. I'm fat. But I don't go around expecting public places to reduce the gravity so I can run faster. I just choose not to run.

Don't worry, I'll see myself out. ;)
Click to expand...
There's a bit of a difference between a reasonable accommodation (again it would be reasonable if managed correctly) and that.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Sadly, I see too many people on social media referring to the RAP as a free fast track.

Rick said:
With the continued 'success' of the RAP scheme and its wider adoption, are there any thoughts about how effective it now is? It's clear there is a level of abuse, but how much I think is quite difficult to say. This weekend, a friend of mine (who is eligible for RAP) texted me saying that the RAP queue for Wicker Man reached around 25 mins.

What continues to puzzle me is that if RAP users currently have to wait 25 mins on a busy day in the RAP line, why can't they wait 20 mins in the standby line on a quiet day?

The system seems highly flawed, but I don't have an alternative (other than scrap it entirely...) - it seems to be something that works well up to a certain point, but it clearly doesn't scale and we must have reached that point where its popularity means its no longer effective for people who need it most?
Click to expand...



yoursilentface said:
I was at towers yesterday and had to queue up at guest services for some complimentary fast tracks

I honestly cannot believe the amount of people getting the red wristbands....and i thought the exact same thing myself....why can you queue here for at least 30 minutes when you're unable to queue

When we was walking up to the fast track merge point on the rapids a bloke in front of us had a rap wristband on and a person in the queue asked what it was....he said he had epilepsy....now why is somebody with epilepsy entitled to rap?

And also what's the limit of guests who can ride with somebody with a wristband?

I find it a seriously flawed system and in all honesty it winds me up and i think some people must be taking P##@ to be honest
Click to expand...

Welcome to our world

It does wind's Jess and myself up too. The real losers are those that genuinely need the access that the system was put in place for in the first place. Jess can't use the rides so the RAP don't affect her, but welcome to our day to day world unable to access places due to the fact that the disable access is being used by non disable people. Blue badge bays and toilets can be a real problem. Imagine the stress we have visiting the hospital and not being able to get a wheelchair access parking bay not knowing when one will become free and if we will get one in time for the hospital appointment. And while we are waiting, we see other blue badge users using the normal empty bays. Our thoughts are if you can park in a normal bay and get out and walk the distant, then you don't need your blue badge taking up essential bays that could be kept free for those that can't genuinely use the normal bays.

Same with disable toilets. The amount of times people try and get into the disable toilet when we are using it, but when we emerge, there is no one there waiting to get in.


yoursilentface said:
When we was walking up to the fast track merge point on the rapids a bloke in front of us had a rap wristband on and a person in the queue asked what it was....he said he had epilepsy....now why is somebody with epilepsy entitled to rap?
Click to expand...

There was a similar debate on the Merlin additional needs FB page regarding someone with a nut allergy using the RAP on the basis that if they suddenly need medical attention, that the paramedics would be able to get to them quicker in the RAP queue as oppose to the main queue.

The same could be said for someone who has epilepsy, they might suddenly need medical attention.

However you could also argue the fact, what happens if they suddenly need medical attention whilst on a ride or have a fit on the ride?

Benzin said:
Either that or limit it to Blue Badges and beyond at minimum to be entitled to it...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there are people that obtain Blue badges by lying on their forms as well as obtaining fake ones.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
It's not exactly fun for us so-called "normals" either, you know. If you drink as much as I do on park, any queue over half an hour carries the risk of a toilet emergency!
Click to expand...
Thus the difference between it's not being fun and being at risk of a meltdown, trust me they are not fun to have in public.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Say that again when your bladder gets to my age mate.
Click to expand...
Considering the last time I ended up in meltdown It wasn't that far of Surrey police popping down to THORPE toileting issues aren't really comparable.
Plus is you have legitimate issues that is cause for rap ;)

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
RoyJess said:
The only solution is for Merlin to ensure that the main queue is kept as short as possible by increasing the put through and keeping the RAP for those that need level access.
Click to expand...
How low is it practical for them to keep the queue?
I am aware of the few people who can't go via the main queue to for sensory reasons.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
I'm afraid I just don't understand how a queue can be too stressfull.... but a high speed, high G, intense rollercoaster isn't? If I was that easily stressed out, a theme park alone, never mind the rides, would be my idea of hell.

I totally get that those of you for whom this is an issue probably think I'm pure evil for having this viewpoint. Please understand that I don't care. :)

Not everyone can do everything in life. I suck at maths. I don't expect to be given an easier tax return just because I find it stressfull. I grit my teeth and deal with it.
I'm not sporty. I don't expect the bus to wait for me while I choose not to run, I give up and wait for the next one.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I'm afraid I just don't understand how a queue can be too stressfull.... but a high speed, high G, intense rollercoaster isn't? If I was that easily stressed out, a theme park alone, never mind the rides, would be my idea of hell.

I totally get that those of you for whom this is an issue probably think I'm pure evil for having this viewpoint. Please understand that I don't care. :)

Not everyone can do everything in life. I suck at maths. I don't expect to be given an easier tax return just because I find it stressfull. I grit my teeth and deal with it.
I'm not sporty. I don't expect the bus to wait for me while I choose not to run, I give up and wait for the next one.
Click to expand...
There's a saying that's somewhat popular in the aspie and auntie communities.
There are no NT experts in autism.

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top