For many SEND families, days out aren’t a luxury — they are carefully planned, emotionally loaded events that rely on one thing above all else: reasonable adjustments.
When those adjustments disappear, the impact isn’t disappointment.
It’s exclusion.
Recent changes announced by Merlin Entertainments — the company behind attractions like Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland — have sparked widespread concern among parents of autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent children. Not because families expect special treatment, but because the changes highlight a much bigger issue facing SEND families right now.
This isn’t just about theme parks.
It’s about who gets included — and who quietly gets left behind.
What Has Changed?
Merlin has begun trialling changes to its Ride Access Pass (RAP) system. Under the new approach, eligibility is being more narrowly defined, with greater emphasis on physical and visible disabilities. Many neurodivergent children — particularly those who struggle with queueing, crowds, noise and unpredictability — may no longer qualify for the same adjustments they previously relied on.
Families are being offered alternatives such as companion tickets or access to quiet spaces, but without the queueing adjustments that made visits possible in the first place.
For some families, this means the day ends before it even begins.
Why This Hits SEND Families So Hard
For autistic and ADHD children, queueing is not a minor inconvenience. Long waits, crowded spaces and sensory overload can lead to distress, meltdowns, shutdowns and long‑lasting trauma.
Virtual queueing and access passes weren’t about jumping the line — they were about preventing harm.
When those supports are removed:
- Families may avoid outings altogether
- Children experience increased anxiety and dysregulation
- Parents absorb the emotional and physical cost
Accessibility doesn’t look the same for every disability. When policies focus only on what can be seen, invisible disabilities are erased.
The Bigger Picture: SEND Families Under Pressure
These changes are landing at a time when SEND families are already stretched beyond capacity.
Parents are navigating:
- Long waits for assessments and diagnoses
- EHCP reforms and reduced provision
- Increased exclusions and unmet needs in schools
- Burnout, isolation and mental health strain
Against this backdrop, the loss of accessible leisure feels like another door closing.
It reinforces a painful message many families already hear:
Your needs are too complicated. Too expensive. Too inconvenient.
Is This Discrimination?
Under the Equality Act 2010, organisations have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people — including those with hidden disabilities.
The concern raised by families and advocates is not that Merlin is changing its system, but how those changes risk excluding neurodivergent children by redefining which disabilities “count”.
When access depends on visibility, inclusion becomes conditional.
Why This Matters Beyond Theme Parks
This isn’t about one company.
It’s about a growing pattern:
- Support narrowed through policy wording
- Inclusion framed as optional
- Disabled people expected to adapt, mask or stay home
SEND families aren’t asking for more than others.
They are asking for equity — the ability to participate safely in everyday life.
What Parents Can Do
If this affects your family:
- Share your experiences respectfully
- Ask clear questions about how decisions are made
- Document the impact on your child
- Connect with other families — collective voices matter
Silence doesn’t protect children.
Awareness does.
A Final Word
Accessibility isn’t a favour.
It’s a right.
When adjustments disappear quietly, families disappear too — not because they don’t want to participate, but because the cost becomes too high.
SEND families deserve more than survival.
They deserve access, dignity and joy.
At Ask Ellie, we exist to help families understand their rights, question decisions that don’t feel right, and feel less alone navigating a system that too often forgets them.
If this resonated with you, you’re not imagining it — and you’re not alone.
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