Hearing Aid Question

[MinnieLuvsMickey09]

Mod's forgive me in advance but I am a short timer lurker whose question I have searched for and cannot locate the answers to my questions.

My significant other and I are coming to WDW in December my 2nd trip (which feels like a first trip since the last time I was there was in 1987)... Then there is my s/o who is profoundly deaf wears hearing aids and uses Closed Captioning on the TVs we have at our home and this is her first time to WDW and I would like to make it a special experience for her...


My first question is should I let POP know in advance to make sure that the room they choose to give us that the TV's CC is indeed working? Secondly I know there are covers now for H/A's (hearing aids) for when moisture is exposed to the devices... Should she also keep her case handy for when she goes on the rides in the parks (Soarin,Space Mtn etc) ??

I know these questions may sound a bit "Goofy" (pardon the pun) but I just want to make sure her first trip is a "magical" one... Thank you in advance.

 

[NotUrsula]

IME, the captions on TV's at WDW do usually work. However, they are all set to revert to OFF every time that the TV is powered down, which is a real PITA. You could certainly ask ahead, but it's probably not necessary.

Honestly, I can't remember whether or not it is possible to set the CC with the remote at WDW -- I travel a lot, so it is hard to recall. A lot of hotel sets require you to press a button on the face of the TV to turn them on.

I can't answer on the hearing aid question. I don't use my aids in the parks, as there is so much ambient background noise that it is annoying.

 

[robynchic]

Mod's forgive me in advance but I am a short timer lurker whose question I have searched for and cannot locate the answers to my questions.

My significant other and I are coming to WDW in December my 2nd trip (which feels like a first trip since the last time I was there was in 1987)... Then there is my s/o who is profoundly deaf wears hearing aids and uses Closed Captioning on the TVs we have at our home and this is her first time to WDW and I would like to make it a special experience for her...


My first question is should I let POP know in advance to make sure that the room they choose to give us that the TV's CC is indeed working? Secondly I know there are covers now for H/A's (hearing aids) for when moisture is exposed to the devices... Should she also keep her case handy for when she goes on the rides in the parks (Soarin,Space Mtn etc) ??

I know these questions may sound a bit "Goofy" (pardon the pun) but I just want to make sure her first trip is a "magical" one... Thank you in advance.

I would bring the covers and case with you. Unless you're like my kindergartner (who pulls out her HAs for attention!), they're pretty difficult to fall out of her ears unless the earmolds don't fit properly, and then, you'd know, because you'd hear a constant whistling! And as NotUrsula said, there's a lot of ambient noise, so it may be easier for her to not wear them. Does your g/f know ASL? If she does, you may want to look into having the schedule for interpreted performances. The Beauty and the Beast show was so beautifully interpreted I choked up.

 

[SueM in MN]

My first question is should I let POP know in advance to make sure that the room they choose to give us that the TV's CC is indeed working?

Not sure I can explain how the TVs are set up, but you don't need to contact the hotel ahead of time because of the way the WDW cable TV system is set up.
Most hotel TV systems are set up to automatically go back to a specific station when the TV is turned off. At WDW, this station is set to one of their information stations. As you cycle through all the stations, you will find the usual stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc) and some unusual ones, including some foreign language stations. After cycling thru the stations, you will see that the 'usual' stations repeat - the 'repeated stations' are the same stations with captioning. So, there is nothing to turn on or off. All you have to do is keep going forward until you come to the captioned station you want.
There is a TV directory in the room, usually a cardboard standing card near the TV.

Secondly I know there are covers now for H/A's (hearing aids) for when moisture is exposed to the devices... Should she also keep her case handy for when she goes on the rides in the parks (Soarin,Space Mtn etc) ??

There is more information about services for guests with hearing impairments in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread (link to that thread is in my signature).
There are not that many attractions where you may be exposed to moisture.
Soarin' is not moist at all and is a very gentle motion. Space Mountain is currently under renovation, but it was not wet.
Two where you may get wet are Splash Mountain in MK (where you may get rather splashed, but usually not drenched) and Kali River Rapids in AK where you could be lucky and just get splashed, but you are more likely to get totally soaked. This is a picture of DD and DH getting drenched on Kali. They were totally soaked after this one and they got several other total showers during the ride.

