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SN children

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Original poster

Theme park fast pass for SN children?

39 replies

genieinabottle · 28/08/2010 12:51

Hi, i'm aware some theme parks offer a free 'fast track' service to children with SN and their families.
I know Legoland and Chessington do it, but what about Paultons'park (in Hampshire) do they do it?
I've looked through their website but saw nothing about it.

I have heard that the theme park staff want to see an NHS letter from a professional stating the dx, to check eligibilty for the pass.
We haven't received the dx report for DS. But we have a letter from SALT (re: his latest salt assessment) and it says in black and white DS has a dx of autistic spectrum disorder.
Do you think that would be accepted???

Thanks.

OP posts:

Lougle · 28/08/2010 18:12

We went in the spring and they were very flexible at Paultons.

We had a party of 7 (GPs, DH & I DD1, DD2, and DD3) and they gave the blue band to DD1 and Yellow bands to the rest of us. Very, very helpful.

Queue assist is very easy to use, too. You just go to the 'exit' gate of the ride, call the attendant, and they let you on before they open the queue gate for other riders.

bigcar · 28/08/2010 18:35

if you collect tesco vouchers you can swap them with tesco to get entry to certain parks and you get double the points value at the moment. You have to sort it before you go, not on the day but really helps with the cost.

wasuup3000 · 28/08/2010 18:39

Theres a website which does vouchers I found the other day -what to do with the kids, which may have legoland vouchers on it.

bigcar · 28/08/2010 18:40

my mistake, looks like it's currently 4 times the value here

wasuup3000 · 28/08/2010 23:06

WHSmith is giving out 2 for 1 vouchers theme park ones valid until Oct -just found one in a carrier bag from today.

debs40 · 29/08/2010 00:43

We have used the dast track at Legoland which was great.

As for Paulton's Park - I didn't like this bit:

Guests who feel they qualify for a Queue Assist Pass, including wheelchair users, must go to the First Aid Room (situated to the side of Wagoners Restaurant) with some form of identification relating to their disability. They will then be assessed by our nursing staff.

Not sure if they follow that through but don't know what qualifications theme park 'nursing staff' have to 'assess' autistic children

Think I'd rather go elsewhere than put DS through that which is probably the point.

fightingthela · 29/08/2010 09:49

Didn't know about the fast track system fr theme parks. This will be good if/when we get dx. DS loves fast rides but won't go anywhere there's a queue!

mummytime · 29/08/2010 10:04

Tescos are usually the cheapest way, followed by Nectar (at least for Legoland etc.). If you don't have those or similar points try 365 tickets.

That is if you can't get another better discount because of the disability.

silverfrog · 29/08/2010 17:02

We're just back from chessington - first time we've used passes as used to live next door so could go when there were no queues!

They were great, and let us register without proof of disability (apart from dd1 stimming around the office...) , and we got a card. Dd1 had a wristband to wear, and she could take up to 3 people on a ride with her.

All the big rides are listed on it, and you can go through exit of any ride. So, eg, you can go on the unlisted rides at any time. For the big rides you go, and the time is noted. Ii then can't go on another listed ride for the length of time of the queue you just jumped, iyswim? But can go on the others to fill in the time, still with no queuing. Staff were brilliant, helpful and cheery even in the rain.

They just said to us to bring proof of disability (we always use a copy of dd1s Statement) next time we went, to log on the system.

Glitterknickaz · 29/08/2010 22:55

Claw, one adult gets in free as your DS' carer.
We're off to Legoland on Tue, we're only paying for the kids

Claw3 · 29/08/2010 23:04

Thanks Glitter, will definitely get something sorted out, everyone has been saying about the great offers you can get. Ds would love a theme park, especially Legoland. Now ive sorted the expense, the queues, if someone could sort out the rain I dont ask for much, do i!

Hope you have a great day and that the rain holds off for you too

HairyMaclary · 29/08/2010 23:11

Oh silverfrog - we were there today too. First time for us, we loved it! Will def be back!

Sidge · 29/08/2010 23:26

debs40 we go regularly to Paulton's and have never been assessed by a nurse - we just show the first aider/whoever is on duty in the room our letter for DD2 and say this is XXXXXX she has such and such syndrome so we would like the wristbands please.

I imagine they've put that on there to discourage the chancers!

silverfrog · 29/08/2010 23:44

Oh, HairyMclary - if only we'dknown, could have had a quick mini-meet

We were there all the tome last year - it was only round the corner after all (used to live next to Horton children's farm), there really is so much to do with the zoo and the sea life bit too.

It was chucking it down with rain while we were there - got caught on the sky train bit in a particularly heavy downpour! Still, the girls enjoyed it, and is the first time we've been there this year (since we have a longer journey now, we tend to end up going to legoland more)

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