'Boys in the ladies toilets' argument

[Toryn]

I find every year I go American parents keep their children as young as possible and even if their boys do not have a disability they seem too old to be in the ladies loos So no way will you feel uncomfortable and as above posts have said the disabled loos ARE for you with your son So have a lovely time when you go

 

[Cinderella2006]

Have the same problem with my son although he is only 6 so we use the ladies unless he is in his wheelchair and we will use the companion toilets.
Its hard to explain as i know my son has a disability (epilepsy, autistic spectrum and ataxia) but it is not a visible one and you wouldnt know unless he wore his helmet or was in his wheelchair so i too dont always feel comfortable using the disabled despite being issued a key. The looks i get

 

[foxxxy83]

Just back from Florida and, although we used the companion restrooms where available, there REALLY aren't enough of them and NOBODY bats an eyelid if you take a boy in the women's toilets. Try to use the companion restrooms if you can out of courtesy as they have been put there with that specific purpose in mind but don't feel bad if it isn't always possible... I mean LEGOLAND has one situated just before you enter the park and none inside that we could find. What do they expect people to do? Hold it?? You pay an arm an a leg to be in any park in Florida, the least they could do is provide as many companion restrooms as normal ones. Isn't like they don't have any space, the parks are MASSIVE!!

 

[starrysky]

I have noticed about WDW rest rooms that there's a large space above and below the door and a gap down the side big enough to see through if you're that way inclined though so I sort of get why it bothers some people. Personally I feel all my dignity left when I gave birth though so it doesn't bother me as much as others...!

I have also noticed this gap as well and I'm used to it now but I hated it at first. I have no problem however with the op taking her son in. if you gotta do what you gotta do.
The issue I have is where parents seem to let their kids roam around in there.
Overall Disney do well helping anyone who needs it so if in doubt op or you need any help just ask.

 

[Cinderella2006]

Just back from Florida and, although we used the companion restrooms where available, there REALLY aren't enough of them and NOBODY bats an eyelid if you take a boy in the women's toilets. Try to use the companion restrooms if you can out of courtesy as they have been put there with that specific purpose in mind but don't feel bad if it isn't always possible... I mean LEGOLAND has one situated just before you enter the park and none inside that we could find. What do they expect people to do? Hold it?? You pay an arm an a leg to be in any park in Florida, the least they could do is provide as many companion restrooms as normal ones. Isn't like they don't have any space, the parks are MASSIVE!!

Hope you had a good trip

 

[edinburghlass]

Just back from Florida and, although we used the companion restrooms where available, there REALLY aren't enough of them and NOBODY bats an eyelid if you take a boy in the women's toilets. Try to use the companion restrooms if you can out of courtesy as they have been put there with that specific purpose in mind but don't feel bad if it isn't always possible... I mean LEGOLAND has one situated just before you enter the park and none inside that we could find. What do they expect people to do? Hold it?? You pay an arm an a leg to be in any park in Florida, the least they could do is provide as many companion restrooms as normal ones. Isn't like they don't have any space, the parks are MASSIVE!!

Its such a shame you didn't ask at Legoland as they have a companion restroom at all of the toilet locations. A colleague was there a month ago and took his daughter there while his wife went shopping but he phoned to check before they decided to split up for the day.

 

[foxxxy83]

We had a blast thanks! All booked up again for next year! We did look when we were at LEGOLAND and couldn't find any but anytime we did see companion restrooms, we used them rather than normal ones. Most people don't bat an eyelid though. It isn't like he's left to his own devices in there or flashes at people. We share one cubicle and are as discreet as possible. If anyone ever did ask, I would apologise for any offence caused and explain his condition. I can't see many people not being understanding about it!

 

[penlanspice]

I honestly wouldn't worry about it, if there's a companion toilet there and it's free use it but otherwise I wouldn't go out of my way to find one.
Unfortunately the world we live in people will look at if you take him into the ladies and they will still look at you if you go in the disabled .
We've lived in the same situations with my BIL hes autistic but you would never tell to look at him.

