Handicap-access rooms

[gonzo0308]

I've been looking into renting points for our first stay at a DVC location. I have special medical needs and need a 100% non-smoking wheelchair access. room/suite/villa etc. I am a newbie to this site and was wondering how easy it is to find an available room and how far out I should plan for our vacation. There will only be 2-3 people so I don't need a large room.

Also I know that I can get a access. room at the DW resorts that haven't been cleaned with harsh chemicals or perfumes....is that also an option at DVC rooms as well. I have a severe allergy/asthma to cleaning chemicals and perfumes/air freshners.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I've been looking into renting points for our first stay at a DVC location. I have special medical needs and need a 100% non-smoking wheelchair access. room/suite/villa etc. I am a newbie to this site and was wondering how easy it is to find an available room and how far out I should plan for our vacation. There will only be 2-3 people so I don't need a large room.

Also I know that I can get a access. room at the DW resorts that haven't been cleaned with harsh chemicals or perfumes....is that also an option at DVC rooms as well. I have a severe allergy/asthma to cleaning chemicals and perfumes/air freshners.

First request is easy...ALL rooms at ALL Disney resorts are non-smoking rooms. Smoking is only allowed in designated outdoor areas at the resorts and parks.

Handicapped accessible should also be fairly easy to get, but the person you rent from will have to specifically book that for you through special needs. By doing it that way, your handicapped accessible unit will be guaranteed.

I too have sensitivity to perfumes and cleaning chemicals, but have never had any issues with that in a Disney resort. If you should get to the room and find you have an issue, you need to go down to speak to a manager, and they will have the room air cleaned for you.

Since you need full wheelchair access, I would say a 1 bedroom unit is your best bet. Which resort are you interested in? I'm sure you will find the HA units in all Disney resorts will be very easy to navigate. The units at Kidani village of Animal Kingdom Lodge have the best accessible shower units. Some of the other resorts have roll in showers that allow water to run all out over the bathroom. The showers at Kidani don't have that issue. Also, at Kidani you will have 3 beds in a 1 bedroom...a king in the master and a pull out queen sofa bed and pullout twin sleeper chair in the living room.

 

[disneynutz]

For the HC room question, a new law that went into effect just recently requires that HC room inventory be kept separate and reserved for HC Guests, The DVC Member online booking website now lists the HC inventory separate from the other rooms. I have used it to book a room for one of our renters and it worked great.

Bill

 

[dianeschlicht]

For the HC room question, a new law that went into effect just recently requires that HC room inventory be kept separate and reserved for HC Guests, The DVC Member online booking website now lists the HC inventory separate from the other rooms. I have used it to book a room for one of our renters and it worked great.

Bill

That's news! I wonder why this wasn't published elsewhere for us. It's GOOD news too! Maybe that means no one has to request NON handicapped anymore.

 

[Dean]

For the HC room question, a new law that went into effect just recently requires that HC room inventory be kept separate and reserved for HC Guests, The DVC Member online booking website now lists the HC inventory separate from the other rooms. I have used it to book a room for one of our renters and it worked great.

Bill

Bill, maybe you mean what I'm about to say but as I read it, your statement goes beyond my understanding. My understanding of the new law is simply that resorts must reserve non HC units first but does not suggest that they be held only for those requesting a HC unit. The other main requirement is that, subject to availability, one must be able to reserve a specific type of HC unit and that IF you make that specific reservation, that unit type must be then held for that person. I know there are some other technical issues like reservation times and complete descriptions of the amenities. Generally Timeshares have been held to the condo rules rather than the hotel rules from what I can see. I think most systems that book specific units did that anyway and DVC, by nature of the best fit reservation algorithm, met most of this by default by not booking specific units up front. The only issue would be the specific unit type requirement which they also did when they held units.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Bill, maybe you mean what I'm about to say but as I read it, your statement goes beyond my understanding. My understanding of the new law is simply that resorts must reserve non HC units first but does not suggest that they be held only for those requesting a HC unit. The other main requirement is that, subject to availability, one must be able to reserve a specific type of HC unit and that IF you make that specific reservation, that unit type must be then held for that person. I know there are some other technical issues like reservation times and complete descriptions of the amenities. Generally Timeshares have been held to the condo rules rather than the hotel rules from what I can see. I think most systems that book specific units did that anyway and DVC, by nature of the best fit reservation algorithm, met most of this by default by not booking specific units up front. The only issue would be the specific unit type requirement which they also did when they held units.

Aha, and that is probably correct and why we have heard nothing about this before.