Before I get hate mail....

[DisneyKevin]

I spoke off the cuff and without much forethought.

I wasnt attacking mothers (or fathers) with strollers.

I think Disney needs more accessible, family friendly bathrooms.

You'll know what I'm talking about tomorrow.

 

[OKW Lover]

Haven't listened yet (we were house hunting while the show was being taped) but I'll second the need for more family friendly restrooms. Seen too many dads struggling with young ones in WDW restrooms when clearly it would be easier in a family restroom.

 

[Vickyrowe]

I completely understand where you are coming from, though quite often I find that changing tables are inside the Disabled loo too so parents sometimes don't have a choice.

Although I have waited many a time in shopping centres and non- Disney theme parks when obviously non disabled/ non parents have used disabled loos instead of waiting .

eg. teenage girls that go in 3 to do their make up , or adults who think it's ok not to walk the extra 20 metres to the gents/ ladies and use the Disabled.

I have challenged people about this , and most have claimed they didn't know it was the disabled !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surely the massive picture of the wheelchair and all the bars and extra bits inside aren't enough of a clue.

This is a subject I do feel very strongly about , and it does wind me up when people have no consideration for the disabled.

 

[Reddy]

I"m hoping the new restrooms in fanstyland area has more "family" style ones
I think the increase in strollers useage is a good enough reason
More people using evcs would add another

as a Mom of 2 non-verbal austic teen boys - sometimes I need to take one & watch him (OK he has a thing for taking the toilet paper & sticking the end in & flushing - which is kinda cool to see if it is a high power one but it is not something that needs to happen) anyways I don't trust him to go by himself so I'll agree more stroller friendly, evc friendly & "family" friendly would be great.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I haven't listened/watched yet, but yeah, more family family restrooms would be great. I can't imagine it's a bargain for any child to go into a restroom that they aren't 100% comfortable in, if they are with an opposite gender parent.

 

[mjaclyn]

I have not listened either yet, and I definitely agree that there needs to be more restrooms designed with families in mind. Speaking for myself, I try not to used the accessible restrooms if I can help it, but when I'm by myself with two kids under 5 and a double stroller, there's nowhere else for me to go if the companion restroom is occupied. If my husband is not with me (and I imagine its the same for single parents) I'm not yet comfortable leaving one or both of them outside the restroom if only one has to use it, or if I do. I have to take them both in with me and its next to impossible to fit 3 people inside one of those tiny stalls. So, if I was in an accessible restroom stall with my two kids and someone was waiting for it, I totally apologize. At this time though, my kids safety is #1, and if that means we have to use it once in awhile so that I don't leave my young child alone outside the stall then I will.

Let's hope Disney recognizes a need for single parents with more than one young child and designs larger restrooms in the future.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Hmm, now I am curious too. Are people taking strollers into the bathrooms? I don't think I have ever really thought to do that...we always just park ours outside and take in what we need (diapers and the child!). It doesn't seem like there would be enough room to take a stroller in the bathroom, they don't even let you take them in the baby centers.

 

[collins316]

I understand your frustration. I was on crutches for about a month here at work after foot surgery. Almost every time I went to the ladies room, there was someone in the handicapped stall. Because of the crutches, I would usually put off going as long as I could, and I needed the space, and the bar on the wall to grab onto. Then when I would get there, someone would be in there doing their make up or brushing ther teeth,,,
They had to hear the crutches coming in- you cant sneak in anywhere on crutches. But people werent even bothered to try to hurry up a little.

There are no children in my workplace- these are all adults who just want to use the larger space.

 

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

So I want to weigh in on this discussion because this was something I noticed when in the world in January. Now I used to be a cast member in Fantasyland(stroller hades) and we would have the parents park the stroller in on of the three stroller parking lots. Then go about their business in Fantasyland, the only exception was the ones marked with the GAC sticker for stroller as wheelchair. So this is the back story for what I am about to say. when the heck did they start letting strollers go around Fantasyland willy nilly. Sure I saw SOME parked in the parking lots but most were shoved wherever mostly in the way. Now I could just be a bit more sensitive to this because hey I used to work there but it made getting my DGran around in her wheelchair very hard.

