AIBU to think Merlin Ride Access passes are unfairly judged?

It shouldn't be. I think it's all part of the same bigger problem. There are now so many people who have a condition/ diagnosis/ disability of some form or another that there just isn't the funding and capacity for everyone that needs/wants adjustments or support. I think all systems around disability need to be looked at. I'm glad it's not down to me to do it.

I will probably get flamed for this on a site which seems to have a significantly greater number of posters with ADHD/autistic offspring than I ever encounter IRL.

I don’t think anyone would begrudge a physically disabled child skipping a queue. It’s the “struggle with crowds” brigade that ruin it for the physically disabled kids. Not all disabilities are created equal. If you or your child struggle with a crowd, maybe a theme park isn’t for you.

OK but family fund is open to all. Or it was, I don't know if it's a thing now.

We were very lucky to have the day trips. We loved them.

Thats great for you that your council does this but its not something that all councils do. My council only does it for children on care plans or in foster placements, funding for holidays and food during the holidays for low income families is just not a thing where I live and certainly not in the way the poster who thinks poor people just aren't trying hard enough implied.

That's crazy. There just isn't any joined up thinking with services. Why doesn't she get hrm (auto qualify)? I'd be tempted to rock up at a councillors session with her and ask them to justify it after they've had to help manouver her chair, carry bags and been asked for hand sanitiser so you can touch her feeding tube (which obviously you then find in one of the bags- even if you don't need it) etc.

I think chc would surely satisfy social care plan or make it social care/ chc if they don't understand the funding.

I personally don’t care about the passes it maybe adds 10 minutes on to a ride queue. However I think we’re people have the problem is you tap into the virtual queue you go off - get on other rides, have lunch etc and then get to go on your ride. Not your fault but it’s annoying

Family fund used to give us money for holidays, iPads, etc. Every year. We also used to get supermarket vouchers in the holidays. Why do you think this isn't a thing? Mine are all over 18 now so it's all gone but we used to get a lot of support and taken on days out and short holidays by the council.

Wow....
Appalling post.

You forgot the very obvious fact that the attractions your talking about don’t just have guests from the local area.

I used to live in Teesside, and once drove for hours to go to Alton Towers - which funnily enough is now the next school catchment over from me.

Am I supposed to be checking the inset days for schools in the North East before I travel the 35mins to Alton Towers?

Ridiculous. Obviously ridiculous.

But yeah, cya!

The school made allowances for me when mine were there. I'd tell them I was taking them out for the day while it was quiet. I had three disabled children and regularly just took one out of school for a day to give them some one on one time and go to museums or whatever. It wasn't possible to do as a family.

I think I'm the one arguing with a brick wall to be honest. I'm out. Bye bye thread

Well go to a different theme park then. I'm fairly sure that Paulton's Park/Hampshire and Drayton Manor/Staffordshire will not magically share the same INSET days as your local authority.

This is solely to answer your point about "how does a school child go on a quiet day". There are literally dozens of days on which parks are open but it is not School Holidays.

The 2 May Bank Holidays are another example. We went to Alton Towers on May Day last year and it was quiet because only the Platinum passes were valid.

Honestly I think you’re arguing with a brick wall.

Aside from the obvious problems with only ever going on inset days and just hoping you’re the only one with one, there’s absolutely no reason our children shouldn’t mix with the general public.

For one, if all my son did was go to a SENd school and then to “inclusive days,” he’s only ever encountering his peers and that doesn’t help his integration with the rest of the community.

And frankly, why shouldn’t the general public make accommodations and be around disabled children. They haven’t got the lurgy, they’re just kids. If grown adults can’t tolerate that, that’s a them problem.

My son has ride access and I take him quite often and he completely enjoys the experience he receives. I would give anything in the whole world though for him not to be disabled and not to need his ride access card.

he is going to have a very different life to those people who are moaning about us queue jumping.

so the face that he gets to enjoy a theme park when many activities are just not available for him - then why not

I think too many people now qualify for RAP. I'd like Merlin to not use Nimbus to assess and maybe use more stricter criteria. I did see a poster on Facebook suggest a social care plan or blue badge only for eligibility which I thibk is a good idea. Both are available to people with all kinds of disabilities both physical and non physical and demonstrate that they have needs in the wider community and in their life overall showing that they don't just struggle in theme parks. I doubt Merlin would be this strict due to the backlash.

Less ridiculous than shuffling along the floor on your bottom ??

Please link to these holiday grants and free food vouchers for the holidays that you claim are so abundant

For posters that are saying everyone should have a virtual queue, this can't be done in Merlin parks. The queue areas are taken into account for capacity of the other areas, they're treated as holding pens so to speak. If everyone queued virtually the parks wouldn't be able to accomodate as many people. That in theory is great but Merlin need the ticket sales to keep open.

Same inset days as what? They're chosen at random. There are 9 primary schools in my town and they all choose their own. 15th June isn't attached to any holidays at all and I just told you it was quiet.

If you don't actually want an answer to "how do we go on a quiet day", don't ask.

Weekends in September are quiet too but I suspect you'll tell me I'm wrong about that!