Disabled Queuing Rules

[JoshC.]

Whilst no actual leaflet with all this year's info has been produced, it seems new rulings are on the website:http://www.thorpepark.com/plan-your-visit/disabled-guide.aspxNear the bottom, where it's got 'Helpers / Companions', we've got this:"Only one helper per disabled guest can use the access pass on any of our THORPE PARK rides and attractions."The entire section seems to be written as if there can only be 1 helper on a ride as well. Under Ride Access higher up, it says something about for safety reasons about the number of disabled guests, blah blah blah, you may have to divide into smaller groups - which is impossible if there's only 2 people, which could mean that there's a mistake made somewhere. Personally though, if they are limiting it to one helper per disabled guest, I think it's pretty stupid!So yeah, d'you think it is being limited to 1 person per disabled guest, or not?

[Kevin]

The system is changing group wide (AT, LLW, TP, CWoAR) to a Chessington thought out style - I won't need to explain it too much however the rules are as follows...Maximum amount of carers: 3Minimum amount of carers: 1Minimum amount of carers for someone non ambulant: 2You proceed to the ride exit with your disabled wrist band, and give them your separate 'Yellow Ride Access Pass' - the queue time is added onto the current time and written onto your card - for example if you went on Stealth and 12pm and the queue was 60 minutes, the Rides Host would write down 1pm; this is when you can ride your next ride. The RAP access card system only applies to the biggest rides which are set out separately. All other rides are a walk on system with no card needed.

[JoshC.]

Cool - thanks for clearing that up!

[Lewis.]

So it hasn't actually changed then...

[Marc]

At Thorpe Park only one helper will be allowed per disabled guest.

[Rich]

I know the Disability and the Equality Act is changing, therefor the parks have to adjust minor things to meet these, however it looks like parks can be more strict when it comes to the amount of companions per person. Work is also changing theres which will be rolled out in April. (ours haven't changed for years)!

[Ricky]

I can sort of understand where the park is coming, Now the park is becoming ever more popular the last thing they want is groups of 4 people on a train when they dont need 4 people to hold their hand! It will help with queues in theory.

[Lewis.]

So now I can only go to Thorpe Park with one person? Nice one. /

[Benin]

So now I can only go to Thorpe Park with one person? Nice one. /

No, you can go to Thorpe with as many people as you want, just only one person can come on each ride with you...

[Lewis.]

Seems pretty pointless going with a group of friends when I can only get on the rides with one of them. It's bollocks, and not the good kind.

[Tom]

No, it's 3 people with you in a car? If they've adopted the same system as Chessington it's a 3 person maximum as said earlier. So you can't take 6 friends, but you're not limited to 1.

[Marc]

No, it's 3 people with you in a car? If they've adopted the same system as Chessington it's a 3 person maximum as said earlier. So you can't take 6 friends, but you're not limited to 1.

At Thorpe Park its simply one helper per disabled guest, no matter what ride no more. A Good move IMO Whilst I'm sure there are poeple who benifit from the system and use it genuienly, there are far to many people abusing it and I suspect we will see alot less of this now.

[Mark9]

At Thorpe Park its simply one helper per disabled guest, no matter what ride no more. A Good move IMO Whilst I'm sure there are poeple who benifit from the system and use it genuienly, there are far to many people abusing it and I suspect we will see alot less of this now.

I'd hate to be a Thorpe Park/Chessington ride host this year. One helper on rides, fastrack on baby rides.*puts bread in oven.Now thats a career

[Smiffy]

The restrictions will vary on rides and as usual ride attendants and hosts will have discretion, in previous seasons there was too much abuse of the wristband policy. For example an individual with something like dyslexia for example could rightly qualify for a yellow wristband but should they really be entitled to up to 7 carers on rumba rapids?

[Pickles]

And what if the guest needs more than just one person?

[Benin]

And what if the guest needs more than just one person?

Then I'd say it's fair, but with a 2 person maximum... But that should be only for those who cannot walk unaided...

