It’s important to note that (buried in the last two paragraphs) this is a trial over the half-term weekend not (yet) a permanent change.
LiteratureKey3425 on
Good thank god, now Disneyland ban people with anxiety from disability pass. Literally people who don’t enjoy queues use this as an excuse. You are not disabled. Well done Alton towers
Francis-c92 on
If you’ve got anxiety I’m not sure a theme park is for you anyway
GamerLinnie on
I wish people could be trusted to make the right decision.
Most people with ADHD and anxiety have no business in the disability line but if someone has really severe anxiety I can see a shorter line being the difference between going and not being able to go.
PulsatingBalloonKnot on
Hopefully a full on policy change follows through. Unfortunately, when the gates get opened on this sort of thing, far too many piss takers see it as an easier lifestyle to adopt and rob genuine people of the relaxed rulesets.
Dry-Cod9127 on
Not to sound harsh but good… I’m sick of these theme parks giving out disability pass to people without an actual disability, Disneyland Paris started to crack down as well because it was just getting ridiculous
FornyHucker22 on
What is disability pass? Straight on the ride?
they already do fast pass for anyone
I can see why they need to stop people abusing that
OffRedFloyd on
I have severe social anxiety amongst a host of other mental health issues and a theme park is the last place i’d want to be, special passes or not. People with actual diagnosed anxiety are not hanging about theme parks.
Hyperbolicalpaca on
Burying the lede a bit here by the telegraph (not surprised since apparently shitting on people with anxiety is just ok?) it also bans people with autism and ADHD…
tritoon140 on
This was absolutely inevitable. So many people had passes or queued with people with passes that, at times, the RAP queues were 40 minutes or more and sometimes longer than the general queue. If the passes are meant to be for people who can’t queue the system is broken if they have to queue for significant periods of time.
The people to be blamed aren’t those changing the system but the masses of people who abused the system.
platebandit on
I don’t get how they police that. It’s handled through a secondary agency who issue you with a card showing your needs but not your disability. Like can’t stand for 50m, urgent toilet access etc. Afaik you can get it through a PIP statement which also does not list your conditions.
You’re basically just asking people to self report if they have anxiety or something else
Aspect-Unusual on
As someone with a diagnosed general anxiety disorder I had no clue I could get something like this before, it seems so stupid to give out for someone with my problems. I’ll explain why I think its stupid.
With GAD I will feel the same in the short queue as I do the long queue, I will feel the same before the ride and after the ride and getting to go on it before anyone else won’t make my anxiety any better or any worse, its theres, for no god damn reason
It never once went through my mind to try to get special treatment bceause of my GAD, for the last 30 years (and I do dislike the term but its the only one that fits) I sucked it up and got on with my life.
I do understand not everyone can just “suck it up”, and to those people, I don’t think you really should be going to a theme park with all the noise and distraction that goes on (yet you can magically deal with as long as you get to skip a queue)
uwereagreenornament on
It’s not just being removed for anxiety, it is being taken away from anyone who has a disability that isn’t classed as a mobility one. This will cover such a wide range of disabilities including those with down syndrome etc
The passes are being abused there is no doubt about that but this is discriminatory hidden behind headlines.
TitanElite on
This includes people with conditions like ADHD and Autism btw, which are very much disabilities.
I’m autistic, and I’ve benefited from the shorter queues due to sensory issues. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t be going to those places” so I shouldn’t be able to go out and enjoy myself?
And I already know I’m gonna see people like “I’m autistic and I don’t need to skip the queue” good for you. However, you’re not a spokesperson for the community. Autism is different in everyone. What you may be okay with handling, someone will not.
BeeOnYouAt on
If everyone with a diagnosed mental health disorder was able to jump queues we’d just have two queues.
GamerGuyAlly on
Some people in this thread are being cruel for the sake of being cruel.
FloydEGag on
I don’t know…actual full-on anxiety is debilitating. I don’t know I’d even want to go to a theme park back when I was suffering from constant anxiety attacks; I could barely leave the house. Plus no one loves waiting in line. I have ADHD and waiting can feel like having my skin peeled off but I still do it because it’s not anyone else’s problem and everyone else has to wait.
