New HA Rooms on the Magic

I understand that, but I was agreeing with a PP who was saying that yes, there are selfish people who will book HA rooms when they don't need them, but there are definite reasons when people who haven't needed one before now do. Just as one random (and NOT specific but general) example... Those who lost limbs in the Boston Marathon bombing may now require HA rooms.

I just don't think it's right to automatically assume that someone who "suddenly" needs one is booking it for the wrong reasons - especially if they never have booked one before.

Please see my above post. I was not saying *all* people who "suddenly" need one are not legitimate. The ones I observed had a cruise booked between booking and cruise date that was not HA... and other cruises (plural) after the HA cruise as GTY. But the 14-night cruise they predicted 18 months in advance they needed a HA cabin. Then on that cruise they both seemed to be walking down the hall just fine, no wheelchair, etc - but I do understand there are other ailments people still need HA for without obvious physical needs.

Just odd to me to have cruises booked before and after a long 14-night HA cruise that are not HA cabins shared on a list. :confused3

Or maybe I missed it somewhere - maybe they were temporarily HA that they were able to predict 18 months in advance. Sorry if I came off as a jerk or something. I pray God will give me 18 months notice of a time I will need special assistance and then go back to not needing special assistance afterwards. :thumbsup2
 
I am really not trying to come off as mean. I just have a huge heart for people who are special needs and can only travel when they can have a HA cabin. I'm walking in a spina bifida walk tomorrow morning. I know those families can never cruise in a non-HA cabin. Ever. It just really breaks my heart when I observe firsthand on my own cruise meet threads and on the cruise people taking advantage of the system. Or at least that come across that way based on their posts of being on all these cruises (past and future) that are not HA cabins... yet the 14-night cruise in the middle is a HA cabin booked on opening day. Just kinda doesn't sit well with me. But to each his own.

I am definitely thankful the Magic is receiving more HA cabins, and pray those people who truly need the cabins actually get the opportunity to use them.
 
I am really not trying to come off as mean. I just have a huge heart for people who are special needs and can only travel when they can have a HA cabin. I'm walking in a spina bifida walk tomorrow morning. I know those families can never cruise in a non-HA cabin. Ever. It just really breaks my heart when I observe firsthand on my own cruise meet threads and on the cruise people taking advantage of the system. Or at least that come across that way based on their posts of being on all these cruises (past and future) that are not HA cabins... yet the 14-night cruise in the middle is a HA cabin booked on opening day. Just kinda doesn't sit well with me. But to each his own.

I am definitely thankful the Magic is receiving more HA cabins, and pray those people who truly need the cabins actually get the opportunity to use them.

I am thankful that the Magic is getting a couple more HA cabins. I'm hoping these are not all the way forward or all the way aft (like most of the other HA cabins on that ship).

You never know who is accompanying someone on a cruise that could change their cabin needs. When I travel with my mother, we need a HA cabin (so far, she's been on every DCL cruise with me) but when I travel without her (which I did on several Carnival cruises) I don't need a HA cabin. If you ever looked at my cruise history of cabins, you'd see a mix of HA and non-HA cabins.
 
Similarly I have a friend undergoing treatments. Some weeks she's immobile some weeks she's near normal and some weeks she needs a cane to walk.
She didn't think to book an HA last cruise hoping not to need it. A week out she needed it but wasn't able to swap. During the cruise she was (thankfully) more mobile than she'd anticipated.
So there are people who have varying needs.
 


I am thankful that the Magic is getting a couple more HA cabins. I'm hoping these are not all the way forward or all the way aft (like most of the other HA cabins on that ship).

You never know who is accompanying someone on a cruise that could change their cabin needs. When I travel with my mother, we need a HA cabin (so far, she's been on every DCL cruise with me) but when I travel without her (which I did on several Carnival cruises) I don't need a HA cabin. If you ever looked at my cruise history of cabins, you'd see a mix of HA and non-HA cabins.

