If you are at a theme park with a ride access pass then you shouldn’t be also in the normal queue?

[NameChanger401]

came across two groups at Chessington today (one of them a family we know, others openly talking about it in the main), RAP and their friends so virtual queue that ‘times them out’ for the length of the queue meaning they shouldn’t be able to ride for 60 min (for example). AIBU that they shouldn’t then use that 60 min to stain in the main queue for the same ride again (especially openly talking about it!). It means they get twice as many rides as non RAP guests.

I can't get upset about this tbh.

They've found a loophole 🤷‍♀️

Well the idea is in that time you can rest or watch a show or queue for something you can manage. That might mean it’s a shorter queue or one that’s accessible to them

obviously they get more rides, that is the whole point of the ticket

The idea of the free RAP for disabled guests is that they can’t queue.

If you’ve paid for it then you can do what you like in the time between queuing for the next rides.

My DS is a wheelchair user and uses step free access pass and couldn’t get in the main queue whilst he’s waiting for next rides!

im referring to those with less visible disabilities. Why should someone in a wheelchair have to wait a full 60 mins while they get to just join (and extend) the main queue.one particular group were riding a popular ride on repeat - alternating the main queue with the RAp code, twice as many times as a wheelchair user or non-rap guest.

It’s heavily misused and this is just one of the ways. You’re not wrong OP

I agree with you op.

If an individual is capable of waiting in the main queue ride for that particular ride, then they don't need the time out on the RAP and are taking the mick

Exactly. The whole point of the access pass is so that everybody can enjoy the rides and if you’re not able to wait for your turn in the queue for whatever reason, then you wait in a way that is suitable for that person. Example my son couldn’t cope with a 45 minute queue, but can walk around with me for 45 minutes while we wait for his next ride. That these people apparently are able to wait in the queue means that they shouldn’t have been eligible for the access pass. And considering the number of paediatrician and hospital letters I had to provide to be able to get one issued for my son, I don’t know how they managed it!

I agree with you that it's really wrong. The whole idea is that it's for people who can't queue for long periods. I have a RAP, and while ours is timed out we have a sit, have some food, watch a show, or maybe go on a ride with a very short (under 15 mins) queue. There should never be a situation where someone is using both RAP queue and main queue for same ride, but I dont know how they can stop it.

Think that is a silly use of it, when I was eligible for a RAP I would use it for the longer queues and fill the time in between with a shorter queue ride! Seems silly to use to queue for 60 minutes and then go straight back for the same ride!
if you can queue for 60 minutes plus you don’t need a RAP.

Agree.

If they can wait in the queue , they don't need a ride pass.

@NameChanger401
Did you have a good time there did you enjoy it.

There are staff along the queues. Report them for misuse of the RAP maybe?

The wheelchair user is just as capable as applying for the access pass as everyone else 🤷‍♀️

I'd be entitled to it because I'm partially sighted, I'd be perfectly capable of standing in a normal queue though

The pass is surely for longer queues. If there is another ride with a much shorter queue to use in the meantime, I wouldn't see any issues. I do see your point if the person is joining the long queue and then booking a rapid one after waiting 5 minutes, so that they get straight back on. That is clearly someone who has no issues queueing.

The kids had a great time (6 and 8), it was busy, as expected, so we didn’t manage to do everything but we do have Merlin passes. Not sure I think it’s worth the full day rate on busy days due to the queues

Thats all that matters then op you had fun kids loved it.
Dont get bothered with other peoples dramas or let it get to you.
Hope you took loads of pitchers.

If an aspect of someone's disability is hyper-fixation or a level of sensory-seeking satisfied by the experience of the ride, then using the RAP to ride twice as often is meeting their particular access needs. For example, queuing 60 mins while also booked into the RAP queue so they ride twice in that time period as opposed to queuing 60 mins then queuing another 60 mins in order to get two rides, 60 mins queuing is potentially doable whilst 120 mins might not be.

Point is, you don't know what their needs are and it's obviously not against the T&C's of the RAP or else staff would have put a stop to it.

Did it actually impact your enjoyment of your day out or are you just narked because non-visibly disabled people were getting a perceived 'perk' you don't qualify for?

absolutely.

My ds waits for the time he would have queued after using the access pass because we pay the same as everyone else (well we don’t I go free as his carer!) but if you can get in the normal queue then you don’t need a RAP.

They are limiting them now and you have to prebook which adds another level of entitlement because someone who can’t actually use the normal queue may have missed out.

People have RAP for all different reasons.
It's not misuse or against the rules.
You're timed out to ensure you've still "waited" the queue time. That absolutely doesn't mean you're then not allowed to queue or do other stuff while you wait for your next RAP.

I can't imagine feeling envious of someone's disability. What a world we live in.

Is it the person with the RAP who is queuing or is it the people with them? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it if it’s the group they’re with.

Given how much they’ve been clamping down on this recently I’d be surprised of someone capable of queuing for an hour qualified for a RAP. I definitely don’t think you should qualify for one if you can manage that kind of queue.

Did it actually impact your enjoyment of your day out or are you just narked because non-visibly disabled people were getting a perceived 'perk' you don't qualify for?

well if lots of people are doing this then yes it impacts the queue times for everyone. Fair enough for the example you gave.

Yes definitely the Rap themselves too

I get RAP for my son who has a range of neurodevelopmental conditions. He could probably wait an hour for a ride once if he used a tablet or similar to distract him.. But generally a few hours total in an environment like that would be all he could manage. So overall even if we did use a technique like that we'd still leave early and manage less rides overall.