Handicap rooms

[JoEllen]

I made reservations today for BWV and and as usual requested a non handicap room as part of my room request. The member services lady told me that was no longer necessary. That only people who requested handicap rooms were assigned to them. I no longer had to worry about getting a handicap room.
Is this something new I missed? I have been assigned a lot of handicap rooms over the years since we fly in from Seattle and always arrive late. In fact, we often stay in a hotel the first night to get the advantage of early check in the next day.
So is this a new policy or a mis-informed cast member?

 

[Dean]

I made reservations today for BWV and and as usual requested a non handicap room as part of my room request. The member services lady told me that was no longer necessary. That only people who requested handicap rooms were assigned to them. I no longer had to worry about getting a handicap room.
Is this something new I missed? I have been assigned a lot of handicap rooms over the years since we fly in from Seattle and always arrive late. In fact, we often stay in a hotel the first night to get the advantage of early check in the next day.
So is this a new policy or a mis-informed cast member?

I haven't heard anything that would change the risk and in reality they have to give all rooms to someone. A couple of years ago there was a change in the law that would require they hold them to last for reservations. Ideally the last people to reserve would get the worst rooms and would be informed they were getting a HC room when they didn't need one.

 

[jerseyduke]

What dean said is interesting. I have not heard this, and yes, they have to be given to someone.

About 2 years ago, I paid cash for a studio villa at the beach club. I was told I was getting a room on the 2nd floor. They gave me the room number. I ended up on the 4th floor, but in the same number room (409 as opposed to 209), and it was a HC accessible room. So I assume the 2nd floor one was as well.

Does not prove anything, but supports Dean's statement about holding them for reservations.

 

[Dean]

What dean said is interesting. I have not heard this, and yes, they have to be given to someone.

About 2 years ago, I paid cash for a studio villa at the beach club. I was told I was getting a room on the 2nd floor. They gave me the room number. I ended up on the 4th floor, but in the same number room (409 as opposed to 209), and it was a HC accessible room. So I assume the 2nd floor one was as well.

Does not prove anything, but supports Dean's statement about holding them for reservations.

There was a lot of discussion here at the time of the rule change. Some erroneously believe resorts must hold the rooms only for those needing them but this is not the case nor is it required that those reserving the accessible room need it. Just that they're booked last or specifically as an ADA room.

As of March 15, 2012, Hotel reservation systems must:

v Ensure that disabled individuals
can make reservations for accessible
guest rooms during the same hours
and in the same manner as non-disabled individuals;

v Hold back the accessible guest rooms for individuals with disabilities until all other guest rooms of that type have been reserved;

v Remove reserved accessible rooms from all reservation systems; and

v Guarantee that the specific accessible guest room reserved through its reservation system is held for the reserving guest.

 

[disneynutz]

HC rooms are a separate booking pull down when booking online. I wouldn't think that Disney would allow the rooms to stay empty but as posted they are probably the last to be assigned.

Bill

 

[sgtpet]

I have been "stuck" with handicap rooms a few times over the years. With a special needs boy who likes to escape rooms, we cannot have these rooms and request to not have a handicap room for each request.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

On Friday I was given an HA room at VGF. I did not reserve it. I think the CM you spoke with at MS was confused with the fact that now it's possible to book the HA rooms online so one doesn't have to go thru another department to have it set aside. It doesn't mean that it won't be assigned to someone if it's not booked because needed.

Dean, I don't recall ever hearing about a law requiring it to be held for last. There was the law change which DVC/Disney finally complied with that required equal ability to book the rooms - ie, it needed to be available to be booked online. It was not something they complied with any earlier than they needed to though.

 

[Dean]

On Friday I was given an HA room at VGF. I did not reserve it. I think the CM you spoke with at MS was confused with the fact that now it's possible to book the HA rooms online so one doesn't have to go thru another department to have it set aside. It doesn't mean that it won't be assigned to someone if it's not booked because needed.

Dean, I don't recall ever hearing about a law requiring it to be held for last. There was the law change which DVC/Disney finally complied with that required equal ability to book the rooms - ie, it needed to be available to be booked online. It was not something they complied with any earlier than they needed to though.

Here's a quote from one website. As I understand it the law was changed in 2010 and went into effect in 2012.

The new ADA regulations require all establishments that provide transient lodging to use the same process for booking all guestrooms. If the establishment uses a centralized or online booking system, that system must display a detailed description of the accessible facilities.

