themeparkmad Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 It is like a drug!I am addicted.be there on opening day! Love You Vampire lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mer Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Going back a few pages... Disbled guests can use the main queue. There's no steps or anything like that.That isn't always the reason disabled guests use the exit. It's whether they can stand up or put up with queueing for a long period of time. I don't think someone on crutches would like the idea of hobbling through a crowded queueline for 90 minutes! And being disabled isn't always a physical thing, there are a lot of mental disabilities that affect people in different ways, which in turn affect their ability to wait in a long queue without becoming distressed, etc etc.They might look perfectly able but it doesn't mean they are (I found it insulting when I worked at Thorpe, when this woman pointed to this group of boys, one of whom was disabled, and she said "HE'S disabled?! He doesn't look it, he's walking and talking fine with his mates!"). Silly, ignorant cow! :)I have a lot of personal experience with this stuff yeah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I hate it when things like that happen - seen it happen a few times, not too many when that or a similar thing has happened. I am the type of person that - if I were there, AS A GUEST, I would have had a massive go at the woman.I think the disabled guests should use whatever entrance/exit they like or is better for them. I get bored and hyper if I have to wait in a queue for more than 30 mins and I'm not disabled - I can totally sympthasize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I hate it when things like that happen - seen it happen a few times, not too many when that or a similar thing has happened. I am the type of person that - if I were there, I would have had a massive go at the woman.Then aforementioned woman would complain about you and you'd get a lovely disciplinary letter, that's not the way to deal with or talk to guests, you're in no position to turn around and have a go at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I meant me as a guest - maybe I should have made that out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Then aforementioned woman would complain about you and you'd get a lovely disciplinary letter, that's not the way to deal with or talk to guests, you're in no position to turn around and have a go at them.Hmm, wheres my disciplinary letter?! None of my stuff ever mentioned the stuff I yelled at guests. As for disabilities, my brother can get the disabled pass because he's got mild aspergers, and some people in the disabled queue have less of a disability than that (and boast about it).Some say its the whole disability discrimination act gone mad, some say Chessington is stupidly weak and feeble with their disabled policy. Answers? Find a huge disabled queue at alton. Go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 See I have Aspergers (Mild Autism) but I wouldn't consider it a disability but more of a difficulty. But it depends how severe.If any of you remember the film "Mercury Rising" (Bruce Willis) features an autitsic child who is targeted by assassins after cracking a top secret government code.Anyway...he has it at the highest pointBack to me - I don't ask for a disabled pass because I never thought it was classified etcAnd when people who don't have it as bad as I do, it takes the piss.Wouldn't you (anyone) agree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mer Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 See I have Aspergers (Mild Autism) but I wouldn't consider it a disability but more of a difficulty. But it depends how severe.Ooooooooooooooooooh my god. Same here Never mentioned it on here before, I keep putting it on and then taking it off my Facebook too! Back to me - I don't ask for a disabled pass because I never thought it was classified etcAnd when people who don't have it as bad as I do, it takes the piss.Wouldn't you (anyone) agree?That's the thing. It's the same with ADHD, which I also possibly have You tend to get a lot of kids with ADHD with wristbands, and when it's severe I'm fine with it. But you do get people who know full well they can queue but they get the band anyway. Because as far as I know, Guest Services would not have the right to say "Ok you have a disability according to your doctor's note (or whatever they show) but how severe is it, if it's mild we can't give you a band otherwise there'd be too many people with them." That would probably class as discrimination! I don't know about Chessie, but the way Thorpe do it really should change Alton Towers do it something like this *I think*If the guest does NOT require a carer, and can understand instructions etc during a ride evacuation, then they can let more than one on each train, every train. Whereas Thorpe it's only one per ride, so one every other train on 2 trains on Colly, or if X has 4 trains, one per every four trains. Now this is unfair when someone is "stuck in the middle". They have a disability severe enough that they cannot queue, however they can easily cope with an evac. They end up waiting for a long time on busy days, defeating the whole point of having a band! So yeah, Alton AFAIK only have the one per ride, one per train rule for people who DO require a carer. That's what I think happens, that may not be the exact procedure. But it seems a lot better from what I've heard (bearing in mind I've only been three times and haven't paid much attention to how big the queues were), and I think Thorpe should do the same. Because at the