Beware handicapped rooms if you're not handicapped!!!

[Lewisc]

Unfortunatly this was my last review here!
My other review of Boma and AKL was closed against my wishes for no reason given.
I made another post asking why and expressing my disappointment with DIS.
It was deleted within minutes.

Needless to say this ruins any fun of sharing opinions or wanting to help anyone out.
I'll just lurk and take any info that I find intersting for myself in the future.

I enjoy reading opinions that are different than most. Sometimes unconventional opinions results in a thread getting mean spirited and gets closed.

I'm not sure what a hotel can do when it's completely sold out and people who don't need a handicap room are stuck with one. I think your point is accurate. Most people who don't need a handicap room won't want one.

wildernesslodgelover Any time I've been put in a handicap accessible room the room was a standard size. The space need for wheelchair access came from taking stuff away from the room. No tub or vanity in the bathroom, only one bed and other deleted furniture.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Unfortunatly this was my last review here!
My other review of Boma and AKL was closed against my wishes for no reason given.
I made another post asking why and expressing my disappointment with DIS.
It was deleted within minutes.

Needless to say this ruins any fun of sharing opinions or wanting to help anyone out.
I'll just lurk and take any info that I find intersting for myself in the future.

Awww, please do share your opinion on the Contemporary. As I mentioned on another thread, I really want to see what you thought about it! I love hearing about the range of experiences that people can have.

 

[4greatboys]

The accessible rooms are hard to stay in with a toddler. We had one last June at BWV. We were going to be there 5 nights and changing resorts several times--plus our room was right outside Luna which was perfect for our teens so we stayed. It was hard not being able to lock the doors and and the curtain pulls were the perfect height for our todder but we made it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

DLKT, at least the fact that WLV offered to waive the room change fee shows an improvement on their part. In 2002, when we were assigned a handicapped room, without being told, called and asked to be moved, they told us "Well, of course, you'll have to pay the $25 room change fee." The front desk manager told us this. When we told her we refused to pay it because we thought it was unfair, since we'd gotten the HA room without being told, they refused to move us. When we returned home, I wrote a letter of complaint, both to DVC and the WL manager (who never responded by the way), and I was told by DVC that this wouldn't happen again (assigning handicapped rooms without telling guests). At least there's been some (tiny) improvement.

 

[4greatboys]

DLKT, at least the fact that WLV offered to waive the room change fee shows an improvement on their part. In 2002, when we were assigned a handicapped room, without being told, called and asked to be moved, they told us "Well, of course, you'll have to pay the $25 room change fee." The front desk manager told us this. When we told her we refused to pay it because we thought it was unfair, since we'd gotten the HA room without being told, they refused to move us. When we returned home, I wrote a letter of complaint, both to DVC and the WL manager (who never responded by the way), and I was told by DVC that this wouldn't happen again (assigning handicapped rooms without telling guests). At least there's been some (tiny) improvement.

We werennt told our room would be HA accessible either for that stay or the the time we got one at OKW.

 

[jarestel]

Unrequested and unneeded HA rooms can be a major disappointment for many when checking in. I would suggest you provide feedback to the resort and express your dissatisfaction. If they hear from enough people who don't appreciate being assigned a room that doesn't meet their needs, maybe they will change their booking policies. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hey DLKT!

I really and truly think that Laugh O Grams is right. I think it was closed down cuz OTHER people got heated. Not fair to your thread, but I can see the moderator's point. I love these boards cuz they stop the name calling pretty quickly. I frequent another message board that is becoming intolerable due to the name calling and hatred. So I gotta respect the mods for nipping it in the bud.

LewisC-You mean in all hotels? I am thinking of the Renaissance in particular...we would have layovers at the LAX Ren and all the FAs would FIGHT over who could get the handicapped room as it was HUUUGE! And the bathroon was huge, too! Maybe that is one of the differences in a "true" luxury hotel as opposed to "WDW Deluxe."

 

[Ronda93]

Disney rooms seem to have two levels of accessibility. We've gotten rooms that have lots of extra bars for support, but still with a tub. There's a lower peep hole and the vanity seemed higher. There were two beds.

Other rooms are more accessible still with roll-in showers and shower seating. Can't remmeber what the vanity was like. There was a king bed. The bed was horribly soft and very low to the floor. We were only staying one night in this room. If it had been longer I would have asked to move.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hi Ladyhawke! No, actually I am talkng about the weightwatchers.com message boards. I have been posting there for years but in the past 6 months the trolls have taken over. It's a bummer, cuz they scare away all the nice people!

Yeah, I KNOW that some hotels have awesome handicapped rooms. That is why i am thankful for DKLT's post, cuz I would have thought the same of Disney's HA rooms. Didn't even think about cruise ships!

 

[pugdog]

Being a person who does use the hanicapped rooms, yes rhonda there are 2 types of rooms. the regular handicapped room usally has the 2 beds, a tub with grab bars and a higher sink. the fully wheelchair room has the roll in shower ,a roll under vanity and usally a king bed, but not alwaYS. they are spaced through out the resorts and many different floors if there is an elevator. the beds are lower so someone in a wheelchair can transfer over.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

There is a 25$ room fee for changing rooms on a DVC stay? I was just looking into buying points for the first time so that is interesting news.

