DVC and Disabilities...

[ILuvMulan]

Does anyone know what percentage of AKV are equipped with handicap accessible showers and if requesting one will make it more difficult to get reservations during the 11 month window? the 6 month window?
Thanks

 

[Chuck S]

I don;t know about AKV specifically, but when you make your reservation, if you definately need a roll-i shower be sure that Member Services contacts the Special Needs department, they can block a room for you. I would imagine tht the Kidani building will have good availability for modified rooms, as it is "new construction", but there is definately a lack of modified rooms in the villas in the existing lodge building (Jambo House), however, it was retrofitted from existing rooms.

 

[ILuvMulan]

Thank you. I think I'll do some digging with my DVC Guide.

 

[Poohs Pal]

I have had better luck getting info directly from members service rather than my guide on handicap facilities. Member service's put me on hold while they called AKV directly with my question. Susan

 

[Dean]

Currently there are more HC units than needed overall. But they will not hold them so if there is one unit left and it is a HC one, the next person who calls will get it whether they need a HC unit or not. Certainly anytime you introduce a factor that limits your options you will have risks and likely be less successful over time than one who does not have the limits in place. Those that utilize HC can give you a feel for how much they feel it limits them. You may want to ask on the disabilities board as well.

 

[Chuck S]

Currently there are more HC units than needed overall. But they will not hold them so if there is one unit left and it is a HC one, the next person who calls will get it whether they need a HC unit or not. Certainly anytime you introduce a factor that limits your options you will have risks and likely be less successful over time than one who does not have the limits in place. Those that utilize HC can give you a feel for how much they feel it limits them. You may want to ask on the disabilities board as well.

Again, after you ake the initial reservation, ask to speak to special needs, they will block an Handi-Accessible unit for you.

 

[Dean]

Again, after you ake the initial reservation, ask to speak to special needs, they will block an Handi-Accessible unit for you.

True, but there has to be a unit available and it has to fit the needs in question. If the resort is sold out, they don't hold units for certain groups.

 

[BCV23]

True, but there has to be a unit available and it has to fit the needs in question. If the resort is sold out, they don't hold units for certain groups.

Right, and even if the resort still has availability all accessible villas may be gone.

 

[ILuvMulan]

Thanks. I guess I should have said that we are considering purchasing DVC, but it sounds like once we do, that member services are the people to talk to about reserving an HC room. I do not think that this is a problem that would keep us from buying. My son is mobile enough that we could use a regular shower if we had too. It would just be easier if we had the roll-in. Hopefully we will be able to plan early enough that we can reserve one before they are gone. Thanks again.

 

[ILuvMulan]

Currently there are more HC units than needed overall. But they will not hold them so if there is one unit left and it is a HC one, the next person who calls will get it whether they need a HC unit or not. Certainly anytime you introduce a factor that limits your options you will have risks and likely be less successful over time than one who does not have the limits in place. Those that utilize HC can give you a feel for how much they feel it limits them. You may want to ask on the disabilities board as well.

I WILL look at the disabilities board. I am new and saw it listed but have not gone there yet

 

[wedance6]

We have had trouble getting a roll in shower for AKV for Dec and May of next year. AKV only has them in the standard rooms, no savannah. Kadani, not sure of yet. SSR we could not get one as well for Dec. I find it completely unacceptable that they can't kick out a reg. person to swap room types for this need. We have the rooms, just not the roll ins. Hopefully it will fill when there, since it's on the request form.

 

[Chuck S]

We have had trouble getting a roll in shower for AKV for Dec and May of next year. AKV only has them in the standard rooms, no savannah. Kadani, not sure of yet. SSR we could not get one as well for Dec. I find it completely unacceptable that they can't kick out a reg. person to swap room types for this need. We have the rooms, just not the roll ins. Hopefully it will fill when there, since it's on the request form.

I'm sorry you are having trouble securing a roll-in shower. How far in advance do you make your reservations, and do you speak with Special Needs or just Member Services?

No, they can not "kick out" another member, all the rooms, including the HA rooms, are included in the total number of points & rooms available for a resort, and depending upon how the rooms are reserved (as a separate studio and one bedroom or as a lock-off two bedroom) that would certainly make a difference as to availability. Also your specific dates. December is a very, very popular time for DVC members. It may just be that there are more people needing roll-in showers than there are units available at that time.

For instance, say there are 10 HA units at a resort, and because of the staggered arrival/departure dates that are built into the DVC system, there may simply not be a unit available for your entire stay, but other special needs people may arrive/depart during your scheduled trip, but have no problems getting a unit.

 

[Dean]

I find it completely unacceptable that they can't kick out a reg. person to swap room types for this need. We have the rooms, just not the roll ins. Hopefully it will fill when there, since it's on the request form.

