Changes to Special Access Policy

ATTENTION: We have modified our policies, practices and procedures to provide accommodations for guests with mobility restrictions.

The guest with a mobility restriction and one riding companion may enter the ride after the remainder of the party waits in line.

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/rides/special_access.cfm

For anyone that didn't know, before it 

was up to 5 people could get a boarding time 

and not wait in line. They would then all go up the 

exit together.

That's... odd. To me, it negatively impacts those who require special access (forcing larger groups to split up), and really doesn't positively impact anyone else. So, why make such a change?

It may cause some complaints on the part of those using the system, but will likely reduce complaints on the part of others. More importantly, it should help to cut down on abuse of the system.

One thing people don't realize is that when it comes to offerings (Freeway, Special Access, refunds for vending machine malfunctions, etc), the park tends to give guests the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, people abuse these privileges and the park cracks down, and it has an negative impact on all.

I went to Disney a few years ago, and they let the entire party enter through the exit. Sometimes the regular line was held up for quite some time due to loading people with wheel chairs. I think having people wait in the regular line and loading the special access when the people in the regular line gets to the front will be "fair" for everyone. Even though I do not see this as a big problem at Cedar Point.

First off djDaemon Red wing? GO PENS and second at kennywood i noticed that the special needs or handicaped people, and their group abuse it i watched a family ride the steel phantom like 4 times in a row when they were running two cars so every other ridethey were on it, it was very annoying

When a special access comes up the entrance, we have to ask someone to wait another train to let the special access ride. Now that only two people can ride, we dont have to ask the whole train to wait. It was getting rediculous. and lastly GO WINGS...PENS BLOW

No actually leaves blow haha

Although this is just my opinion I feel that this is a step in the right direction for fairness for all. I can say at Mummy down here in Florida we send all wheelchair parties through the que until they get to the steps at which point they are sent to the elevator. No disabled groups go through express unless they have an express pass issued special to them at guest services. I will say this system raises complaints at times, but it keeps the abuses down in the sad world we live in today where people search for ways to "beat" the system.

I think Univrsal has a good system. It is fair. Cedar Points special access was getting bad. They would bring a whole gang of people to ride the roller coasters. It just created longer waits for the people who actually waited in line. Cedar Point also gives these passes to everyone that requests them. I could get a cut and probably get one if I wanted too.

In all fairness though, very few, if any, of Cedar Point's queues can accommodate wheel chairs. And no one who doesn't have a Special Access book is able to utilize the privileges of the Special Access program.

I can already tell you what the problem with this change is going to be. The group is going to insist on riding together, so, you'll have the Special Access waiting at the (unload) platform for far longer than they should be because they're waiting for the rest of their party. Now, I know someone's going to look at this and say, "well, if they have a cell phone, walkie-talkie, etc., they can just notify the people when they're getting near the platform." And while this seems obvious, believe me, people won't have a clue. They're too concerned about riding together, and figure there's no reason for them not to wait at the platform, when, in reality, there are many reasons they shouldn't be waiting there.

JPS said:
It just createdlonger waits for the people who actually waited in line.

You're missing the entire point of the system to begin with. The people do wait like everyone else, just not in the line. Sometimes they wait longer if the line is moving faster than is estimated. Whether they're waiting out of line, or waiting in front of you, they're still riding before you. What's the difference to you?

JPS said:
Cedar Pointalso gives these passes to everyone that requests them. I could get acut and probably get one if I wanted too.

Right, and it's statements like that, and people with those thoughts who wreck the system for everyone.

I know I've talked about this before. I have a sister with Downs Syndrome. She loves rollercoasters, but does have difficulty standing for long periods of time, and legitimately so. We'd be an obvious candidate for the system, however, we've never taken advantage of it, because we know that there are people in worse condition than us who need it more. Unfortunately, others don't realize it, and because the park can't discriminate as to whether your claim to a mobility or disability is legitimate, they must give you one. And it's those people who have taken advantage of the system that have prompted changes such as this.

If they wanted to ride together, they would all get to the platform at the same time no matter what. There wouldn't be any waiting "far longer than they should" because if they were together they would get there all at the same time. I agree with the change because I think that it was getting out of hand.

No, what I'm saying is that the 2 members of the party with the Special Access will want to wait and ride with the rest of their group, who will all have to wait in line. The effect is having these people wait far longer on the platform waiting for the rest of their party to reach the platform so they can all ride together. Believe me, that's the way it happens, even if to you and I it makes sense for them to wait on the midway like they should.

