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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To use a disabled access pass at Legoland.

91 replies

MarioandLuigi · 28/04/2011 13:39

Having read a big debate on another forum where they are vilified and any able bodied (albeit still disabled) person shouldnt use them.

We are off to Legoland in July having being given tickets by a charity. We went last year and used an exit pass. My DS2 has ASD and is 4.

According to the other fourm, as long as you should stand you shouldnt have the privelage of using one, however using one last year made the day out much less stressful and we actually enjoyed a day out for once. I know they have tightened the rules on them but I dont have a problem with the new conditions.

AIBU to use the service again?

OP posts:
AMumInScotland · 28/04/2011 14:27

YANBU - queuing for an hour or two is not an "everyday" thing which has to be got used to. It is an exceptional thing which is unreasonable to expect an ASD child to manage without problems on a day out.

bubblecoral · 28/04/2011 14:31

If you are entitled to the pass, and you genuinely feel that it would be unreasonably detrimental to your enjoyment of the day for your ds to have to queue, then use the pass.

My ds has asd, and at 4, one of these passes could have saved us a lot of wasted money and stress! He would have been ok on a rare good day, but more often than not he would hate having to queue and it would spoil his enjoyment, and ours in turn. Now that ds is older he understands that he has to queue and it would be fine. I would rather queue like everyone else than point out his differences, or give him an excuse to think he gets special treatment that he doesn't need. Even though we could probably get him a pass if we wanted to, and the thought has crossed my mind because nobody likes queing! But it would be wrong, and detrimantal to ds to use him and his condition like that. My ds is fairly mild though.

I am making a masive assumption, but I'd guess that if you have a diagnosis at 4, then you do have a genuine need to use the pass. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

QuelleLeJeff · 28/04/2011 14:37

I would quite like to go to where ever this group of wankers are and tell them off.

Honestly, what a dreadful thing to complain about Shock

Poogles · 28/04/2011 14:42

Use the pass & have a great day! I doubt many people will notice anyway. We went recently and got a Q-Bot (highly recommended!) as we wanted a great day out without any tantrums (DS2 was a few weeks away from 3). The Q-Bot allows you to virually que for a ride and then walk up to the exit gate at a set time. People won't really know whether you're getting on for Q-Bot or other reasons.

I agree with the previous poster that a day out at a theme park is not the time to try and teach how to que. With everything else you have to go through daily you deserve a good day out.

Hope the weather is good for you!

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil · 28/04/2011 15:11

Mario

I'm guessing you are talking about the MSE thread re this where some people are questioning sensory issues and the ability to queue. I was horrified to see some of the comments on there. My DS only has a DX of dyspraxia and SPD at the moment but we will definitely be using the exit passes when we go in June.

QuelleLeJeff
See here

QuelleLeJeff · 28/04/2011 15:18

oh it's money saving expert?

They are turds over there. Actual turds.

nickelbabe · 28/04/2011 15:28

Your son is entitled to the pass, and it's not just his family day that would be ruined by him getting stressed and irritable in a 2-hour long queue - the whole family will be affected.

YANBU to use the pass.
It's about havinga much-needed happy family day out, not about teaching the child how to queue well!!
there are plenty of other opportunities for him to learn that - you and your family need some fun!

HRHShoesytwoesy · 28/04/2011 15:30

yanbu he is entitled to it so use it

moondog · 28/04/2011 15:32

Quite why anyone would go to legoland or any other hideous theme park where two hour queues are the norm is utterly beyond me.

Have you not got anything better to do?

FreudianSlipOnACrown · 28/04/2011 15:34

YANBU.

If people who complain are that bothered by queuing they should pay for a Qbot. I'm considering getting one for my trip with DD soon :)

Original poster
MarioandLuigi · 28/04/2011 15:34

Its nice to see the attitudes on this thread. The other thread gave me the horrid feeling that this was how the general public really felt.

Glad I am wrong :)

OP posts:
QuelleLeJeff · 28/04/2011 15:35

Do behave yourself moondog you silly thing

FreudianSlipOnACrown · 28/04/2011 15:35

What does the access pass thingy actually entitle your DS to? (out of curiosity)

Have a fantastic day btw :)

nickelbabe · 28/04/2011 15:42

I want to go to Legoland :(

Original poster
MarioandLuigi · 28/04/2011 15:49

When we used it last year it meant that you could use the exits to get on a ride without queueing. DS wouldnt be worried with the waiting, but being enclosed and surrounded by people would be too much for him. He uses a buggy as a safe space but you have to leave them outside the normal queues, which is the reason we use the exit pass. From what I read you must wait an hour before you return to a ride, which is fine for us as all DS is really interested is in is the splashzone that they have there, he loves it.

