Drayton Manor Resort, a major UK theme park in Tamworth, Staffordshire, has introduced a 10-ride limit on its Easy Access Pass, which allows guests with disabilities, neurodiversity, and mental health conditions to skip ride queues. The change affects customers with ADHD, autism, and anxiety.
New Cap on Queue-Jump Passes
The park stated that the cap is necessary to keep the pass "remaining effective and available to the guests who need it most." A spokesman told GB News that Drayton Manor trialled various systems over recent years, including wristbands and different processes for peak and off-peak times.
"Over the last few years, we have trialled a number of different processes to ensure that the service works well for those visitors, which included both cards and wristbands, as well as peak and off-peak variations," the spokesman said.
Rise in Registrations Led to Change
The park removed the ride cap for the Easy Access pass in 2023. However, over the last three years, a significant rise in the number of guests registering for the service placed additional pressure on queue times. To ensure everyone can experience the park, the ride limit was reintroduced earlier this year.
"This number reflects what a guest could typically expect to experience during a day at the park using standard queuing and is based on the footfall in the park each day," the spokesman added. "We continually review our accessibility offering to ensure that it works for all our guests."
Similar Policy at Alton Towers
A similar scheme was introduced at Alton Towers Resort, where customers with ADHD, autism, and anxiety could no longer use the ride access pass. Alton Towers later reversed that policy but is expected to announce a new policy this summer due to "the need for change." Critics argue that the pass is being abused as a "lifestyle perk" rather than being used for those with physical disabilities and invisible disabilities like epilepsy.
