Accessable room at Value charge for cot

[disneymarie]

I arrived at the value movies for our trip last week. I had a need for an accessable room and ajoining second room for older sons family with a toddler.
I made a confirmation with travel agent for the room, I tried to call special reservations and they would only talk with travel agent. I did not prepare to be unable to reserve what our needs were.

On check in they wanted to charge me for a cot for my daughter, $16 more a night. I did not feel that was fair as there were no accessable double double.
THen they had to change us to a double double, the rooms were not ajoining, which creating a problem with the care of grandson.

To top it, the one connecting room son had, the key would not work, nothing helped!!! Ended up with a tech call out and if at least the rooms were ajoining they could have entered threw our room.

It happened the next three nights we were there. Even the maid could not get in to do the room....

But after last years accomadation of an accessable joining room, for the four of us at no cost, I was disappointed not to be accomadated with a cot at least.
I did not need a roll in shower, so I was just disappointed not double double rooms with rails accessable rooms.
Just a heads up when traveling to pay the cost or not have an accessable room.
dianne

 

[mumto2]

Sorry for your troubles - hope the rest of your trip was enjoyable! Your story is exactly why I don't use a TA for my WDW trips. Nothing against TAs - they do a great job for many people, but if you have special needs, it can make things more complicated, IMHO.

I booked a POR package through a TA a few years ago with the request that we get a room close to food court as DD9 is a stroke survivor with limited mobility/stamina. Paperwork did not have request info, but TA assured me it was in the system. Upon arrival at POR, we were put in a room at the back of beyond. The CM was unable to move us, even after we explained the situation. Even for DH and I, it was a very long walk to get to the food court. We had no choice but to take DD's pushchair with us, even just to refill our mugs.

Since that trip, I have always booked directly with Disney and have been very well taken care of. I call CRO and explain our needs, and the CM puts in a request in the system with a note to the special needs desk. Being a control freak, the first time I did this after the TA experience, I called to confirm a few times, and it was in the system, and upon arrival, we got a perfectly located room. I don't re-re-reconfirm anymore , but have a great deal more confidence that everything will go fairly smoothly.

 

[dclfun]

I just have a question....if you didn't need a roll in shower, why did you ask to reserve an accessible room that had one? Alternatively there are the other accessible rooms that have handrails and a tub-perhaps this is what you were moved to. If you were in a room with a king/roll in shower and only two guests, they do not comp a cot since there is bedding for two people. I'm sorry you were disappointed.---Kathy

 

[Schmeck]

disneymarie, how many rooms did you reserve/pay for, and how many adults were in your party?

Adjoining rooms do not have the door between them, do they? Connecting rooms do, right? Or am I getting the words mixed up? Did you ask for adjoining or connecting?

 

[SueM in MN]

disneymarie, how many rooms did you reserve/pay for, and how many adults were in your party?

Adjoining rooms do not have the door between them, do they? Connecting rooms do, right? Or am I getting the words mixed up? Did you ask for adjoining or connecting?

You are correct.
Adjoining rooms are just rooms that are next to each other. In some hotels, they count rooms that are across the hall from each other as adjoining rooms too. Some even count rooms as adjoining if there is a Housekeeping closet or vending room in between.

If you want rooms that have a door inside that connects them together, you need to ask for Connecting rooms.

Also, WDW doesn't usually guarantee connecting rooms if there are enough adults to have adults in each room. Since you were traveling with your son'd family, they looked at you as 2 parties, each in separate rooms.

I just have a question....if you didn't need a roll in shower, why did you ask to reserve an accessible room that had one? Alternatively there are the other accessible rooms that have handrails and a tub-perhaps this is what you were moved to. If you were in a room with a king/roll in shower and only two guests, they do not comp a cot since there is bedding for two people. I'm sorry you were disappointed.---Kathy

This is true.
There are also many less accessible rooms with roll in showers than there are with handrails and a tub. So, there are less rooms available to 'match' you with if you request a roll in shower.

To top it, the one connecting room son had, the key would not work, nothing helped!!! Ended up with a tech call out and if at least the rooms were ajoining they could have entered threw our room.

