When Lisa Masarati gifted her autistic, non-verbal son Zac Merlin Annual Passes for Christmas, she imagined a half-term filled with laughter and the familiar comfort of Chessington World of Adventures. But this February, the Masarati family and many others found themselves at the heart of a new debate over accessibility in the UK’s largest theme parks. Merlin Entertainments, the company behind beloved destinations like Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, and Chessington, launched a trial that quietly changed the rules for who can skip the long lines—a move that’s left many families feeling blindsided and excluded.
For years, Merlin’s Ride Access Pass (RAP) has been a lifeline for guests who struggle with traditional queues due to disabilities or medical conditions. The system, free of charge, replaced the stress of waiting in crowded lines with a virtual queue: guests would log on, wait out their turn elsewhere, and return when it was time to ride. As Lisa explained to SurreyLive, “What we used to be able to do is use the ride access pass which was like a virtual queue. We still had to wait… If the wait is an hour long, you log on to the access pass, and then you come back in an hour. You just don’t have to wait in the queue which is obviously restrictive.”
But this February half-term, Merlin Entertainments, in partnership with Nimbus—the third-party provider of the UK’s Access Card for people with disabilities—rolled out a new eligibility trial that has altered the landscape for many families. The crux of the change lies in the way disabilities are categorized. Nimbus previously issued a single “Standing and Queuing” symbol for those who needed the RAP, a broad category that included people with mobility issues as well as those with hidden disabilities like autism, ADHD, or anxiety. Now, that symbol has been split into two: “Difficulty Standing” and “Difficulty with Crowds.”
During the February trial, only guests whose Nimbus cards display “Difficulty Standing,” “Level Access,” or “Urgent Toilet Needs” are eligible for the RAP. Those with just the “Difficulty with Crowds” symbol—often neurodivergent guests—are no longer automatically entitled to the pass. According to SurreyLive, this means Zac, who is autistic and non-verbal, would be excluded from the RAP system for the first time. Lisa shared her heartbreak: “I won’t be able to visit with him at half term because he won’t be able to cope with it. That is discriminating against him really because those access arrangements which enabled him to participate and removed some of the barriers of his disability are now not in place.”
For Zac, the ride access pass isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity. “He doesn’t understand what a queue is essentially because of his disability, he doesn’t have a sense of time. He does have sensory processing needs, so the physical restrictiveness of the queue is difficult and uncomfortable for him,” Lisa explained. The RAP allowed Zac to enjoy the rides he loves without the distressing experience of crowded, noisy, and sometimes frightening queues.
Lisa’s frustration is echoed by other families across the UK. As Daily Mail reported, the new system means many people with hidden disabilities—those who may appear able-bodied but face significant challenges in crowds—are now left to navigate the busy lines with everyone else. The change, introduced suddenly and without much warning, has left many existing RAP holders in limbo. Alton Towers’ website acknowledges, “Guests whose Nimbus Access Card does not display any of the three accepted symbols currently being trialled but does show the Difficulty with Crowds symbol can visit Guest Services during this initial period for support with their visit.”
Merlin Entertainments has tried to soften the blow by offering alternative support: pre-arrival information, sensory rooms, quiet spaces, and essential companion tickets. According to Daily Mail, resources like ride evacuation videos, flashcards, and communication cards are now available to help guests plan their visits. But for many, these adjustments fall short of replacing the RAP. As Lisa put it, “We’re limited with where we can go with him, you know, there’s not that many places that he can enjoy because of his disability… theme parks are something that’s a real enjoyment to him.”
Rob Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Merlin Entertainments, addressed the controversy in statements to both SurreyLive and Daily Mail. He acknowledged the growing pains of the RAP system: “Our guests with additional accessibility needs have increasingly told us that the Ride Access Pass simply isn’t working for them, particularly as demand has grown and queue times for these guests have increased. We have listened to this feedback and have been looking at how we can improve the system and find a solution that is in the best interests of all guests.”
Smith emphasized that the changes, including a new digital app and a transparent availability calendar, are meant to improve clarity and help families plan with confidence. “We are also trialling a refined eligibility criterion during the brief opening period of February half term; however, we recognise this has raised concerns for some guests. Our commitment to supporting neurodiverse guests and those with mental health needs remains. We are listening carefully to this feedback and are committed to keeping this approach under review ahead of our main season openings in March.”
For now, the policy remains a trial, and Merlin has promised to review the impact after the February half-term, taking guest feedback into account. Alton Towers, for example, states on its website that it will “review both how the new RAP app is operating and the operational and guest impact of the refined eligibility criterion trialled during this period. This will be considered alongside feedback from guests, to inform the approach we take ahead of our main season openings in March.”
Still, for families like the Masaratis, the uncertainty is deeply personal. Lisa described the emotional toll: “I did have a little cry. We’re limited with where we can go with him… It’s just really upsetting because he won’t understand why he can’t go there. He’ll probably be asking me to go there and I just feel heartbroken for him.”
As Merlin Entertainments weighs its next steps, the debate over accessibility in public spaces is again front and center. The company’s trial may be temporary, but for many, the stakes are anything but. The coming months will reveal whether Merlin’s efforts to balance fairness, demand, and inclusion can truly deliver on their promise of fun for all.