Last time the only ride he liked was the Dragons apprentice ride, the spider one which spins you round (which I hated) and the big dinghy waterslide thing. I always make sure we dont take the mickey, but as some of you have said, it is a day out for us to have fun - and we dont get many days like that at the moment.

OP posts:
MaryBS · 28/04/2011 16:28

What is it re: the spinning spider? My DS loves that one too!

I emailed Legoland, as DS's annual pass SHOULD have had on their records that he has an ASD, but they replied and said it didn't. Now it definitely did when I renewed last August, which means they've removed it.

Original poster
MarioandLuigi · 28/04/2011 20:15

I dont know, but DS loves spinning in general, so maybe its just that, and it gives my arms a rest and goes faster than I ever could :o

OP posts:
ginger55 · 28/04/2011 20:21

Legoland is the biggest rip off next to Madam Tussauds - forget 2 for 1 - your mums disabled sticker - or any other way to get some money off - next time (not there will be one) I'm bringing a packed lunch and some bolt cutters!

Original poster
MarioandLuigi · 28/04/2011 21:03

Bolt cutters???

OP posts:
bananasinpjamas · 28/04/2011 21:50

I am a 20 year old and severely dyspraxic/mild cp. I use these passes even at my age, if you are eligible for them, use them. I'm sure people would prefer me getting on rides early then me bumping into them/treading on their toes/accidentally whacking them or their kids in a tight queue. :)

bananasinpjamas · 28/04/2011 21:53

I would also add, I get disorientated in unfamilar places and also have sensory issues too. Other people should actually be thinking that this is actually to their advantage as not only is the queue being shortened but annoyances are being removed on their side- I'm sure people would rather see a kid get on a ride early than be distressed making alot of noise and accidentally whacking people because of sensory overload :)

heliumballoons · 28/04/2011 22:00

'help learn to queue' FFS I struggle and hate queues in theme parks. People really are ignorant aren't they. Yes people with ASD have to learn to 'cope' with certain situations. But seriously how often at tescos say are you queing with a fun ride going past regulary, with loud music which may over stimulate, with people piled high all around you? Er this makes me made.

OP use the passes - thats what they're for. And enjoy yourself - thats what theme parks are for.

And if anyone comments I would be tempted to just ignore them - they'll seethe silently then.

nailak · 28/04/2011 22:19

aibu to think that its not only sn 4 yr olds that have an issue with waitin more then 20 mins in a queue? it is not normal for non sn kids to wait witha fun ride, loud stimulatin music etc?

im not sayin that kids with sn shouldnt have passes, im am just wonderin.

my 2 yr old couldnt understand why she had to et off the bouncy castle at a fete, she was a hazard she lay on the floor and kicked and screamed and hit everyone that walked past and kept tryin to run back on, in the end the attendant just told me to let her stay on, which i wouldnt have normally done as she has to learn, but she was distressin others....

Spinkle · 28/04/2011 23:06

My DS has asd. If these lovely people would like to stand in the queue next to us whilst we attempt to 'wait' then they would find that their day out might not be very nice either.

Sure he can walk and talk. But without those passes we couldn't go out. It would be impossible.

As a asd parent I miss out on watching my DS make friends, socialise, be in plays, make secondary school. You will forgive me if I feel, yup, a tiny bit smug as we bypass a huge queue. And if you have a problem with that?

Oh well.

nailak · 28/04/2011 23:21

i dont have a problem with that tbh it doesnt really affect my life for me to have an issue with it, i am just failin to understand the diff between this and people findin their day out was not very nice because of my dds behaviour on bouncy castle for instance, or any youn childs inability to wait more then 30 mins?

and it bein impossible to o out? well these sorts of amusemnts are beyond the reach price wise for many families anyway so lots of people find it impossible to o out....it is not a riht to o to leoland?

and i dont hold it aainst you for feelin smu! lol if you are entitled to it use it!!