Digital Strategy for Good: How Tania Gerard’s BBC Interview Helped Spark a Merlin Entertainments U-Turn

A controversial decision by Merlin Entertainments (owner of Alton Towers, Legoland, and Thorpe Park) threatened to "gatekeep" joy for thousands of neurodivergent children and adults. By tightening the criteria for their Ride Access Pass (RAP), they risked excluding those with ADHD, Autism, and anxiety from the very systems that make theme parks accessible to them.

Our founder, Tania Gerard, took to the airwaves on BBC Radio Leicester with Ady Dayman to challenge this decision.

The Argument: Tech Should Include, Not Exclude

During the interview, Tania highlighted that while the system was "overloaded," the solution was not to exclude vulnerable groups. Instead, Tania argued that theme parks must evolve their infrastructure and utilise Digital Strategy to build better, more inclusive experiences.

"The solution isn't to exclude children with ADHD and Autism. The solution is to utilise technology for good, like Universal Virtual Queuing for example to fix capacity issues without creating sensory barriers." — Tania Gerard

A Major Victory for Accessibility

Following a massive wave of public outcry and expert advocacy, including Tania’s live breakdown of why a 60-minute physical queue is a sensory barrier and provided multiple solutions live to fix this issue quickly, Merlin Entertainments has officially revoked their decision.

On February 12, the company issued a public apology and announced they would "pause the trial" and maintain the existing access criteria while they undergo a broader consultation with accessibility specialists.

Why This Matters

This isn't just a win for theme park fans; it’s a win for the principle that accessibility is a 21st-century right. At Tania Gerard Digital, we are proud to be at the forefront of these conversations, proving that when we advocate for better digital and physical infrastructure, we create a world where no one is left behind.

Listen and watch the solutions mentioned via our Instagram profile: @taniagerard.co