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Merlin Digital Ride Access Pass - Paper Based Alternative

SocialistAutistic

Hi

As a person with Autism and ADHD I have some issues with anxiety and using mobile phones; where possible I try to not use them when I do not have to.

I visited Thorpe Park on 6th August 2026 with my 17year old son who also has a diagnosis of Autism.

We applied in advance for a Merlin Digital Access Pass, uploading our diagnosis and PIP eligibility statements and they promptly issued us with our passes, stating in their email:

"We have identified that you need support under the following categories:

Difficulty Standing
Difficulty with Crowds"

I bought tickets in advance for myself and my son and on the day we went to the guest services centre and politely asked if we could have a paper based Ride Access Pass, showing them our emails from Merson with a our allocated Digital Access Passes.

They not only refused to give us one, stating that all guests must now use the new phone app digital Ride Access Pass, but also pointed to a list of disabilities on the wall, in front of everyone, as asked us which of those we had!  We explained we found this difficult and even asked to speak to the manager, but they flatly refused.

We then wasted half a day trying to get access to the RAP app and our phone battery then ran out at 4.30 and we had to leave.

I wrote a letter of complaint to them, but after several replies, they still maintain that everyone must use the new digital RAP unless they receive a prior application and also offered no compensation for the half day wasted.

Has anyone else had any issues/problems with these new digital RAP, or managed to get an alternative paper based pass on their visits to Merlin Theme Parks?

I seems to me that they should offer a paper based pass as a reasonable alternate adjustment under the 2010 Equality Act, as not everyone likes to use a mobile phone, or has one, or what happens if the internet is down and batteries fail?

Thank you...

Parents

  • I would imagine the insistence on using the app is to do with people using fraudulent printed copies. Unfortunately, those that do wrong ruin it for everyone. 

    There is no excuse for publicly asking you what disability you have though. That is very poor customer service. I'm surprised you were refused the opportunity to speak to a manager, usually employees are glad to be able to hand over the issue. I would be sending an email of complaint myself but I understand that may cause you more anxiety. I see that you sent a letter about not being able to use the digital pass but did you specifically complain about the way you were treated? For me that is the greater issue. The employee following the company rules with regards to the pass is very different to potentially humiliating people.

    There does need to be a way of having an alternative to digital, you are right. They just need to find a way to do that people can't just copy fraudulently. You'd think there could be something that you could collect once there so they know you haven't just created and printed it yourself. It is an interesting point about internet and batteries and must cause people issues.

  • in reply to Expecto_Patronum

    The manager did come out to talk to us, but she was very much like a robot quoting company policy, which wasted even more of our time.  I wrote a letter of complaint and had about three or four backwards exchanges, where all they did was offer a half hearted apology for us feeling humiliated by their staff asking us what disability we had from the list on the wall and saying how they would feed my complaint into their training programme, but they refused any compensation or promise of any reasonable alternative to the phone app RAP.

    I have now opened a case with the Equality Advisory Support Service, so we will see if they can help?

Reply
  • in reply to Expecto_Patronum

    The manager did come out to talk to us, but she was very much like a robot quoting company policy, which wasted even more of our time.  I wrote a letter of complaint and had about three or four backwards exchanges, where all they did was offer a half hearted apology for us feeling humiliated by their staff asking us what disability we had from the list on the wall and saying how they would feed my complaint into their training programme, but they refused any compensation or promise of any reasonable alternative to the phone app RAP.

    I have now opened a case with the Equality Advisory Support Service, so we will see if they can help?

Children
  • in reply to SocialistAutistic

    I imagine even for the manager at Thorpe Park, they will just have instructions from Merlin as to what they can allow. So I reckon it is probably Merlin themselves you would need to argue that out with. Think they should have given you some compensation for the upset though, even if it was with the understanding that they wouldn't be able to allow a paper copy in the future either because of the policy they have to follow. Just common courtesy to me.

    I hope the equality service can help.