Ride Access Passes/ queueing with a disability

[Furiustobaco]

Wow this is a can of worms,
So Merlin operate a type of access for disabled guests to access attractions without queuing- RAP. This system basically makes you have to wait the amount you would of queued after you’ve gone on the attraction. I would like to hear opinions and delve deep on this system. As a previous user, a indirect user, and an observer.

I’ve been to other parks who operate similar systems, I’d like to mention those who have opinions on those parks and their systems please comment.

So RAP- I used it post brain surgery in 2014-2016, I was a little psychically weak when it came to standing, I had a wheelchair.
Back then, it was very simple. It always seemed to generally go smoothly and you would have very little using it. This made the few who used it had easy access, and generally it was a non issue.

I’ve visited since and just observed or been every now and then with a user, and seen it ger slowly and slowly busier, with a higher percentage of the park using it.

I used it with a friend today in 2022 at Alton Towers- it had been 2019 since I’ve last been in a party using it, and honestly 3 years have seen a LOT of change. It was summer holidays, but Jesus Christ.

People complain a lot about RAP, but after today I totally get it. It’s out of control. I saw about 30 other RAP groups alone in the queue today for Smiler- this was about 20 minutes long of a wait.

I feel something has to be done- maybe completely scrapping it together?
Regulating it I believe would spark a whirlwind of hate. It’s hard to regulate or police who does and doesn’t ‘deserve’ to have it. It’s impossible for Merlin to lay out a list of specialised conditions that warrant it and a bunch that do not.

I do believe that the whole system should be scrapped- it’s whole purpose has been ruined anyway. And regulating it further would probably outrage the people using it further. Maybe make a very limited system for those who are In a wheelchair?
I know there is plenty of conditions where it is needed, and it is vital. But at this rate it’s not even good for the people who actually need it.


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[Satanspropaganda]

Honestly it's a difficult subject, as someone with pretty restrictive chronic pain and mobility issues, these systems are the only reason I can still keep doing this hobby. That said, they can be overloaded/exploited, I don't use them in the UK and have actively just avoided UK parks since I got sick, as they are always over-used and not well policed. The fact that at Thorpe they were just using the fasttrack queue was abysmal last May, I managed so few rides and spent half the day sat down on benches in pain after queuing for ages, followed by a ride breakdown, followed by more waiting.

I don't mind waiting the time elsewhere like with DAS/RAP at Universal, return times are fine because I can sit somewhere/rest up before the 10-15 minute queue, but the Merlin implementations have been awful for a while.

I don't think it should be scrapped at all, it's essential for many people to be able to enjoy their time at the parks, I just do think the use of an Access Card/equivalent should be required to access these services. It means you aren't sat showing medical stuff/explaining your condition to someone at guest services, but also have had an independent body assess the medical reasons behind you needing it. Merlin are meant to use Access Card/PIP as the qualification, but I think that they aren't as strict to their own rules as they should be.

Anyway that's just my thoughts! I didn't really pay any attention to it before I became unwell, now I have to use mobility aids and stuff, I really care about it all and it's a shame the UK is so far behind everyone else with regards to implementation of accessibility schemes. Across Europe I have been asked for proof every time and usually been treated a lot better with my needs.

 

[Matt N]

My belief is that RAP and the whole issue of equal access is now a very tough tightrope to navigate for theme parks and other similar businesses, as whatever they do has an impact on somebody; it’s a bit of a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” type situation. If RAP is tightened up or removed entirely, that completely ostracises disabled guests and those with SEN needs, which isn’t really an option if the parks want to be inclusive. If RAP grows too heavily used, it stops fulfilling its original purpose and begins to impact the main queues in quite a big way. It’s about striking a balance so that disabled users who need a little extra support during their theme park visit can get it and have it work adequately for them, but also so that main queues aren’t heavily impacted.

With this in mind, I’m not really sure what the parks can do to solve the perceived issue. In my mind, I’m not really sure what more they can do to strike the balance better without eliminating people who genuinely need the support or completely grinding the main queues to a halt. It is probably easier and far more inclusive to prioritise RAP as much as the parks do currently, as the types of people using RAP will likely have less concept of queueing or some sort of trouble with queueing. Whereas someone in the main queue is more likely to understand why the RAP users are allowed on before them.

 

[Nitefly]

I’m not sure whether it is supposed to have fast pass like benefits or not. Presumably the reason it is purportedly ‘exploited’ is because it does in reality have those sorts of benefits.

Regardless of whether it’s supposed to cut queue times or not, some sort of virtual queue / return time system would seem to make sense. Looking at Merlin’s website, it implies there is actually a virtual queue with return times:

https://support.merlinannualpass.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/4973629291037-What-is-a-Ride-Access-Pass-and-how-do-I-apply-

Does this virtual queuing exist, or not?

Regardless, some modified version of a Six Flags Flash Pass style system that shuffles some part of the queue to a ‘virtual queue’ seems to make sense in principle.

