AIBU to think Merlin Ride Access passes are unfairly judged?

[Festivalfanatic]

We went to one of the Merlin parks Easter weekend and over the years I’ve seen many people get angry at Ride access lines and nothing has changed it seems.
this particular day it seemed everyone was on their high horse about it. Including one man exclaiming to his wife “ they let too many specials in “
then social media the last few days now the parks are open have loads of videos about RAP “ queue Jumpers “.

My DD has a RAP card and we wait just as long as everyone else sometimes longer than others to get on rides. It’s not instant access.

the pass times out for the length of time that the main line states and then you can’t use it again until it times back in. Then when it does time back in you have to go and scan in the ride you want and then there is also a line ( ok not as long as the main line ) but we will have to wait that amount of time anyway. Plus the waiting time in the RAP line. They do not let all the RAP line in its usually 1-2 at a time per ride. The rest is from the main line and then we get timed out for the length of time the queue indicates on top of the time we have already waited.
how would removing it or it not existing help the main line ? It would just actually make it longer so you would still be waiting averagely longer to ride anyway !
why do people judge it so much ?

what is the alternative ?

There must be a lot of people with these passes. What's the point if you still have to wait as long or longer to get on a ride?

Although there is a wait it’s no where near as long as the main line. You do wait the same length of the main line but virtually and not in the actual line.
Thats where it benefits us.
DD has medical devices in place and needs access etc so being able to wait in line but not physically is easier than waiting in the line standing.

Its a form of queue jumping and whilst yes they would have to wait the same time as they do now (it wouldn't be much longer if it is, as you would be in the same queue as them rather than skipping ahead) the main thing is you would have to wait the same amount of time in a queue as they do which is fair.
Tbh i don't think these passes should exist in the first place and I say that as the mum of a disabled child who could get one of these passes and so could I for my own disabilities. If the noise, crowds or queues are to long for you then you either dont go or go on days set aside for asd etc customers.

Surely it would be better is everybody could be in a virtual queue?

I don’t get why anyone who can’t queue would go to a theme park. Just don’t go or don’t take your child.

a disabled child should never get to go to a theme park ?

I suppose but not sure how in reality it would work.

You can be in two places at once, essentially. Instead of standing in the line for the ride, you can go have lunch or ride another ride (which short enough lines that you don’t need the pass) or other things.

We do wait the same amount of time that’s the point.

I think the point that is being made is not that you don't have to wait but that unlike the main queue you do not have to stay in the queue at the ride. You can go to other no queue activities/rides or go for lunch and then go onto the ride. People without a RAP have to stand in a queue at the ride and cannot walk around. So it looks like queue jumping to others because you turn up after 1 hour and go on the ride while others are standing in the queue for that 1 hour.

It works for people who are slow to move between rides/find queues difficult/find standing difficult. If Merlin didn’t oversell their parks, they might not be needed.

This is how Disney in Florida works. We spent most of the day on our phones trying to work out which queues we could join. They just need to let fewer people into parks so they are not so ridiculously crowded.

Unless you are physically in the queue no you don't, you are off doing other things whilst they are stuck standing in a queue and tbh thats not fair on those in the actual queue

So children would have to miss out on experiences available to those without additional needs? I thought we were trying to include everyone where possible with a bit of empathy?
I am not personally affected , and would be happy to wait a little longer if it helps make life a bit brighter for someone with additional needs.

I didn’t realise they worked this way, I always thought the person could skip ahead and go to the front of the queue. If it works as said above and you can go on another ride/walk around/eat etc rather than stand in the queue, how do you know when it’s your turn to come back? Just curious.

You’re being disingenuous. With the pass you can do other things during the waiting period - very different than spending the time in one line. If it wasn’t different, why would there be a pass?

So for example if our line pass is not timed out and we wanted to go on dragon fury which had a 90 minute wait. Our pass was open to use, we click the ride on the app and head there. You scan the code at the front of the ride and then your pass will sighed out for 90 minutes. You then join the rap line … after you get off the ride you can not access any other ride with the pass for 90 minutes.

Guessing people with the passes are disabled and have to prove this…

It is different im not saying it isn’t different i am saying we wait the same amount of time.

We found those queuing systems a godsend when DS was younger, he has grown out of the worst of it now he is older and he can actually be reasoned with so we don’t use them anymore as it would be unfair. For as long as kids have been disabled there have been people complaining about them getting treated in different “better” ways because they don’t understand disability.

You just have to be thankful about businesses who really try to include people who wouldn’t be able to participate and ignore any ignorance that comes up. People will always complain about something.

Yes you have to send very detailed evidence to nimbus to qualify.

Not every ride is well managed, so it's not just one or two people on, it's an entire ride.

Having one stood at the front of the queue for almost 45 minutes( having already queued for over an hour) before being allowed on a ride because the entire ride was filled up by access pass riders, 8 times in a row, I can understand the frustration.

Also when one person is allowed to take five other people on at the same time it doesn't seem proportionate

Ah that’s fascinating, thanks for explaining. My youngest has SEN and is insufferable in queues- we basically spend the whole time wrangling with him and that’s getting harder the older he gets so I’ll have to look into this!

I think part of the issue here is that the RAP system has got so big that those who really need it don’t benefit from it and the amount of people accessing it makes it harder for those who don’t have them.

So for those they help they are great but I don’t think the system works brilliantly.