I think pisstakers have spoiled wha was a genuinely well-meant offer; we all know not all disabilities are visible but on the other hand it’s a lot easier to pretend you have anxiety than it is to fake a physical disability and let’s face it, there are plenty of selfish people who’d do that just to get a small advantage. As for barring people with autism and ADHD from these passes…maybe you should in fact have to prove you have these? And blame the pisstakers, not the theme parks.
bscmbchbmrcgp on
As a GP, people occasionally come to me asking for a letter to confirm that their anxiety/depression/autism/ADHD prevents them from standing in queues.
I don’t know how I’m supposed to verify this and it doesn’t feel like a good use of my time.
However my understanding was that this wasn’t a queue jump pass, it was a system where you’d go to the queue and get a pass to come back at a certain time which lined up roughly with where you’d be if you did stay in the queue.
Plane-Ad8298 on
This ban also impacts those with autism, for some autistic people queueing for an hour for a ride is not possible and this ban prevents them from using the parks without paying significantly more for a fast pass.
People that are saying that if someone can’t queue they should just buy a fast pass are missing the point. Inequality laws are meant to ensure that those that are impacting by disabilities shouldn’t have to pay extra to access what those with no disabilities can.
Dragon_Sluts on
I have had severe anxiety so feel at least someone equipped to comment from that point of view.
Everyone’s anxiety is different – for most people with it, theme parks are fine, there seems to be a suggestion in the comments that “people with anxiety wouldn’t go to a theme park anyway” which is far from true.
If your anxiety isn’t triggered by anything in the theme park (crowds, rides that could kill you but are very safe, noises) then it’s totally fine and you don’t need any special privileges at all.
If it is triggered by crowds, rides, or noises then yes, you probably shouldn’t be at a theme park anyway, let alone with a disability pass.
I fear this story just stirs up a lot of misconceptions and anti-woke rhetoric without people wanting to develop a deeper understanding.
box-o-locks on
I saw someone park in a disabled space yesterday (with a blue badge). A moment later they *ran* back to their car having forgotten something.
Not all disabilities are visible. But it was clear to see he could’ve just parked in a standard space 50ft away and left the disabled space for people who actually need it.
I hate that people are just out for themselves. If they see a chance to play the system, they go for it. Good on Alton Towers.
outofideasfor1 on
I’m diagnosed ADHD. I absolutely hate crowds and queues, to the point I almost never go to a theme park. I do not need a disability pass, that’s ridiculous and kind of entitled to expect it.
Not everything is for everyone and we need to be ok with that.
Express-Doughnut-562 on
The RAP pass at Alton has been a real issue and is very much open for abuse; people get it when they don’t really need it and use it as a free queue jump pass. Some reports that on certain days 45% of all visitors were entitled to use it – either themselves, or as part of a party with another member able to use it.
For example Nemesis is on a 60 min queue, Air is 35, Toxicator is 50 and the Curse is 35. In the traditional queues that would be all 4 rides in 3 hours. But if you use RAP on Nemesis, queue and ride Air whilst the time out runs down, RAP on Toxciator then queue as normal for Curse and 20-30 min of RAP queuing and you’ve done all four in half the time – its a massive benefit.
It resulted in some horrible scenes of distressed kids being forced on rides against their will be cause the rest of their families wanted to use their queue jump. It also meant demand for the passes was sky high – they often run out – and those who genuinely need them could never access them.
I think they should add some other accommodation for those who genuinely can’t queue, but it needs to level the playing field – not provide a possible advantage. I hope this change is permanent.
wrennables on
I hate that it’s become a case of pitting disabled people against each other but I think I’m a bit relieved, and hope it might make things easier for people who physically can’t queue. My son needs to use a wheelchair but because he can walk 50m (obviously walking around a theme park is much more walking than that) he isn’t able to get a wheelchair pass.