 

[2Tiggies]

J You pay an arm an a leg to be in any park in Florida, the least they could do is provide as many companion restrooms as normal ones.

You cannot possibly be serious!!

 

[Portugal1000]

I have also noticed this gap as well and I'm used to it now but I hated it at first. I have no problem however with the op taking her son in. if you gotta do what you gotta do.
The issue I have is where parents seem to let their kids roam around in there.
Overall Disney do well helping anyone who needs it so if in doubt op or you need any help just ask.

Slightly off original topic but I have always wondered why the toilets in Disney have such big gaps each side of the door. You can easily see out which is slightly off putting and people can see in.
I wouldn't worry what other people think. My son is now 13 so not a problem anymore but when he was younger I use to hate having to send him into the men's alone when we were out. Even now I always say. "Straight in straight out" and have the hand sanitizer at the ready. Funnily enough one if the places I never really did worry was at Disney I guess because so many people around.

 

[foxxxy83]

Yes I am serious about them putting Companion restrooms in all the same places as normal ones... they put disabled ones next to all normal ones in UK... at least I don't remember ever seeing normal toilets with no disabled one!

 

[2Tiggies]

I just don't get it. Someone posted a link to a very comprehensive list of companion restrooms around WDW when you asked about it before your trip. I reposted the link when you said that there didn't seem to be many and pointed out that this did not appear to be the case. You stated that you would be able to look this up on your iPod while away.

I don't have a child with a disability but have had to do Disney with food allergies and made sure that I got all the relevant information before I traveled and had it to hand so that I did not have to run around asking questions suddenly when my 6 year old was hungry and I had no clue what was safe for her to eat or where to get it.

When you have to make special concessions and considerations for a child or any member of your party, or even for yourself, for that matter, you make a plan to get that information to hand beforehand and make sure you have it accessible when you are there. Sorry, but that is just basic planning. Sometimes things go wrong and get forgotten or it gets confusing. I get that. But it's not like we went wondering if we might get hungry during a 3 week trip. Just like it's not as if you wondered if you might need to take your son to the restroom during your trip.

You can't go jumping up and down when things don't go exactly the way you want them to. There are countless people in your situation, with or without disabilities who have got by just fine. I don't see why it has to be drama at every turn

 

[Elise79]

Yes I am serious about them putting Companion restrooms in all the same places as normal ones... they put disabled ones next to all normal ones in UK... at least I don't remember ever seeing normal toilets with no disabled one!

All the restrooms I have been in at Disney or in fact in Florida have disabled stalls and facilities inside the main restrooms.

I personally still don't take any notice of boys in the woman's restroom as long as they are with their mum.

I am lucky in that I have a daughter so if I take her out it's not an issue. DH has taken her out to the parks by himself and he has taken her in the mens if needed. Which is probably more difficult as men use urinals where the woman's is all stalls.

 

[tinkerpea]

I just don't get it. Someone posted a link to a very comprehensive list of companion restrooms around WDW when you asked about it before your trip. I reposted the link when you said that there didn't seem to be many and pointed out that this did not appear to be the case. You stated that you would be able to look this up on your iPod while away.

I don't have a child with a disability but have had to do Disney with food allergies and made sure that I got all the relevant information before I traveled and had it to hand so that I did not have to run around asking questions suddenly when my 6 year old was hungry and I had no clue what was safe for her to eat or where to get it.

When you have to make special concessions and considerations for a child or any member of your party, or even for yourself, for that matter, you make a plan to get that information to hand beforehand and make sure you have it accessible when you are there. Sorry, but that is just basic planning. Sometimes things go wrong and get forgotten or it gets confusing. I get that. But it's not like we went wondering if we might get hungry during a 3 week trip. Just like it's not as if you wondered if you might need to take your son to the restroom during your trip.

