Well....2 weeks have passed since we went to Legoland Windsor.....and i feel i must let you all know how brilliantly we were treated.
We had to collect pre-booked tickets and as Tom's carer I was indeed allowed FREE ADMISSION- I showed his DLA Award letter as 'proof' of his disability.
As she was gathering the leaflets together that we needed- Leigh and Thomas were demonstrating very well their difficulties with Queueing and impatience....she then explained that she would 'stamp' all our hands to allow us to not have to queue (called an EXIT PASS) - Thomas and Leigh got a red stamp- to identify them as the people with the 'need' and the rest of us were stamped black.
What impressed me here was that Leigh has no diagnosis- and technically they have a policy to allow only 3 OTHERS IN ADDITION TO THE DISABLED PERSON TO HAVE AN EXIT PASS - however in our case she stamped 4- she said that she could see the difficulties i was having even i the short time i qued there....and she mentioned Autism.....when i hadn't!!! So....i feel she was fantastic.....she was kind and showed great insight.
And it really was that straight forward.....i had worried that i'd need to 'prove beyond doubt' our likely difficulties....and instead we recieved a service that you quite simply could not put a price on.
To not have to queue at a ride- when some queues were 40 mins (and that's short!!!!) was to me worth millions. It made such a difference to us - we were able to return to 'favourite ' rides several times.
WORD OF WARNING THOUGH...... in some places the 'EXIT' WAS CLOSE TO THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE- so a few times people queing asked the attendents why we were allowed on ahead of them.
This is worse when we all looked 'so normal' (though that's debatable!)...as we all know with 'Hidden Disabilities'....
But it was brilliant!!!
Funnily enough though by mid afternoon there were no queues as there was an enormous thunderstorm that lasted over an hour and loads of people went home....so we ended up not needing the exit pass much!!!!!
What we also did was paid £68 to enable us unlimited access anytime except for AUGUST when we have to wait till 4pm to visit. They have noted on Thomas's membership detais that i am his carer- so i will not have to 'prove' my 'carer' status again.....and with this exit pass privilege we will probably visit every 6 weeks or so.........
I have a copy of their Disability Policy- so if anyone needs more info- let me know (especially the 'physical' disability 'ride restrictions' as it describes every ride and for whom it may not be suitable.)
So FANTASTIC LEGOLAND!!!! You did us proud!
p.s....despite all efforts however- I did get lost- separated from my husband who had said it was unnecassary to register with the 'Lost Child' scheme they do there-Coppertop KNew I'd be the one who got lost- then when we were looking for him- Thomas suggested (unknown to me) that leigh go off in a different direction- so i lost leigh....all this obviuosly had a happy ending- but it took an hour for us to be reunited- and another hour for Leigh to stop clinging to me- it shocked him and me and considering at the time it was thundering and torrential rain its amazing that we then went on to have a brilliant 4 hours of fun!!!!