Equal Access Pass (EAP)

[UnclePennybags]

My brother can walk, but he has weak legs. I've read the SFGAm ADA Guide and am questioning the ease of getting a wheelchair to the ride stations. Except for Whizzer, the guide states that to use an EAP on any of the coasters, the guest should proceed up the exit ramp to the station. However, I found a YouTube video for Viper's exit ramp and it looked like a slaughterhouse chute: long and narrow to keep the cattle moving in one direction. Viper's exit ramp didn't look wide enough to handle wheelchairs moving in the opposite direction of the guests leaving the ride.

Opinions? Has anyone seen wheelchairs in the exit ramps? Where do they get parked when the guest is on the ramp?

[Brewersdawg828]

Yeah with the exception of the old camera hut, here isn't a lot of passing room on the exit ramp for viper even for to people to walk past eachother
There was one time when a guy in a wheelchair was coming through the exit and the chair takes up almost the entire lane and you can't pass by unless you climb the fences so I got people to turn around and wait for them to pass by the camera hut

[CoasterCale]

I'm not sure if it's possible but try to minimize the use of the chair. Batman's exit is most annoying to get a chair up as it's nary and cuts back on itself many times. It's troublesome walking up the exits, nonetheless taking a chair up. I guess all I can say is good luck.

[UnclePennybags]

It's good that SFGAm is mostly in compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (some older rides are grandfathered and don't need to comply). I am concerned that the Viper and American Eagle exit ramps are too long of a hike for my brother to walk. It occurred to me that if Six Flags can't make the ramps wider, it would be nice if they were to insert exit ramp bump-outs every 100 feet that would allow wheelchairs to race ahead to each bump-out, pull over, then let people pass. Wash, rinse, repeat until you get to the station. I think I'll put this idea in their suggestion box when we go to the park. Does Six Flags have a suggestion box?

[Guy_With_A_Stick]

^ I don't think so, but a nice written letter might do the trick. I wrote to the park a few years ago about the lack of options for side dishes, and I think I helped make an impact, as salads, fruit cups, and chips are all new options at many food locations that had limited sides. So writing a letter that has a very short story of a troubling visit regarding the problem, they might do something about it.

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[UnclePennybags]

Cool. I'm sure we'll still have a good trip to the park, but it won't hurt to also provide Six Flags with feedback on our experience with the EAP. Offering up a solution to mitigate this issue, especially if considered reasonable, might lead them to improve the overall experience of their guests with special needs.

[Viper 88]

You are most definitely rifht about Viper and AE's lines, Viper is like walking through an endless closet, and AE's by the time you navigate through it (whole thing though I understand you might be going through the exit) is like a block and a half long ifnot 2 blocks, with the switch backs and the stair case. Also if memory serves me even though Raging Bull exits through that store 1 so does Viper and it gets crowded fast and 2 I think there are stairs leading from Bull's platform though unsure if maintenance stairs or employee only.

[UnclePennybags]

My brother and I visited the park on July 15. We used a Platinum Flash Pass to hit Whizzer(x2), Viper, Raging Bull, Giant Drop, Demon, X-Flight, Goliath, and V2. Aside from V2, I just didn't see how a wheelchair could be sent up any of these rides' exit ramps. Technically, I think the park is compliant with the ADA, but in practice, the ramps aren't wide enough to handle bidirectional wheelchair traffic. In the end, we didn't use our EAP; the Flash Pass worked to minimize the amount of time my brother had to be on his legs.

On a side note, I saw plenty of people running around with EAP's that seemed perfectly healthy. After our last ride on V2, the ride operator let three preteen boys board from the line of EAP riders. These kids were so excited, they were racing each other for the best seats on the train, then hopped up into the seats like nothing. They seemed like normal (excited) kids. We had a Flash Pass so we didn't feel like we were being cheated by the EAP, but I wonder if improper use of the EAP could be a problem for the park.

