Queue policy for disabled guests

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kingcriplet
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I dont think this has been posted or discussed anywhere else - this is quite an interesting article.....

http://www.star-telegram.com/arlington_ ... 40130.html

I certainly think its a fair policy, one that could maybe be introduced over here.
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Quickey
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I defiantly think that the six flags system should be tried out by Alton Towers. It is unfair imo, that disabled guests get to skip the queue.
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Jon
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I disagree totally.

I might be wrong, but Alton doesn't have a huge problem with people feining disability (which I think is actually apauling). These people should be able to enjoy themselves as much as possible during they day, with as much hassle taken out of the day as being disabled brings into it. People in wheelchairs, for example, need help getting in and out of their seats. I don't begrudge them using the exit and holding the queue up more than a fastrack system.
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altontowers1
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I both agree & disagree :P, i dont no because yes the six flags idea seems good and might be quite effective, but should disable guests get priority being disabled and all that...?

it doesnt seem to corse a major problem when i have been :)

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Quickey
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I can see where you are coming from, but I think they should be made to Waite at leased 15, 20 mins, especially when the normal queues are hitting 1 hr+. I think they should be treated equally.

I’m not trying to sound harsh, and I don’t begrudge them pushing in and holding up the line, as I am a patient person, I just think they should be treated like everyone ells, as much as possible anyway, as I know they want to be treated the same in most cases, so why should queuing be any different (obviously they can’t use the normal queue, but they could Waite for a bit)
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rita's girl
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How Wrong!!!!

If they use this approach then how can you expect a wheelchair user to go all the way down the rapid exit to get a time only to have to make the trek all over again?

My sister is disabled, so is my son we don't want to jump the Q but sometimes we need to and we always wait a fair amount of time in between rides to be a little bit fairer.
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jon!!!
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thorpes disabled guest policy is much better than towers.
we knew there would be no future, that was our greatest freedom.
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amylovesaltontowers
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I think that disabled people should be allowed to jump the Q's and get a little bit of special treatment as i bet there day is ruined by having to treck round the whole are in a wheelchair. My uncle is disabled and i think that they do deserve to Q jump a bit.
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Quickey
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Ok. I agree with that. Tbh, there are always going to be flaws in any system, especially with queuing systems like this. What I was suggesting is for disabled guests to be made to waited at the disabled entrance gate for a small period of time, so to make it slightly more fair, and to make it look as if you have witted, to people who are getting on the ride after queuing for a long time.

After thinking about it, the six flags system is probably a bad idea, and there is probably no way around it. It is sickening that people will pretend to have a disability to use the disabled queue, and six flags obviously have guests that do this, so they have tried to introduce a system to help stop this problem, but it might not be the best way around it.
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amylovesaltontowers
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I agree that they should wait 5-10 minutes to be fair to the other guests Queing, but i think that it is a treat for them to jump the q's a bit, After all they deserve some attention.
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Quickey
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After thought, I am going to go back on everything I have said, lol.

Making them Waite a short period of time such as 10 – 15 mins, would probably put pressure on ride hosts, as to make sure they don’t forget about them and only make them wait a short amount of time. There isn’t any way around the problem really, so they should just continue to do what they do now.

Just wondering, what is Thorpe’s disabled queue policy?
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Benbrit

Thorpe Operate it so that the disabled guest skips the Q but then has to wait for the length of time that the main Q board says, after they have ridden, before they can go on any of the big seven again (nemesis, Stealth, colossus, Detonator, rush, slammer, Loggers leap). This means that its fair and the Guests don’t have to sit around doing nothing as they can go on other less thrilling attractions while they wait or as is the case of Six Flags being told what times they have to ride.

I have to say that Thorpe even with its many broken rides has got a very good disabled policy and my friend who has difficulty walking found her day very, very, fun as she could do what she wanted, when she wanted.
Last edited by Benbrit on Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jon!!!
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all fair enough if you are physically disabled and it means being in a wheelchair for the rest of your life, then its alright to skip a queue. but from something like mild dyslexia, and youre a perfectly able human being then it takes the piss.
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AstroDan

It may sound selfish, but it is certainly not fair that the front of the Runaway Mine Train is frequently unavailble for regular guests due to Disabled / Priorty pass holders.
This is one ride where little kids (and big kids too) want to ride at the front, because the front is different - and it's always unfair that half the time the front bay or two are left for disabled people, after everyone else may have waited up to 1/2 an hour in a queue on a busier day.

