Bars in bathrooms at POFQ?

[ls15]

Hi everyone,

My mom and I are staying in POFQ. Last year we were told that at POR we would have bars in the bathroom. (There weren't when we got there).

She asked me about this and I just wanted to inquiry - are there any accessible bars in the bathroom without having to stay in an accessible room? She doesn't need to wheel her wheelchair into the tub, and she feels bad "taking" that room from someone who might. But she can't stand in the shower and has trouble getting off of the toilet seat.

Any insight?

Thanks! We leave next week.

 

[Figmificent]

At POFQ now, no bars in our bathroom.

 

[pbrim]

As I understand it, there are two levels of accessible rooms. There are specific names for them, but I forget. Most rooms have typically had a single grab bar at the tub. My room at POFQ had that in Nov 2011, but apparently that is not always the case anymore. The lower level accessable rooms have grab bars along the long and short sides of the tub and grab bars around the toilet. The higher leve accessible rooms have roll-in showers instead of tubs, toilet grab bars, and possibly additional features.

One thing to be aware of, is that most accessible rooms have one king-sized bed rather than the more common two beds, in order to leave more room to manouver.

Also, I have heard that it is often possible to request housekeeping to bring you a bath chair and replace the showerhead with a hand held one, but I can't personally verify that.

Who you really need to speak to is special reservations. I can't find the number now, and I am sure someone will chime in shortly with it, but you can call the usual reservations number and ask to speak to someone in Special Reservations. They are trained in helping people with various handicaps and have more information on what is and is not available.

They are also the ones with the authority to put on your reservation that you need this or that accomodation for medical reasons, not personal preference, which means you are much more likely to get it. This does not mean you have to have a doctors note, or explain your medical condition. You tell you what your problems are (have mobility problems in the bathroom, but can use tub) and they help you find solutions. But there is a definite difference between the notations "Prefers first floor room" and "Requires first floor room for medical reasons".

 

[ttintagel]

I stayed there in June in a "regular" room, and there were no bars.

 

[ls15]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I finally figured out the info: 75 rooms are accessible, 25 of those have wheel-in showers, the other 50 have bars. To request it, they would do it, but they couldn't because I used a travel agent. So she has to do it, and everything was closed yesterday for Family Day.

So hopefully she can do it today!

Thanks everyone.

 

[I Love Pluto]

Some travel agents are unfamiliar with the Special Needs Line that Disney provides. When you call Disney, they actually put you through to a separate line - the people there know the accessible rooms. They reserve your HC room.

If your travel agent has not spoken to the Special Needs line, then you don't have a HC room. This happened to us repeatedly. Our travel agent promised - in writing - that we would have a HC room. She never got one. We didn't get one, etc, etc, etc.

We now do our own travel plans through the Disney line. We don't have issues any longer. I guess this is the old - "If you want something done right, do it yourself!"

 

[ls15]

Some travel agents are unfamiliar with the Special Needs Line that Disney provides. When you call Disney, they actually put you through to a separate line - the people there know the accessible rooms. They reserve your HC room.

If your travel agent has not spoken to the Special Needs line, then you don't have a HC room. This happened to us repeatedly. Our travel agent promised - in writing - that we would have a HC room. She never got one. We didn't get one, etc, etc, etc.

We now do our own travel plans through the Disney line. We don't have issues any longer. I guess this is the old - "If you want something done right, do it yourself!"

Thanks for the head's up! We'll see how it goes. I am pretty positive that she called the right line because I remember last year when we made our trip with her (for the last trip, not this one), she mentioned the number.

But... we'll see! We'll be on the plane in about 24 hours!

 

[dclfun]

I hope you get the room you need when you arrive, and if not, ask if there are any available. I had to be switched from one room to another the day I got there as the wrong room type had been reserved for me- thankfully it was no problem. Sounds like your TA is on top of things though! I hope you have a wonderful vacation- in less than 24 hours!

 

[ls15]

Thank you! I am so excited. I am sure it will work out. For some reason, it tends to (maybe because my mom is so awesome).

I'll be landing in Orlando in about 12 hours!