bluesonichd
TS Member
Spinball Fastrack is no where near the main q, its on the otherside of the station.
Now, on the other hand Rita fastrack
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The Merlin VIP Annual Pass
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
Now, on the other hand Rita fastrack
imanautie
TS Member
Thats sometimes awqard.Spinball Fastrack is no where near the main q, its on the otherside of the station.
Now, on the other hand Rita fastrack
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imanautie
TS Member
Yep thats really bad. Some really dirty looks I get under RAP.
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I fully appreciate the dirty looks that RAP gets, especially if you have a hidden disability. My wife is a wheelchair user, she can't go on any rides due to her medical conditions. Despite being in a wheelchair, we still get dirty looks and insensitive comments every time we go out. Yes we get it just walking down the street, using blue badge bays as well as using disable toilets and my wife disability is visible as she is in a wheelchair.
The only thing that I will say, why dose the RAP get brought up on social media (not only just on this site) every time fast track gets mentioned? The RAP is an accessibility pass, not a alternative free fast track pass. I know that I will get a lot of back lash for writing this. But I'm not here to prejudge or say who should use a RAP or not (and it's something that we will never do as we know what it's like being on the receiving end of discrimination), all I'm just saying that the RAP and fast track are two different things, please don't compare the two.
Remember, people can prejudge and stare as much as they want, but they just don't know what is around the corner and one day, something can change in an instant, they could end up in a wheelchair through an accident or illness, and only then they will realise what it's like to be stared at and prejudge. However I do not wish ill health or disability on anyone.
The only thing that I will say, why dose the RAP get brought up on social media (not only just on this site) every time fast track gets mentioned? The RAP is an accessibility pass, not a alternative free fast track pass. I know that I will get a lot of back lash for writing this. But I'm not here to prejudge or say who should use a RAP or not (and it's something that we will never do as we know what it's like being on the receiving end of discrimination), all I'm just saying that the RAP and fast track are two different things, please don't compare the two.
Remember, people can prejudge and stare as much as they want, but they just don't know what is around the corner and one day, something can change in an instant, they could end up in a wheelchair through an accident or illness, and only then they will realise what it's like to be stared at and prejudge. However I do not wish ill health or disability on anyone.
imanautie
TS Member
It gets mentioned as lets be honest you end up on more using RAP then main, plus there are a few VIPs who like myself got VIP as an alternative to RAP
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Nothing personal, but if the two were separated, then it won't come across as people bragging about using the RAP, which can give the wrong impression to the non disable which can then cause resentment.
We all need to give some consideration to all (disable as well as non disabled)
We all need to give some consideration to all (disable as well as non disabled)
Matt.GC
TS Member
With the greatest respect though, the 2 should never be confused. A RAP is issued to people who have a disability through no fault of their own. A VIP pass is a choice people make.
Not saying we should abuse or intimate anyone, but I've seen him on social media what happens when the RAP and fastrack/ VIP passes get confused.
A lot of people assume, or confuse that RAP is free fast track, it's as simple as that.
We once got suck on the Skyride with someone like this, their kid commented on my sons wristband and the father blurted out 'oh that's because he's disabled, they get free fast track'. As we were stuck I politely took the opportunity to explain how the pass worked as it's not a quick explanation , I wasn't annoyed as what he said was fairly polite compared to some, but by the time we got off they understood it is not a free fast track.
It doesn't help when, well you know, certain types of people do give out the impression that RAP is some kind of priority pass system.
jon81uk
TS Member
I also question the value of unlimited fasttrack when you have an annual pass. I used to have a pass, but "overdid" the parks and feel like I've done everything a lot now, so I only come up to AT for fireworks now. If you have to queue for 90 minutes and miss out something, if you have an annual pass I always just felt like I can do it next trip. Unless you really like re-rides, I don't feel the need to have VIP pass.
Tim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
I feel the same. When I had a MAP I could visit the parks anytime I wanted so why would I need Fastrack? If a ride had too long a queue I simply didn't ride it.
As for the RAPs the sad truth is that people do abuse the system. When I used to work as a ride operator I saw hundreds of people claiming a hidden disability which clearly didn't effect their ability to queue, given that they'd queue up for more than half an hour to collect the pass. It made me feel so bad for the genuinely disabled (hidden or otherwise) that were locked out of using the system designed for them. Worse a lot of people would openly brag about abusing the system!
As for the RAPs the sad truth is that people do abuse the system. When I used to work as a ride operator I saw hundreds of people claiming a hidden disability which clearly didn't effect their ability to queue, given that they'd queue up for more than half an hour to collect the pass. It made me feel so bad for the genuinely disabled (hidden or otherwise) that were locked out of using the system designed for them. Worse a lot of people would openly brag about abusing the system!
imanautie
TS Member
For me without rap or FT I couldnt cope with some of the scarefest queues and I cant always get someone to come with(even if at no cost to them)
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One thing that annoys me is how long the queue is at the Box Office as soon as the park opens...