I don't understand this???
If they had connecting rooms, they would have been able to come in through your room????

One of the problems with dealing with a Travel Agent is that you have an additional 'layer' between you and the resort. The TA actually owns the reservation, so WDW can't really talk to you. If the TA doesn't understand your needs or doesn't state them clearly when making the reservation, you may be out of luck.
Some TAs are excellent, but even when dealing with a really good TA, it's very important to make sure your requests are totally clear and not misunderstood.

 

[disneymarie]

I just have a question....if you didn't need a roll in shower, why did you ask to reserve an accessible room that had one? Alternatively there are the other accessible rooms that have handrails and a tub-perhaps this is what you were moved to. If you were in a room with a king/roll in shower and only two guests, they do not comp a cot since there is bedding for two people. I'm sorry you were disappointed.---Kathy

I had requested a connecting room (ajoined with pass through door to care for grandson, with privacy was my wording. She repeated a pass door connecting the, doorway to my son's room, with handicap accessable to at least one room for handles for tub and toilet. I did not know that accessable rooms were only a King bed.
When I found out I asked the TA to request a cot for the third in our party my 12 yr daughter. So four adults and two children, grandson and my daughter and they were not going to share a bed, lol.

The did not have a room with the door connecting/ajoining the rooms but did have a side by side, with two rooms double beds, non-accessable. There was a tub rail on the wall, We did just shower and that was OK.

I found it incrediable that they could not fix the door the first time, and that the second day with housekeeping could not get in and documented that it was not fixed before their return. I was glad they at least had a key to get in for grandson to rest that night.
The third night was un real to ahve the same problem. The statement that they had the same problem last week, should had been a heads up.

I used the TA as this is a charter from our local airport the only way to travel direct flight two hours. But you do lose so much control.

Out of the ordeal, there was a $5o room credit made....
It was after 1:00 to 2:00 am until we got in rooms and settled for three nights, so gave a late checkout...

I just was always so pleased with the quality of service last year on how we were accomadated with an accessable room and connecting double/ with two handicap persons, three adults and one child travling.

I should call the TA and advise her of the difficulty we did encounter with the rooms and wanting to charge for a cot, and the room lock out 3 of 6 nights.
Our check in was early, we were there 10:00 ish, so we could even wait for rooms,,,,,,
Well, next time I think we will travel differently,
I know know too to make sure to keep a scooter for the entire stay, it was too much getting around the resort and too buses. I can sympathise with the poster about asking for a close room to access areas. The additional charge for the hanicap rooms in preferred rooms adds up for the stay. We were in Toy story, considered prefered and I could only get around with the scooter.
This trip was really exhausting, the stay at the sports last year was far nicer, accomadating wise, closeness of the rooms, and staff help.
dianne

 

[SueM in MN]

I had requested a connecting room (ajoined with pass through door to care for grandson, with privacy was my wording. She repeated a pass door connecting the, doorway to my son's room, with handicap accessable to at least one room for handles for tub and toilet. I did not know that accessable rooms were only a King bed.
When I found out I asked the TA to request a cot for the third in our party my 12 yr daughter. So four adults and two children, grandson and my daughter and they were not going to share a bed, lol.

The did not have a room with the door connecting/ajoining the rooms but did have a side by side, with two rooms double beds, non-accessable. There was a tub rail on the wall, We did just shower and that was OK.

For next time, I would suggest not using the word "Adjoining" at all. What you wanted was "Connecting" rooms. What you got was adjoining rooms (rooms right next to each other, side by side), which sounds like what was requested for you.
There are 2 types of handicapped rooms; one type is fully accessible with a roll in shower. I'm not positive about All Star, but I think the roll in shower rooms there all have King beds. They re-arrange the space to make room for the roll in shower; this means the rest of the room is smaller. I think all the All-Stars roll in shower rooms have King beds because there would not be enough space left for 2 beds.

The room you ended up with that had 2 double bed and a tub rail on the wall may have been a handicapped accessible room (not fully wheelchair accessible room with a roll in shower, but handicapped accessible with grab bars).

