Olympic Park Access Enquiries
All throughout next week I’ll be hitting the Olympic Park in a big way.
Somehow I seem to have struck gold in the Olympics tickets ballot. I applied for seven events, I got five, and they’re all great seats! My first session is this Sunday, at the athletics, where Usain Bolt will be defending his 100m sprint title, no less.
Now, before people start crying ‘cheat!’ or alleging that I somehow managed to juke the ticketing system, I’d just like to clarify now that all my tickets were obtained through the regular ballot process.
No Channel 4 credentials were flashed at any point in order to help me get tickets – not that this would have made a blind bit of difference anyway – and the only point of difference between my ticket application and most others is that I requested wheelchair accessible seats.
The result, it seems, is that I’ve been incredibly lucky.
Or have I?
What I want to know is – what problems have you had getting accessible tickets for London 2012? Did you find it easier or harder than your able-bodied buddies?
And if you did get tickets – what do you want to know from me?
The London 2012 Paralympic Games will see more disabled people heading to Stratford than ever before – so if you’re planning to visit the Olympic Park this August and September, what would you like me to find out for you before you go?
I’m not talking about the stuff that’s easily findable on LOCOG’s website. I mean the things you’d definitely be complaining about in the pub afterwards, such as:
How long are the queues for the wheelchair loos?
Can I get a LOCOG volunteer to carry my beer?
Will the metal pins in my arms set off the airport-style security alarms?
If you’ve got an obscure access question about the Olympic Park (it doesn’t have to rhyme), let us know by leaving a comment! We’ll do our damnedest to find out before the end of next week!
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There are 8 comments on this post
What’s the view like!? I’m at the Olympic stadium in September and hoping people standing in front doesn’t mean I can no longer see!!!
Are there any toilets with hoists to hoist very dependent wheelchair users on and off the toilet?
How on earth did you ever manage to get through to the telephone line to book wheelchair tickets?
Trying to book some Paralympics tickets for a friend who uses a wheelchair. I cannot get through on the phone. It gives me a huge recorded message about it being the wheelchair tickets line and that they have availability in various events, then says “This call will now be cut off” and hangs up. So annoying!!!
I sent an email to complain about 4 days ago and haven’t heard anything. Given up.
On the original ticket ballot you didn’t have to call a number – just state your access requirements on an online form.
Interesting point though, has anyone else had notable trouble OR success using the wheelchair tickets line?
James
I applied through the website for a wheelchair user plus companion for one event, and got tickets.
I’d like to know if wheelchair users get fast-tracked through the security lines like at airports? I’m worried that if I have to arrive 2 hours early (as the spectator guide says) I’ll be exhausted by the time the event starts.
Same problem as Lesley…
.
“Trying to book some Paralympics tickets for a friend who uses a wheelchair. I cannot get through on the phone. It gives me a huge recorded message about it being the wheelchair tickets line and that they have availability in various events, then says “This call will now be cut off” and hangs up.”
Please help us! I have now had to buy two normal tickets and have no way of know what to do now. If I go to a ticket office on the day they still may not be able to help!
Also on the map it says the shuttle service only runs to a few locations. Can we have a more detailed map of shuttle stops as if we cant plan in advance then we cant chance walking around the Olympic park. Thanks
is it possible to get tickets for the park before the para games starts
My wife has spinal cord damage and as such is a wheelchair user. We were very disappointed during the booking process that there is no concept of a family with a disabled member going to the Paralympic games. I could only book (on the phone) for a wheelchair space + companion, and then they switched to the “normal” booking system to book other family members, but not near the disabled seats..
So.. my wife will have our 10 year old next to her for Athletics, Swimming and Cycling whilst I am sitting far away in the stadium in a random seat. Quite what we do if she needs the loo (she cant push herself far) I don’t know.
I had hoped a Paralympic games would be able to consider and support the needs of families with a disabled member.