I liked staying the regular WL section...so homey.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Pug-Thank you for clearing taht up! I never knew there were two grades of HA rooms.

Ladyhawke-Are you saying you like the hotel side of WL better? Cuz DH and I talk about that all the time...we want to rent DVC points, but we REALLY like the hotel area of WL. I am not sure we would be as happy at the DVC section. I guess we should try it first before we decide, though.

 

[ColoradoBelle1]

Well, the posts on the DVC board about HA rooms really did get ugly and no, no one ever closed them, even tho some people calling others idiots were the least offensive things I read. (I started the thread so I felt I needed to read it...yuck.

Anyway, glad no one here is bashing you for wanting a tub! (It is almost hilarious that someone actually posted that because HA rooms didn't work well for some people that those people were calling the rooms inferior WHICH MEANT THAT THEY WERE CALLING HANDICAPPED PEOPLE INFERIOR.!!!!!

But I digress. what I wanted to say about teh $25 room charge is supposedly for the maid to clean the room that you didnt' request but were assigned to.
SO to prevent this injustice...in you get led by a bellhop TO a handicap room, first say gee, this really isn't going to work for us. Don't let him leave. Call the front desk and have the bags taken straightaway to the new room assigned. If they say there is no other room available but will switch you the next day....ask if they are going to comp the room you have to stay in that night!!!!! I'm sure they won't (tho other large hotel chains would) BUT I think it might put them on notice that they sure as heck better not try to collect $25 bucks the next day for 'cleaning'!!!!!

I can certainly understand that Disney would keep HA rooms for last and that it is possible that there are no other rooms available..BUT that is no excuse for not telling you up front and letting you decide on what to do.

I haven't had a room at Disney that was HA nor even one that was smoking before, but I know I wouldn't be happy if I got one thrust upon me unannounced. And to add insult in the form of a $25 cleaning charge to the injury is perplexing ...why antagonize a customer MORE than you already have?

Ok, done ranting! Good luck on all your room choices in the future! I know I'm not letting that bellhop out of my sight until I've checked out the room first!

 

[DebbieB]

I agree they should waive the $25 cleaning fee in this situation. The cleaning fee was setup so that members who wanted a room change the next day simply because they didn't get their view request would have to pay for a cleaning (since DVC points rooms do not get daily housekeeping included). A studio is $25, a 1 bedroom is $30, 2 bedroom $40, GV $60.

 

[minijeanie]

omg,,,same thing happened twice to me in BWV

hate the handicap rooms especially if you don't need them

think they try to unload on you when they know there is no ressie for one in next few days

thanks for reminding me

and I alsor resent the time it takes to move plus the double tipping


in back of my mind for upcoming trip

and while we are on the subject...

never get a room adjacent to the elevator...
very,very noisey

 

[minkydog]

You seem to have pretty high expectations. Personally, i would not be upset to have a handicapped room. I prefer showers to tubs and i don't have toddlers. A room is a room, a place to take a load off. sorry it didn't work out for you.

 

[AllyBri]

If you are going to be assigned a HC room, you should be informed in advance. Especially if you have young children.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

minkydog-but the OP said he DID have toddlers! I think anyone going to Disney with kids should expect doors that lock and and tub. I don't consider that "high expectations!"

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Few dollars?
We had about 8 bags(suitcases, backpacks) PLUS a dozen grocery bags from the supermarket we stopped in before arriving, remember this is a Villa.
With $1 a bag and a little extra for the groceries moving 3 times adds up!
AND REMEMBER, this wasn't our fault.
If we were planning this trip down to the dime losing $35 for nothing would hurt.

You're right about the balcony.
That is a concern and something we did take special care with but i prefer it.

The free upgrade would have been great if it was for the length of stay!
LOL!
But it was just from 10PM (we still had to leave to get dinner) to 7AM.
And like I said, we couldn't even unpack.

I think with that amount of luggage & the time you were going to be staying in that room, I would have just stuck it out for the night. I can understand what you are saying, but to me, having children & all that luggage, staying put would have been easier for me. Skip the bath one night for the kids & stick them in the shower...they would have had a blast.. I use to do that at home with my kids, let them sit in my shower... their bath has a tub/shower deal & mine is only a shower ...very large at that, which I would think the handicaped shower would have been. .... place a towel on the shower floor, let them sit & have the water hit them...

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I can understand what you are saying, but to me, having children & all that luggage, staying put would have been easier for me. Skip the bath one night for the kids & stick them in the shower...they would have had a blast.. I use to do that at home with my kids, let them sit in my shower... their bath has a tub/shower deal & mine is only a shower ...very large at that, which I would think the handicaped shower would have been. .... place a towel on the shower floor, let them sit & have the water hit them...

That is why, Sharon, you are going to heaven and the rest of us...well...not so much!