 

[Sandy321]

Sue, that is a priceless photo!!

If your s/o is profoundly deaf - make her feel comfortable to take off her aides when she needs to... I have found that to work for our family- its something I cant relate to not having a hearing loss!

Also, since she uses CC - do find out about the attractions that have reflective captioning - and help to understand that aspect - for instance Philharmagic - when you enter at the glasses stage find a CM and let them know you need the reflective captioning - then you stand with the wheelchair enteries - and the CM will direct you to the best place to view the captions... (usually in the back of the theatre - red backwords words)

http://allears.net/pl/reflect.htm

I think that the CM's are now really helpful, our first visit it was hit or miss - for instance in AK in Its Tough To Be a Bug - they wanted us to sit with the wheelchair areas - but that is under the captioning - we knew as the doors for the masses opened, it was pointless to move, but we stayed for the next show, and got all set up!!

Also, one experience in Epcot - Honey I shrunk the kids, it was a "rush" to get to the end of the aisle to sit and then wait for the CM to bring the mira to us - the lady coming in our row really "harumphed" at how rude we were - then she turned beet red when she realized that the CM brought us the mira and we were using the captioning!!

We did not find the device helpful - the Assisted Listening Device, nor the handheld captioning - you may have different experiences...
http://allears.net/pl/handheld.htm
http://allears.net/pl/listen.htm this is for mild to moderate hearing loss

If your s/o uses ASL - do find out about the signed performances!!
http://allears.net/pl/asl.htm

 

[Rental01]

When the hearing aids were purchased, the provider should have given her a jar called a "Hearing Aid Saver" that sucks moisture out of the hearing aid. Even if you were to stay away from the water rides, the humidity can be overbearing. I'd recommend keeping the saver with her and keeping it in there as often as possible.

If you need to purchase one, you can do so online. They're not all that expensive.

Look here on the bottom of the page - that's what we have

 

[Etoile]

Not all audiologists supply the wicking cases, but I wouldn't wear my HA's into any water rides anyway. I even took mine off for Everest a couple of days ago...I have micromolds rather than regular silicone earmolds, and I just don't trust them to lock in place like regular molds. I have a watertight case for my HA's (actually an Otterbox) and I put them in that whenever I take them off.

CC in the resort rooms is just like SueM said - the channels repeat. However, here is what it actually is like:
Channels 2-42: CC only, use button on remote to activate
Channels 43-end: OPEN captions, will display at all times.
I figured this out just a couple of days ago when I noticed ABC Family doesn't repeat on the captioned stations. I tried pushing the CC button on the remote on the "non"-captioned channels, and sure enough they came up! So technically ALL channels are captioned, but some are CC and some are OC.

I recommend picking up a Disney Handheld Device at guest relations at all parks. This will give you access to handheld captioning (used in many attractions), closed captioning (can activate captions on TV's with the CC sticker in the corner), and ALD loops for the HA's. I got the neckloop but never ended up using it; I only got the DHD for one day at Epcot. The HC sometimes goes too fast but it's really cool because it just activates automatically when you get to an attraction with HC!

The only thing deaf people need to do separately once they have a DHD is request reflective captioning. Like Sandy said, it's something you have to request at each attraction with RC. This is the same as Rear Window Captioning that you might have experienced in your movie theater at home.

So to sum up: I would take HA's out on any fast rides (Everest, Space Mountain, Test Track, etc) and any wet rides (Kali, Splash Mountain, etc). Rooms have CC and OC channels. Get a Handheld Device to access captioning but ask for RC at some attractions.

Oh, and I was delighted to see there was captioning in several places - the buses between parks/resorts all have it, and at Mission Space and Kilimanjaro Safaris there is at least one TV with subtitles out of several showing the same thing.

 

[SingingMUA]

IME, the captions on TV's at WDW do usually work. However, they are all set to revert to OFF every time that the TV is powered down, which is a real PITA. You could certainly ask ahead, but it's probably not necessary.

