Ride Access Pass Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

[imanautie]

Although Thorpe is particularly bad for waits and oversells Fastrack, two hour waits at major theme parks are not uncommon, but they should only really occur on the newest couple of coasters. I don't think people with autism trying to find a way to enjoy theme parks is related to the longer waits due to Fastrack.

Personally I think there are a couple of issues going on.
The UK theme parks have historically never made their regular queue lines accessible for mobility impaired people (such as wheelchair users) so they always have to enter via the exit or a dedicated entrance.
More people are talking about Autism and sharing ways to assist those living with it. One of the ways to help is to offer them the option to wait away from the main queue so people who can't deal with crowded environments now have a chance to enjoy theme parks. It feels like understanding on these issues has really come about in the last 5 years and its brought in changes at parks to accommodate those who need to wait in an alternative place.
However whereas Disney just has those people join the Fastpass queue, the Merlin parks have those needing those accommodations join the same queue as mobility impaired people. This means the batching host has at least three different places to batch from. At Disney they simplified the system and on many rides mobility impaired people join the main queue and those who can't wait in the main queue come back to the Fastpass queue, this means the merge process is much simpler.
I think having to try and accommodate three different queues, all potentially coming from different places is what causes some of the issues at the Merlin parks for RAP.

In an ideal world parks would solely use Disney style fast pass, that completely negates the need for rap for many people (like myself), merlin in theory could do it by selling extra slots to keep the normal fastrack revenue.

 

[John]

I don't think people with autism trying to find a way to enjoy theme parks is related to the longer waits due to Fastrack.

Thirteen gives 20% of the ride capacity to RAP as standard. That's not insignificant - probably similar to the fastrack allocation.

People often bring up queues not being wheelchair accessible as a problem but that's precisely the reason RAP was created in the first place, but the whole thing inevitably falls apart when more people try to use it. I don't think it can be fixed.

 

[imanautie]

Thirteen gives 20% of the ride capacity to RAP as standard. That's not insignificant - probably similar to the fastrack allocation.

People often bring up queues not being wheelchair accessible as a problem but that's precisely the reason RAP was created in the first place, but the whole thing inevitably falls apart when more people try to use it. I don't think it can be fixed.

The parks don't really help themselves when they don't mark rap properly or issue it incorrectly..

 

[jon81uk]

In an ideal world parks would solely use Disney style fast pass, that completely negates the need for rap for many people (like myself), merlin in theory could do it by selling extra slots to keep the normal fastrack revenue.

But for access pass, Disney do the same as Merlin, you return after the wait time. It isn't linked to the Fastpass slots. The only connection is the entrance to the ride that is used.

My understanding is at Merin RTPs.
Three entrances to each ride (although some is via the exit), main, fastrack, RAP.
fastrack users enter whenever they wish via the fastrack entrance, RAP users use RAP entrance or exit after a time equivalent to the previous main queue has elapsed.

At Disneyworld
Generally two entrances to each ride, standby and fastpass (but some older rides have mobility impaired via the exit)
fastpass users have a timeslot to enter the fastpass entrance. DAS (disability access service) user enter the fastpass entrance once a time equivilant to the standby wait, less 10 minutes has elapsed.

There is no change in the number of fastpass slots if a large number of DAS users turn up at the same time.

 

[jon81uk]

People often bring up queues not being wheelchair accessible as a problem but that's precisely the reason RAP was created in the first place, but the whole thing inevitably falls apart when more people try to use it. I don't think it can be fixed.

I think the accessible entrances were created as main queues weren't seen as wheelchair accesible and they realised just using the exit (such as Nemesis does) didn't work due to the congestion. Air is a good example of a dedicated accesible entrance.
Then more recently, RAP was created to help accomodate those with autism better. But the entrances weren't changed, the areas created to give ramped or level access for mobilty, can't then cope with the number of guests who also need accommodations for autism and other reasons.
A potential solution would be to have those who cannot wait in the main queue, but otherwise don't have mobility issues, to rejoin the fastrack queue, they can then wait out the majority of the line elsewhere. Then the access entrance is back to only those who need ramped/level access, making it simpler for the ride hosts to manage.

 

[imanautie]

But for access pass, Disney do the same as Merlin, you return after the wait time. It isn't linked to the Fastpass slots. The only connection is the entrance to the ride that is used.

My understanding is at Merin RTPs.
Three entrances to each ride (although some is via the exit), main, fastrack, RAP.
fastrack users enter whenever they wish via the fastrack entrance, RAP users use RAP entrance or exit after a time equivalent to the previous main queue has elapsed.

At Disneyworld
Generally two entrances to each ride, standby and fastpass (but some older rides have mobility impaired via the exit)
fastpass users have a timeslot to enter the fastpass entrance. DAS (disability access service) user enter the fastpass entrance once a time equivilant to the standby wait, less 10 minutes has elapsed.