Back in my day we would never let a stroller near the restrooms much less into one. The CMs need to enforce these long standing rules and parents if your child does not need a GAC then you can park the stroller and have the child walk.

 

[jennylyn_b]

I have not listened either yet, and I definitely agree that there needs to be more restrooms designed with families in mind. Speaking for myself, I try not to used the accessible restrooms if I can help it, but when I'm by myself with two kids under 5 and a double stroller, there's nowhere else for me to go if the companion restroom is occupied. If my husband is not with me (and I imagine its the same for single parents) I'm not yet comfortable leaving one or both of them outside the restroom if only one has to use it, or if I do. I have to take them both in with me and its next to impossible to fit 3 people inside one of those tiny stalls. So, if I was in an accessible restroom stall with my two kids and someone was waiting for it, I totally apologize. At this time though, my kids safety is #1, and if that means we have to use it once in awhile so that I don't leave my young child alone outside the stall then I will.

Let's hope Disney recognizes a need for single parents with more than one young child and designs larger restrooms in the future.

I agree 100000000% with you. I try to be as quick as possible but I need my two year old daughter in her stroller in the bathroom stall with me! I stop and change her diaper first the use the restroom myself. I have to strap her into the stroller for safety and germ reasons. If my dh us there I usually just roll her out to where he is and get back in line alone but sometimes that's not an option.

 

[Tigger1221]

So I want to weigh in on this discussion because this was something I noticed when in the world in January. Now I used to be a cast member in Fantasyland(stroller hades) and we would have the parents park the stroller in on of the three stroller parking lots. Then go about their business in Fantasyland, the only exception was the ones marked with the GAC sticker for stroller as wheelchair. So this is the back story for what I am about to say. when the heck did they start letting strollers go around Fantasyland willy nilly. Sure I saw SOME parked in the parking lots but most were shoved wherever mostly in the way. Now I could just be a bit more sensitive to this because hey I used to work there but it made getting my DGran around in her wheelchair very hard.

Back in my day we would never let a stroller near the restrooms much less into one. The CMs need to enforce these long standing rules and parents if your child does not need a GAC then you can park the stroller and have the child walk.

What about those of us with children too small to walk. When I am alone with DD (9 months) I have to take her stroller in if I want to go to the bathroom. What else could I do with her?

I have to say. I hate when the changing area is in a handicapped stall. I feel dumb going in there just to change her and am afraid someone who needs it will walk up.

 

[FortForever]

I have challenged people about this , and most have claimed they didn't know it was the disabled !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surely the massive picture of the wheelchair and all the bars and extra bits inside aren't enough of a clue.

You really have no business challenging anyone on their choice of restroom stall. There are many invisible disabilities that may make it difficult to use a standard low toilet. People may also have need for the bars.

A handicapped stall is much different than a handicapped parking space. It's not like people will be in there for hours, depriving those who need it of it's use. Just because you have to wait a few minutes doesn't mean others don't have just as much right to use it.

I agree with others here that children's safety and security trumps anyone's annoyance over lack of space or having to wait.

 

[JKMJ441724]

well now I want to hear this podcast. How can i find it?

 

[Sparkly]

I agree- more family restrooms would be good, and stop people complaining about families using the companion restroom.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

well now I want to hear this podcast. How can i find it?

Here you go:

http://www.disunplugged.com/

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree- more family restrooms would be good, and stop people complaining about families using the companion restroom.

Any family restrooms would be good. WDW only has companion restrooms, and the two are very different things. I know the family restrooms in my local mall have more than one toilet in them, one usually pretty low to the ground, and a little sink. Most companion restrooms have one higher toilets.

 

[JKMJ441724]

well now I want to hear this podcast. How can i find it?

Here you go:

http://www.disunplugged.com/

You are awesome!

I love my DISfriends.

 

[Cherinva]

I didn't hear anything wrong.....but I do agree......family freindly restrooms are needed.

 

[JimmyV]

Kevin: I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, (perhaps a full-blown review?) of the new restroom "complex" recently opened in the Fantasy Land Expansion. (Where the old Skyway terminal was). Did this state of the art restroom address any needed concerns?

 

[Jazcat]

I'm sorry but even a quadriplegic is more capable than a 9 month old. How is that not good enough to use a handicap stall? Why are some handicaps "better" than others?