You can't go jumping up and down when things don't go exactly the way you want them to. There are countless people in your situation, with or without disabilities who have got by just fine. I don't see why it has to be drama at every turn

I have to say I totally agree with everything you have said! I was going to reply with something very similar but you said everything I wanted to lol!...
The information is readily available,
And there are always plenty of members of staff around waiting to assist and answer questions.

There just is not the room to have the same amount of companion restrooms as normal toilets,
And the parks already have a fair amount and do an AMAZING job at trying to cater to as many needs as possible.
Even including rooms where you can go and take a nap and have quite time for an hour or so.

 

[Magic Megadegs]

We went this summer and ds ( 8) used the restroom with me and my daughter on many occasions. I just would not allow him to use the men's by himself if my husband wasn't there. Nobody batted an eyelid and they would have had short shrift if they'd objected. I didn't spot any companion rest rooms but for my ds I wouldn't have taken a disabled rr only because there were so many people queuing for them who really did need them.

Your situation is completely different, do whatever you feel comfortable with be that ladies or companions restrooms if you find them. Good luck and don't worry.

 

[Magic Megadegs]

That should read ds 8 not some winking smiley, not sure what happened there. Seems that if you put an 8 inside brackets you get a winking face!!!

 

[foxxxy83]

For a start I have excessive memory loss on account of having MS and residual brain damage so please don't knock me for forgetting things or have a go at my planning skills! I just don't see why Disney can't put a companion restroom in at all toilet stops as, although there are quite a few, there still aren't a massive amount. Yes there are disabled toilets in each of the mens and womens restrooms but to take my son into one of those still means taking him into the womens so doesn't solve the prob. At the end of the day, so long as it's done in a discreet way and you use the companion restrooms where available, I don't see the prob. One of the companion restrooms (next to Crystal Palace restaurant) is in fact in the First Aid office which isn't obvious as an example for anyone who didn't know. Also, I had probs connecting my iPod in Disney and I have no printer so I did my best. No-one batted an eyelid but I tried to be as courteous as possible.

 

[2Tiggies]

This has nothing whatsoever to do with memory problems and everything to do with you coming on here, asking questions, people going out of their way and falling over themselves to help you and at the end of it all, you know better than anyone and everyone else is wrong.

Time after time someone has offered advice by way of relating from their extensive personal experience and you go into the parks for the first time ever, a handful of times and have an opinion about everything. You are stating that you see no problem with taking your son into the ladies' and that nobody seems to mind. So why the big issue about needing more companion restrooms?

There is always an opinion, a problem and an excuse. Would you like me to start pulling up some quotes from past posts where you continually shout people down when they are trying to help you?

You are making a big deal out of the fact that you like to pick fault with things. The world doesn't owe anybody anything. Disney is more than accommodating to guests in general, yet you seem to be the only person who has a problem with the facilities they provide. For someone who did not know a few weeks ago that companion restrooms existed you are riding pretty mightily up there on that high horse of yours slamming them for not putting in enough. If you'd stop and read the information people are giving to you when you ask questions instead of responding by telling them what you want the answer to be, you would know a lot more and have to worry about a lot less.

 

[foxxxy83]

Am not worrying! I also don't know more than everyone else. I offer an opinion as that's what people do on forums. I asked a question AGES ago and yes, someone posted up a list which I was grateful for but I completely forgot they had posted it when it came to the time when we were near going (apologies for that!) I was also REALLY grateful for you for posting it up again before we went and I have NEVER disputed that. I only put a viewpoint out there that they have a hell of a lot more land mass over there to build on so I would've thought there would be more is all. Not that it's a MAJOR problem. It's just a simple viewpoint. I am more than happy to concede that I know very little Disney-wise in comparison to others and apologise for any offence caused

 

[2Tiggies]

It's ok. You haven't caused any offence. You've just pi$$ed a whole lot of people off

Why don't you just relax and let people help you and listen to their advice. Everyone is trying to help. Arrogance doesn't help you. You could gain so much information here and have a fabulous trip next year, instead of fault finding with everything