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 ?

I thibk only one park in the world does truly virtual queues for everything and that’s the universal Orlando water park.

that works because there is enough space for everyone there (low capacity) to have a lounger and have a paddle whilst waiting for the next go on a slide.

it just does not work for most other theme parks as you want the 20k people to be queues and not sat around blocking shops and cafes. Recall what it’s like when fireworks are on and everyone is in one place and not queuing -it’s busy and hard to move.

thats what it would be like if everyone is in virtual queues.

Also just because posters in this thread don’t do other rides when they are in their virtual queue does not mean others are not doibg that and so getting 2 rides in the same time as another family. It’s not an attack oh posters here to say that it happens in practice.

What about all the children whose parents can't afford the very expensive tickets - they don't get to go either.

And what about the children who live a long way from any theme parks and parents can't drive and local public transport access is poor who also don't get to go?

We can't make everything in the world equal unfortunately

Why shouldn't a disabled child get to use a theme park? I feel sorry for your own kid since you clearly wouldn't advocate for them properly to be treated fairly by businesses.

So ... its possible to do a lot of things and live a happy and fulfilled life but we still do them because they are fun!

No, no one enjoys queues.

but the difference fir many disabled people is the inability to stand for ling periods, the need for more toilet visits (often suddenly onset & need them immediately. Taking medication/sorting feeding tubes etc etc

what I wouldn't give to have my able body back & take a 4yo to a theme park. Even if the queues are long. Those were the days, didn't appreciate it enough, didn't know what was to come (thank god really)

If you go to a private GP and self reports lots of awful symptoms of anxiety they will. Diagnose you with... Anxiety.

Its really not difficult. There is no clinical test for conditions like anxiety it is based upon a patients self reported symptoms of how they feel and how it is affecting them.

Its very very easy to Google common symptoms of anxiety.

But think how crowded the park would be with all those queuing people walking around.
It is amazing how we have been conned into paying a fortune to stand in queues for the majority of a day out.

I also remember the chaos and anger when Disney made a lot of their queues fully accessible for wheelchairs/mobility scooters etc so anyone using one didn’t need an access pass for that reason alone. Some people got very angry that they no longer got to skip the queue. But as others have said the RAP is becoming unmanageable due to the numbers requesting it so in order to allow those who really cannot actually queue to have a pass, they made the rides and queues more accessible for those who CAN queue but that still angered people. So I don’t think parks can win.

People get annoyed enough that lots of parks limit the amount of RAPs sold a day so imagine if the number of tickets generally was halved (or even less), they’d have even less chance of getting a RAP.

I'm sorry to hear about your family 💕

I still disagree with you, why should disabled people not be able to access theme park rides to make life easier for able bodied people exactly??

theme park rides bring a lot of joy to many disabled children who cannot do other activities , why should they miss out?

Their parents should work harder to be able to afford it for them them or lots of places do 2 for 1 tickets at the theme park and The sun used to give tickets away if you collected the codes. Parents can use their brains and find a way to make it work.

Lots of coach day trips to and from theme parks, trains, buses. Theme parks are hardly in the back and beyond. Parents can make it work if they really wanted to get there.

A disabled child already has enough against them through no fault of their parents so they should be treated just like everyone else and allowances made when needed.

But there's a difference between finding queuing unenjoyable and physically being unable to queue (because the act of queueing causes so much overwhelm that it leads to intense anxiety and meltdown - fight/flight/freeze/flop). I'm talking clinically here.

Actually gobsmacked at this post 'their parents should work harder' - there are plenty of hard working healthcare assistants, teaching assistants, supermarket retail staff, care workers, who are poorly paid because our society doesn't value that type of labour, no amount of saving more and working hard will find you the money to pay for 2 adults and 2 kids to go to Alton Towers plus the cost of transport to get there if there's no money left at the end of the month?!
We should make loads of allowances to make sure disabled children get there.... But not poor children eh

We always went on random inset days or half terms different to London etc out of season, queues even for those without passes were only 10 mins etc.

