Disability Policy

TAYTO PARK DISABILITY POLICY 2020

As members of The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), we welcome visits by disabled people and will do all that is possible to ensure a safe and pleasurable stay. However, certain rides and attractions in our parks can be physically demanding and vigorous. We therefore reserve the right to refuse admission to certain rides should we feel there is a danger to a particular individual or individuals for whatever reason. We have been advised that refusal on the grounds of health & safety does not constitute discrimination. We hope that you understand and accept the decisions made in the interests of your safety

We aim to make our attractions as accessible as possible, save our guide below to see rides which are suitable for you. You might like to print this or save it to your phone to use on the day.

Please see below: Ride Access Guide for the 2020 season. Please Read through the sections to help you plan your day in Tayto Park

Check out our Social Stories (short descriptions of visiting Tayto Park which includes specific information about what to expect)

Check out our Ride Access Guide

ON THE DAY OF YOUR VISIT

Parking:If you’re arriving by car or minibus, please use either the Main Car Park or Cheese & Onion Car Park, where attendants are on hand to direct you to dedicated parking spaces.

In the Main Car Park this will be the top row, near the Admissions area. Please note while we endeavour to assist all guests theses spaces are on a first come, first served basis. In the Cheese & Onion Car Park it will be at the top near the Admissions area.To use these parking spaces, you must display a valid disability badge in your vehicle.

TICKETS, SEASONAL PASS & ENTERING THE PARK 

Pricing & Tickets :Tayto Park offers a reduced entry rate of €12 to the child/adult with additional needs with 1 x carer FOC. Wristbands are at the reduced rate of €15.This rate is available to both the adult/child with additional needs and 1 carer.  This rate is available to both adults and children with disabilities/special needs. Please note that documentation is required in order to avail of this rate. Accepted forms of documentation including but are not limited to a named associated membership card for the disability, GP letter or hospital consultant letter etc. Please note Public service travel cards are not accepted independantly as documentation but are considered with supplimentry documentaion.. For more information contact 01-8351999

One accompanying carer may enter the Park free of charge (wristband not included) to assist the guest. If more than one carer is required, we are happy to provide all carers with free access to our park, if evidence (a headed letter or card) can be presented at the entrance till points.

Additional Needs Entrance: Please enter the Park via the member’s entrance on the left hand side of the admissions building

Seasonal Pass :   A carer of a guest with additional needs will be FOC on an entry only seasonal pass  If you wish to purchase a seasonal pass with wristbands, the carer will have entry FOC but will be charged the cost of the wristband. 

For more information, please visit our seasonal pass desk or contact us on 01835-1999

Group Visits:  If you are visiting as part of a larger group, or are bringing a group, please contact our Bookings department on 01-8351999 and they will advise you on your best course of action.

FACILITIES

First Aid Centre on site 

There are 2 dedicated First Aid Centre’s within the park, one is located close to the Eagle’s Nest Area behind the Sweet Station and the other is Located in the Eagle Sky Area in the same building as the 5D Cinema.

Wheelchair Hire

We have a limited amount of Wheelchairs available for hire within the park, they are issued on a first come first served basis and will require a €20 payment with €20 refundable on return of the Wheelchair. 

Disabled toilets 

Toilets with disabled access are available throughout the Park and you’ll find their locations marked on the Park Map.

Accessible changing rooms

We have an accessible changing room on site, with an adjustable changing bench and a hoist. For access please speak to a member of staff when you check in at admissions, who will give you an access code to use for the day. 

Mobility scooters 

We have a limited amount of Mobility scooters available for hire within the park, they are issued on a first come first served basis and will require a €40 payment with €25 refundable deposit on return.

Restaurants & Shops

If you need assistance when visiting any of our shops or restaurants, you’ll find staff on hand who will be happy to help.

Service Animals

Tayto Park welcomes service animals to the park, once they are fully vaccined and are equipped with the required harness and identification tags. Unfortunately service animals are not permitted to use the attractions, they will be allowed as far as the loading point where they must be left with a member of the party. Service animals must never be left unattended anywhere in the Theme Park. We would ask that you are vigilant of other guest’s within the park and please remember to clean up after the animal when necessary.

RIDE ASSISTANCE PASS

Here at Tayto Park we are happy to share that we offer a Ride Assistance Pass as an aid for guests with additional needs visiting us. Collection is from the Reception desk in Admissions office

Ride Assistance Passes are reserved for guests who do not understand the concept of queuing; have difficulties with everyday social interaction; have a limited capacity to follow instruction or to understand others’ emotional feelings or expressions, and may become agitated or distressed having to wait for extended periods of time; and permanently non-ambulant guests.

A ride assistance pass allows a disabled guest and up to 3 additional guest a reduced wait time for access on rides during busy days. Please be advised a ride assistance pass will not be issued in conjunction with the special needs rate, and will only be issued to guests with documentation stating inability to queue. For information on ride accessibility please click here.

Important Ride Access Pass Information

Having a registered disability does not mean you automatically receive a Ride Assistance Pass.

To apply for a Ride Assistance Pass, on the day of your visit you will need to bring one of the following:

• GP’s letter – stating the disability and your inability to queue
• Any other form/letter that states the disability and your inability to queue

Terms & Conditions

Guests without suitable documentation will not be issued with a Ride Assistance Pass/ Additionalneeds rate. Guests will be required to sign a Ride Assistance Pass declaration on production of suitable documentation. Documentation will need to be presented for each Ride Assistance Pass application. The decision as to what evidence is suitable rests with Tayto Park staff. If in doubt, please contact admissions prior to your visit Please note : There will be only one ride assistance pass per child/adult with additional needs. Once the pass is filled ,a second pass will not be issued. 

