• 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.

Security at Theme Parks and Other Public Places

imanautie said:
The plan as told to me by security operations manager,was I go through detector and hold the tablet at various positions so they could see it's the tablet not anything on my body alarming.
Click to expand...
Could you not get some form of written letter from the Security Operations Manager to state the protocol that should be followed for your circumstance? I know it's not ideal however it can cover you in an instance where security staff may not understand or be cooperative.

Your meeting with the Director of Operations seems promising. It's odd you don't get this issue at other parks around the UK. I imagine Thorpe's security is a bit more heightened due to its location and previous incidents, but still, you would think security teams would have some form of training/knowledge in reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities.

I can't say I feel legal threats is particularly the right way to go, given that you've had support from numerous arms of senior management who recognise changes need to be made. However, I can see this has somewhat been a long ordeal for yourself with numerous issues so I don't really blame you either with what must be a lot of frustration.

It seems that Thorpe could perhaps adopt an airport protocol with prior knowledge of a guest visiting with an AAC device. Or simply they need to look to other Merlin parks to see what they are doing differently. If I were you (if you haven't already) I would document every time issues occur with the date, time, location, names of staff (if possible) and present this to Thorpe as evidence for them to investigate.

Either way I hope you get it sorted to a degree you feel comfortable visiting Thorpe.
 
James said:
Could you not get some form of written letter from the Security Operations Manager to state the protocol that should be followed for your circumstance? I know it's not ideal however it can cover you in an instance where security staff may not understand or be cooperative.

Your meeting with the Director of Operations seems promising. It's odd you don't get this issue at other parks around the UK. I imagine Thorpe's security is a bit more heightened due to its location and previous incidents, but still, you would think security teams would have some form of training/knowledge in reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities.

I can't say I feel legal threats is particularly the right way to go, given that you've had support from numerous arms of senior management who recognise changes need to be made. However, I can see this has somewhat been a long ordeal for yourself with numerous issues so I don't really blame you either with what must be a lot of frustration.

It seems that Thorpe could perhaps adopt an airport protocol with prior knowledge of a guest visiting with an AAC device. Or simply they need to look to other Merlin parks to see what they are doing differently. If I were you (if you haven't already) I would document every time issues occur with the date, time, location, names of staff (if possible) and present this to Thorpe as evidence for them to investigate.

Either way I hope you get it sorted to a degree you feel comfortable visiting Thorpe.
Click to expand...
I know it's not ideal to go legal. Heck I even said to the guest experience manager who I asked to radio the SOM apologies in advance for this, I don't want to e *that* hostile guest everyone dislikes, I just want to be treated with respect, heck my freind who had visited the island before they used aac on park almost bailed in tears with the mess on Friday.
I have heavy levels of documentation for every incident including timestamps and at times radio call signs of specific staff (such as the ones who said I should have told them I don't speak...).

I am thinking of writing a less legal threat thing and more suggestions to handle assistive equipment at bag search, if your wondering why Im not saying AAC here it's because i want them to figure out an official policy that covers assistive equipment in general not just AAC.
I don't think the airline advance notice method is suitable for a theme park. Let alone one like THORPE well known for not relying quickly.

Edit: hopefully fixed my quote screw up
 
Thought I'd bump this thread as a friend had a bad experience with Thorpe Security at Fright Nights today. This friend always dresses up in amazing costumes and is a massive scare maze fan. They spend a lot of time on their costumes whilst taking into account parks' rules around clothing. Their costume for both last year and this year is inspired by the Skin Snatchers, and feature's the famous skin mask. Now, last year security asked them if they were going to wear it and they weren't as they were fully aware of the rules not permitting guests' faces to be covered, so they said no, and secutity let them through.

Today, however, security would not let them thrpugh even they they tried to explain that they would not be wearing it. And worse still, security confiscated it pernamently and told them they couldn't have it back, not even at the end of the day. My friend went to guest serv9ces later in the day to complain, and after ringing security GS were told thet they still could not have it back. My friend is worried that it will be thown away or destroyed, as tghey spent a lot of time, effort and money on making it. T\hey haven't even been given an explanation as to why security wouldn't return it at the end of the day.


