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Ride Access Pass Systems and Disabled Access (pre 2024)

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I think some of the people using this pass these days are just the result of incredibly bad parenting and being told they have ADHD or something like that. Easier to say that than admit you're a bad parent isn't it?

It makes my blood boil and I feel desperately sad for those folk that genuinely need this pass and then suffer for the selfishness of others.

This is the way the world has gone though sadly. There's excuses made for everything but very little ownership.
 
Benjsh said:
I think some of the people using this pass these days are just the result of incredibly bad parenting and being told they have ADHD or something like that. Easier to say that than admit you're a bad parent isn't it?

It makes my blood boil and I feel desperately sad for those folk that genuinely need this pass and then suffer for the selfishness of others.

This is the way the world has gone though sadly. There's excuses made for everything but very little ownership.
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I've got ADHD, and tell me about it. I don't bother with the Passes and Fast Track anymore because I know it makes the majority wait longer, and that really isn't fair. I'll probably get impatient in the regular queue quite quickly, but at least I'm not holding everyone else off for an extra 20 minutes.

So, someone that hasn't got it is allowed to but when someone like me does have it, I asked for a pass when I needed it a few years back, and they said no. :/

Bit of a bias I sense here, unintentional or not. At least I'm more than happy to wait in regular queues nowadays :)
 
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Benjsh said:
I think some of the people using this pass these days are just the result of incredibly bad parenting and being told they have ADHD or something like that. Easier to say that than admit you're a bad parent isn't it?

It makes my blood boil and I feel desperately sad for those folk that genuinely need this pass and then suffer for the selfishness of others.

This is the way the world has gone though sadly. There's excuses made for everything but very little ownership.
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I’d personally attribute the increased prevalence of RAP users more to the increased awareness of these conditions. People with undiagnosed conditions like autism and ADHD aren’t falling through the cracks and not getting a diagnosis anymore; awareness and acceptance of these conditions has increased, and more people are getting the help they need as a result.

Sadly, that does mean that services like RAP come under more strain, but I think that could be overcome with some changes on the park’s end to how the RAP system works.
 
Benjsh said:
I think some of the people using this pass these days are just the result of incredibly bad parenting and being told they have ADHD or something like that. Easier to say that than admit you're a bad parent isn't it?

It makes my blood boil and I feel desperately sad for those folk that genuinely need this pass and then suffer for the selfishness of others.

This is the way the world has gone though sadly. There's excuses made for everything but very little ownership.
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There is a whole thread dedicated to RAP not sure why this "opinion" has anything to do with Scarefest
 
Meister71 said:
There is a whole thread dedicated to RAP not sure why this "opinion" has anything to do with Scarefest
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Apologies but weren't the several posts above mine all discussing the same thing? Wasn't like I brought it up. Bizarre to just highlight my comment, no?

RAP is clearly going to be abused more in peak times like Scarefest. That's the point. Somebody isn't likely to do it on a quiet day.

I have said my piece now anyway.
 
Surely if there is more general public on site there is going to be more RAP users on site too?? Common sense that, not that you seem to have much of that given your small minded and backwards comment.
 
Here's a suggestion. Remove everyone's RAP this year and get them to re apply. However the catch is they will only get the RAP privilege back if deemed necessary and suitable. Things covered in RAP have been expanded significantly over the years and I'd argue half of them don't actually need it
 
IMO most of the people who use RAP ATM are perfectly capable of queueing in the main queues.

They must be or else they wouldn't be able to wait in huge RAP queues.

If you've queued over an hour in RAP queues then I fail to see exactly why you can't join the main queue.

RAP usage needs to be seriously reviewed.
 
John said:
More people in the park shouldn't affect ratios though. Running rides at >50% RAP is unfair on other guests.
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My thought process was that the park probably aims for a maximum “palatable wait” for RAP users.

My assumption was that the ratio was likely to be higher when the demand was higher.

This is because if there is a lower demand-to-supply ratio (i.e. a quieter day), then the ride doesn’t have to process as many RAP users in a given period to keep to that “palatable wait”, therefore the percentage of throughput allocated to RAP can be lower.

Whereas when there is a higher demand-to-supply ratio (i.e. a busier day), the ride has to process more RAP users in a given period to keep to that “palatable wait”, therefore the percentage of throughput allocated to RAP needs to be higher.

This is of course assuming that throughput is the same on both days, which isn’t always the case, but my point still stands.

I could be completely wrong, but that was my assumption. It would explain why the most popular rides (in the context of Alton Towers, I’d say these are Wicker Man and Smiler) and the low throughput rides often tend to have greater percentage of throughput allocated to RAP. In a scenario where demand is a higher percentage of supply, then you need a greater percentage of throughput allocated to RAP to deal with the added demand.

They probably have to prioritise RAP over the main queue because a typical user of the RAP queue would be unlikely to understand why the main queue was prioritised over the RAP queue, whereas a typical user of the main queue would probably understand why the RAP queue was being prioritised over the main queue.
 
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RAP isn't designed to be a fast track system though. A RAP user should be queueing exactly the same time as someone in the main queue, They just aren't able to join the main queue for a particular reason so should be waiting around the park until their ride time.
 
The only company that have really got the RAP situation under control is Disney - particularly in the USA.

Over there, they are not even allowed to ask for medical proof of any disability / hidden disability / diagnosis. Go to Guest Services there any they will simply ask "tell me how we can make your day easier?" (Note the use of the word "easier").

So you need to use a wheelchair - not a problem, you can queue as normal as pretty much all of their queue-lines are wheelchair accessible. You wait the exact same time length as everyone else.

So you have a hidden disability (e.g. anxiety / ADHD etc) that makes standing in a crowded queue-line difficult. You get a card to show at the Fast-Pass entrance where a Cast Member will scan a "chipped" card that will allow you to return and enter via Fast-Pass entrance at the current queue time -10/15mins. You will end up waiting for pretty much the same time as everyone else, but can spend your waiting time in quieter / less cramped environs.

Spot the common feature - everyone waits pretty much about the same length of time, irrespective of their personal circumstances. No queue-time benefits available for playing a "disability card", irrespective of how genuine it may be.
 
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