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Ride Access Pass Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

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Benzin said:
Plus the broken lifts at Saw and Inferno...

How do they make people demonstrate it? Towers ask the question but that's as far as they go...
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By making them walk up and down the stairs each and every single time.

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The RAP systems at all parks need reviewing. You just needed to see the access pass queue at Guest Services each time I visited BPB this year. Some reviews suggesting genuine users were waiting 45mins+ just to gain access to the system.
 
Just had a thought. An app based system could work. No need to check in with guest services. Photograph on your phone (like a Railcard) that the ride op can check. For some users, may even be able to apply for, and receive the RAP through the app. For comparison I applied for a disabled persons Railcard online and received it through the app within a couple days by uploading a certificate of blindness.

An app that must be scanned in some way would also tighten up the system, since it sounds like some ride ops don't know how to/don't bother to process the RAPs properly.
 
If they implemented their own system as they designed it (enforcing ride wait time prior to next usage) that would deter some of the abuse, surely.
 
Wait times were effectively being enforced today by the RAP queues being extremely long. Nemesis beyond the end of the bridge, Thirteen beyond the end of the ramp, Oblivion way past the garage/workshop, Smiler to the RAP entrance sign (after the fireworks), Mine Train most of the way across the plaza inside the first turn.

Several of these RAP queues appeared to be similar in length to the advertised main queue time (Oblivion in particular did not have a long main queue at the time). It's possible staff weren't marking cards for this reason as such long queue times makes something of a mockery of the system.

The solution must NOT be to increase the number of RAP guests on the ride, main queues are slow enough already and you could probably run some rides at 100% RAP on very busy days and still have a RAP queue.
 
If you read into how BPB’s one operates online, you have to use their Speedy Pass app to book the ride, which allows you instant access. The app then makes you wait whatever 50% of the queue time was before you can book another ride. This seems relatively fair, and appears to put the park in control of how many users are able to access a ride at any one point potentially.
 
MiserableMonkey said:
If you read into how BPB’s one operates online, you have to use their Speedy Pass app to book the ride, which allows you instant access. The app then makes you wait whatever 50% of the queue time was before you can book another ride. This seems relatively fair, and appears to put the park in control of how many users are able to access a ride at any one point potentially.
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Why only 50% of the queue time? Allowing people to use RAP as essentially a fasttrack ticket is a big part of what encourages abuse of the system in the first place.
 
Actually, upon rereading it, that’s only the top ten rides. All the other rides you can just go up the exit and ride with relatively no wait time at all, even if the queue is an hour - and take up to three people with you. Hmm.
 
Never used the Speedy Pass thing when doing RAP at Blackpool, just up the exit/dedicated entrance and straight on (within reason)...

Not the best but was about the only one using it on those visits...
 
yoursilentface said:
I walked past wickerman at around 8pm last night and the RAP queue was huge

Towers/merlin really need to sort out the obvious abuse because i actually felt sorry for the people who really do need it last night
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This problem goes way beyond the park, imagine being a wheelchair user who can't even stand let alone walk, can't gain access to many places as access is inadequate or disable facilities have been render useless by people abusing them.

I was on park this weekend at the wheelchair fireworks viewing area, each year people would come up to me asking about gaining access to the area. I would usually explain to them that the they needed to pre-booked a space upon the platform and that it was fully booked up. I would also explain that the platform is just for wheelchair users. I would usually get a reply that they need to be up there as they can't stand for any length of time. I would explain to them that there are no chairs provided upon the platform, so if they can't stand, then the platform would be no good for them as there are no seating provided :rolleyes:

Unfortunately, those that really need the disable facilities are getting pushed out because of people demanding their rights. I've nothing against those that are in genuine need of using such facilities, but it does frustrate me when people are not consistent with what they justify using such facilities but there actions say's different.

You only have to read some of the comments on this thread to be able to see that the RAP is used by people (and by there own admission) as a means of a free fast track, and it not always the disable person that are guilty of this, sometimes its the carers and family members that are encouraging and benefiting from the RAP
 
How do people feel RAP in the UK was this season Vs previous seasons, particularly re abuse in the system? Have things been getting better of worse on reflection?
 
My partner has RAP access due to peripheral vascular where he has no feeling in his left leg and this limits his walking. During our visits this season, we have witnessed abuse of the system, abuse of the staff etc etc.
My partner is not one to bring attention to himself, and a lot of the time we just visit to have the atmosphere of the park and not go on a single ride just for him to get out of the house as i work away from home he is gagging to get out.
We had not been to AT for 21 years before this season as we lived down south, and never even knew this system existed until a member of staff informed us of it.
The RAP is a god send for him, when he wants to ride a ride, as before we was letting lots and i mean lots of people pass us as we joined the main queues as he walks and stops every 50 metres or so.
When we signed up, we had to produce his mobility assessment and blue badge before the issue of the pass and was explained the rules and regulations.
We visited Legoland in September, and i must say that the Q-Bot is a really good system and fair, as you join the virtual queue and wait what the queue is at the time of selection before joining the ride.
 
Flying Loz said:
My partner has RAP access due to peripheral vascular where he has no feeling in his left leg and this limits his walking. During our visits this season, we have witnessed abuse of the system, abuse of the staff etc etc.
My partner is not one to bring attention to himself, and a lot of the time we just visit to have the atmosphere of the park and not go on a single ride just for him to get out of the house as i work away from home he is gagging to get out.
We had not been to AT for 21 years before this season as we lived down south, and never even knew this system existed until a member of staff informed us of it.
The RAP is a god send for him, when he wants to ride a ride, as before we was letting lots and i mean lots of people pass us as we joined the main queues as he walks and stops every 50 metres or so.
When we signed up, we had to produce his mobility assessment and blue badge before the issue of the pass and was explained the rules and regulations.
We visited Legoland in September, and i must say that the Q-Bot is a really good system and fair, as you join the virtual queue and wait what the queue is at the time of selection before joining the ride.
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I dare say the fact qbot RAP is fair is why and harder to abuse is why lot of people loath it
 
It's harder now than it was 10 years ago because it's either more well known or its distributed like sweets to anyone with anything close to an issue (because the parks don't want the bad press associated with rejected ADHD Andy)...

Even 10 years ago it wasn't explained properly to guests by GS, but most were understanding about it... It just requires the staff to actually sign off the cards correctly and it would operate reasonably well...
 
BarryZola said:
With the RAP queues being so long it's a wonder these people who apparently can't queue managed to queue for so long when they had no other choice ;)
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Even though my son is on the spectrum and entitled to use the RAP system, we both had a good laugh at this.

It's also the reason why we haven't visited Towers for two years and only went to Thorpe twice this year on off-peak days, peak says are just far too busy nowdays.
 
A teacher (non-enthusiast) friend told me not long ago that she wouldn't even consider going to theme parks these days unless she could "borrow a special kid from school to jump all the queues... It's great!"

:banghead:
 
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