From: https://twitter.com/d4rk5h4d0w_2570/status/1711009904683630897?t=Skeaam4_Mv82pCC63ShNuQ&s=19
 
I've always been confused by the "you're not going to wear it are you?" question - because you can guarantee that 99% of people who say no to said question are going to wear the mask once they're in anyway. I think it was previously just a way to avoid hassle with guests, but all too often I've seen idiots wearing them and running round scaring other guests. It's a potential accident waiting to happen (or probably has hence the crackdown), so I'm actually quite glad they're enforcing it now.

Of course it's not great that your friend couldn't get their mask back, there could have been some flexibility there this year as they transition to confiscating the items. On the other hand, I don't think they should be offering to hold every single confiscated item when they're already busy enough trying to get guests through. Bottom line is though, if you're willing to go against the rules (regardless of last year, the terms are explicit in that full face masks even as part of costumes aren't permitted) then you have to accept a risk that you may end up with it being confiscated.
 
Craig said:
I've always been confused by the "you're not going to wear it are you?" question - because you can guarantee that 99% of people who say no to said question are going to wear the mask once they're in anyway. I think it was previously just a way to avoid hassle with guests, but all too often I've seen idiots wearing them and running round scaring other guests. It's a potential accident waiting to happen (or probably has hence the crackdown), so I'm actually quite glad they're enforcing it now.

Of course it's not great that your friend couldn't get their mask back, there could have been some flexibility there this year as they transition to confiscating the items. On the other hand, I don't think they should be offering to hold every single confiscated item when they're already busy enough trying to get guests through. Bottom line is though, if you're willing to go against the rules (regardless of last year, the terms are explicit in that full face masks even as part of costumes aren't permitted) then you have to accept a risk that you may end up with it being confiscated.
Click to expand...
Very good points Craig. Thorpe have replied to their post and have it waiting in guest services for them. I was most surprised by the fact security wouldn't return it at the end of the day. Hopefully my friend will remember to be more careful next year though.
 
Skyscraper said:
Very good points Craig. Thorpe have replied to their post and have it waiting in guest services for them. I was most surprised by the fact security wouldn't return it at the end of the day. Hopefully my friend will remember to be more careful next year though.
Click to expand...

They generally don’t want the stress of coordinating getting the right item back to the right person at the end of the day. As it’s private property their rules can be if you want entry then it gets thrown (though at Thorpe the more logical thing is to say you can take it back to your car if you came in car).

Anyway those are the rules, and it’s a rule I can very much see the logic in.
 
As much as I can see where your friend is coming from and I can see why they would want the mask back, I’m definitely on the park’s side in this instance.

I’m not sure about Thorpe specifically, as I’ve never looked at the signs that closely, but when I’ve been to parks in America, one thing that they have always clearly and explicitly banned alongside weapons and such is masks. That’s always made very clear at the entrances in those parks, and they have an absolute no tolerance policy, so if you turn up with a mask, you do run the risk of getting it confiscated and permanently losing it.

As much as your friend may have had perfectly innocent intentions, masks can be used in a nefarious manner, and a question of “Are you going to wear it?” is an easy one to wriggle out of even if you do intend to wear it, so I can see why the park are taking no chances.

I can feel your friend’s pain at having a mask they spent hours crafting confiscated and potentially never returned to them, and I do feel sorry for them if the mask is not returned. The park could perhaps have been a touch more flexible in this regard.

With that being said, a mask is a banned item in the exact same vein as weapons, toxic substances and the like. If someone waltzed up to Thorpe Park’s entrance with a knife and had it confiscated, would people be so open to the idea of the owner being given it back? I know that’s not a perfect analogy, but from where the park is standing, masks are forbidden items exactly the same as knives are, and believe it or not, there are similarly innocent reasons why someone could be carrying a knife about their person (for instance, a lot of people carry Swiss Army Knives and such about with them day to day).
 
I would say it’s poor for security/guest services not to give it back at the end of the day.