[Guy_With_A_Stick]

^Most teens like to abuse the EAP and say they have ADHD or something tht doesn't affect their physical health whatsoever. One time, and entire School Group got EAPs. I think they should just have it if you are in fact disabled, with a certificate(or whatever), you should get a Flash Pass discount.

[JimPanky]

I agree that is abused but that might not always be the case. If you have ADHD bad waiting in lines would be absolutely torcher.

[anewman35]

Some people definitely abuse EAPs, but I think the park would rather allow that than to try to crack down harder on them and risk somebody suing them or something because they didn't give one to somebody they should have...

[CoasterCale]

That is exactly what they're doing. Disney has money to fend off people and their court cases, SF not so much. Anyways, EAP is nice when you're using it but is a pain for others in standby. (Same goes for Flash Pass)

[Dan The Coaster Man]

I do agree that the disability pass is abused, mostly by the younger population. I mean you could show up in a cast boot and run and ride Superman and never be questioned. It really gets on my nerves, because my cousin has to get the disability pass. He has diabetes, there's no possible way he could wait in a 1 hour line. His sugar could drop any second in the middle of a line with 1,000 people, and it would require us to make a mad scramble to find food ASAP, and he'll turn weak and be slow, he just can't wait in lines. I mean physically, he looks fine. Great, even. not everybody that looks like they are abusing EAP really are. I understand EAP isn't supposed to let you cut the line, but let's be honest, it pretty much does. But when I wait in the EAP line for 30 minutes, that's just simply outrageous. The pass is designed for an alternative board or to not physically wait in line. But yet when I show up at EAP for Superman with about 50 kids CLEARLY without disabilities, it just makes me upset. I mean my cousin can't wait in long lines yet we stood there for 30 minutes in the hot sun, I was worried sick his sugar was gonna plunge. The EAP abusers disgust me, I've even considered showing up to the ride information center in a little finger brace and ask for a EAP pass. With the people I see using the passes, I don't see how I couldn't get one *rolls eyes* rant done.

[RaceBoarder]

I do agree that the disability pass is abused, mostly by the younger population. I mean you could show up in a cast boot and run and ride Superman and never be questioned. It really gets on my nerves, because my cousin has to get the disability pass. He has diabetes, there's no possible way he could wait in a 1 hour line. His sugar could drop any second in the middle of a line with 1,000 people, and it would require us to make a mad scramble to find food ASAP, and he'll turn weak and be slow, he just can't wait in lines. I mean physically, he looks fine. Great, even. not everybody that looks like they are abusing EAP really are. I understand EAP isn't supposed to let you cut the line, but let's be honest, it pretty much does. But when I wait in the EAP line for 30 minutes, that's just simply outrageous. The pass is designed for an alternative board or to not physically wait in line. But yet when I show up at EAP for Superman with about 50 kids CLEARLY without disabilities, it just makes me upset. I mean my cousin can't wait in long lines yet we stood there for 30 minutes in the hot sun, I was worried sick his sugar was gonna plunge. The EAP abusers disgust me, I've even considered showing up to the ride information center in a little finger brace and ask for a EAP pass. With the people I see using the passes, I don't see how I couldn't get one *rolls eyes* rant done.

And here lies the problem... As a fellow Type-1 Diabetic, please don't over exaggerate the problems that diabetes can cause.... Your blood sugar doesn't just go from 125 to 58 out of nowhere... Just monitor your glucose levels regularly and you'll be fine... There are plenty of activities that are more intense than a day at SFGAm that I regularly participate in without issue... Kinda the pot calling the kettle black when you reference abuse of the system, eh?

