[Benjamin]

Alton Towers will not allow some people with conditions like autism, ADHD and anxiety to use their disability queuing system this February half-term.

Merlin Entertainments provides a ride access pass to help visitors to its theme parks who have a difficulty queuing because of their disability or medical needs.

They say the number of people requesting the pass has been increasing, adding that disabled visitors have said the system "simply isn't working for them" and that "queue times for these guests have increased".

A new restriction will also apply at Chessington World of Adventures and Windsor Legoland, as part of a trial to reduce the number of people who get access to the pass.

Neurodiverse people can become overwhelmed or distressed when surrounded by large numbers of people, which can bring on sensory overload or panic attacks.

Up until now, people who have a "difficulty with crowds" have qualified for the ride access pass, but only those with "difficulty standing," "level access" or "urgent toilet needs" will do so during the half-term trial.

Others will have to queue as normal.
Merlin says it offers support to people with difficulty with crowds through "a range of reasonable adjustments".

Henry Shelford, chief executive of the ADHD UK charity, said "a group of people will be excluded because of this lack of accommodation".

"It's different from a child just not being happy about it, because no one likes queuing," he said.

"When a kid has ADHD, their energy and their focus makes [queuing] just impossible.

"As an adult with ADHD, I can tell you there's a whole lot of stuff I haven't done because I can't face the queuing.

"I have a need to move all the time, and being penned in in that way is very difficult for me as an adult. And it's near impossible for children and others."

All visitors to Alton Towers can opt to purchase a "Fastrack" pass to skip the queues, but these start at an extra £35 on top of the ticket price.

The change follows an update by the disability access card provider Nimbus, which is recognised by many attractions and events.

Nimbus has split its former "standing and queuing" card section into two separate symbols: "difficulty standing" (a physical need) and "difficulty with crowds" (often linked to neurodivergence or anxiety).

During half‑term, Merlin says new eligibility for the ride access pass is being trialled.

Those whose Nimbus card shows only the "difficulty with crowds" icon will be asked to visit guest services for personalised support instead.

The approach will be reviewed after February before the theme park opens fully in March.

Jonathan and Cheryl Willis contacted BBC Your Voice when they heard about the changes to the ride access pass for half-term.

They had tickets to go with their son Joshua, who has autism, but say there is no way he will be able to join the main queues.

"It's his special place," Cheryl said.

"He has a special interest in rollercoasters - he's going to be absolutely devastated if he can't go."

Five-year-old Joshua also has mobility issues, but after the changes to the Nimbus card scheme, his parents said he had only been allocated the "difficulty with crowds" icon on his card.

Cheryl said not being able to take her son to Alton Towers would be particularly difficult as he is not currently in nursery or school, and otherwise struggles to leave the house.

"He's learning to be out and about in the world," she said.

"They don't understand how massive a problem this is causing to people like us."

Rob Smith, chief operating officer at Merlin Entertainments, said growing demand had led to issues for people using the passes, but recognised the suggested eligibility changes had "raised concerns for some guests".

"Our commitment to supporting neurodiverse guests and those with mental health needs remains," he said.

"We are listening carefully to this feedback and are committed to keeping this approach under review ahead of our main season openings in March.

"We remain deeply committed to creating inclusive experiences and ensuring all guests feel supported when visiting our attractions."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2gwgj4xreo

[Crimson Dynamo]

[arista]

[ to remove disability pass for people with ADHD and anxiety]

This is logical, Ben


Yes, go back 20 years and none of this in public.

[Glenn.]

Theyve backtracked

Merlin Entertainments has backtracked on its controversial plan to tighten access to its disability queuing system at its theme parks following strong criticism from people with autism, ADHD and anxiety.

The company had planned to introduce new eligibility rules for its Ride Access Pass (RAP), which provides a non-queueing option for people unable to stand in long lines.

Under the plan, visitors to places like Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures and Legoland Windsor this half-term who only had "difficulty with crowds" would no longer have qualified.
Merlin said it had "listened carefully to the extensive feedback" and decided to "pause the trial while we explore alternative options".

'They've told us loud and clear'

The theme park owner addressed those people "impacted" by their previous announcement, saying: "We are sorry."

The move sparked widespread upset among adults with autism, ADHD and anxiety and families of neurodivergent children - who said the changes risked shutting many people out of a system they rely on.

More than 25,000 people signed an online petition urging the company to reverse the plan.

Merlin announced on Thursday that it will not go ahead with the trial following "extensive feedback".

Rob Smith, the company's chief operating officer, said the company had heard from many RAP users who felt the proposed changes would worsen accessibility rather than improve it.

"Whenever we make changes to the Ride Access Pass, it's because we genuinely want to improve the experience for guests who rely on it," he said.

"They've told us loud and clear that the current system isn't working."

Smith said the need to change the disability queuing system remained because the Ride Access Pass was "under huge pressure", but that the company believed it was "important to take the time to fully reflect" on the feedback.

He added: "For those who were impacted by our recent announcement, we are sorry."

With more and more people claiming the pass, some disabled visitors were facing longer waits than the main queue, which the company said was "not the experience we want for anyone".

Merlin said it will now launch a broader consultation with disabled guests, accessibility specialists and other operators across the attractions industry.

What sparked the backlash?
Last week, BBC News revealed that Alton Towers planned to stop automatically granting its disability queuing pass to some guests with autism, ADHD, anxiety and other non-physical disabilities, if their Nimbus access pass only indicated they struggled being in crowds.

Many families contacted BBC Your Voice to express their frustration and to say that it would stop them from taking their neurodivergent children to the Merlin theme parks they loved.
Some described the proposed system as "unworkable", while charities warned it risked creating new barriers in an already difficult environment.

The now-aborted plan followed an update by the disability access card provider Nimbus Disability which Merlin uses to verify additional needs.

Nimbus has split its former "standing and queuing" card section into two separate symbols: "difficulty standing" (a physical need) and "difficulty with crowds" (often linked to neurodivergence or anxiety).

Nimbus Disability Managing director Martin Austin said: "We developed the Access Card in response to frustrations shared by disabled people and venues about how disability was evidenced.

"Merlin has been considering how these criteria relate to its Ride Access Pass... Accessibility is constantly evolving and improving, and we welcome Merlin's willingness to listen to feedback."

Nimbus said it remained in "close dialogue" with Merlin and the wider industry about how its system might best support both disabled guests and operators.

The British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers & Attractions (BALPPA) said that pressure on accessibility systems went beyond the parks owned by Merlin.

"British attractions have made significant progress with accessibility, but are facing operational challenges with increasing demand from guests," BALPPA chief executive Paul Kelly said.

"We support Nimbus's continued efforts... Their input will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our approach."

What happens now?
Merlin will continue using its existing RAP criteria, including acceptance of the Access Card "crowd" symbol as it currently operates.
A video message from Smith has been issued to visitors explaining the decision.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

Theyve backtracked

I do wonder how these corporate bastards will still try to squeeze every penny out of it's customers.

They thought that were going to get away with targeting the disabled, but they're going to move to a Plan B.

[Livia]

If people have a fear of crowds, wtf are they doing at Alton Towers? I'm all for disabled people cutting the queue but it seems quite fluid as to what qualifies people to jump the queue.

[Glenn.]

Access passes usually require documentation or verification through a third-party system, so it is not as fluid or casual as you are making out. Conditions like autism or severe anxiety can make long, crowded queues genuinely overwhelming, even if someone still wants to enjoy a theme park day out. Those two things are not contradictory.

The system is about accessibility, not convenience. The goal is to give people a comparable experience, not a better one.