Theme parks and T1

[Matt Cycle]

For years whenever we've attended theme parks my kids have always told me as a T1 I can get a 'disabled' pass to jump the queue on rides as on school visits some of their T1 friends have done this. I've said I'm not disabled and we'll queue like everyone else. The small print in the disability section of the Alton Towers website mentions you need a letter from a medical professional stating why you can't queue and includes conditions such as T1 and T2 diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, ADHD etc, etc.

T1D by itself shouldn't stop people queuing but apparently the electro magnets used on some rides may affect pumps. Wouldn't this affect things like pacemakers or not critical things like phones and watches? What about where the rides pass over walkways? I've never seen any warnings on any rides about this. I found a bit about this on the internet but it didn't appear conclusive with some people stating they didn't know about it and had been fine. With Alton Towers being just down the road I took my two children there yesterday for a day out and it's the first time with the pump and not having a 'disabled' pass and not wishing to miss out I went on the rides and......nothing happened to me or the pump. Had a cracking time though - The Smiler (saw a girl a few in front with an omnipod), Oblivion, Nemesis, Spinball Whizzer, Rita and Th13teen (twice - we were the last on and they sent the ride round twice)! Anyway, I can therefore officially declare it a load of b*llocks and get in the queue like everyone else.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I wouldn’t do it either - but then I’m not a big theme park person so it’s very unlikely to ever come up. I’ve seen people stating various reasons (and perhaps there are those with T1 it T2 for whom there are genuine reasons - eg complications or other hidden factors), but mostly it just seems like people were treating it as a bit of a perk. Life with T1 as a kid must be pretty rough, so I guess some choose to take benefits where they exist to offset all the rubbish?

 

[Thebearcametoo]

I’ve not heard about it for rides. We get DLA at mid rate for our daughter which means we can get a carers free entry to places as she’s not able to manage her diabetes herself but a lot of attractions do lots of deals for free tickets anyway if you keep an eye on cereal packets and the like so I don’t think we’ve ever been anywhere where paid full entry for everyone.

 

[Matt Cycle]

I wouldn’t do it either - but then I’m not a big theme park person so it’s very unlikely to ever come up. I’ve seen people stating various reasons (and perhaps there are those with T1 it T2 for whom there are genuine reasons - eg complications or other hidden factors), but mostly it just seems like people were treating it as a bit of a perk. Life with T1 as a kid must be pretty rough, so I guess some choose to take benefits where they exist to offset all the rubbish?

I can completely understand why children/people do it Mike but it should be based on evidence. It might be, I don't know but it's not very clear from anything I've seen and the parks don't state anything obvious. Yes, T1 is rubbish but that's how it is. As Quentin Valognes said it only chooses the best. You have to work with it. Also I think it gives out the wrong impression in that people with T1 are 'disabled' (yes, under employment law we are, but... we're not really, are we?) Either we're saying that people with T1 can do anything or they can't. Schoolkids are future employers and may think oh yeah, I remember, T1D they can't do certain things.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I can completely understand why children/people do it Mike but it should be based on evidence. It might be, I don't know but it's not very clear from anything I've seen and the parks don't state anything obvious. Yes, T1 is rubbish but that's how it is. As Quentin Valognes said it only chooses the best. You have to work with it. Also I think it gives out the wrong impression in that people with T1 are 'disabled' (yes, under employment law we are, but... we're not really, are we?) Either we're saying that people with T1 can do anything or they can't. Schoolkids are future employers and may think oh yeah, I remember, T1D they can't do certain things.

Well that’s a whole different conversation really. Personally I am pleased about the protection under employment law and discrimination that comes with diabetes being recognised as a significant challenge (or disability as thnhey term it) that requires schools, employers, businesses and places to make ‘reasonable adjustments’. Then I can choose whether I need to take advantage of them. Rather than being excluded from stuff / jobs / hotels / airlines and having no comeback or ability to ensure equitable access. 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

I’ve not heard about it for rides. We get DLA at mid rate for our daughter which means we can get a carers free entry to places as she’s not able to manage her diabetes herself but a lot of attractions do lots of deals for free tickets anyway if you keep an eye on cereal packets and the like so I don’t think we’ve ever been anywhere where paid full entry for everyone.

Yes, prices are extortionate but I didn't see anyone paying full price. Kelloggs vouchers, Cadbury vouchers, Tesco clubcard points. There was a lady handing out Kelloggs vouchers in the queue to get tickets but no-one took her up on the offer as we all had our own vouchers.

 

[Sally71]

When my daughter got her first pump nearly 7 years ago we were told categorically that the electromagnetics in roller coasters would damage the pump. We were told by DSNs, whether there was a Roche pump rep included in the conversation I can't remember. Yes you could take the pump off before you queue for the ride, but as some of the queues are 3 hours long that makes it a bit tricky. Hence the disabled pass. We were so new to diabetes and pumping that we didn't question it, and also didn't want to risk anything which might damage daughter's life-giving machine! We did Alton Towers once (they only allow you on the big rides once every half an hour even with the pass, to make it a bit fairer for the people who do have to queue) and Eurodisney once with a disabled pass, daughter however decided after that that she didn't like roller coasters anyway so it isn't an issue for us any more. I agree that otherwise there is no reason that T1s shouldn't queue with everyone else.

At school she has a medical room pass and a canteen queue jump pass, she does use those to her advantage but then there would be a high chance of a hypo if she did her insulin bolus and then got stuck at the back of a long queue, and I'm not sure if people would like her pricking her finger at the table; and really she would much rather be able to queue with her friends and not have special advantages, but of course a cure isn't going to happen in the next few years!