Cabanas at Disney resorts and disability priority

[australiankaren]

Hi there
My friend needed a cabana at GCH recently as her son has major sunlight /burns issues.

None were available, and she found out / saw 2 remained empty the entire day in question but still wasn't notified even though she was staying at GCH. She put her name down over a month ago and was on the wait list. She doesnt like to confront so they didnt go to the pool rather than try to get a shaded spot.

so my question is:
Should they hold aside one cabana a day for people with medical issues.

What should she have done.

 

[livndisney]

Hi there
My friend needed a cabana at GCH recently as her son has major sunlight /burns issues.

None were available, and she found out / saw 2 remained empty the entire day in question but still wasn't notified even though she was staying at GCH. She put her name down over a month ago and was on the wait list. She doesnt like to confront so they didnt go to the pool rather than try to get a shaded spot.

so my question is:
Should they hold aside one cabana a day for people with medical issues.

What should she have done.

I know the ADA provides for equal access. If the cabana's are on a first come first serve basis-then she needed to be the first to reserve. Holding one for the disabled is not equal (unless it has a ramp or otherwise makes it accessible). If she did not go to the pool I don't know how she knew 2 were empty. If that was the case she could have asked if she could use one.

I don't know if cabanas are something you pay for-but if they were paid for they would have to be available for the person who paid for them whether they used it or not.

Added: according to the website cabana's are paid for and by reservation. So it is likely that those two were paid for and had to be available for the person who paid for it. I can't imagine Disney would miss out on a money maker-if they could have charged your friend for an open cabana I am sure they would have.

 

[sonnyjane]

How would going to the pool and looking for a spot in the shade be a "confrontation"?

ETA: in your other thread when you asked this, and mentioned that your friend was arriving at the hotel to check in early in the morning, it was recommended that if a shady spot was required that she get there early and that she could leave her things with the bell desk if the room wasn't ready. That would have been the best way to guarantee shade.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with the others that there is no requirement in the ADA to hold any cabanas for guests with disabilities. All of the pools have some provision for 'free' shade, in the form of tables with umbrellas, but it is up for grabs for anyone.

That she was on a waiting list means they were all rented at the time she tried to rent one. I would expect that if someone cancelled, WDW would start calling people on the waiting list - they would not leave them empty if there were people who were willing to pay for one.

As bother poster mentioned, there is a good chance that the ones that looked empty had been rented for the day. The people my have not shown up or may have been gone at the time she as the cabanas.

 

[SarahInMN]

so my question is:
Should they hold aside one cabana a day for people with medical issues.

I realize I may be since I saw this post "headline" on the main boards but what is defined as "medical issues?" I for example burn easily and have a family history of skin cancer. My solution is to always wear sunscreen and to rent a cabana (not only at disney but in Las Vegas or Hawaii for example) or go early in the day to get a spot in the shade and retreat by midday.

I don't think it's fair to hold back cabanas for people with a "medical issue" (assuming the pool area is accessible) especially since I could similarly claim a "medical issue" (which I choose to solve by renting a cabana well in advance or by going early to the pool before the sun hits its worst).

If a cabana looked empty, your friend could have checked with pool staff to confirm a "no show" and then rent it. Or she could have gone to the pool early, sat in the shade, and then went in after a few hours.

 

[cobright]

I have a medical need for a cabana myself, so on trips where we have stayed deluxe (rare, we actually prefer the mods if the kids are with us) or cruising to castaway cay we book and pay for our cabana well in advance.

For the term of our agreement, whether I'm in that thing or not, it's mine. I would go seriously goldilocks on the place if I dropped in and someone's sleeping on my chaise.

Thing is, no one is surprised by needing a cabana. If you need one you know you need one. With the medicine I take, I can get a lethal dose of sunlight in 10 minutes if my sunblock fails (that would be a pretty extreme example ... the ol' skin cells let you know pretty quick when they've had enough). So if I need to spend time out doors I know I will need proper protection from the elements.

 

[Gracie09]

I don't see why they should hold one. Everyone has the same opportunity to rent one. If you know you need one you should plan accordingly. Unless your friend was down there all day how did she know they remained empty. They could have been used for part of the day and your friend not see the people.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

We rented a cabana a few weeks ago and the one next to us was empty. On the table in front was a sign that said to rent this cabana call (extension #). The other two had signs that said this cabana has been rented and the family name on it, so I think they make it pretty clear as to the status of the cabana.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm going to close this thread at this time.
The OP's question has been answered.