Similarly I have a friend undergoing treatments. Some weeks she's immobile some weeks she's near normal and some weeks she needs a cane to walk.
She didn't think to book an HA last cruise hoping not to need it. A week out she needed it but wasn't able to swap. During the cruise she was (thankfully) more mobile than she'd anticipated.
So there are people who have varying needs.

I am also hoping they are not all forward/aft either. Managing a wheelchair down the long hallways is not nearly as easy as having the cabins more accessible to the elevator areas as I have booked for clients on other ships/cruiselines.

Yes, very valid points about varying needs and I completely understand that. I book cruises for people all the time where yes, one of the persons needs it so obviously their caregiver (usually a family member) is with them. However, the married couple we witnessed I referenced previously didn't seem to fit either those scenarios through postings online and seeing them in person on the cruise repeatedly. :confused3 It was a married couple - very open about their many cruises together through their postings, pictures, and PMs (not a scenario of traveling with one partner needing a HA cabin and then the next cruise not traveling with the same partner - the same two people on the cruises). This wasn't a cabin changed closer to sailing but rather one shared well in advance. I'm a glass-half-full kinda girl and always try to believe the best in people, so maybe I am completely mistaken and they had an obscure medical reason they knew of that they would have for that one specific cruise well in advance, but not the others before/after they shared in their upcoming bookings.

If I could sit down right now and book four upcoming cruises for my spouse, children and I, and let the one in Dec 2014 be a HA cabin but the cruises before/after that not be HA, that would be incredible knowledge to have to know that one of us will be needing assistance that one specific cruise but not the other three cruises I am booking before/after. I just have not been blessed with that insight to know my family's medical ailments that far in advance - and we have definitely had our share which is why we travel while we can now - but what a wonderful ability to be able to plan in advance like that for specifically which cruises one will be needing handicap amenities... as well as to be able to prepare mentally for those challenges in advance. :goodvibes Calling an oncology surgeon was not something anyone gave us advance notice of, or various other surgeries, or my surgery 3 weeks ago, but some advance notice would be good to know, especially over a year in advance like this couple had apparently. :thumbsup2 Plus that knowledge would save some money on travel insurance :)

Maybe y'all are right and everyone who does book HA cabins in advance like that truly do need them (we already know DCL will assign them after PIF dates to gty, but I am referring to the cruises booked over a year in advance or even on opening day - yet the other cruises for same people before/after are not HA). Hopefully nobody is cheating the system. At least I hope they have the honesty and integrity not to. Honesty and integrity make the world a better place IMHO :thumbsup2
 
Maybe y'all are right and everyone who does book HA cabins in advance like that truly do need them (we already know DCL will assign them after PIF dates to gty, but I am referring to the cruises booked over a year in advance or even on opening day - yet the other cruises for same people before/after are not HA). Hopefully nobody is cheating the system. At least I hope they have the honesty and integrity not to. Honesty and integrity make the world a better place IMHO :thumbsup2

I am in a wheelchair & I use a service dog for my mobility. I need a Varanda for the dogs "potty" when I cruise. I have been on a number of cruises. When I was on WBTA cruise, the woman in the handicap room Next to me (been on 52 cruises all on Disney) told me she loves the "Extra Space" with a handicap room. Her & her husband does not have a any mobility issues. I saw them running all over the place. For two weeks.... I get, first come first serve...but when you don't NEED the room . That burns me up!! Because been wanting to go on a particular cruise and all the HA rooms are took on the opening day (for platinum members) :headache::headache::headache:

Yes I am a platinum member too lol



 
I have never been inside any of the HA rooms but always wondered where service pets went potty. Now I know. Is it provided on the ship or did you have to bring it?
 