As to who gets to use it or not, that’s beyond my knowledge.

 

[Furiustobaco]

I’m not sure whether it is supposed to have fast pass like benefits or not. Presumably the reason it is purportedly ‘exploited’ is because it does in reality have those sorts of benefits.

Regardless of whether it’s supposed to cut queue times or not, some sort of virtual queue / return time system would seem to make sense. Looking at Merlin’s website, it implies there is actually a virtual queue with return times:

https://support.merlinannualpass.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/4973629291037-What-is-a-Ride-Access-Pass-and-how-do-I-apply-

Does this virtual queuing exist, or not?

Regardless, some modified version of a Six Flags Flash Pass style system that shuffles some park to the queue to a ‘virtual queue’ seems to make sense in principle.

As to who gets to use it or not, that’s beyond my knowledge.

Yep there is ‘return times’ and a kind of virtual queue. Though you can eat food, ride quiet rides, and do whatever in between that. In many ways it runs like a fast pass, so I believe people use it for that major perk.

I totally get the responses to this so far- it certainly has its place. I think some people really do genuinely need it. But it’s such a high demand thing now, like there must of been a %10 of the people at Alton the other day using it- which kinda defeats the whole purpose of it? Maybe they should cap the numbers per day? I know that would get backlash. They can’t win to be fair.


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[Satanspropaganda]

Yep there is ‘return times’ and a kind of virtual queue. Though you can eat food, ride quiet rides, and do whatever in between that. In many ways it runs like a fast pass, so I believe people use it for that major perk.

I totally get the responses to this so far- it certainly has its place. I think some people really do genuinely need it. But it’s such a high demand thing now, like there must of been a %10 of the people at Alton the other day using it- which kinda defeats the whole purpose of it? Maybe they should cap the numbers per day? I know that would get backlash. They can’t win to be fair.

Unfortunately many more people are disabled thanks to Covid. My own situation was brought on by Covid in March 2020 causing a very rare disease leading to an autoimmune condition/chronic pain. There are now many people with severe long covid that would mean that they have limitations to how long they can stand/what they can do. It's a depressing thing, but I'd guess the uptick in people using it would be down to this more than down to people exploiting the system.

It does somewhat defeat the purpose of it, however if as you said, the wait ended up being 20 mins when the virtual queue hit its time, that is still a huge help for people who struggle on their feet, or have any number of other issues. so it is still serving its purpose and helping those in need.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

I think that it will balance itself out again eventually, those playing the system (and there are plenty, not all, but I've personally overheard confirming conversations) are doing so because they want to avoid queueing. With RAP queues now often being long, and even sometimes exceeding regular queues, they'll slowly work out that it's not worth it, and hopefully those that genuinely need it have a better time.

If you're a rap user be mindful of the regular queues, and that means visually checking yourself. Multiple times this year a ride has been a posted 15, 20 or whatever minutes wait, the RAP queue has looked longer than 20 minutes, but the regular queue is walk on. This is most common on Oblivion and Nemesis.

 

[zazobo]

This is a really interesting one, I'm entitled to a RAP, not due to pain/immobility but due to a very glamorous overactive bladder. Fortunately not the 'piss myself type' but I need to have easy access to a toilet. So as a result I can't stand in a queue that's say, 40mins or longer when my condition is kicking off. Generally we try to choose quiet times of year to visit certain European parks as they don't give me access to RAP (German parks, for example) because I'm not disabled as such.

The Merlin RAP used to work really well, but agree it's often so busy now. Rides like Nemesis Inferno are basically unridable as a RAP user, the queue is always so long (although i've not been for a few years now). If UK parks had better throughput we honestly would only need to offer RAP for a small section of people who had more severe limitations, no idea how you would police that though... I never seem to struggle using regular queues in places like Europa, Phantasialand etc.. because they're just so damn efficient.

I also think there's more of an element of taking advantage in the UK market than there is in Europe, I've never found it to be oversubscribed in places like Liseberg etc...

 

[Hyde]

Honestly wasn't really aware of Merlin's RAP system - interesting to hear reflections. My best read-in is for the Cedar Fair RAP system (having worked it as previous staff too); to be honest, it works fine? Or at least, in order to have accessibility access, you have to be able to prove general medical or cognitive impairment (e.g. have a soft cast, be in a wheel chair, bring signed doctors letter, etc.). They have updated the system over the years; while previously guests would enter through the exit and wait 5-15 minutes to be sequenced onto the coaster, I know they've swapped to waiting the respective line queue, one ride at a time. (Here's some linkage to Cedar Point's program description: https://qr1.be/HQHH)

It's simple, it allows everyone to wait their fair share of queue, and helps those for whom waiting in a queue is a challenge. Those that would be against this type of system might simply misunderstand the notion that everyone is waiting the same length, rather than just "cutting through" queue.