I’m a wheelchair user as well and have found access has been restricted for me over the time that things have been made easier for neurodivergent people – eg opening up blue badge criteria for neurodivergent people has coincided with me losing mine. Possibly not connected, but I think it quite likely is.
Independent-Tax-3699 on
Some of the comments in the annual pass holder Facebook group about this are absolutely wild. I’ve seen multiple variations of
“Well if my kid starts kicking and biting other people in the queue then its the parks fault!”
Frankly if your child has that bad a reaction to queues then they shouldn’t be in a busy theme park in the first place where there could be crowds anywhere.
GayWolfey on
Good. We go often and that disabled fast pass is the most abused thing you will see. It’s awful.
ledgerdomian on
I suffer from anxiety, so can’t bear to wait in line for the most pants shittingly horrifying rollercoaster in history, with a poor safety record.
Makes sense.
ETA. This is sarcasm aimed at the bullshitters using this excuse dishonestly to cut the line, not at anyone suffering genuine MH issues.
pimpom0789 on
My son has medical needs which often means he urgently needs the toilet. When we’re out we always have to scope out where the nearest toilets are at any given time.
We’ve not been to Legoland/Alton towers yet but I do think he would likely benefit from a disability pass in this situation. It’s a shame many seem to be abusing it.
Everyone should be in a virtual queue!
710733 on
Some horrible comments here.
Brits seem a little too eager to take away things making some people’s lives more manageable for a completely imagined moral victory.
Robinthehutt on
Panicked by standing in a queue.
Not panicked by a ride at 85mph with 3.5g loops.
Hmmm.
brocanyouchillout on
thank god. if your anxiety is so bad you can’t stand in a line for more than half an hour, i really don’t think you should be going to a theme park to begin with lmao
Paul_my_Dickov on
Is not liking waiting your turn a disability? Do they get to skip the queue everywhere they go?
Rude_Sheepherder_714 on
Hopefully this will reduce the number of chancers who turn up with 8 people for every 1 with a disability who ALL expect to queue jump…
foodieshoes on
The average Brit has a problem when they think people are taking the piss.
Whether it is fake asylum seekers ruining the system for the people fleeing real war and needing our help or every hardship in life now being classed as a disability, people feel that their **tolerance** is being exploited by people who have low morals.
In the longer term, this exploitation of people’s tolerance turns us slowly but surely into an unkind, cynical, low-trust, pro-punishment society because relatively few people ruin it for the rest of us.
34 Comments
It’s important to note that (buried in the last two paragraphs) this is a trial over the half-term weekend not (yet) a permanent change.
Good thank god, now Disneyland ban people with anxiety from disability pass. Literally people who don’t enjoy queues use this as an excuse. You are not disabled. Well done Alton towers
If you’ve got anxiety I’m not sure a theme park is for you anyway
I wish people could be trusted to make the right decision.
Most people with ADHD and anxiety have no business in the disability line but if someone has really severe anxiety I can see a shorter line being the difference between going and not being able to go.
Hopefully a full on policy change follows through. Unfortunately, when the gates get opened on this sort of thing, far too many piss takers see it as an easier lifestyle to adopt and rob genuine people of the relaxed rulesets.
Not to sound harsh but good… I’m sick of these theme parks giving out disability pass to people without an actual disability, Disneyland Paris started to crack down as well because it was just getting ridiculous
What is disability pass? Straight on the ride?
they already do fast pass for anyone
I can see why they need to stop people abusing that
I have severe social anxiety amongst a host of other mental health issues and a theme park is the last place i’d want to be, special passes or not. People with actual diagnosed anxiety are not hanging about theme parks.
Burying the lede a bit here by the telegraph (not surprised since apparently shitting on people with anxiety is just ok?) it also bans people with autism and ADHD…
This was absolutely inevitable. So many people had passes or queued with people with passes that, at times, the RAP queues were 40 minutes or more and sometimes longer than the general queue. If the passes are meant to be for people who can’t queue the system is broken if they have to queue for significant periods of time.