As Chuck noted they cannot and should not kick out someone else who has a reservation because another member wants a room. While it may work out, this is not a request situation. Those rooms are booked directly when needed. So if they say they don't have it, there's not much chance of getting one unless there are cancellation or changes in reservations. Personally I'd rather not go to WDW than have a HC room but the way rooms are booked otherwise you'd never know until arrival.

 

[wedance6]

What I'm saying is that if I have a room and so does someone else, let's just hope that the HA rooms are not given out until the end, or only as needed for a request. I can't imagine that they have so little inventory, since when we bought the guide assured us that getting one would not be a problem since it's part of the ADA regulations. I could of understood Dec., since we booked at the 7 month mark, but we couldn't even get them in May at the 11 month mark.

 

[Chuck S]

Did you go through special needs/special services or only make a request through Member Services? Member Services does not block or assign accessible rooms, Special Needs/Special Servies can. All Member Servies does is see if a room class or size is available for members, HA rooms are not a booking class at Member Services, are any WDW Resort, even with cash, those rooms are only blocked by Special Needs.

For reservation purposes, HA rooms are part of the overall inventory.

I have found, at least at OKW, that there are plenty of HA rooms for almost every season. But as the population ages, I can foresee a time when there may be a seasonal shortage. Again, it is important to book these rooms with Special Needs and not as only a request with Member Services.

There is, however, currently a shortage of HA rooms at AKV, and none on the conceirge level. When Kidani opens, there should be no problems with getting HA rooms in Kidani.

EDIT: What I should have said was that there is an HA unit on conceirge, but unlike all other HA units in the DVC system, it has a roll-in shower, but no whirlpool tub. All the other one bedroom HA units currently in DVC have a roll-in shower AND a whirlpool tub.

 

[BCV23]

There is an accessible two BR lockoff in concierge. We've had it. The master BR is the portion of it that is modified with a roll in shower.

I think Lisa and others have posted that there is also another accessible villa with a tub on the concierge floor.

I think it's strange that you couldn't get it at 11 months too. As Chuck said, first there has to be general inventory but then you should have been put on hold while MS checked with Special Needs for the rollin shower. Did that step happen?

 

[Dean]

What I'm saying is that if I have a room and so does someone else, let's just hope that the HA rooms are not given out until the end, or only as needed for a request. I can't imagine that they have so little inventory, since when we bought the guide assured us that getting one would not be a problem since it's part of the ADA regulations. I could of understood Dec., since we booked at the 7 month mark, but we couldn't even get them in May at the 11 month mark.

It's not an ADA regulation to manufacture a unit when there isn't one. The regulation is that they have X number based on certain formulas, no requirement that those units have to meet a given person's needs. If you call and there is a HA room, they will give it to you assuming it meets your criteria and based on the methodology presented in this and other threads. For example if there are 100 rooms and 10 of them are HC room and they currently have 99 reservations and 9 of them are specifically locked to HC, you are OK assuming that one remaining room meets your needed criteria. If it doesn't and you need say a roll in shower and that one unit doesn't have one, the choice is yours, take that room or not go. Using the same example, if they have 10 reservation but all are for the 10 HC units, you have the same choice, take a non HC or not go. Of course you may be able to try for other resorts depending on the rules of the club.

 

[LisaS]

The floor plans for Jambo House show the following rooms as HA rooms. The floor plans are not 100% accurate however. For example, the floor plan for room 6202 shows a tub in the master bathroom but the room actually has a roll-in shower. I added an "*" in front of the room number for those rooms where a room report has verified the HA-related information.

HA rooms with a roll-in shower:

 [u]Room[/u] [u]Size[/u]  [u]Category[/u]   [u]Trail[/u]   [u]View[/u]       [u]Comments[/u]
 5456  ST   Std View   Zebra   Pool    Roll-in shower
*5319  1B   Sav View   Kudu   Arusha   Roll-in shower, no tub
*5483  GV   Sav View   Zebra  Uzima    Roll-in shower in master bathroom
*6202  1B   Concierge  Lobby  Sunset   Roll-in shower, no tub


HA rooms with a tub (no roll-in shower):

 [u]Room[/u] [u]Size[/u]  [u]Category[/u]   [u]Trail[/u]   [u]View[/u]       [u]Comments[/u]
 5010  1B    Value    Giraffe  Pool    HA room with tub
 5414  1B   Std View   Zebra   Pool    HA room with tub
 5205  1B   Sav View   Lobby  Sunset   HA room with tub
*5431  1B   Sav View   Zebra  Arusha   HA room with tub. No kitchen island
 5216  1B   Sav View   Kudu   Sunset   HA room with tub
*6205  1B   Concierge  Lobby  Sunset   HA room with tub