[anewman35]

I do agree that the disability pass is abused, mostly by the younger population. I mean you could show up in a cast boot and run and ride Superman and never be questioned. It really gets on my nerves, because my cousin has to get the disability pass. He has diabetes, there's no possible way he could wait in a 1 hour line. His sugar could drop any second in the middle of a line with 1,000 people, and it would require us to make a mad scramble to find food ASAP, and he'll turn weak and be slow, he just can't wait in lines. I mean physically, he looks fine. Great, even. not everybody that looks like they are abusing EAP really are. I understand EAP isn't supposed to let you cut the line, but let's be honest, it pretty much does. But when I wait in the EAP line for 30 minutes, that's just simply outrageous. The pass is designed for an alternative board or to not physically wait in line. But yet when I show up at EAP for Superman with about 50 kids CLEARLY without disabilities, it just makes me upset. I mean my cousin can't wait in long lines yet we stood there for 30 minutes in the hot sun, I was worried sick his sugar was gonna plunge. The EAP abusers disgust me, I've even considered showing up to the ride information center in a little finger brace and ask for a EAP pass. With the people I see using the passes, I don't see how I couldn't get one *rolls eyes* rant done.

You say your cousin looks great, but he's disabled and needs a pass. Ok. But you also say that you see people "CLEARLY without disabilities". How do you know? People probably think the same about your cousin.

[Jackluver18]

I have to use the EAP pass each time I go. I have two small tears and tendonitis in my left ankle. I can still walk and run but standing on it puts a lot of pressure on it. If I stand on it for too long, the bone pops out of place. I've had this injury for several years and people accuse me of abusing the pass when they haven't a clue what is wrong. I remember several years ago while waiting in Viper's exit during Fright Fest, I counted 15...15 girls that had "broken" their arm...the same arm nonethless and got an exit pass. If that's not abusing the system I don't know what is. I have also seen people that have crutches and throughout the day, saw the same group of people but another kid using the crutches.

Back in the day, when Shockwave was still around..I remember when they were allowed to ask for a doctors note. That shortly changed I think in either 2003 or 2004 someone either tried to sue or they did sue the park saying it was against the law to ask for proof something was wrong with that person. So there are people that abuse the system and it makes people such as myself angry that they do that. At one point, the EAP used to hold 6 people including the person that needed the pass. That has now since changed because of the abusers. 2 years ago at Superman, my friends and I saw a group of people attempt to get on Superman. They had 2 passes that went from 12 people...to 17 people...oh and they changed the number on the back of the pass which makes it fraudulent. Security got called and they were taken down the ramp...what happened after that I'm not sure but I have seen over the years the ones that abuse the system.

[CoasterDemon]

Some disabilities are invisible. You can not see or detect them, no matter the race, age, gender or disposition of the person... You can't (usually) see PTSD, Autism, schizo-affective disorder or any number of "inside" or "outside" issues, including the ones mentioned above.

"That being said..." it's clear the ADA/EAP pass is abused at Six Flags parks. All you have to do is visit a park with good operations like Cedar Point or Canada's Wonderland; there is rarely a person or two using said passes at any given ride at any time. But at Six Flags parks, there will be an ADA line of 5-20 people waiting in the exit. The rides are routinely understaffed, so every interaction with someone in the ADA line creates a little "shutdown" of the ride.

But at Great America and other Six Flags park, people have chosen to get them because they know the lines move so slowly (due to poor operations/lack of training/desire to sell more Flash Passes/trading good service for short term profit, etc.)

In a backwards way, Six Flags has developed it's own "high use" ADA/EAP culture. Poor operations.

I think they should go back to the days of asking for a doctors note or proof of disability. Of course, that would bring it's own issues. But then again, this wouldn't have happened if the park had fair to good operations. But as a business with no immediate competition, "they don't have to." They can just keep pushing Flash Passes.

Even if Six Flags was bought up by a company that doubled the hourly capacity at each ride (I would bet anyone that Six Flags rides run around 1/2 the efficiency as similar rides at other parks) and were putting people through twice as quick, you would still have these huge amount of people using ADA/EAP because it's become part of the culture at SF parks. It would take a lot of time and effort to kill it off (well, to stop people who don't have a legitimate health issue/disability, from using it).

