Disabled restrooms

[JoJoGirl]

Not to mention that a lot of their “public” restrooms are pay toilets. A friend of mine recently made a series of hilarious Facebook posts about her first encounter with a toilet turnstyle in a Germany. Apparently she did not have the proper change and tried to sneak through with someone else. She got busted. Luckily she did not have to go to potty prison!

 

[lookame]

I can see people with Colitis needing those showers. You would not know by looking at them what was going on with them but they are definitely disabled. We no longer go anywhere without a change of clothes.

I have crohns disease and at my worst there was no possible way I could leave home for more than 2 hrs without crippling pain and sprinting to the bathroom (also...why is the bathroom so far away when you need it right then and there?) I really try to avoid the HA bathroom at all costs because I am, for the most part, an able bodied person, however there have been moments which it's the single bathroom open and I can't wait any longer. I've been looked down upon because I'm not handicapped...but then there are the times which I walk out of the bathroom in tears and blood and poo stained pants. I learned my lesson though, I carry change of clothes now but when I wasn't sure what was going on it was pretty aweful

 

[Lilsia]

I have crohns disease and at my worst there was no possible way I could leave home for more than 2 hrs without crippling pain and sprinting to the bathroom (also...why is the bathroom so far away when you need it right then and there?) I really try to avoid the HA bathroom at all costs because I am, for the most part, an able bodied person, however there have been moments which it's the single bathroom open and I can't wait any longer. I've been looked down upon because I'm not handicapped...but then there are the times which I walk out of the bathroom in tears and blood and poo stained pants. I learned my lesson though, I carry change of clothes now but when I wasn't sure what was going on it was pretty aweful

I feel for you. Crohns is a horrible disease. Anytime a person has issues like that it can easily take over your life. I have issues with my bladder and at times it is really stressful because you always have to be aware of where the closest restroom is. I have used the HA stall many times because it was the first one open. Just because it is HA does not mean it is handicapped only. If someone has a need then use it. Especially someone like you that could definitely have use for the sink in there.

 

[arminnie]

I do not have chron's disease or IBS - but I often have uncontrollable explosive bowel issues. It's hideous and can be so embarrassing. But I do not harbor any ill feeling towards a person who uses the handicap stall in a bathroom that is full. I recently entered a restroom where all of the stalls were in use (fortunately not an emergency situation for me). I waited at the handicap stall until an able bodied young teen emerged - I had ZERO ill will towards her. All of the stalls were in use so of course she used the one that was open.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Some restrooms I have to use this stall, as my legs won't fit in some smaller stalls or at some I need the grab bar because the toilets are so low, so please don't assume if someone isn't in a wheelchair that they don't need to use the stall.

Exactly...I'm not in a wheelchair but I have a handicapped parking placard, does that mean I cannot use the HA stall because I can walk unassisted?

 

[SirDuff]

I do not have chron's disease or IBS - but I often have uncontrollable explosive bowel issues. It's hideous and can be so embarrassing. But I do not harbor any ill feeling towards a person who uses the handicap stall in a bathroom that is full. I recently entered a restroom where all of the stalls were in use (fortunately not an emergency situation for me). I waited at the handicap stall until an able bodied young teen emerged - I had ZERO ill will towards her. All of the stalls were in use so of course she used the one that was open.

While it is great that you have no ill will, it seems like you're still making assumptions about people you don't know. How do you know that she was able bodied? Based on your description, someone looking at you using that stall, would also assume that you were able bodied and didn't need the handicap stall.

 

[arminnie]

While it is great that you have no ill will, it seems like you're still making assumptions about people you don't know. How do you know that she was able bodied? Based on your description, someone looking at you using that stall, would also assume that you were able bodied and didn't need the handicap stall.

She was a teen who literally hopped out of the stall. I was sitting there on my ECV so I think it was obvious that I needed that stall. I cannot walk at all unassisted. The young girl even said “sorry”. I told her that it was all okay. The bathroom was small so there literally was no place for me to wait that wasn’t blocking something, but she had no impaired mobility as she hopped around me.

Whether she had some urgent need to use that only unoccupied stall or not - she had every right to use it.

Recently when faced with an urgent need I had to go in the first unoccupied non handicap stall. I somehow got in there holding on to the door - it had to call my DH to come get me out.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

If the regular stalls have bars, I use them. If they don't, I use the HA. I need the bars to help lower me and assist me up. Just because I don't have a wheelchair and you see me walk out, doesn't mean I do not need it

 

[OurBigTrip]

Whether someone needs a handicap stall is totally irrelevant - they're handicap accessible, not handicap only.

If I'm in line for a stall, and the handicap accessible stall is the next to open, I check quickly behind me for anyone in a wheelchair, and if there isn't such a person, I go in. And when I had small kids, I would absolutely wait until the handicap stall was open to use it.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

A handicapped restroom is just that, handicapped. The term handicapped doesn't refer to only wheelchair but all handicaps. There are various handicaps that will require you to use that stall. Please do not judge anyone not in a wheelchair. The wheelchair is not a fastpass to the stall. I hate to be mean but true. Some in them are only in them because they rented one and do not meet the ADA standards of being handicapped either. No one should be judgmental. I don't know who meets the ADA standards and don't begrudge you, so please don't begrudge us that aren't.

