Disability Policy

DISABILITY POLICY

1. WELCOME – We do our best to make people feel welcome and understood at Westport House. We want you to get the very best out of their experience. Introduce yourself when you arrive, we are looking forward to meeting you.
2. UNDERSTANDING – We train our staff to understand the general challenges that people living with disabilities face. We trust you to help us understand if there are any personal considerations that we need to keep in mind.
3. PREPARATION – Just like each of our guests we do our best to get things right first time. We might need a little time to prepare so that everyone’s experience will be a safe one. Check our Pirate Adventure Park map and Height restrictions in advance and contact us if you there is anything you are not sure about.
4. PERSONAL SUPPORTS – We work everyday to make sure the different experiences are safe and enjoyable for all our guests. Please bring with you the personal assistance necessary to allow each guest to enjoy the attractions safely.
5. ONE STEP AT A TIME – We are a very old site that will take some time and imagination to introduce new best practice accommodations that will help everyone experience every aspect of Westport House.

Please share your suggestions with us so that we can understand what we can do better by emailing info@westporthouse.ie.

Pirate Adventure Park

INFORMATION FOR OUR GUESTS

HOW TO PREPARE

Knowing what to expect is crucial in making your experience a good one for the entire family. We trust that you know what’s works best for the person and how best to prepare for a great day out. Here are some suggestions when planning ahead:

1. Have a Visual Schedule – By providing a possible timeline, you can help the guest understand what to expect next (including crowds, sights, sounds and smells)
2. Study Location Maps – A comprehensive map is available for our site. Review the map with the guest and try to lay out a plan for your day at the park.
3. Choose a Meeting Location – Pick a place on the map to meet in case your party becomes separated – we suggest our Information Point as one of the most central locations on the estate (it is advertised on boards as our Lost Child Meeting Point). Be sure the guest with a cognitive disability is aware of the location and show it to them as soon as you arrive. Should he or she get lost, stress the importance of finding a crew member who will assist in attempting to reunite you. In addition, there is also a designated location where lost persons can be escorted.
4. Practice Waiting in Line – Waiting in line is a normal part of what everyone has to do. To prepare, practice waiting with the guest with a cognitive disability at home or in lines at places he or she might already frequent.  We are very happy to expedite a ride if it makes for a better experience and through signage, all of our guests are aware that this is our policy.

What Some People Bring

A Safety Bracelet  – A bracelet or some variety of visual identification for the guest may include your name and contact number. Have a photo of the guest on your mobile device or digital camera, especially if they have a tendency to wander off.

Ear Plugs or Headphones – The park can be noisy, involve loud music and other guests’ voices. Ear plugs or headphones may help for a less intense experience for the guest.

A Sensory Toy – Keeping the guest calm might be an issue due to the sights, sounds, scents and commotion at the park. Have a sensory toy on hand, a stress ball or other calming item to assist with the  experience of a sensory overload.

General Accommodations

Ticketing – The person with the disability pays for entry to Westport House adventure activities (we offer a reduced price concession ticket). However a person who acts as an escort for the visit to assist enters free of charge (on production of the relevant documentation).

PLEASE NOTE

Dietary Accommodations – We accommodate most food allergies, intolerances and specific dietary needs. Advance requests can be made when booking a dining reservation, or by speaking with the chef or manager on duty at food outlet. All guests with food allergies or intolerances are also allowed to bring food items into the parks.

PLEASE NOTE
We are strictly prohibited from storing, preparing, cooking or reheating any food brought into the park.

Wheelchairs – We have 2 standard wheelchairs on site that are available for our guests to use (1 in the house and 1 in the farmyard office). If a wheelchair will be needed, please email us in advance to be sure that it is available.

PLEASE NOTE
These wheelchairs cannot be adapted or adjusted to a specific personal requirement that the guest may have.

Accessible Toilet Facilities  – In addition to multiple men’s and women’s restroom facilities throughout the parks, accessible toilets are available. They are larger than a traditional restroom which can be helpful if a guest needs assistance or requires that someone accompany him or her.

Ask staff around Gracy’s, Caravan Park (incl. shower), Pirates Haven and on main floor of Westport House and they will direct you.

Accessible Parking – Accessible parking spaces are available at car park 4 adjacent to the adventure park entrance information point.

Break Areas – Should the guest with a cognitive disability become over-stimulated or need some down time, we have seating areas and lots of green areas available where a guest can “take a break.”

For further information, please speak with a crew member at each attraction.

Assistance Dogs – Assistance dogs are welcome in the house, garden, and park. Puppies in assistance dog training are welcome in the house as long as they are house trained.

Audio Tour – you can download the Westport House Audio Tour App from iTunes or the Playstore to help you get the best from your trip to Westport House itself.

PLEASE NOTE
Audio tour is not available as an audio descriptive option.

First Aid – First aid supplies are located at the ticket office, entrance information point, at each of the attractions and at reception in the main house. A defibrillator is located at the entrance information point.

Crew members throughout the park are able to call for first aid assistance upon request.