One last thought/shared experience. Have you ever pushed a wheel chair up the exit of Raging Bull, Viper, American Eagle, Superman, X-Flight, Goliath or Batman? I have, and it's not fun. It's hard work and it takes a long time. You have people running, pushing and jumping past you. It's a complete cluster*^%&. The whole set up of these rides is just plain passive aggressive. Six Flags has the idea if you make people walk a lot, you can keep them busy for a period, but you can also make them thirsty and hungry so they will purchase drink and food in the park. You won't see quarter mile exits at other parks. These long exit ramps are almost a "feature" purposely built into many Six Flags rides when they are designed.

[Jodon]

Does anyone know when SFGAm started roping off the 3rd and 4th rows on the left side of X-Flight to use for ADA/EAP guests? I was at the park on Sunday and it was the first I saw it.

[JaminOut]

In the past week, I think...


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[CoasterCale]

Well it's better than having the entire left wing being EAP/FP only. I don't remember if I said this already, but that happened, my friend and I got a reride. The train after us was completely empty.

[midwestcoastergal]

I am so grateful that the Six Flags Parks offer the EAP for guests with disabilities.
I have cancer (brain, stage 2) and because of the EAP I was actually able to ride all the main rides I wanted to hit during my vacation to SFGreat Adventure this summer! If it wasn't for the pass, I would have tired out long before getting to ride what I wanted. It was a big deal since I had just finally been cleared by my oncology team/surgeon/neurology team to ride coasters again!
With that being said- some days I may look off and wiped out, but I don't physically look ill most days. I may move a little slower, But to people who don't know me they would probably think I'm not sick.
The reality is the chemo messes with my system so bad most days that I'm constantly having to run to the restroom between rides or to get a drink refill- and it causes me to not handle heat as well.. Not to mention the all around crap feeling that accompanies my everyday living now.
Thinking from that perspective, I never judge anyone or assume anything about a person using EAP- people have said things to me going up the ramp. I've only mouthed off to one so far- lol!
I have noticed this summer (maybe now that I'm using EAP since it is my first summer with it) that a couple rides are designating seating- Bull is 5th row typically.. Xflight left wing 3 and 4. It helps to keep lines from backing up on the EAP side, though I haven't seen them get too bad.


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[JaminOut]

Congrats on being able to ride coasters again, unfortunately there definitely are a few people or groups who abuse EAP and make the lines longer for people like you who can't stand in lines all day... I just wish that you would have to show a doctors again be able to receive an EAP because I do see groups of teen boys that share a sling amongst the group to appear that one of them is injured. Again, I'm glad to hear you can ride everything you want (Including Kingda Ka)!


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[DejaVu2001]

Does anyone know when SFGAm started roping off the 3rd and 4th rows on the left side of X-Flight to use for ADA/EAP guests? I was at the park on Sunday and it was the first I saw it.

They do that at any coaster if the EAP line gets bad. Makes it a lot easier to keep things moving

[UnclePennybags]

Looks like SFGAm will be requiring a Doctor's note to get an EAP in 2016. Actually, they've renamed the EAP (Equal Access Pass) to AAP (Attraction Access Pass). Per the SixFlags web site:

"Beginning November 7, 2015 any guest requesting use of one of these special passes will need to provide a doctor’s note at Guest Services at the time they pick up the pass."

Here's the link to the AAP web page:

https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/p ... 2015-10-07

[w00dland]

^I really think this is a good thing. There are very few people out there with legitimate disabilities that will be upset with this. The people who are going to explode in anger are those who expected to get it without having a good reason.

Of course there will be a transition period of a year or two when people don't know they need to bring the doctor's note, but that will pass with time.

It was amazing how long the line was to GET an EAP last Saturday, I saw more 14-18 year olds in that line than I saw in most ride lines that day.