Ride Access Pass Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

[Skyscraper]

A doctor's letter (paid for) may help with this.

It's a tough one, I would agree they need to crack down on RAP but are towers/Merlin staff best placed to make a decision about a persons needs?

I believe it's an online form so they may at least have somebody with a level of knowledge looking at applications.

It's not Merlin making the decision anymore, it's the team at Access Card instead. The whole process has changed, it's not a case of just uploading a PIP/DLA form anymore. This is fine, just wording it in the right way is going to be difficult.

 

[Nick🎢]

It's not Merlin making the decision anymore, it's the team at Access Card instead. The whole process has changed, it's not a case of just uploading a PIP/DLA form anymore. This is fine, just wording it in the right way is going to be difficult.

Ah cheers I'll look into this.

 

[Islander]

If you yourself think that you can (the majority of the time) queue normally, then to have others forcing you to apply for RAP is frankly awful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nick🎢]

Edit: misunderstanding

 

[jon81uk]

The beast awakens.

Misrepresentation at best.

"I can manage short queues" was converted into "can queue the majority of the time".

This is why I struggle with people, they are just looking to fit others up.

@Skyscraper does seem to be frustrated about his Mum seeing it as free fasttrack. I think the point is definitely about others wanting the pass rather than the needs of the person with the access need.

 

[Nick🎢]

@Skyscraper does seem to be frustrated about his Mum seeing it as free fasttrack. I think the point is definitely about others wanting the pass rather than the needs of the person with the access need.

100% and that is absolutely a thing. Just me misunderstanding and being a numpty. Nothing to see here.

 

[BarryZola]

Or maybe some people are too sensitive to people having legit concerns about RAP use when it may not be required. Skyscraper has in the past mentioned how his mother has put pressure on him to use RAP for their group even though he felt that he could probably cope OK (this was a couple of years ago before Scarefest). I thought that Islander's comment was entirely reasonable. Let's not try to cancel free speech or debate by suggesting that people are bigoted just because they dare to have a different opinion. This forum is better than that.

 

[Poisson]

Something needs to be addressed as today the RAP queues were insane. Wicker Man was back to Big Bob at one stage

 

[John]

Can't be too long now until the number of people with RAP exceeds the number without

Nobody wins under the current mess

 

[Poisson]

Trying to exit Nemesis without a FT merge host was like wading through treacle. FT, ambulant RAP, wheelchair RAP all clogging various parts of the ramp. A fun observation was in the last hour, the RAP/FT queue easily exceeded the main queue

 

[rob666]

Shove the single rider queue back in as well, then you can have a proper rugby scrum.

 

[Nick🎢]

Or maybe some people are too sensitive to people having legit concerns about RAP use when it may not be required. Skyscraper has in the past mentioned how his mother has put pressure on him to use RAP for their group even though he felt that he could probably cope OK (this was a couple of years ago before Scarefest). I thought that Islander's comment was entirely reasonable. Let's not try to cancel free speech or debate by suggesting that people are bigoted just because they dare to have a different opinion. This forum is better than that.

Ah apologies @Islander I wasn't aware of what I wasn't aware of there.

Something needs to be addressed as today the RAP queues were insane. Wicker Man was back to Big Bob at one stage

Looking into the change that has/is coming in (as mentioned by sky scraper) there may be a positive impact there.

Currently you can turn up with a pip or dla letter and get RAP. You get those for all sorts of things which may or may not be related to ability to stand in a queue.

The new model you need to apply and pay for (if it is as it used to be). So people will need to be prepared in advance and hopefully have a sound justification for needing it. Maybe, this will cut down on the chancers. Maybe.

Virtual queueing for all!

 

[Matt N]

Perhaps Towers could do with moving to the Legoland/Chessington system? Apparently RAP at Chessington is no longer a problem since the new system was adopted, and it’s never really been a problem at Legoland.

 

[Nick🎢]

Perhaps Towers could do with moving to the Legoland/Chessington system? Apparently RAP at Chessington is no longer a problem since the new system was adopted, and it’s never really been a problem at Legoland.

Indeed we have been championing that on this very thread. It's a much fairer system. I guess the question is why not? Can only assume mobile data access at towers could be a blocker.

Edit: it looks like somebody is already all over my million pound idea... Attractions.io

 

[Matt N]

I’m not sure what people think of this, but; could the Merlin parks move towards assessing guests for RAP through a needs-based lens rather than a purely diagnosis-based lens?

What I mean is; couldn’t the park ask guests what their needs are, what their triggers are, how they can help etc rather than asking for documents or a formal diagnosis?

That would ensure that those who do need the system can still get at it, and it would also allow people who think they might need it but have no formal disability diagnosis (for instance, someone who’s not diagnosed with anything, but suffers from anxiety in large queues) to get at it as well. It would also prevent abuse of the system (not that I think much abuse happens now, but hypothetically speaking, a line of questioning that focuses on individual needs rather than diagnoses should help to reduce this issue).

 

[Skyscraper]

I’m not sure what people think of this, but; could the Merlin parks move towards assessing guests for RAP through a needs-based lens rather than a purely diagnosis-based lens?

What I mean is; couldn’t the park ask guests what their needs are, what their triggers are, how they can help etc rather than asking purely for documents?

That would ensure that those who do need the system can still get at it, and it would also allow people who think they might need it but have no formal disability diagnosis (for instance, someone who’s not diagnosed with anything, but suffers from anxiety in large queues) to get at it as well. It would also prevent abuse of the system (not that I think much abuse happens now, but hypothetically speaking, a line of questioning that focuses on needs rather than diagnosis should help to reduce this issue).

That's exactly what this new system is about- assessing applicants' needs.

 

[rob666]

You presume that everyone tells the truth, you poor innocent youth you.
Some might lie to get a free fasttrack.

 

[Matt N]

You presume that everyone tells the truth, you poor innocent youth you.
Some might lie to get a free fasttrack.

I’d like to assume that most people tell the truth, yes. My assumption is that RAP has only grown in magnitude so much because knowledge about and diagnoses of hidden disabilities has grown exponentially in recent years. Therefore, usage of services like RAP is likely to grow exponentially in proportion with that, no?

But even if not, surely a line of questioning that asks about individual needs rather than merely asking for a diagnosis is a lot harder to fake or lie about?

I think another thing that should change is the perception that RAP is “free Fastrack”. A great many people think that RAP is “getting free Fastrack because you’re disabled” rather than “a virtual queue to allow those who struggle with regular queueing to have the same access to the rides and attractions as a neurotypical or able-bodied person does”. Admittedly, it’s a hard thing to change, but if this reputation went, then it wouldn’t provide the incentive to try and abuse the RAP system in the first place.

As I said, I don’t believe that abuse of the RAP system is high at the moment. In fact, I believe that the number of people who abuse RAP is likely to be very, very low. These are just ideas of mine to try and allay the perceived issues with the system.

 

[rob666]

The naughty people go and get a dodgy script off mumsnet or a local social media group.
If it didn't have the reputation it has, and if it was only used correctly, by people who actually need it, and wasn't abused by pushy "others" who simply don't want to queue, then it wouldn't be a problem.
But it is, and it is as bad as ever on some (usually the most popular) rides, apparently.
The issue keeps me, and my mates, away from some parks at peak times.

 

[Matt.GC]

Social media is already full of hints and tips of how to swindle your way to getting a RAP. I'm sure if they adopted a consultation approach of assessing needs, someone would be able to whip up a script full of lies to tell guest services and post it in no time.