The people to be blamed aren’t those changing the system but the masses of people who abused the system.
I don’t get how they police that. It’s handled through a secondary agency who issue you with a card showing your needs but not your disability. Like can’t stand for 50m, urgent toilet access etc. Afaik you can get it through a PIP statement which also does not list your conditions.
You’re basically just asking people to self report if they have anxiety or something else
As someone with a diagnosed general anxiety disorder I had no clue I could get something like this before, it seems so stupid to give out for someone with my problems. I’ll explain why I think its stupid.
With GAD I will feel the same in the short queue as I do the long queue, I will feel the same before the ride and after the ride and getting to go on it before anyone else won’t make my anxiety any better or any worse, its theres, for no god damn reason
It never once went through my mind to try to get special treatment bceause of my GAD, for the last 30 years (and I do dislike the term but its the only one that fits) I sucked it up and got on with my life.
I do understand not everyone can just “suck it up”, and to those people, I don’t think you really should be going to a theme park with all the noise and distraction that goes on (yet you can magically deal with as long as you get to skip a queue)
It’s not just being removed for anxiety, it is being taken away from anyone who has a disability that isn’t classed as a mobility one. This will cover such a wide range of disabilities including those with down syndrome etc
The passes are being abused there is no doubt about that but this is discriminatory hidden behind headlines.
This includes people with conditions like ADHD and Autism btw, which are very much disabilities.
I’m autistic, and I’ve benefited from the shorter queues due to sensory issues. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t be going to those places” so I shouldn’t be able to go out and enjoy myself?
And I already know I’m gonna see people like “I’m autistic and I don’t need to skip the queue” good for you. However, you’re not a spokesperson for the community. Autism is different in everyone. What you may be okay with handling, someone will not.
If everyone with a diagnosed mental health disorder was able to jump queues we’d just have two queues.
Some people in this thread are being cruel for the sake of being cruel.
I don’t know…actual full-on anxiety is debilitating. I don’t know I’d even want to go to a theme park back when I was suffering from constant anxiety attacks; I could barely leave the house. Plus no one loves waiting in line. I have ADHD and waiting can feel like having my skin peeled off but I still do it because it’s not anyone else’s problem and everyone else has to wait.
I think pisstakers have spoiled wha was a genuinely well-meant offer; we all know not all disabilities are visible but on the other hand it’s a lot easier to pretend you have anxiety than it is to fake a physical disability and let’s face it, there are plenty of selfish people who’d do that just to get a small advantage. As for barring people with autism and ADHD from these passes…maybe you should in fact have to prove you have these? And blame the pisstakers, not the theme parks.
As a GP, people occasionally come to me asking for a letter to confirm that their anxiety/depression/autism/ADHD prevents them from standing in queues.
I don’t know how I’m supposed to verify this and it doesn’t feel like a good use of my time.
However my understanding was that this wasn’t a queue jump pass, it was a system where you’d go to the queue and get a pass to come back at a certain time which lined up roughly with where you’d be if you did stay in the queue.
This ban also impacts those with autism, for some autistic people queueing for an hour for a ride is not possible and this ban prevents them from using the parks without paying significantly more for a fast pass.
People that are saying that if someone can’t queue they should just buy a fast pass are missing the point. Inequality laws are meant to ensure that those that are impacting by disabilities shouldn’t have to pay extra to access what those with no disabilities can.
I have had severe anxiety so feel at least someone equipped to comment from that point of view.
Everyone’s anxiety is different – for most people with it, theme parks are fine, there seems to be a suggestion in the comments that “people with anxiety wouldn’t go to a theme park anyway” which is far from true.
If your anxiety isn’t triggered by anything in the theme park (crowds, rides that could kill you but are very safe, noises) then it’s totally fine and you don’t need any special privileges at all.
If it is triggered by crowds, rides, or noises then yes, you probably shouldn’t be at a theme park anyway, let alone with a disability pass.
I fear this story just stirs up a lot of misconceptions and anti-woke rhetoric without people wanting to develop a deeper understanding.