There is no change in the number of fastpass slots if a large number of DAS users turn up at the same time.

That's my point, to an outsider it looks like normal fastpass unless your paying attention to the color as @spinba11 has explained. Just let the system figure it out and have it look like it's not disabled access basically.

 

[jon81uk]

That's my point, to an outsider it looks like normal fastpass unless your paying attention to the color as @spinba11 has explained. Just let the system figure it out and have it look like it's not disabled access basically.

Thats kinda what I mean, if those who need the RAP but don't have mobility issues were to enter via the fastrack entrance it would help. So then for example on Nemesis only those with mobility issues need to enter via the exit, everyone else uses the fastrack entrance.

 

[imanautie]

Thats kinda what I mean, if those who need the RAP but don't have mobility issues were to enter via the fastrack entrance it would help. So then for example on Nemesis only those with mobility issues need to enter via the exit, everyone else uses the fastrack entrance.

That's how THORPE do things generally (although stealth has fastrack go into rap for distancing reasons)

 

[spinba11]

Also Disney don’t restrict one wheelchair person per ride vehicle and they can sit anywhere they want.

 

[imanautie]

Also Disney don’t restrict one wheelchair person per ride vehicle and they can sit anywhere they want.

And I'm guessing they don't take the approach of an ambulant wheelchair user and an autistic aren't allowed to ride together...

 

[jon81uk]

Also Disney don’t restrict one wheelchair person per ride vehicle and they can sit anywhere they want.

Depends on the ride of course. Some rides have specially adapted vehicles so wheelchairs can roll straight in and transfer isn't needed, so then it is only one wheelchair per vehicle of course.

Does anyone know exactly how they deal with non-ambulant people in the case of evacuations on rollercoasters?

 

[imanautie]

Depends on the ride of course. Some rides have specially adapted vehicles so wheelchairs can roll straight in and transfer isn't needed, so then it is only one wheelchair per vehicle of course.

Does anyone know exactly how they deal with non-ambulant people in the case of evacuations on rollercoasters?

Equipment like the evacu8 chairs?

 

[spinba11]

Depends on the ride of course. Some rides have specially adapted vehicles so wheelchairs can roll straight in and transfer isn't needed, so then it is only one wheelchair per vehicle of course.

Does anyone know exactly how they deal with non-ambulant people in the case of evacuations on rollercoasters?

I meant if the person can get in a normal seat they can, they aren’t forced to sit the adapted seat.

 

[jon81uk]

I meant if the person can get in a normal seat they can, they aren’t forced to sit the adapted seat.

Yes but the reason to my knowledge Alton Towers only allow one wheelchair user per coaster train is in case of evacuation. Do we actually know for certain how Disney deal with rock'n'rollercoaster and similar rides? I would have thought if their was a breakdown and it stopped on the block brakes with multiple wheelchair uses it would still be difficult (although being a launch coaster its not as bad due to no steep lift hill) or on Expedition Everest?
From a common-sense type point of view the rule of one wheelchair user per train feels sensible in case of emergency. But then I am not affected so looking at it differently maybe.

 

[Skyscraper]

With Towers I know that Thirteen's RAP entrance is now the Fast Track queue, but does anyone know if any of the other rides' RAP entrances have changed?

 

[John]

The most obvious change is that the Rapids RAP entrance is through the gate on the bypass route between WM station and Duel, no access from Katanga.

Edit: I think Galactica now uses the old SRQ for RAP access, not 100% sure about that one though.

 

[imanautie]

With Towers I know that Thirteen's RAP entrance is now the Fast Track queue, but does anyone know if any of the other rides' RAP entrances have changed?

A few have been tweaked slightly such as no rap access for Oblivion via the arcade, instead you get held by a host at the bypass gate.

 

[Skyscraper]

The most obvious change is that the Rapids RAP entrance is through the gate on the bypass route between WM station and Duel, no access from Katanga.

Edit: I think Galactica now uses the old SRQ for RAP access, not 100% sure about that one though.

That's interesting, thanks for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[imanautie]

The most obvious change is that the Rapids RAP entrance is through the gate on the bypass route between WM station and Duel, no access from Katanga.

Edit: I think Galactica now uses the old SRQ for RAP access, not 100% sure about that one though.

It splits with wheelchair rap guests being sent to the right station but left path with all other rap bring far right.

 

[Skyscraper]

It splits with wheelchair rap guests being sent to the right station but left path with all other rap bring far right.

Yeah last year we went down the old single rider queue. Was annoying having to walk all the way to the back of the station to board the back row though. If only they'd put ambulant disabled guests at the front, especially considering guests don't have to evac from height (if a train stops on the lift it will be reversed back down into the tunnel as it's easier to evac guests when the train is flat).