The system isn't perfect. If the line's about 45 minutes long, 45 minutes gets put in the Special Access book. But, if the line's moving fast, the part of the party waiting in line might reach the platform in 35 minutes. Now what do you do? In either case, you wind up with people waiting on the platform. The new system will help prevent abuse, overuse and minimize complaints from guests in the general line, but it will add crowding and hassle in its own way. It's easier to keep the party as a whole and let them ride, than to split them up and try to get them back together. It's really neither here nor there. It is what it is. Both ways have their positives and negatives.

The only real way to make it perfectly fair... okay it will never be perfectly fair, but in order for it to be as fair as possible, the entire queue line needs to be completely wheelchair accessible all the way from the entrance to the platform. Everyone waits through the line.

Hell, after working at Disney at Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, this wasn't even good enough for a lot of people. I would get screamed at because someone told them that they wouldn't have to wait in any lines. No. "You mean we can't even just use the Fastpass line?" Nope. Standby. (Continue smiling). There is no system that will make everybody happy.

I, as a ride host, am happy with the new policy. One of my least favorite parts of the job has always been having to tell people that they need to wait "just one more train". It's never too bad when it's just two seats that I'm having to save, but when the special access group of five came up (or sometimes more because they knew that if they complained enough, we'd usually give in) and three whole rows needed to be saved, it got out of hand. I hated being the one to have to choose which group(s) I was going to have to inconvenience, because believe me, I've been there plenty of times myself. I think that it will drastically reduce the number of guests abusing the passes. Once the group of five "fakers" realize that they're going to be split up all day, they'll abandon the whole idea.

On the other side, as a special access guest, I do feel sorry for the group of five that are playing by the rules, and the family of five that has a young child with a broken leg. It kind of sucks for them. It might coax a few of them to just go ahead and use the regular line for some of the rides with shorter waits, if they're able to walk.

I guess I'll find out soon enough if I really like it or not.

CRISKO8 said:
First off djDaemon, Red wings? GO PENS, and second at Kennywood, I noticed that the special needs people and their group abuse it. I watched a family ride the steel phantom 4 times in a row while running two trains. Every other ride they were on, and it was very annoying

I'm sorry, I HAD to correct your grammar at least to a viewable degree.

Kennywood, why fret, most of the time the line is under 30 min. (except the 2000 season) They've been hitting excellent timing last year, even with my ex working on their team, ha. It must be their new system or programming used to operate the ride. 4 Times? Man-o-man. I can see twice, but 4 times?

southpuddle said:
The only real way to make it perfectly fair...

Sorry to break it to you, but life never has been, is not and never will be fair.
Someone will always be screwed, and I say that the guy who is screwed the other 364 days of the year gets the benefit of the doubt while at an amusement park.
If people have a problem waiting one extra train so that someone who is recovering from an injury or has a handicap is allowed to ride with their friends, they are more than free to leave the park (planet?) and never come back. They won't be missed.

^ Note the rest of my sentence. I guess the only way to actually make it 100% completely fair is for CP to cure all of its special access guests upon entry to the park. Aah, who am I kidding? Some guests would still complain :D

There is no way to make it completely fair though.

The best bet is that anyone who gets caught abusing the system (i.e. they are found later in the day finding God and getting up out of their wheel chair to dance) is issued a lifetime ban from the park, and their picture posted at all the gates.

It will only take one or two such bannings for the word to spread that this is a bad idea. Although, enforcement would have to be a bit better than the ban on smoking anywhere but in designated areas.

Exactly, John. There's two scenarios, as I see it:

1. The old policy - the entire group of, lets say, 4 people go to Maverick, get a boarding time 2 hours from now. That group goes and rides whatever, presumably a ride that they previously visited and obtained a ride time from. Those 4 people return in 2 hours, displace 4 people by one train. And that's it.
   Number of people inconvenienced: 4
2. The new policy - the group has to split up and 2 of them must get in line for Maverick. The remaining two have to find something with little or no wait, or simply walk around the park doing non-major ride stuff. When its time to board Maverick, they have to go up the exit ramp, join the others in their group (who, as Doug pointed out, were probably waiting on the platform already) and board.
   Number of people inconvenienced: 4

So, if the same amount of people are inconvenienced, why not make it the 4 that aren't handicapped? I mean, quite obviously, the handicapped group is already inconvenienced by the handicap for crying out loud! CP is simply making their day that much less convenient, while making the experience only marginally better for the non-handicapped visitors.

To me, this is a pretty terrible policy change for those that are handicapped, regardless of whatever abuse the system was subject to.

DJ - In scenario 1, you are only allowed to have one ride "active" on your special access pass. So while they could go ride Scrambler or Troika or catch a show while waiting, they could not go up the exit for another ride with a wait.

DJ, Well put.

If there's a real problem with re-rides, skipping the line and what not, it's with the VIP Program. They're the ones really affecting the ride line, but I don't see any complaints about that, and it likely won't change considering the nearly pure profit it provides.