Colossus at Thorpe ParkDid you know…
…that someone with Type 1 Diabetes can avoid queueing for ages at some theme parks?
Fast tracking rides at Alton Towers
A couple of days ago I blogged about how to get a ‘special access’ ride pass at Alton Towers for people with Type 1 Diabetes.
That article has quite simply broken all records with regards to views, it’s been so popular, so it’s obviously a subject dear to many peoples hearts.
That’s fine but I want to go to a different theme park
From responses to that blog and elsewhere I’ve decided to write another article to include some other theme parks.
I’ll list a few of the other theme parks people have mentioned, here in this article.
Please note that I’ve not tried these myself (yet!) so please just this information as a pointer and check out the park’s own web site for the current situation.
If you feel any of the information is wrong or if you know of any other theme parks let me know too.
But first…FREE TICKETS…(for kids)!
Merlin, who own several UK theme parks (Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Chessington), has set up the Merlin’s Magic Wand charity to put “the magic back into the childhoods of seriously ill, disabled and disadvantaged children”.
In simple terms you apply for tickets and if you’re lucky you get some.
This is a great idea but to be honest I’ll never apply as I’d prefer all available tickets to be used by people from families who can’t afford to take their kids to theme parks occasionally. I can, so we won’t apply.
Offical web site: http://www.merlinsmagicwand.org
Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England
It’s all detailed here but in summary:
Name of offer: Special access ride pass
Number of people: eligible person + 3 carers – although you can get away with at least one more
Offical web site: Alton Towers
Chessington World of Adventures
I would presume that being owned by Merlin (as is Alton Towers) that Chessington’s ride access pass would be similar but details seem sketchy and I’ve not heard of anyone trying it.
It seems though that cheaper entry tickets may be able to be obtained you will pay the full rate for your Park entry ticket; also one helper will be admitted free of charge and one at a concessionary rate, providing the second is required to assist you on to specific rides and attractions.
However they state that you must apply online, at least 24 hours before visiting the park and take photographic identification too when they visit.
Name of offer: Ride access pass
Number of people: (seems to be) eligible person and 1 carer (for people with type 1 diabetes)
Official web site: http://www.chessington.com/
Legoland Windsor Resort, Berkshire, England
Someone told me that they did something similar at Legoland a couple of weeks ago saying “it really made a difference to our day”.
I presume that this was using Legoland’s ‘Ride Access Pass‘ which allows an eligible person and three others to avoid queues for up to 10 rides during their visit.
Name of offer: Ride Access Pass
Number of people: eligible person and three carers.
Official web site http://www.legoland.co.uk/
Thorpe Park, Surrey, England
Thorpe Park is also owned by Merlin yet their offer is not as good, only allowing 1 helper, not 3. This must make it pretty tricky for families with just one parent as the helper has to be 14 or over.
Name of offer: Ride access pass
Number of people: eligible person and 1 helper
Official web site: http://www.thorpepark.com/
..and further afield…
Disneyworld, Florida
Angela from Texas let me know that her daughter went to Florida on a school trip and managed to get a fast pass.
Here’s what she wrote:
Re Disney, my eldest has just been to Florida on her school trip. I emailed prior to her going, gave the booking details etc and got a reply from customer relations which I printed off and gave to her.
On her first day, inside the first park she went to the customer service/assistance desk and showed them her pump. They gave her a customer assistance card with her name on + 3 others. This card could be used in any of the theme parks at Disney.
It didn’t put her right at the front, but it let her use the ‘assistance required access, which was a quarter of the waiting time..she regularly passed teachers and school mates standing in the long queues!!
Importantly she also added:
diabetes is quickly being removed as a reason for these passes, as they do not consider it a reason good enough. The best way to go is to mention that you are insulin dependent, and as such find if difficult to stand in queues without food etc which may result in a possible seizures.. Seizure is a good word that they don’t like!
my child would love to come there, he has type 1 diabetes and he would love to do something with his sisters or he would not have to stop and sit down wishes that he was just like them but he’s there big brother and they think nothing different about him hey tell him the other you’re just like me you’re not difference
We go to thorpe park a lot and my t1 son goes to guests services and they give him the disabled acces pass plus FOUR friends. Also if you buy a merlin Annual pass you get a carer annual pass which can be used by anyone over 16. So he can take a different friend each time x
Our son has had diabetes for the last 12 years and it is only now I have found out that a carer can get in either free or reduced rate and now entry on the rides via the disabled entrance.