Medication – Westport House staff and crew members are not qualified to store or administer any routine or emergency medication.

Please ensure that the guest and their escort carries the necessary medication safely with them and is in a position to administer it when required.

ACCESSIBILITY

Adventure Park Accessibility – In order to make sure that our guests are safe when enjoying rides in the Pirate Adventure Park many are subject to height restrictions. Height requirements are posted at each attraction.

All guests, including those using wheelchairs, must meet the height requirement.

In order to safely take part safely in a ride guests must be able to:

• Maintain the proper riding position throughout the ride. (e.g. brace themselves upright in their seat, keeping their head upright and their back against the seatback, maintain postural control while seated in a tube or raft).
• Use the restraint device properly and be able to hold on tight and keep their hands, arms, legs, and feet down and inside the attraction at all times.
• Show a willingness and ability to comply with verbal and written rider requirements.

A Guest should not take part in an adventure park activity if;

• they have any impairment or condition that would prevent the intended use of seating and safety restraints as provided
• they cannot understand or follow through on a safety requirement.

Expedited Queuing – Expedited Queuing is designed for Guests who are unable to tolerate extended waits at attractions due to a disability.

We will be happy to expedite your ride if queuing becomes difficult for a maximum of 2 rides in a row.  We offer a different colour wristband that you can show to team members who will expedite your queue time.

Please request this wrist band at ticketing.  

Rider Switch – Parties with more than 2 Guests may be able to take advantage of the attraction Rider Switch program, which enables you to experience an attraction while another member of your party waits with the Guest who does not ride.

You then “swap” to enable the other party member to enjoy the attraction without having to wait in line again. For further information on how to use this service, please speak with a crew member at each attraction.

One at a Time – Only one mobility-impaired guest may ride the attraction at one time, unless they are in the same family.

Please inquire about specific procedures prior to boarding a particular attraction.

Escorts on Rides – With the help of your family member or personal supporter who acts as an escort and who is admitted for free you will be able to enjoy many of the rides and facilities in the Pirate Adventure Park.

Where a Guest needs help on a ride their escort should accompany them.

Personal Lifting – Crew members can offer assistance steadying a guest transferring to or from a wheelchair. Crew members may not lift or assist in lifting anyone using a wheelchair.

All guests must be able to board a ride themselves or with help from a member of their party.

SPECIFIC GUIDANCE

Some Limitations – Our objective is for all guests to be safe and have an enjoyable day. It is our policy to work with each person and their escorts to do what we can so that everyone can get the best they possibly can from the Westport House experience.

However because of the nature and location of some of the activities access maybe either curtailed or fully restricted for some people who have mobility challenges. Some rides incorporate safety systems designed by the manufacturer to accommodate people of average physical stature, body proportion and movement capabilities.

Sometimes recent weather conditions may mean that access to a ride or a ride platform is made more difficult. For these reasons some of the Westport House experiences are subject to some possible access limitations.

To check, please contact us in advance or speak with a crew member at each attraction.

Oxygen Tanks and Concentrators – Oxygen tanks and concentrators are permitted in the house and in all areas of the estate. Due to the dynamics and certain characteristics of some of the rides, they may not be permitted.

Oxygen Concentrators are permitted on all rides as long as they can be secured and meet the loose article requirements for the particular ride.

Casts, Braces, and Walking Boots – Guests with walking boots and knee braces will be able to ride as long as the boot or brace fits comfortably in to the ride unit. Where the cast or brace may present a hazard to the guest or others or where the cast or brace does not allow the guest to use the safety equipment Guests may be restricted from riding certain attractions. It would be helpful in arriving at a decision if Guests brought with them medical advice indicating what attractions would be safe for that particular person to experience.

Prosthetic Devices and Amputations – Guests with any type of prosthesis should ensure it is properly secured before riding any ride and should talk to the adventure park manager to determine their specific ability to ride any ride.

Ride Interruption. In the unlikely scenario where a ride is interrupted with a weather, power or mechanical emergency the Guests may have to negotiate stairs or wet conditions in order to safely evacuate. In these circumstances a crew member will assist the person and their escort to stay safe as they evacuate.

Guests may need to negotiate stairs from the highest point of the ride and down steeply inclined catwalks or steps. Guests requiring assistance and their escorts will be assisted after others have been evacuated.

Appropriate Observed Conduct: Guests assisted by their escorts must demonstrate appropriate observed conduct by indicating a willingness and ability to understand, participate in, and follow all rider requirements.

Appropriate observed conduct may include but not be limited to, maintaining the proper riding position, attention to and compliance with safety instructions, proper use of restraints and safety equipment and a willingness to participate in the attraction.

Please note

Because each person is unique the Pirate Adventure Park supervisor in consultation with yourself, your escort and other guests can decide how a person can safely take part in the activity. The final call will be made by the supervisor. They are not permitted to work on the basis of a waiver from the guest or their escort. Please see the table on the following page for details of possible limitations on the specific Pirate Adventure Park and our partners experiences.

2018 Season – Pirate Adventure Park Activities