For the cot, it sounds like they looked at the number of people and the number of beds. With the King bed room, you could sleep 2 people. With the double room next to it, you could sleep 4. So, a total of 6 people and a total of 6 beds. That's what they were looking at and why they charged for the cot bed. The same thing happens if one person with a disability who needs a fully accessible room is traveling with an aide. There is one King bed, so the resort has provided 2 sleeping places for 2 people in the room. If those 2 people don't want to sleep in the same bed, they will have to pay for a cot.

The key problem was bad. We have had key problems at times in the past, but usually they could resolve it with just coming once. Sometimes it was something wrong with the key; sometimes the key reader needed a new battery. Your situation sounded like something actually went wrong with the reader.

So, anyway, you learned some things for next time, that hopefully will help you get what you need.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

after hearing about the ongoing key problem and no access to their room they should have moved the entire party to different rooms or even a different resort, not given them $50 for their trouble.
That is absurd. As for the cot if they had three people booked into the room and were given a King because of the Roll in shower feature, they should NOT have been charged for the cot since rooms there hold at least 4 people otherwise.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But king-bed rooms accommodate only two people, plus one child under three in a pack & play. While king-bed rooms at the value resorts are merely a request, to the best of my knowledge, Disney won't even allow more than two people on a reservation for a one-bed room.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

But king-bed rooms accommodate only two people, plus one child under three in a pack & play. While king-bed rooms at the value resorts are merely a request, to the best of my knowledge, Disney won't even allow more than two people on a reservation for a one-bed room.

The point is the guest did not request a king size bed they requested roll in shower and were not told that only King sized beds in such rooms and so not normal number of people accomodated. if they had a two double bed room with roll in shower then they would have gotten that.
They said they were not told.

 

[SueM in MN]

The point is the guest did not request a king size bed they requested roll in shower and were not told that only King sized beds in such rooms and so not normal number of people accomodated. if they had a two double bed room with roll in shower then they would have gotten that.
They said they were not told.

I'm not sure they meant to request a roll in shower room. It sounds like they wanted a handicapped accessible (i.e. with a tub with grab bars) room and the Travel Agent got that translated that to a roll in shower room.

Even if they had wanted a roll in shower room, from what I can see they had a total of 4 adults and 2 children (a 12 yr old DD and their grandson). So, a King bedroom + a room with 2 doubles would have been the correct number of beds for the number of people. (2 sleeping in nthe King room and 4 sleeping in the double room). I think that's what Disney looked at.

I think they charged for the cot because from what they could see, they did provide the correct number of beds for the number of people registered in the 2 rooms. If they had 7 or 8 people, that would been a different story (since the King + double room only slept 6 and 2 double rooms would sleep 8).

If I was the OP, I might write to Disney and explain I didn't realize I would get a King bed. I'd also explain that even though there were enough beds, 2 of the people could not sleep together in one bed. They may come back with the explanation that there were 6 people and 6 beds were all they needed to provide, but you never know what a nice letter might do.
I would also contact the Travel Agent so he/she knows for the future.

 

[dclfun]

To me, the biggest problem was the card key reader not allowing access into the one room. There is no card key between two connecting rooms, only a connecting door that can be open or left closed if either party on either side makes that decision. If they were only adjoining then each party would need a key card to each other's rooms which sounds like what happened, with one of the cards not working or perhaps I'm not clear on that. Only the OP knows what was communicated to her t/a regarding the room request but since they originally were placed in a room with roll in shower, then the folks at Disney must've had that as the request. Lately they have been quite clear when asking exactly what type of accommodations are requested and actually want you to say, "roll in shower, fully accessible" which is for someone who can only transfer or needs that feature, vs. "accessible room with tub/rails". I have a feeling that since the OP travelled once before and was comped a room, she was expecting the same to be done when she requested the roll in shower. As Sue mentioned with only 6 guests in the total party, Disney is not obligated to give a free cot since there was bedding for all 6 guests or even a connecting room. Even for myself, who often travel with a son who is a young adult now and certainly doesn't wish to sleep with his Mom ( nor do I!) we are not comped a cot since there is bedding for two, even if the room is a king bed room due to necessity for a roll in shower. ---Kathy

 

[disneymarie]

I just thought things sound confusing, there were two families traveling, my family oldre folks and my son with toddler. I reqested and paid for two rooms. I asked that one room was handicap accessable, non roll in shower, Handrails and the accessable toilet. With doors that allowed passthough to care for my grandson in privacy.