Ride Assistance Pass System- How it works

Guests will be issued with a Ride Assistance Pass by the team at the Additional Needs Entrance in admissions

• All Guests will be required to read and sign terms and conditions to confirm they understand the policy, how Tayto Park can implement it and how to use it
• Guests will be able to use the Ride Assistance Pass on any 8 attractions of their choosing
• Once at an attraction, the Attraction staff member will fill the pass out with the relevant ride stamp
• The Ride Access Pass needs to be presented to the Attraction staff member upon arrival at the attraction of your choice in order to gain access to this attraction
• You will then be allowed to board your first attraction at the earliest opportunity

When going on one of the main 5 attraction’s, you will be given a return time for you to use the attraction, which will correlate to the length of the main queue for that attraction, up to a maximum of 45 minutes

This process will be repeated at each of the attractions listed below

• The Cu Chulainn Coaster
• The Viking Voyage
• The Grand Carosel
• The Tayto Sky Walk
• The Sky Glider

You are free to use all other attractions by awaiting assistance at the access point. Each attraction visited will require one space on the Ride Assistance Pass.

Only one pass will be issued to each eligible disabled guest per day, and lost or damaged passes will not be replaced under any circumstances.

Please note that a maximum of three additional guests can accompany a disabled guest on to our attractions. Height, Weight and other safety restrictions also apply – these are displayed on the Tayto Park Map and on signage at the rides

RIDE SAFETY

This guide contains extra information that may be relevant to guests with additional needs or disabilities, and it is in addition to general ride restrictions (including height, size and loose item restrictions) that are applicable to all guests.

These are  further details on information boards at the entrance to the ride queues, and it is the responsibility of all guests to check these before deciding to ride.

Several rides are unsuitable for guests with heart, neck, or back conditions, or if you are pregnant. We strongly recommend that guests who have had recent surgery or an injury do not ride certain attractions.

On all rides, guests are required to keep arms and legs inside the carriage, boat, or gondola and remain seated at all times.

Ride access with casts, air boot or splint

Unfortunately as a health & safety requirement, guests with a hard cast, air boot or splint will be unable to experience any of our attractions and as such we recommend not to purchase a wristband. On many of our rides, guests will need the ability to brace themselves in an upright position and may be subject to a fitness check by the ride operator to insure their safety is not compromsied. Please advise the admissions staff of any injuries when purchasing tickets. 

These restrictions apply to most rides and are detailed on signage at the ride entrances where they are applicable.

While we try to ensure that all of our guest get the most from their day at Tayto Park.  Not all rides are suitable for all guests. Each ride has operating requirements that all riders must meet.

Carers and Helpers

For safety reasons, the number of people with disabilities allowed on certain attractions at any one time may be limited. Parties may be divided into smaller groups and there could be a wait before boarding.

In certain situations (such as extreme weather conditions, mechanical problems or power interruptions) it may be necessary for guests to be evacuated from a ride, possibly from the highest point.

For safety reasons, guests with a disability must be accompanied on to rides by at least one guest over the age of 18. Additional Guests and Carers will not be issued with a complimentary wristband.

To qualify for a Ride Assistance Pass, ambulant guests must have at least one carer over the age of 18. Guests who are unable to walk unaided must be accompanied by a minimum of two helpers over the age of 18 on rides that involve a complex evacuation procedure. Please note that some ride evacuation procedures mean they are not suitable for guests whom are unable to walk unaided.

Helpers accompanying a disabled guest on to rides must sit in the same carriage, boat, seat or row, and they must be able to assist with loading and off-loading (including transfer to and from wheelchairs). Our team members will provide instruction but, for everyone’s safety, they cannot help with lifting.

Helpers must be able to communicate safety restrictions and messages and assist with any emergency or evacuation procedure, which may involve lifting and transferring their disabled guest from a ride into an evacuation chair or harness at high level.Disabled Guests may be accompanied by a maximum of three companions at any one time.

Wheelchair Users

Once a guest can meet the ride height requirements and have upper body use they can go on the certain activities. As situations and restrictions differ, please use the ride access guide to determine which rides will be suitable. 

As there are steps / platforms up to some of these activities, please note that guests using wheelchairs must be assisted on and off the ride by a suitable carer and cannot be assisted by staff. 

Guests that are carrying an Injury or are Pregnant

If you are pregnant or have an injury or pre-existing condition of any kind, unfortunately you are not permitted to participate on any of the attractions, these injuries include but are not limited to:

• Guests with Back, Neck, Bone injuries or conditions. In addition no casts are allowed including:
• Hard Casts
• Soft Casts / Support bandages – assesed on the day for suitabilty
• Air Boot / Splint
• A sprain of any kind
• A large wound that has a bandage covering it

Other specifications to note :

All guests must have independent control of their posture including the torso, neck and head to participate on the activities in Tayto Park.

Certain Medical equiptment may prohibit guests from using some of the attractions. If you have essential non removable medical equiptment, it may inhibit you from using certain activities. If you have any concerns, please contact us in advance of your visit. 

Women that are pregnant are not permitted to participate on any of the activities in Tayto Park for their own safety and the unborn child.

If a guest has recently undergone surgery, has a history of heart trouble or high blood pressure they are not permitted on the extreme activities.

Guests that have a history of seizures or epilepsy are not permitted on the Cu Chulainn, Viking Voyage, Flight School, 5D Cinema or the Vortex Tunnels due to flashing lights/Cameras. These guests must also be cautious when partaking in other extreme rides available in the park. 

For further information

If you require any further information  or have a question about your visit , please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the team at info@taytopark.ie or 01-8351999