The new regulations also require hotels to hold accessible guest rooms for people with disabilities until all other guest rooms of that type have been reserved. The custom of assigning rooms upon check-in and subject to availability is no longer lawful if it would mean disabled guest’s reservation of accessible room would not be honored.

 

[BenandMorgsMom]

As of Monday people where being assigned HA rooms they did not want. There are long FB threads on this exact situation and the "surprise" people get when they see the difference in room set up. I agree that the CM misquoted a policy. Disney would never let rooms go empty.

 

[Dean]

As of Monday people where being assigned HA rooms they did not want. There are long FB threads on this exact situation and the "surprise" people get when they see the difference in room set up. I agree that the CM misquoted a policy. Disney would never let rooms go empty.

And it will continue to be an issue as it is a necessity of the system. If the rooms are available, someone must get them. I understand not wanting one and even asking to be moved but not being upset if one does get assigned one and it's certainly not reasonable to demand to be moved or changed.

 

[Dean Marino]

This has happened to us - once. The room is tolerable, but to us was a downgrade.

Are there any request categories for "do not want a HA room"?

 

[winniesgirl]

We checked into our home resort, the BWV on Feb 26th. I was at the check-in desk at 10:30 AM to complete the online check-in. I did not expect my room to be ready and just wanted to make sure my one request was showing. I had booked a 1 bedroom standard view, and asked for a renovated room. I was told they didn't know what I was getting but would text me. I got my text at the 4:00 mark and was given my room number. I went to the desk though to be sure I did have a renovated room. I was told "no" as all the renovated rooms were given out. Ok... if rooms aren't assigned until check-in then something isn't quite right. I went to our room, not a happy person but I'm in WDW I'll get over it. As I opened the door I sensed something not quite right. Everything was low... and the room seemed unusually small. As I walked into the bathroom and saw the roll in shower I realized they had given us a handicap room, and a pool view and of course about the only non-renovated room. The room was awful. As a DVC member since 1999 I had never had such a bad room. So nothing was right. I called the front desk and after many conversations they did nothing but did tell me to call and see if I had enough points to upgrade to a regular pool view... what??? So they did have rooms but wouldn't allow the change. I called our Member Services and was lucky to get a very helpful CM. She first thought my reservation asked for a HA, but no that was not anywhere, then she figured out that the BWV must have changed my reservation to HA. She told me to go back to the front desk and tell them "they made a mistake and they have to fix it". This time I got a wonderful Front Desk CM who went above and beyond. She got me out of that awful room and into a renovated room. But here is what she told me. The last reservation that is received in a category is automatically assigned a Handicap room. I had made these reservations 4 months ahead of time and no one ever told me I was the last person to reserve in that category or that I might be assigned a Handicap Room. I felt like others have said that it is a downgrade to be put in one of these rooms. I value my points and try to use them wisely. I don't want a handicap room, but if this is a policy then when booking you should be told this could happen. Except... at the time of booking how will you or Member Services know that you are the last one to book. When I book at a WDW resort hotel I don't have to worry about that and I really don't think I should have to worry about it for my DVC booking.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I booked a SV BWV 1 bedroom 3-4 months before my March 14 arrival. We got a Pool view 1 bedroom that was HA. It was not needed, but we took it to be an upgrade from SV.

The dishwasher needed fixing, and it was, but in no way was it a sub standard room. It was convenient, usually, we get the last rooms in the hall, this was near the elevators!

The day we checked in, I looked on line, and in my reservation it stated a HA 1 bedroom PV. When I checked the reservation in my saved messages, it stated SV 1 bedroom. No additional points were taken.
Bobbi

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have to say I don't believe the info you were provided winniesgirl about the last reservation booked gets the HA. Honestly, they aren't that organized. If they were that dedicated to requests then the people who made their reservations first would be given their requests and so on down the line. I think it's just luck of the draw for people to get the HA rooms if they haven't been booked by people who need it. The rest is just fitting the puzzle together.

We'll be taking up one of the Pool/garden view HA 2BR's in a couple of weeks. Very excited and really crossing my fingers to get one of the higher floor. We get in later though so if it's ground floor then so be it. For our stay in Feb the room assignor did an excellent job and I know they can't always make that happen. Because less carpet helps my sister out though I am really crossing fingers for the renovated room because of it.