[Smiffy]

And what if the guest needs more than just one person?

Ride Hosts aren't trained robots and will know when to use their discretion. The disabled policy at Merlin hasnt been set out to disadvantage or discriminate, it has simply been changed to become fairer and prevent abuse Edited March 11, 2011 by Smiffy

[Pickles]

it would be guest services who decided if the person can have 2 people...

[JoshC.]

There are ways to prevent the Disabled rules being abused.Restricting the amount of people that can accompany a disabled guest is not one of them. Restricting who 'is' and 'isn't' disabled is a much better way about it. I'm all for a restrictive number of people on some rides. I don't feel that being allowed 7 other people on Rumba is justified, but neither is one. I'd say as a whole, 2 carers is adequate - 3 in some rides. If the park expects the carer(s) to be able to help the disabled person in a case of a break down, they need to have a suitable maximum number of carers. If the park would let 2 carers on some rides - they should say so on their website, otherwise it's just goig to put people off...

[Marc]

Its one carer per guest, it clearly states that on the website.Ride staff are there to assist guests getting off rides if need be, I dotn see why any more are needed frankly.

[Benin]

Restricting who 'is' and 'isn't' disabled is a much better way about it.

I was gonna make this point earlier, but the fact is that then you'll get the people who believe they are disabled (and they might well be in some cases), who will kick off because they're no longer entitled to it...It's such a problem really because the way in which modern day life is designed to accomadate the disabled side of life they cannot really just go "Right, you only have asthma, join the queue as normal, no exit pass for you" now can they?

[Smiffy]

I'm with you on this Josh and That's pretty much exactly what they have done, the whole purpose of the yellow time card system was to allow disabled guests to ride and still 'queue' despite being unable to queue in the main queue line. The trouble is that too many guests were abusing this system. As I understand it this season they will only be giving out yellow time cards to guests who are physically unable to queue. I agree that the text on the website is at the moment muddled and the new policy needs clarifying. Enforcing a limit on the amount of carers is a good idea but a restriction of 1 carer to 1 wristband is ridiculous, Loggers Leap is a particular example where the constant moving boats and narrow seats necessitate at times more than 1 carer. But like Ive said before the rides staff will be able to use their discretion when appropriate

[Mark9]

Its one carer per guest, it clearly states that on the website.Ride staff are there to assist guests getting off rides if need be, I dotn see why any more are needed frankly.

Can people who can't walk ride things like Colossus and Saw? If you can't walk or are blind then thats the only situation where you'd need two carers. I wouldn't have thought rides staff would be allowed to manhandle people as they aren't even allowed to lift people into ride cars or seats.

[Smiffy]

I was gonna make this point earlier, but the fact is that then you'll get the people who believe they are disabled (and they might well be in some cases), who will kick off because they're no longer entitled to it...It's such a problem really because the way in which modern day life is designed to accomadate the disabled side of life they cannot really just go "Right, you only have asthma, join the queue as normal, no exit pass for you" now can they?

Guests of all disabilities are catered for at thorpe park and that will not change. They can do exactly that, unless a guest's disability prevents them using the main queue line then it is not unreasonable to expect them to use that facility.The rides staff are their to aid guests on and off a ride but they are specifically told not to take on the role of a carer eg. lifting a guest into a seat as this is specifically the carers responsibility which is why a policy of 1 carer to 1 wristband is ridiculous in certain circumstancesIn answer to mark9 the majority of rides at thorpe require a guest to be able to walk unaided in case of a shutdown and evacuation of the ride, The applicable rides are mentioned in the disabled guide and explained to each guest when they get their wristbands

[Benin]

Ride staff CANNOT touch disabled guests...A friend of mine got in trouble at Towers for doing it cos staff are not insured for it quite simply...

[Hazzer]

ride staff CAN touch disabled guests if they need help on getting off the ride.it's all changed this year and your all going to find out sooner or later.Rush is a ride where we can touch oh I mean help guests on and off the ride