 

[OurBigTrip]

A handicapped restroom is just that, handicapped. The term handicapped doesn't refer to only wheelchair but all handicaps. There are various handicaps that will require you to use that stall. Please do not judge anyone not in a wheelchair. The wheelchair is not a fastpass to the stall. I hate to be mean but true. Some in them are only in them because they rented one and do not meet the ADA standards of being handicapped either. No one should be judgmental. I don't know who meets the ADA standards and don't begrudge you, so please don't begrudge us that aren't.

I don't think anyone is.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I don't think anyone is.

Maybe I misread some posts. Sorry if that's the case.

 

[Groot]

My biggest complaint about accessible bathroom stalls in general (not just at Disney) is that people constantly use them when they don't need them, especially for multiple people to use the stall at once, and I end up sitting in my chair outside the one and only stall I can use for 10, 20+ minutes. I understand using that stall if there's a line and you plan to be quick in there, but right now I feel like people just go in there to have the "luxurious" bigger stall with its own sink and more arm room. And as far as using it for a family, I guarantee that small children fit better in a regular stall than my wheelchair does.

Exactly, one year, I had to use the bathroom really bad. (Note to self: Stomachache+big breakfast DOES NOT GO WELL TOGETHER.) Well, it was so bad that I couldn’t spare the extra time that it would take to get out of my scooter and run into the bathroom, so I drove the scooter into the bathroom myself. Lo and behold, there was a line. By the time that there was an accessible stall open, an ABLE BODIED lady darted out in front of me and took the stall. Not noticing me or the scooter that I was sitting in. But, there was another person that got out of the bathroom and they were like “Really?” and I was like “Yeah... really.”

 

[Lilsia]

Exactly, one year, I had to use the bathroom really bad. (Note to self: Stomachache+big breakfast DOES NOT GO WELL TOGETHER.) Well, it was so bad that I couldn’t spare the extra time that it would take to get out of my scooter and run into the bathroom, so I drove the scooter into the bathroom myself. Lo and behold, there was a line. By the time that there was an accessible stall open, an ABLE BODIED lady darted out in front of me and took the stall. Not noticing me or the scooter that I was sitting in. But, there was another person that got out of the bathroom and they were like “Really?” and I was like “Yeah... really.”

How is you being in a scooter a person that needs instant access to a toilet? I mean how are people to know? I don't need a scooter but I have a medical condition where I need fast toilet access. I look totally healthy but still need to use the toilet often and urgently at times. I still wait in line. If a bigger stall is opening up first then I am taking it. Just because a stall is accessible does not mean it is handicapped ONLY. The place that I work has 2 stalls in the bathroom, 1 is accessible. Are you saying the no one should ever use that stall unless they are in a wheelchair, or in your case a scooter? Well I can tell you that that 1 stall would be used maybe once a year, if that. Plus plenty of people can have need of the bigger stalls or the bars in the stall and NOT be in a wheelchair or a rented scooter. Accessible was never meant to be only. Most things are handicapped accessible now but that does not mean no one else can use them.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think the poster meant the other person was behind in line and darted out around to the front. That has happened to us a couple of times.

I am often with my daughter who can’t get out of her wheelchair without being lifted. When I’m with her, we need the large handicapped stall because it is the only one we fit into. We do wait in line, and often the person one or 2 ahead of us goes into the handicapped stall.
I don’t know or care why they are using it and it doesn’t really matter whether they are using it because they need that particular stall, need to use a stall quickly or just are going to the first open stall.

I can tell you what is only visible to us and the people waiting behind us.
When someone right before us uses the handicapped stall, we generally will be waiting for one entire ‘cycle’ of the restroom stalls emptying and refilling before the handicapped stall opens up again, however many bathroom stalls there are. While we are waiting, people behind us have to maneuver around us to get to the open regular stall. Many are very polite and don’t want to go ahead of us, so we explain many times that we need to wait for a particular stall.

If I’m not with my daughter, I can use any stall. So, if the handicapped stall opens when I’m at the front of the line, I look behind me and also ask if anyone needs it. I’ve not had anyone complain about me letting someone go ahead.

 

[smidgy]

is there a map available of the location of companion restrooms? my husband doesn't see well enough to find his way around in the men's restrooms by himself.

 

[SueM in MN]

is there a map available of the location of companion restrooms? my husband doesn't see well enough to find his way around in the men's restrooms by himself.

yes
They are marked on the park maps for guests with disabilities. I circled the icon and 2 of the locations on the PDF of the MK map.

You can pick up the maps at the parks with the other maps or download them here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/guests-with-disabilities/

 

[SueM in MN]

You can also find them on the My Disney Experience app.
This shows the same part of MK as the map in the other post. The top one shows 2 icons stacked on each other. The bottom one shows what happened whennai clicked on the icon.

 

[smidgy]

thanks!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not noticing me or the scooter that I was sitting in.

She noticed. She just didn't care.