Thorpe Park staff refused to let a mum with one arm on their rides, which 'ruined' her son's birthday trip to the theme park. Lisa Johnstone, 45, visited with her husband Matthew and their children Ava, 13, and 11-year-old Toby, who wanted to "go on all the big rides" now that he's finally tall enough.
Toby's birthday weekend consisted of trips to Legoland and Windsor Castle, before meeting friends at Thorpe Park on June 1. The first ride they tried at Thorpe Park was Stealth - a high-speed launched rollercoaster.
As reported by the Mirror, this is when issues with Lisa began. The mum, of Huthwaite in North Nottinghamshire, said: "We got on the ride and sat down, then I was approached by a steward who asked about my 'amputation'.
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"When I showed them it was above the elbow, I was told I was unable to ride, even though I said I'd been on everything at Alton Towers. Having to get off the ride was very degrading and also then made my son nervous, he subsequently did not like the ride."
Her husband Matthew has a RAP because of his diabetes. This is the pass part of a system in place allowing guests who require extra assistance, or are unable to queue, to access the rides via a virtual queuing system.
The family explained they had previously visited Thorpe Park two years before, where Lisa experienced similar issues with the park's water soaking ride, Tidal Wave. But the family went back because Toby was eager to go now tall enough to try the bigger rides.
Teacher Lisa said: "It ruined the day. I was unable to share in my son's birthday excitement and my friends felt very uncomfortable with me but going on anything too. I haven't got an amputation. I was born with one arm that is above the elbow.
"I am a 45-year-old woman that, among other things, can swim, ride a bike and drive and that has been allowed on all rides at Alton Towers."
Lisa spoke to theme park stewards after the saga. She was shown a long list of rides that she was not allowed on and they went to speak to customer services.
The family said they were told by a manager that Lisa was unable to go on the rides due to manufacturer guidelines. But she made the point that she was still able to ride big rides at Alton Towers in Staffordshire.
"Now where I understand Thorpe Park is only following these, I find it ludicrous that the 'guidelines' can be so different between Merlin-owned parks," she said.
"As my husband pointed out Stealth has the same [safety] restraints as Rita (an attraction at Alton Towers), which I have been on. I told him (the manager) that I felt discriminated against and that it had spoilt the day for us and our friends."
The couple were told that Thorpe Park would be changing some of its rules. However, they were not informed of the rules which could potentially be changed and how it may affect Lisa in the future.
During the trip to Thorpe Park, Lisa said she could have gone on the dodgems or on the tea cups but chose not to. She added: "It just completely spoilt the whole holiday. I'm still raging from it."
As the theme park, in Surrey, is almost a three-hour drive for the family, they said the will not be returning. They remain hopeful that changes are made.
A spokesperson for Thorpe Park said: “At Thorpe Park Resort we take multiple steps to ensure all our guests have the correct information before their visit.
"Our website homepage has a shortcut tab at the top which links directly to our dedicated accessibility webpage which, in turn, includes a clear hyperlink to our dedicated Accessibility Day Planner with further information.
“We conduct full accessibility reviews throughout the year working closely with manufacturers to establish where there is scope for adjustments to allow for greater accessibility.
"Ultimately, the health and safety of our guests and staff must remain of paramount importance.
"We remain committed to listening, learning and adapting to the needs of our guests, and welcome the opportunity to discuss guest experiences to help us create the best experiences possible for the future.”
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