I don't care one bit for VIP pass holders at all, I have Premier Pass and have been to Towers 12 times this year, been on all the rides more than enough times to not worry about waiting 20 mins here and there
We've been to Scarefest 3 times already and still not queued much (didn't go this weekend obvs). We've saved up all our priority passes from breakdowns during the year and plan to use them this Sunday knowing it'll be rammed. We visited a few times during the summer hols and there still wasn't an issue, so I really don't get why people want to pay such an insane amount of money to such a great company when they really don't have to.
Anyway, it's the RAP passes that annoy me. It's evident from a certain venomous group on Facebook that the majority of them passes are given out cos "my son can't stand in queues for a long time he's gets anxious"
Funny how that something that can't be proven is the main "reason" for getting a RAP. I mean, why buy a pass to theme parks if your son "can't stand in queues".
How did he get in to the park? Where was he in the long line at the Box Office? And the RAP queues for Nemesis and Oblivion can be pretty long too.... how did he cope?! I suppose at least they give time slots so it's not like an unlimited thing.
But is this just a Merlin thing as well? I can't say I've ever recalled such lunacy any other major park I've been too?
I don't care one bit for VIP pass holders at all, I have Premier Pass and have been to Towers 12 times this year, been on all the rides more than enough times to not worry about waiting 20 mins here and there
We've been to Scarefest 3 times already and still not queued much (didn't go this weekend obvs). We've saved up all our priority passes from breakdowns during the year and plan to use them this Sunday knowing it'll be rammed. We visited a few times during the summer hols and there still wasn't an issue, so I really don't get why people want to pay such an insane amount of money to such a great company when they really don't have to.
Anyway, it's the RAP passes that annoy me. It's evident from a certain venomous group on Facebook that the majority of them passes are given out cos "my son can't stand in queues for a long time he's gets anxious"
Funny how that something that can't be proven is the main "reason" for getting a RAP. I mean, why buy a pass to theme parks if your son "can't stand in queues".
How did he get in to the park? Where was he in the long line at the Box Office? And the RAP queues for Nemesis and Oblivion can be pretty long too.... how did he cope?! I suppose at least they give time slots so it's not like an unlimited thing.
But is this just a Merlin thing as well? I can't say I've ever recalled such lunacy any other major park I've been too?
Benzin
TS Member
I thought RAP passes were only given out with accompanying documents (GP/NHS/Blue Badge)? Especially as Towers who seem to be so strict that not even having a Disabled MAP with your name and picture on it gives you the instant benefit of a RAP...
Having everything in the Box Office is just a nightmare though, I've always thought that... Perhaps reopening the original GS or using the multiple empty buildings for different purposes (so one for Disabled guests, one for general queries, one for Fastrack, etc) would result in spreading everyone around...
Having everything in the Box Office is just a nightmare though, I've always thought that... Perhaps reopening the original GS or using the multiple empty buildings for different purposes (so one for Disabled guests, one for general queries, one for Fastrack, etc) would result in spreading everyone around...
imanautie
TS Member
They are indeed strict, they wont accept a diagnosis letter it specifically has to cover queueing(as mine does) or the higher mobility bits of dla/pip
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bluesonichd
TS Member
Save you the trip
just join the rap Facebook group and someone will send you a doctors letter, just need to change your name on it
I know which group you're talking about and that's not what happens, the group owner will look over your paperwork to make sure it complies with Merlin requirements, and tell you if it needs to be changed, but she won't 'knock a letter up for you'.
It's this kind of casual discrimination that causes people with disabilities to feel ashamed that they are disabled, we live in the 21st century for Christs sake, nobody would stand for you making comments like that towards LGBT or blacks but I guess the disabled is still fair game.
Having said that, I do understand how or why you would have formed that view, there are people clearly abusing the system and I know one woman who has used her sons 'disability' to gain all sorts of things over the years and continues to do so (including rap) even though her son has been assessed multiple times and always been told the same thing, there's nothing wrong with him, but she continues to play the system, karma will catch up with her in the end, it nearly did last year.
So I hope you can appreciate and understand that not everybody is pulling a fast one, my son has rap and we simply don't go on busy days (it's why I wrote my queue times site to check before leaving) period, and if a rap queue is long, we find another ride, we don't stand there for an hour queuing, there's no way he could cope with that.
As for comments like how do they make the journey, that's what books are for lol. All parks have a RAP system, they are required to by law.
It's this kind of casual discrimination that causes people with disabilities to feel ashamed that they are disabled, we live in the 21st century for Christs sake, nobody would stand for you making comments like that towards LGBT or blacks but I guess the disabled is still fair game.
Having said that, I do understand how or why you would have formed that view, there are people clearly abusing the system and I know one woman who has used her sons 'disability' to gain all sorts of things over the years and continues to do so (including rap) even though her son has been assessed multiple times and always been told the same thing, there's nothing wrong with him, but she continues to play the system, karma will catch up with her in the end, it nearly did last year.
So I hope you can appreciate and understand that not everybody is pulling a fast one, my son has rap and we simply don't go on busy days (it's why I wrote my queue times site to check before leaving) period, and if a rap queue is long, we find another ride, we don't stand there for an hour queuing, there's no way he could cope with that.
As for comments like how do they make the journey, that's what books are for lol. All parks have a RAP system, they are required to by law.
