I went to Chessington's today with one of my service users and have usually quoted the name and postcode of the child for the queue pass as have been registered previously, but today was asked for proof as they are re-registing people. Obviously we didn't have any but was allowed the wristband for today. (others might not be so lucky) There are new rules and was given a letter explaining them as follows:
Dear Guest
Our disabled policy is offered to assist those that are unable to queue in the main queue line, providing them with alternative access point to allow easier access to rides wherever possible.
The policy has now become widely used by guests for whom the service is not a necessity and subsequently, those guests that require this policy as a priority, have not been receiving the assistance as it was intended.
It is with this in mind that the disabled ride access policy has been reviewed and ammended. Effective of March 2009, those guest that are physically anable to queue or stand for sustained periods of time, those that are unable to access the main queue line and those that mentally do not understand the concept of queueing, will be the only guests that we will provide with the ride access policy and wristband at Chessington World of Adventures and Zoo.
All guests will be required to re-register with Guest Services in Market Square and provide photographic identification along with either: a letter from own doctor or consultant clearly stating why the guest is unable to queue or photographic identification issued by registered organisation or charity that states what the disability is.
Guest services reserves the right to make decision based on requirement for this service on for health and saftey reasons.
Photographic identification will be required to be presented to Guest Services on all subsequent visits or guests will not be provided with Ride Access Pass and wristband.
Guest Services will be avaliable to offer assistance to all disabled guests with ride seftey and general park access information.
We do hope you understand that these changes are to improve the service provided to those
guests for which this provides a safe and magical day out.
Yours sincerely
Guest Services Team
Chessington World of Adventures and Zoo.
Back to Supportman: It says about it being for CWOA, but I assume this new policy covers the other Merlin attractions.
The policy before was that if disability was obvious then proof would not be required and that is now not the case and no matter how obvious, they will still require proof. I asked if a disabled parking card was good enough to prove disability, as you can't get them without being disabled and they said that they still want to know the exact disability.
There are plans to go with three different kids in the Easter holidays and I know that with two of them having photographic identification is a problem, so will have to look at those plans again
I can understand that they want to stop people misusing the service, which is a good thing, but they are going a bit too far I think.