Getting a RAP pass even when eligible can be a right pain in the bum. They only give out a limited number and you have to book well in advance to get one.

Ironically my child who doesn't have a RAP pass has ADHD and really can't handle queuing! But we haven't bothered applying for one for him as it does seem a bit spurious.

But why on earth would it be enjoyable to go to a theme park if your condition is unbearable in typical theme park conditions, I just don't get why you would actually want to go to sit on 5 2 minute rides in an entire day in an environment you find so uncomfortable?! Because apparently RAP passes don't mean you get on more stuff, so is the approx 15 minutes of entertainment really worth a whole day of massive discomfort due to crowds, overwhelm etc.

Why would anyone put their disabled child through that for the sake of a few very quick rides. When there are way more suitable places they could go like a remote nature walk in the woods or by a stream where there's water to play in, no other people/noise to cause sensory overwhelm

It makes no sense to me

Well Yes, a child is born with a disability, they cant help it. Its not their fault.

A child who is perfectly healthy but parents wont save up for a theme park day isn't comparable. There is fault there, its the parents fault for not finding ways to go or saving. A child with a disability cant just work harder and stop being disabled.

Plenty of people cant save for it. Because food, clothing and housing will always be a priority. I really though we’d moved past such ignorance wrt poverty.

Ever thought their child might actually love the actual rides?? The reason we all go to theme parks in the first place....

You think it's a child's fault their parents are poorly paid?!

Some children are disabled due to the actions of parents eg consuming alcohol and drugs while pregnant, you aren't then going to say well their parents should have tried harder not to do that?!

A child growing up in a household in poverty is no more at fault than a child is who is growing up disabled - you should be ashamed of yourself for that attitude towards families with less money. There are huge numbers of people completely unable to save any money through no fault of their own.

It's ok, you don't have to understand. You might though if you'd actually read the thread.

Your posts illustrate just how little knowledge/experience you have with disabled children & how little interest you have in increasing that knowledge.

That's also ok, but probably best you stop criticising people living with it day-in, day-out & thinking you know better.

considering the sun newpaper used to do offers every year and gave away free tickets and last year a company also did a very similar offer and gave away thousands of tickets, if the parents actually made the effort then yes they could go.

There is always a way to make it work if you really want to take your kids somewhere.

Maybe they should limit the number of times RAP can be used in a year rather than limiting the number of RAP users. From the number of people who claim to be cancelling their annual passes it seems some people are using the passes on a very regular basis. Maybe if each RAP card could be used e.g. twice a year this would mean those with the passes can still go and enjoy a theme park as a day out but not go so often that no one else can get on a ride. I last went to chessington 6 years ago - got my kids on 3 rides. Have never been back

My child (admittedly with no pass) cannot stand still in a queue. He has to move - climbing, pacing, wrestling 🙄 even cries and becomes anxious and agitated. He's a teenager not a toddler.

But he's fine with crowds and noise.

My other child has bowel issues so has a RAP pass for that and queuing. Lives to go on rollercoasters. Can just about tolerate queues although he has another medical issue that makes standing for an hour extremely tiring but doesn't get on well with intense crowds. Luckily on quiet days the crowds are usually easy to avoid.

Every child is different.

But you literally get maybe 5 or 6 rides in a day. Maybe 15 minutes. Is that 15 minutes of happiness worth the whole rest of the day spent completely overwhelmed by surroundings?!

Is there nothing else the child loves that doesn't also include a horrible environment they can't tolerate?!

You have to be able to get there?! It's not free to travel to a place. You clearly have no idea what some people face when it comes to poverty.

But not everyone who has a rap is a crowd issue
my daughter loves rides she does not care about crowds or noise so theme parks are perfect for her because she access other things. She has a RAP
not all RAP passes are for a dislike of crowded places.

the comment about Easter weekend and why would you do that anyway
Easter Sunday is the quietest nom school day at theme parks of the year which is why we always fk Easter Sunday.