Generally I don't see it as a major problem, but I think the guests should be made to sit in the middle of trains rather than given the more 'sought after' seats.
Kaycee

[quote=""AstroDan""]This is one ride where little kids (and big kids too) want to ride at the front[/quote]

LOL, says you, who raced a little kid to the front, won, and stayed there! :lol::lol:
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most-hated-chip
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Well to be honest, I disagree wth the idea of the Six flags system coming to the park. In my opination the Alton Towers disabled acess is all over the place. When I last went to the park, with some kids who are autistic. So we got the wistbands and we headed towards Spinball Wizzer and we went to exit. And then the ride opp came and asked us how many were riding. So the we said "We have 1 carer and 3 disabled." So the ride opp then said "You can only take on 1 carer and 1 disabled on. So you go on now you have to the other two one later." So I then said "I'm not being rude but can't you let us ride all at once." He didn't let us on. :evil:

I have had a lot of experience with people with Autisum, About 75% of my mates have it, I know what goes on inside their minds. To be honest I'm autistic myself. I think people should try to understand it. I think this so called "Flash Pass." Would only make the parks disabled quese system worse.
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kingcriplet
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As was pointed out earlier in the thread, this system would mean that all guests were treated more equally with regard to wait times. I know I certainly find it quite annoying after queuing 90mins or whatever for air and a disabled guest with 4 or 5 "helpers" is allowed to get right to the front of the queue.

[quote=""1towers""]Thorpe Operate it so that the disabled guest skips the Q but then has to wait for the length of time that the main Q board says, after they have ridden, before they can go on any of the big seven again (nemesis, Stealth, colossus, Detonator, rush, slammer, Loggers leap). This means that its fair and the Guests don’t have to sit around doing nothing as they can go on other less thrilling attractions while they wait or as is the case of Six Flags being told what times they have to ride.
[/quote]

The above is also an excellent policy IMHO.
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Ash
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[quote=""most-hated-chip""]Well to be honest, I disagree wth the idea of the Six flags system coming to the park. In my opination the Alton Towers disabled acess is all over the place. When I last went to the park, with some kids who are autistic. So we got the wistbands and we headed towards Spinball Wizzer and we went to exit. And then the ride opp came and asked us how many were riding. So the we said "We have 1 carer and 3 disabled." So the ride opp then said "You can only take on 1 carer and 1 disabled on. So you go on now you have to the other two one later." So I then said "I'm not being rude but can't you let us ride all at once." He didn't let us on. :evil:

I have had a lot of experience with people with Autisum, About 75% of my mates have it, I know what goes on inside their minds. To be honest I'm autistic myself. I think people should try to understand it. I think this so called "Flash Pass." Would only make the parks disabled quese system worse.[/quote]

The host did exactly what they should in the example you gave. In my opinion Alton Towers do the very best they can as far as disabled guests and helpers are concerned. They are more than willing to help, and are trained to help in more ways than you can imagine, but also they do not let this severely effect the experience of other guests.

Just because the other 2 carers had to wait another 30 seconds is no issue as far as i am concerned, the person was doing there job. There are many occasions where entire families/groups demand to go on the front of rides or all go on together. Which in some cases is A) Not safe for the staff to handle if something does go wrong and B) Against health and safety regulations.

So the understanding does have to work both ways
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rita's girl
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all fair enough if you are physically disabled and it means being in a wheelchair for the rest of your life, then its alright to skip a queue. but from something like mild dyslexia, and youre a perfectly able human being then it takes the piss.
OK this is going to be one of them subjects that not all will agree on.
However in respone to the idiot who said "takes the p**s" the words think before you speak come to mind.

My 6 yr old son is disabled wth ADHD and CANT stand in Q's for hours on end he gets very disturbed in crowded places, but can be controlled 95% of the time.
The other 5% he is agitated and can get physically violent to any one near him. It is not fair for him to have people stare point and talk about him calling him a FREAK amonst other names.

You can not get disabled access without proof from the DWP or medical letters

Please think before you post as it does hurt others in what you can say
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sickparrot
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My wife is also someone who looks 'normal' at first glance, but she has multiple schlerosis. She can walk with reasonable ease, but she cannot stand still without a great deal of pain, so waiting for 20 minutes at the exit would defeat the object of getting a pass in the first place, unless there were seats of course.

We realise repeat rides would be unfair on the people queueing and make a point of only riding once then going elsewhere.

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