If you require assistance from a carer to visit a public place, attraction, or experience, you should be entitled to a discount. This could take the form of either the individual purchasing a standard priced ticket while their company attends free of charge, or both paying a reduced ticket price. The decision on the nature of the discount is at the discretion of the venue. So don't forget to ask for access information if it's not readily available to avoid paying full price for both tickets.

Such exemptions can often make you feel guilty, especially when other customers have paid a considerably higher price. But try to remember that to qualify for such discounts, you must be unable to attend without support. For instance, I rely on my caregiver not only to accompany me to and from an event but also to ensure my safety, give me my medications, and assist me with using the toilet. There have been several occasions when my companion had to miss a significant part of a performance or experience to take care of my needs. So, please don't feel guilty about seeking discounted companion tickets. They are available for a reason, which is to help you experience something without having to worry about the additional costs associated with needing support.

Queue jumping can be a controversial topic within the disability community. I greatly appreciated being able to skip the 2-hour queue for passport control at Boston Airport, bypass long lines at Disneyland, and receive priority access at popular tourist attractions such as the Shard in London, and the Empire State Building in New York. But if I could trade places with someone in the standard queue and no longer have a disability, then I absolutely would! But sadly, that is not possible. Plus, with very few spoons to spare, many wheelchair users would be unable to enjoy such activities if it meant using all their energy to queue.