I saw someone park in a disabled space yesterday (with a blue badge). A moment later they *ran* back to their car having forgotten something.
Not all disabilities are visible. But it was clear to see he could’ve just parked in a standard space 50ft away and left the disabled space for people who actually need it.
I hate that people are just out for themselves. If they see a chance to play the system, they go for it. Good on Alton Towers.
I’m diagnosed ADHD. I absolutely hate crowds and queues, to the point I almost never go to a theme park. I do not need a disability pass, that’s ridiculous and kind of entitled to expect it.
Not everything is for everyone and we need to be ok with that.
The RAP pass at Alton has been a real issue and is very much open for abuse; people get it when they don’t really need it and use it as a free queue jump pass. Some reports that on certain days 45% of all visitors were entitled to use it – either themselves, or as part of a party with another member able to use it.
For example Nemesis is on a 60 min queue, Air is 35, Toxicator is 50 and the Curse is 35. In the traditional queues that would be all 4 rides in 3 hours. But if you use RAP on Nemesis, queue and ride Air whilst the time out runs down, RAP on Toxciator then queue as normal for Curse and 20-30 min of RAP queuing and you’ve done all four in half the time – its a massive benefit.
It resulted in some horrible scenes of distressed kids being forced on rides against their will be cause the rest of their families wanted to use their queue jump. It also meant demand for the passes was sky high – they often run out – and those who genuinely need them could never access them.
I think they should add some other accommodation for those who genuinely can’t queue, but it needs to level the playing field – not provide a possible advantage. I hope this change is permanent.
I hate that it’s become a case of pitting disabled people against each other but I think I’m a bit relieved, and hope it might make things easier for people who physically can’t queue. My son needs to use a wheelchair but because he can walk 50m (obviously walking around a theme park is much more walking than that) he isn’t able to get a wheelchair pass.
I’m a wheelchair user as well and have found access has been restricted for me over the time that things have been made easier for neurodivergent people – eg opening up blue badge criteria for neurodivergent people has coincided with me losing mine. Possibly not connected, but I think it quite likely is.
Some of the comments in the annual pass holder Facebook group about this are absolutely wild. I’ve seen multiple variations of
“Well if my kid starts kicking and biting other people in the queue then its the parks fault!”
Frankly if your child has that bad a reaction to queues then they shouldn’t be in a busy theme park in the first place where there could be crowds anywhere.
Good. We go often and that disabled fast pass is the most abused thing you will see. It’s awful.
I suffer from anxiety, so can’t bear to wait in line for the most pants shittingly horrifying rollercoaster in history, with a poor safety record.
Makes sense.
ETA. This is sarcasm aimed at the bullshitters using this excuse dishonestly to cut the line, not at anyone suffering genuine MH issues.
My son has medical needs which often means he urgently needs the toilet. When we’re out we always have to scope out where the nearest toilets are at any given time.
We’ve not been to Legoland/Alton towers yet but I do think he would likely benefit from a disability pass in this situation. It’s a shame many seem to be abusing it.
Everyone should be in a virtual queue!
Some horrible comments here.
Brits seem a little too eager to take away things making some people’s lives more manageable for a completely imagined moral victory.
Panicked by standing in a queue.
Not panicked by a ride at 85mph with 3.5g loops.
Hmmm.
thank god. if your anxiety is so bad you can’t stand in a line for more than half an hour, i really don’t think you should be going to a theme park to begin with lmao
Is not liking waiting your turn a disability? Do they get to skip the queue everywhere they go?
Hopefully this will reduce the number of chancers who turn up with 8 people for every 1 with a disability who ALL expect to queue jump…
The average Brit has a problem when they think people are taking the piss.
Whether it is fake asylum seekers ruining the system for the people fleeing real war and needing our help or every hardship in life now being classed as a disability, people feel that their **tolerance** is being exploited by people who have low morals.
In the longer term, this exploitation of people’s tolerance turns us slowly but surely into an unkind, cynical, low-trust, pro-punishment society because relatively few people ruin it for the rest of us.