AIBU to think Merlin Ride Access passes are unfairly judged?

You don’t get time slots with RAP at the moment. You just get timed out for the length of the queue but you can go to the next ride whenever you want after that time. You don’t have a designated time slot so you can’t miss anything.

It might, or alternatively people are waiting around other areas spending money while they wait.

People would complain if RAP people got a fancy waiting room too. People complain. Most will mainly think that RAP people just jump the queue anyway. The issue is the physical queuing system is ridiculous. That's what needs fixing, not taking away accomodations.

They are given out much too freely now, on Disneyland Paris groups people are claiming them for all sorts of spurious reasons, they are rarely declined once applied for, reasons include diabetes, anxiety, OCD and ADHD. I really question why people are given passes for these reasons. My niece who has cerebral palsy and mobility issues was unable to get a pass at Alton Towers last year as they had already reached the maximum, so the use of the passes by people who don't really need them has a knock on effect on people who really do need them. Before anyone says but OMG they might have a hypo in line, so carry supplies, my mum is diabetic and it wouldn't even occur to her to apply to skip queues!

I am hoping to take my 2 to Disneyland Paris. I have MS and if I have a bad day I won’t be able to do it without the virtual queuing. I’m already stressing about the looks we’ll get it does put me off. The list of conditions they allow to use it with just a doctors note and it does seem pretty long… (lots of people in the world with type 2 diabetes- I’m totally ignorant re how disabling it is)
I think it’s worth remembering many of us don’t actually get any benefits at all, and would much rather not need the help.

Same. Queuing probably affects you once or twice a year. The well-being of your child affects you every day.

i can’t see they’ll ever introduce virtual queuing for all, though I’m sure they quite easily could. They make too much money on fast passes.

i was at Legoland last week and waited almost 2 hours for the sky lion (queue was advertised as 70 mins). I think roughly 70 people get on every 8 minutes or so. The reason rhe main queue was so long was literally half of each ride was made up of fast track/RAP. Fast passes were £16 per person for that one ride (and I reckon even fast passes were waiting 15-20 mins). I don’t know what % were RAP but if it’s half, that’s 15-20 people every 8 minutes paying £16 each, just on that one ride. Theres no way they’ll just create a way of everyone queuing virtually and lose this income.

As for the adult with ‘time blindness’ who couldn’t possibly manage if everyone queued virtually, presumably they have this same issue with RAP as it stands as you have to register then go away and come back later? Are all these adults missing these slots? Do they have phone alarms they could set to help them manage to get back to the ride they desperately want to ride on time?

But not only does that look like queue jumping it actually is queue jumping.

People without passes can't go and do something else while they are waiting in the queue - they have to stay in the queue.

(I'm not saying passes are a bad thing but it is queue jumping)

To the people who are saying just don't go - wow. Just, wow. They're not making the queues any longer for anyone else, and life is harder in so many ways for them, who the fuck even cares if they are? Disabled children deserve some enjoyment in the very difficult life they lead.

There should be virtual queues for everyone for all the main attractions, that would solve the problem immediately, PLUS they would most probably make more money as you'd most likely be doing other stuff eg lunch, gift shop, paid-for attractions, while waiting. I think that would massively off-set what they're currently making on the fast passes.

I personally have no problem with the RAPs, as I understand how they work ie the person has been waiting, just not lining up in the queue, and I'd rather someone who finds that difficult doesn't have to do it, but can still enjoy the ride.
Of course, the system is open to abuse, which is annoying and unfair.

I have occasionally bought the fast passes for us when we've gone on really busy days, especially if we're with friends who haven't been before, and each time I've thought this really should be how all the rides are managed, it just makes so much more sense.

I have said yanbu. For a long time I thought attitudes towards the disabled were improving, but a lot of people seem to have had an empathy bypass nowadays- it isn't just RAPs it's reasonable adjustments in the workplace, disability benefit, spaces on trains or buses for wheelchairs.

Having said that, I do think far more people are applying for and getting RAPs than the providers ever expected. Hence why Merlin were looking to tighten eligibility. This isn't to suggest people are playing the system, but I think eligibility is so wide that the providers struggle to manage it.

You haven’t thought this through. You’re suggesting that the child’s adult companions can use the RAP because the child needs to avoid the experience of queuing?

What happens at the ride- they all go on and leave the child unattended?

Obviously not.

If the child can’t go on the ride they will never need to be in the queue.

Better access to toilets and fewer people in the theme park or a virtual queue for all would work, but they would all affect profits so we are left with an unfair shit system the works for noone and pisses people off

I stopped using theme parks because the standard queue was so long, or you can pay ££ extra to 'virtual queue'. Whereas if you qualify as having a disability you get a free carer ticket and free virtual queuing. Seems very unfair, I suspect some people just use the RAP to queue jump, even if the person with disabilities doesn't like the ride.

But then everyone wound be sat around cafes or on benches dnd it would feel horribly crowded. It only feels uncrowded when most people are contained in a queue.

in terms of the pass, if you had to physically sit in a separate quiet area to wait I think most people would be happy.

But a family can choose to use that wait time to do lunch or another ride, thus getting more value out of their day than others. Not all families with the pass but some will.

In reality it’s always going to wind people up, there is nothing you can do about it, English people queue so they expect everyone to queue.

Even with the pass, I go for things like inset days or odd days off at my child’s school when it won’t be as busy because the RAP doesn’t go the whole way to making it less stressful for those with ND.

I take a packed lunch to avoid the busy cafes / buffet places and just do what I can to bring the stress level down!

But what happens if a ride breaks down? Do you just lose that ride for the day now?

What if a parent has ADHD and time blindness and misses the slot? Now they’ve got really upset kids because they’ve missed 4 rides in a row and haven’t managed to get on a ride for hours.

What if a child has a favourite ride and he’s been looking forward to riding it all day. But just before his time slot he has a meltdown and misses the slot. Now he’s missed out on that for the whole day.

Basically if a child (or adult) with any disability misses a time slot due to something relating to their disability would people just think never mind. Why is it different to missing out on theme parks totally? If someone says if a child can’t queue they shouldn’t go, everyone says that’s ableist. Why would you think if a child/adult cannot manage to always get somewhere on time that would be ok to just say tough? So do you not think people would be campaigning for a new type of RAP where if you get one you dont need to book slots? Or if you book you are allowed leeway on the time or get a second chance to book where others cannot etc.

Honestly as lovely as virtual queues for all sounds, I really don’t think it would be as simple as it sounds. People will ALWAYS have reasons why they need different rules to others - whether true or not.

Yes you have to show photo ID when you’re getting on the individual ride

People would try to get a diagnosis for themselves or their child that will stay with them all their lives, affect insurance quotes, probably some job applications, for a condition that dont or may not suffer from, just to skip queues at theme parks?

When the basic level fast pass that does similar is about £35?

Tbh if someone is willing to try to go to these lengths good luck to them.

And how do you decide which family member should carry this diagnosis with them all their lives?

Just out of curiosity, if a child meets the criteria for a RAP but is too small to go a particular ride, will the rest of the people with that child have to join the main queue?