I am in a wheelchair & I use a service dog for my mobility. I need a Varanda for the dogs "potty" when I cruise. I have been on a number of cruises. When I was on WBTA cruise, the woman in the handicap room Next to me (been on 52 cruises all on Disney) told me she loves the "Extra Space" with a handicap room. Her & her husband does not have a any mobility issues. I saw them running all over the place. For two weeks.... I get, first come first serve...but when you don't NEED the room . That burns me up!! Because been wanting to go on a particular cruise and all the HA rooms are took on the opening day (for platinum members) :headache::headache::headache:

Yes I am a platinum member too lol

I remember you from WBTA 2011 :) :)

Yep - the couple I observed were platinum as well (had several past and upcoming cruises booked, same couple traveling, but had the 14 night cruise as HA booked opening day but later cruises as GTY in their list). When we have folks who absolutely cannot cruise without a HA cabin suffer because stingy folks like the ones you encountered "love the extra space", it saddens me that people have zero respect for others or doing what's right. It's all about me me me.
 
I have never been inside any of the HA rooms but always wondered where service pets went potty. Now I know. Is it provided on the ship or did you have to bring it?

Disney provides it. When people ask me on the ship, "Where does the dog potty?" I say ," I hang him off the side of the ship" with a big smile. lol

Some people believe me.... lol


 
Lol. I love the reply. Wonder if they are afraid of looking over their verandas in case of puppy potty drippings? Haha.
 
I have never been inside any of the HA rooms but always wondered where service pets went potty. Now I know. Is it provided on the ship or did you have to bring it?

I love the picture of the "Potty Pool!" That is the cutest thing ever!!
 
Not discounting that there are definitely people who abuse HA rooms, however, I feel compelled to pose another scenario for why one might book one time and not another. Our son has CP and clearly has mobility issues. However, if the circumstances were such that we wanted to cruise at a certain point and there no HA rooms available, we could make it work without it. It would never be ideal, but it is something we would do, especially if we booked one of the "failed" HA rooms that have more space. We would only be judged by someone looking at our booking record, not seeing that we truly have a need and we just decided to settle in a non HA cabin. Anyway, again, I realize there are those first come first serve people...I just hope that Karma teaches them their lesson at some point. Dealing with disabilities are never easy, so it's sad when the accessible rooms are taken by someone who doesn't have a need.
 
Not discounting that there are definitely people who abuse HA rooms, however, I feel compelled to pose another scenario for why one might book one time and not another. Our son has CP and clearly has mobility issues. However, if the circumstances were such that we wanted to cruise at a certain point and there no HA rooms available, we could make it work without it. It would never be ideal, but it is something we would do, especially if we booked one of the "failed" HA rooms that have more space. We would only be judged by someone looking at our booking record, not seeing that we truly have a need and we just decided to settle in a non HA cabin. Anyway, again, I realize there are those first come first serve people...I just hope that Karma teaches them their lesson at some point. Dealing with disabilities are never easy, so it's sad when the accessible rooms are taken by someone who doesn't have a need.

I don't have a problem with that. If you need it you need it!
 
I've not heard that about any rooms on the Dream or Fantasy. ....

This happened with some of the 8A rooms with the double portholes. That is why they have the HA bathrooms, but aren't classified. I didn't hear why they failed the inspection, but the deck plans were changed after the Dream was released from the shipyard. I can't find the link to the old plans now.
 
I am in a wheelchair ... When I was on WBTA cruise, the woman in the handicap room Next to me (been on 52 cruises all on Disney) told me she loves the "Extra Space" with a handicap room. Her & her husband does not have a any mobility issues.

I'm shocked by this. I think we all know that there are some rather selfish people in this world, some of whom would be willing to book an unneeded HA room just for their own comfort and thus possibly deprive someone that needs one of a cruise altogether.

But to brag about doing so to someone in a wheelchair really takes the cake. That takes selfishness to an entirely new height: thinking about only oneself to such a degree that not only do you not care about others, but you don't even realize how your actions affect others.
 
Those rooms should be held for those who need them until close to the sailing date. To try to book them just for the extra room when you do not need HA seems so selfish to me. On several cruises my mom was in a wheelchair or scooter and the able bodied people that practically ran her over to get on the elevator killed me.
 