I generally agree with the above posts that despite innocent intentions, security/the park cannot ascertain whether you’re being truthful or deceptive and cannot take that risk.

As an aside note it’s a well made mask!
 
Skyscraper said:
They spend a lot of time on their costumes whilst taking into account parks' rules around clothing.
Click to expand...

Except they didn't at all, they took a costume that is expressly prohibited and prohibited for very good reason.

Completely unreasonable for them to be playing victim. They did a silly thing, they found themselves with an entirely foreseeable consequence.
 
James said:
I would say it’s poor for security/guest services not to give it back at the end of the day.

I generally agree with the above posts that despite innocent intentions, security/the park cannot ascertain whether you’re being truthful or deceptive and cannot take that risk.

As an aside note it’s a well made mask!
Click to expand...
It is, but as the friend isn't off park premises when they give them the mask back, there's every possibility that they could wear it (when it's dark) and potentially scare or terrify other customers. The same fears for the mask in the park are there for the mask in the car park and external extrance. A system where security can pass on items like this to guest services, to then send out to customers after they've left the park at the customer's expense, would be a neat solution.
 
When I did Thorpe the other week I’ve never known security like it (even at Thorpe), after the bag check we went through metal detectors and had to empty pockets. I then set it off so had to take my watch off, set it off again and then had to take my belt off.

I’ve never had this happen before at Thorpe. I didn’t realise I was going through airport security.

Even when I’ve done Thorpe earlier this season I’ve not even walked through the metal detectors.
 
djtruefitt said:
When I did Thorpe the other week I’ve never known security like it (even at Thorpe), after the bag check we went through metal detectors and had to empty pockets. I then set it off so had to take my watch off, set it off again and then had to take my belt off.

I’ve never had this happen before at Thorpe. I didn’t realise I was going through airport security.

Even when I’ve done Thorpe earlier this season I’ve not even walked through the metal detectors.
Click to expand...
It took us over an hour and a half to clear security on the 24th September at Thorpe. We'd arrived 15 minutes before park open 0945 and didn't get to the Dome until 11:20ish. We had to do the giant cattle pen of a queue, and it didn't help that one of the security guards, on bag check duty, had his arm in a cast and brace. Followed by metal detectors and airport style.

We've done Thorpe twice this season and have had the metal detectors both times.
 
djtruefitt said:
When I did Thorpe the other week I’ve never known security like it (even at Thorpe), after the bag check we went through metal detectors and had to empty pockets. I then set it off so had to take my watch off, set it off again and then had to take my belt off.

I’ve never had this happen before at Thorpe. I didn’t realise I was going through airport security.

Even when I’ve done Thorpe earlier this season I’ve not even walked through the metal detectors.
Click to expand...
To be fair I feel safer on an airplane that I would at Fright Nights at Thorpe Park. Given past events I can see why they are strict.
 
djtruefitt said:
When I did Thorpe the other week I’ve never known security like it (even at Thorpe), after the bag check we went through metal detectors and had to empty pockets. I then set it off so had to take my watch off, set it off again and then had to take my belt off.

I’ve never had this happen before at Thorpe. I didn’t realise I was going through airport security.

Even when I’ve done Thorpe earlier this season I’ve not even walked through the metal detectors.
Click to expand...
I recently had the security guard at Blackpool who looks like a Bond villian suggest I take off my glasses before walking through the metal detector. Politely told him, no thanks.
 
Thorpe by far had the worse entry procedure than any other park in the world that’s I’ve been to. I just don’t know how they get it so wrong.

I will always make a point of arriving super early at Thorpe as I’ve seen pictures and heard the horror stories of people queueing an hour in those awful temp cattle pens.

You usually find they only have a few security on, who are really slow, then you’ve got the extra faff of bag checks followed by metal detectors, where one person alone could take a good 5 minutes if they’re got a big bag and stuff in their pockets. It’s also not the kind of thing you expect when you visit a theme park if you’ve been to others elsewhere.

The majority of European theme parks don’t even do bag checks anymore.
 
Mr suicide bomber you're not going to use this explosive vest are you?

No? Okay in you go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top