When I arrived they had offered the King accessable room and my family of three would have to pay for the cot. I did not feel that due to only providing a King bed, I should have paid for the cot. I certainly did not want another room for free. I wanted a bed for my 12 year old without sharing with husband and I.

My son had his bed, a needs person, wife and toddler had the second double bed. We were not going to pay for a cot....so the alternative was a reg rooms side by side no access. We had to go in and out the outside, instead of privacy.

I agree the key was a huge problem. By the second time after housekeeping noted she could not get in it should have been corrected.

So I was disappointed no one notifed us that there would be a cost to accessable room to sleep a third person, and that last year we did not have this problem, that it was handled more professionally.
Dianne

 

[dclfun]

If there were three guests listed on the reservation for the accessible room and all they had was a king bed/roll in shower room ( rather than the accessible with two double beds and tub/rails that you requested) then indeed you should have been given an extra room. Perhaps your t/a listed guests differently and had four in one room and two in the other on the ressie which then prompted the accomodations you received and the charge for a cot. It's gotten a bit harder to explain what you DO need since we are no longer able to speak directly to someone at Special Services and our requests go through the regular DRC CM who puts you on hold to confirm your needs. It's like that phone game where things get to the last person and they aren't what they originally started out to be. Perhaps in this instance with your t/a involved there was one more "link" where communication broke down. ---Kathy

 

[Mickiethepooh]

If there were three guests listed on the reservation for the accessible room and all they had was a king bed/roll in shower room ( rather than the accessible with two double beds and tub/rails that you requested) then indeed you should have been given an extra room. Perhaps your t/a listed guests differently and had four in one room and two in the other on the ressie which then prompted the accomodations you received and the charge for a cot. It's gotten a bit harder to explain what you DO need since we are no longer able to speak directly to someone at Special Services and our requests go through the regular DRC CM who puts you on hold to confirm your needs. It's like that phone game where things get to the last person and they aren't what they originally started out to be. Perhaps in this instance with your t/a involved there was one more "link" where communication broke down. ---Kathy

Ah but you can call special services AFTER CRO has made the reservations and verify everything with them and make sure they have the story correct.
and it is VERY WISE to do this.

 

[Charleyann]

My son requires a roll in shower room. My best friend and her son is coming with us on our trip. We were given another room because 4 people can't fit into king size bed.

Will these rooms be connecting?

Thank you

Charleyann

 

[Schmeck]

My son requires a roll in shower room. My best friend and her son is coming with us on our trip. We were given another room because 4 people can't fit into king size bed.

Will these rooms be connecting?

Thank you

Charleyann

Only if they are available at check-in, and you've asked for them to be connecting in advance. Since there are two adults, a connecting room is not considered necessary, as an adult is available for each room. You can request it though, and they will try their best to do it for you, at least that's what I've experienced on our trips. We've had connecting rooms each time we've requested them (and one time without a request, as a special surprise since it was our 15th anniversary and we had invited my inlaws to join us!) Just make sure it is noted on your reservations, and call a few diays in advance to remind them.

 

[Charleyann]

We have connecting rooms ....

Charleyann

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Normally in a situation where they are giving you a second room due to accessibility requirements, (a) the rooms are automatically connecting rooms, and (b) they will usually indicate only one room on the reservation.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ah but you can call special services AFTER CRO has made the reservations and verify everything with them and make sure they have the story correct.
and it is VERY WISE to do this.

The OP's situation was that she dealt with a travel agent. Normally WDW will not be able to talk to the guest, the contact has to be thru the travel agent.