I was unaware that people did this. I have stayed in handicapped rooms at hotels but I figured it was given to me at the time of check in due to non use. I assumed (I know, I know) that Disney would do the same with their HA rooms and disperse them as upgrades right before a cruise. Don't they hold the cabanna that is HA until cruise start if not booked? My friend has CP and was asked if she needed a HA room, she does not at this time and left it open. It's like HA spaces....shaking head.
 
Those rooms should be held for those who need them until close to the sailing date.

Well, they are. You have to ask for them in order to get them.

To try to book them just for the extra room when you do not need HA seems so selfish to me.

It is. The problem is that the ADA requires that a request for handicapped accommodation be accepted without proof of disability, or even stating what the disability is. All someone has to do is say what handicap accommodation they require, and Disney must provide it if available. So, a guest booking a room that says "I need a wheelchair-accessible room" must be accepted at face value with no proof required. It's the law. And unfortunately, there are people that view such things without fully understanding their ramifications - they just think "I need a wheelchair-accessible room" is a special incantation that you say if you want more space for free.
 
We just got off the Fantasy yesterday. We had booked a 9A GTY room. We did not request any special accommodations, nor did we need any. However, we were assigned the cabin 5186 which is HA. I would have gladly given it up to someone who needed it, but that is where Disney put us. So sometimes people who are not handicapped, are in a HA room through no choosing of their own.
 
Not discounting that there are definitely people who abuse HA rooms, however, I feel compelled to pose another scenario for why one might book one time and not another. Our son has CP and clearly has mobility issues. However, if the circumstances were such that we wanted to cruise at a certain point and there no HA rooms available, we could make it work without it.

Absolutely - one who has a true need as you described. It's not like you have a list of 20+ cruises and just one cruise stuck in there as HA that you booked 18 months in advance on opening day of bookings - with no mobility issues at all. I just walked in a Spina Bifida walk yesterday to support a friend; they would never get to cruise without a HA cabin, although some of the folks there were able to walk with the assistance of walkers. Too bad we have folks who do abuse HA rooms.

It is. The problem is that the ADA requires that a request for handicapped accommodation be accepted without proof of disability, or even stating what the disability is. All someone has to do is say what handicap accommodation they require, and Disney must provide it if available. So, a guest booking a room that says "I need a wheelchair-accessible room" must be accepted at face value with no proof required. It's the law. And unfortunately, there are people that view such things without fully understanding their ramifications - they just think "I need a wheelchair-accessible room" is a special incantation that you say if you want more space for free.

Same thing with pre-boarding assistance with the airline - the ADA rules. I love it when flying an airline with open seating, someone needs preboard assistance, then ends up sitting in the exit row. If there is an emergency and they need to lift the 40-pound over-wing window exit, yet needed preboard assistance for medical purposes, I would be concerned. But they usually sit there and nod their head in agreement when asked by the FA that they can handle the duties of sitting in the exit row seats.

We just got off the Fantasy yesterday. We had booked a 9A GTY room. We did not request any special accommodations, nor did we need any. However, we were assigned the cabin 5186 which is HA. I would have gladly given it up to someone who needed it, but that is where Disney put us. So sometimes people who are not handicapped, are in a HA room through no choosing of their own.


Yes - that is a GTY scenario we discussed earlier in the thread (not sure if you had an opportunity to read all of the thread prior to posting). DCL will assign the GTY rooms after PIF date. I was replying more about the HA cabins being booked on opening day which can be over a year-and-a-half in advance of a cruise - by individuals not booking GTY but rather a specific cabin. Even Mark shared about being platinum and trying to book a HA cabin for himself with no luck -- those go quickly. Your scenario is a completely separate scenario we discussed previously in the thread - one couple I know even called DCL this year to ask to be moved so that someone could use the cabin but were told no by DCL. We could even be one booking GTY one day and ending up in a HA cabin, but I would never intentionally book one just to have more space for our family of four.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!














Top