 

[jekjones1558]

We checked into our home resort, the BWV on Feb 26th. I was at the check-in desk at 10:30 AM to complete the online check-in. I did not expect my room to be ready and just wanted to make sure my one request was showing. I had booked a 1 bedroom standard view, and asked for a renovated room. I was told they didn't know what I was getting but would text me. I got my text at the 4:00 mark and was given my room number. I went to the desk though to be sure I did have a renovated room. I was told "no" as all the renovated rooms were given out. Ok... if rooms aren't assigned until check-in then something isn't quite right. I went to our room, not a happy person but I'm in WDW I'll get over it. As I opened the door I sensed something not quite right. Everything was low... and the room seemed unusually small. As I walked into the bathroom and saw the roll in shower I realized they had given us a handicap room, and a pool view and of course about the only non-renovated room. The room was awful. As a DVC member since 1999 I had never had such a bad room. So nothing was right. I called the front desk and after many conversations they did nothing but did tell me to call and see if I had enough points to upgrade to a regular pool view... what??? So they did have rooms but wouldn't allow the change. I called our Member Services and was lucky to get a very helpful CM. She first thought my reservation asked for a HA, but no that was not anywhere, then she figured out that the BWV must have changed my reservation to HA. She told me to go back to the front desk and tell them "they made a mistake and they have to fix it". This time I got a wonderful Front Desk CM who went above and beyond. She got me out of that awful room and into a renovated room. But here is what she told me. The last reservation that is received in a category is automatically assigned a Handicap room. I had made these reservations 4 months ahead of time and no one ever told me I was the last person to reserve in that category or that I might be assigned a Handicap Room. I felt like others have said that it is a downgrade to be put in one of these rooms. I value my points and try to use them wisely. I don't want a handicap room, but if this is a policy then when booking you should be told this could happen. Except... at the time of booking how will you or Member Services know that you are the last one to book. When I book at a WDW resort hotel I don't have to worry about that and I really don't think I should have to worry about it for my DVC booking.

It makes sense to me that the last person to reserve in a category would get a HA room, if that is the only room left. It would be nice if the member could be told, at that point, that the only room left is HA so that member could choose to take the HA room or book something else.
I don't think it is fair to call HA rooms "sub-standard." Because of DH's bad knees, we have no choice but to book HA rooms, even though the ONLY accommodation DH really needs is a high toilet (raised toilet seats don't work for him, trust me). So does that mean we are being cheated on our room quality? No. I will say that Disney does not do a very good job of planning out HA rooms. Our BW view 1 bedroom HA room has a high wall balcony so anyone in a wheelchair cannot see over it, making BW view kind of a misnomer. The new lighted makeup mirror is at a height for someone who can stand. There is NO towel bar in the shower bathroom of the 1 bedroom unless you try to use the handrail by the toilet, which rather defeats the purpose of the handrail. The dishes in the kitchen are in upper cupboards that noone in a wheelchair could reach. An electrical outlet in the entryway would be perfect for charging wheelchairs/scooters, but there is none. There also should be an automatic door opening feature. It is impossible for DH to get in/out of the room without someone to hold the door unless he lets the door slam on his scooter as he enters/exits, not nice for either him or the door.
I can understand disappointment when a non-handicapped person gets a HA room, but there are also dumpster views, rooms overlooking luggage loading areas, rooms at the end of long hallways, etc. Over the course of a membership each of us will get a less-than-ideal room assignment occasionally. It's just life.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It would be really nice if they got the automatic openers during the BWV refurb. Have you stayed there yet Jean to see if by some chance they added them? They are really helpful at PVB.

As for the rest of the design - they could do soooooo much better in making it more workable for those who don't require the HA features. So much makes you shake your head. I had a one night stay in a VGF studio that was accessible. Lots of kitchenette cupboard space and look where I found the paper dishes:

Just poor training for housekeeping on that one.

 

[jekjones1558]

It would be really nice if they got the automatic openers during the BWV refurb. Have you stayed there yet Jean to see if by some chance they added them? They are really helpful at PVB.

As for the rest of the design - they could do soooooo much better in making it more workable for those who don't require the HA features. So much makes you shake your head. I had a one night stay in a VGF studio that was accessible. Lots of kitchenette cupboard space and look where I found the paper dishes:

Just poor training for housekeeping on that one.

We have stayed in BWV 2049 3 times since it has been renovated. No auto-door. Last week I called to request a towel bar. There is really no excuse for not having one. There used to be one but they removed it to put in new tile during the renovation and didn't replace it. I really should follow up to make sure it gets done. Sad that I have to be a nag about it.