moment the disabled queues are too long, it's not fair on them and defeats the point of having a band.I didn't know I had Asperger's til I was 17 (dammit! Years of wondering what the hell is wrong with me, lousy teachers didn't seem to pick up just how different and quiet I was!). I could have potentially found out when I was 7/8, when my behaviour called my parents to the school psychologist. But they (well mainly my dad apparently) were saying there was nothing wrong with me, I guess as a parent it's hard when a teacher suggests your child has a problem. But if only they'd listened to her!! So what if she was a moody cow, she could have saved me from years of...not hell, but suffering...sort of. Not so much making friends, more coping with school and homework. Ah well.Anyway, I don't think I'd get a band...it's tempting, but I might be thinking that for the wrong reasons, like taking advantage of what I have, cos I've queued before ok-ish. So if I got a band I'd be going against what I said above! Also from working there I know when the busy periods are, so I would try to avoid going on a busy day. Quiet days are such a laugh, both as a guest and a staff member! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 I always found the whole disabled policy a farce to be honest with you. For instance, I'm slightly short sighted which means that I technically have a disability. It's stopping me working on train stations so does that mean I could go to guest services with my optician letter and say I should have a wristband because without my glasses I cannot queue properly.The main problem is obviously, where is the line drawn. I once had this disabled guest at Toadies, and he didn't have any legs. I told the first person in the queue that they would be the car after the next and she started having a go at me saying "oh I'm tired, does that mean I can skip queues to." Suffice to say this woman watching two people struggling to get a no-legged disabled person shut up pretty quickly. In that case, they obviously should get disabled wristbands as they can't exactly walk. But should a person with a broken arm get one? I would say no, but guests services would say yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mer Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 I always found the whole disabled policy a farce to be honest with you. For instance, I'm slightly short sighted which means that I technically have a disability. It's stopping me working on train stations so does that mean I could go to guest services with my optician letter and say I should have a wristband because without my glasses I cannot queue properly.The main problem is obviously, where is the line drawn. I once had this disabled guest at Toadies, and he didn't have any legs. I told the first person in the queue that they would be the car after the next and she started having a go at me saying "oh I'm tired, does that mean I can skip queues to." Suffice to say this woman watching two people struggling to get a no-legged disabled person shut up pretty quickly. In that case, they obviously should get disabled wristbands as they can't exactly walk. But should a person with a broken arm get one? I would say no, but guests services would say yes.I've wondered that unless it's something along the lines of there are more trip hazards in a main queue, or if it's crowded someone could knock into them. I sometimes think too much into things and miss the main point, there could be a really obvious reason.Hmm this is supposed to be the Vampire topic :PActually I do have a question about it - RCDB says as well as getting new trains, a few track changes were made? I also heard this (when it reopened) from a friend of mine but they could have been making it up, knowing them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Basically the track wasn't changed but the way the ride runs changed. In the old days the train didn't stop on Lift 2, instead it would go straight over. Now if there was a hold up in the station for whatever reason, the trains would stack up but there wasn't enough room for both trains in the breaks. Instead the two trains waiting to go in the station would lightly hit each other. Towards the end of the old Vampire's life, it only ran two trains and the third became a spare part train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 That completely explains why the train used to stop on just entering the trims, and was changed to stopping almost in the station in 07! Two different sets of breaks. Noice.I wouldn't say aspergers is a reason for a disability pass, I've never used it for my brother, however there are plenty of guests who do it.Another major difference between Chessington and Alton, is alton has an extremely strict 2 carers per disability person (so a single rider takes up that additional seat), whereas if more than 4 people turn up at Chessington you have to let them on (or otherwise, they'll go away and will end up getting an exit pass or a manager to allow them up - however it didn't stop me refusing). Different attitudes, and extremely major different effects! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mer Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Woo thanks for explaining that :PAh the number of carers allowed, it was supposed to be no more than three carers at Thorpe. Some staff who were very strict with it annoyed me a bit. When there is an extra person, or two...may as well let them on, depending on what ride it is. And when people didn't fill in the cards properly, and filled it in when they still had 45 minutes to wait...which leaves the staff who do it properly with a load of shi*t from the guests, because so-and-so at Nemesis Inferno didn't care, or "nobody all day so far except YOU!". I just say that it's written on the back of the card, Guest Services should have explained it to them or told them to read the back of the card, and I was just doing my job, and if nobody else was, then they should be moaning to them, and not me. And tell GS to sort themselves out, height-checking kids and giving them bands when they were clearly not tall enough...it's like they WANT the guests to be angry with us, in turn, sending them back to GS to complain!Can't believe one guy on Vortex snatched the height stick from my attendant and threatened to hit her with it, when his daughter was too short (by miles as well)!! If they're that bothered about having a good day out at the place, should have really checked the kids' heights before going I say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvalhonick Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 They can use the main queue but they don't. It's part of the service apparently.Actually I visited the vampire with a guy that had a severe learning disability and we entered throught the shop, up the stairs and down to the exit unfortunetly he saw the ride and chickened out ( I was not amused ). Why do chessington have that stupid disabled queue line jumper ticket, it was difficult to understand and the park was not at all busy. Chessington need to understand that people with dissabilitys can become very challenging toward staff when they are told they can not ride. Chessington sort yourself out, paultons park have the right idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hold on, if you think the Disabled Pass is a bad idea, why were you using it?Also, you said you friend 'chickened out', so why did you go on to say 'people with dissabilitys can become very challenging toward staff when they are told they can not ride.'?It's a very simple system to understand, however Guest Services don't always have the time to go through it in detail in the mornings when they have large numbers of disabled people all waiting for their pass. Ask any Ride Host and they'll always be willing to explain it to you.People with disabilities who aren't wheelchair-bound are allowed on every ride at Chessington, provided they meet the height limit and other ride restrictions, so provided they meet these restrictions and are using the card system correctly there is no reason for them to be unable to ride. The only other time a disabled person would be turned away is if they cannot walk unaided. This only applies to a small number of attractions and is because of limitations regarding evacuation procedures (step ladders, for example) and/or moving platforms.Care to explain why Paultons Park have the right idea? How does their system differ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Actually I visited the vampire with a guy that had a severe learning disability and we entered throught the shop, up the stairs and down to the exit unfortunetly he saw the ride and chickened out ( I was not amused ). Why do chessington have that stupid disabled queue line jumper ticket, it was difficult to understand and the park was not at all busy. Chessington need to understand that people with dissabilitys can become very challenging toward staff when they are told they can not ride. Chessington sort yourself out, paultons park have the right idea.The old system was open to abuse. This system is only on eight of the rides anyway, and if the park wasn't busy you would have had, what a 5 minute wait for the next ride anyway. So by the time you had got off Vampire your time would have expired anyway. Just because a person may be disabled does not that mean they automatically get to go on more rides then people without disabilities. If some groups had not abused the older system then this one would have not have been bought into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 You have got to love Vampire!Can't wait to ride!Any hints Area 1 workers weither Vampire's gates will be open straight away or be told annoyingly to try some other rides and come back later! Also, can't wait to hear Vampire ride music and theming! (maybe I am just sad!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Vampires queue is only not open on opening time if it has a problem.The staff can't tell you if it's going to be open on time :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickD Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Vampire now has a new queue line complete with it's own small kiosk within it where you will be able to buy ice creams and other foods. Lockers are now provided at the entrances to Vampire and Dragons Fury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theme Park bloke Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Ooh, some changes? Are the lockers where the Fastrack was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickD Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Ooh, some changes? Are the lockers where the Fastrack was?They are indeed, the same has been done at Dragons Fury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 I Can ride this tomorrow!!!!!!!!!I wont be sleeping tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 I can finally ride thid today, I am so excited. I love the Vampire it is my favourite ride at CWOA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Vampire is my favourite aswell at CWOA. Who was the first rider of the 2009 season on Vampire???? - ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Haha well done dude, hope you enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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