I thought those rooms were also in preferred locations...will be interested to see the answer to this.
People assume the accessible rooms are in the preferred locations, but according to the ADA, the accessible rooms are supposed to be dispersed around the resort, including different views and categories.
So, some might be in the preferred location, others not.
They are allowed to charge more for location (just as they are for other guests who have that location). They are not allowed to charge more for a room in the same location or category just because it has features that make it handicapped accessible.
Actually, that would be considered illegal. They can not charge more for a HA room then they charge for a COMPARABLE non-HA room.
I still stand that the category or view is sold out, thus bumping the OP (and others) to the next rung.
I agree
My guess is because there are no longer any HA rooms that fit your needs in other booking categories. All the HA rooms that are a standard view may already be booked, so all that is left are move expensive views and locations. Disney only has to offer X% of rooms in each category as HA accessible to create equal access.
Also, the number of rooms with roll in showers is smaller than most people probably realize.
The ADA has guidelines for the number of accessible rooms that are required by the size of a hotel/resort.
The numbers include accessible rooms with grab bars and those with roll in showers. For each 100 rooms, they might only have 1 room with a roll in shower.
This is from the grid at the ADA website:
number of rooms is lists first, then the number of rooms required to be accessible.
*301 to 400 12 (4 with roll-in showers)
*401 to 500 13 (4 with roll-in showers)
*501 to 1000 2% of all rooms (plus 1 room with a roll-in shower for each 100 rooms)
*1001 and over 20 plus 1 for each 100 over 1000 (plus 1 room with a roll-in shower for each 100 rooms)
Because of the relatively small number of rooms with roll in showers at each resort, and the fact that they are scattered, it is possible that all the roll in shower rooms in a location/view may be booked.
Location in a hotel is not part of the ADA, so if someone feels their disability requires some specific location ( such as close to the lobby), if other guests are charged for that location, the guest with a disability can be charged too.
If there is any extra charge, guests can put it in as a request, but the only way to guarantee it is to pay the up charge for the location.
I recently booked a FD trip online, requesting a roll in shower, and noticed that there are many categories of accessible rooms. At first I did not look carefully and ended up with a room rate that was $550 more than if I had made a different choice. There are upcharges that apply to EVERYONE for king bed and preferred location, also for different views such as standard view ( least costly) up to, at some of the deluxes, MK view. Once the standard rooms are booked, then you will either have to choose a different resort in your category ( value, mod, deluxe, villa) with a preferred view or whatever is left with a roll in shower.
Per ADA, Disney cannot charge more for the same accommodations and accommodations must be available in all room types. Standard rooms are often booked first, and once they are gone, then you have no recourse but to book something else. It's not because you need a roll in shower.
The "deal" is when the CM saying the "pretty ridiculous things" is the one who is supposed to meet the need. For example, we travel with a person with a limb difference (no fingers). The CM at the turnstiles said "you need to put your finger on the scanner" the person holds up their hands and shows they don't have fingers. The CM INSISTS no fingers no entry! They were not going to let her in!
In the case of the room, we too have been told "ridiculous" things. We can know the law, we can have "reasonable options for the future", but when you are standing at the front desk talking to the hotel manager (who is the CM saying the stupid things) it is frustrating.
For the finger scan, that is pretty heartless and that CM needs retraining - so getting a supervisor involved is important. And, maybe the only option if the CM at the turnstile is asking for something that is not physically possible.
My DD can't reach the finger scanner from her wheelchair and no one has ever made a fuss about it.
For the unreasonable things at the resort, the manager
should know, but if they don't, a complaint higher up the ladder will hopefully help prevent the problem in the future for other guests.