Honestly, I can't remember whether or not it is possible to set the CC with the remote at WDW -- I travel a lot, so it is hard to recall. A lot of hotel sets require you to press a button on the face of the TV to turn them on.

I can't answer on the hearing aid question. I don't use my aids in the parks, as there is so much ambient background noise that it is annoying.

Ditto this.... most times, I take my aids out around the parks. All the amplified background noise can definitely be annoying. I put them in for shows, and will sometimes keep them in for a short time while around the parks, but after a while, my brain wants a break. (my hearing loss is mild, BTW)

 

[carrie1626]

just a FYI... bring along extra batteries. In 2000, my DD's hearing aid battery went dead and we couldn't find any to purchase in the parks!! (we had them in the hotel room -not on our person) By unbelievable coincidence I saw a family with a boy ( approx same age) with hearing aids at the Raiders of the Lost Ark attraction and asked the mom if she had seen any but no luck. So, we've always carry extras and haven't paid attention if they're available in the parks now!!

 

[marciemi]

Just a few more reflections. I wear in the ear aids and thought I would be okay on Space Mountain on our 2007 trip. The entire ride I was absolutely terrified that they were going to fall out. Rode the whole ride with my hands over my ears. Never again on a coaster.

On both our recent trips, I got some small ziploc-type bags at the office supply store (about the size of a credit card). These were great for keeping our park passes, photopass card, and fastpasses in during thunderstorms (both August trips), but they were also great for my hearing aids. When I took them out, I put them in a small ziploc with the batteries, then just put them in my normal carrying case. When I went on a ride like Kali/Splash, I then put that in another regular ziploc bag, just to be sure.

I do agree with not wearing them all the time. The problem I found in the summer with the shows was that a lot of the time I'd walk out of the show with them on (thinking of Lion King) and not realize it had started POURING while the show was going on. Very frustrating when in a gaggle of a zillion people heading into the pouring rain to try to pull them out and get them in a ziploc bag quickly!

As far as the humidity, I have both the jar dehumidifier and an electric one (that you plug in and put the aids in), but on a week long trip this time didn't really even use them at all. On our previous 16 day trip, I did bring the jar one and used it each evening. Definitely can't hurt and you may be able to get one free from your doctor.

As far as the reflective captioning, on both our 2007 and 2009 trips, it wasn't working in American Adventure. In 2007, they gave me a book and flashlight to follow the script, but I found it very distracting to try to look down at without blinding others with the flashlight. This trip I declined it, figuring I knew enough of the script not to need it, but I regretted that afterwards when I couldn't follow much of it. I did get the handheld captioning, but found it worked only maybe half of the time. Never could I get it to turn on the closed captioning on the TV's (at Soarin' and places like that) and I had three teen boys with me, so it wasn't just my technological cluelessness! I also found a lot of time it "summarized" rather than following exactly with what was being said. Fun to use once and see, but I didn't bother with it at all on this trip.

Interesting - never heard the word "mira"! We also had people give us really weird looks when the CM's told us to wait over in the "handicapped" areas and everyone else was in a wheelchair and I was there with 3 healthy looking teen boys and my husband. The CM's reactions are also funny at times - I've gone up myself and asked for the reflective captioning. Usually they're kind of talking to me as I follow them asking "okay, sure, who's it for?" When I say it's for me, they'll stop and make an effort to look directly at me and speak much more distinctly. Although my kids still make fun of the one time we were at Philharmagic and I asked for the reflective captioning and they apparently asked who it was far and I replied "What?" Yes, they found this hilarious!

I'm not much help on the TV's since we probably spent a total of 5 minutes watching TV during our last week there at Pop. I know my son figured out how to turn the captioning on, but I can't say I ever watched it to figure out how.

Good luck!

 

[Etoile]

Psst, I think she meant Mirror.

 

[marciemi]

Psst, I think she meant Mirror.

Oops, now I feel stupid! Honestly, I wasn't trying to correct spelling or anything. I was actually thinking of it in the Spanish (Mirar - to look at), which kind of made sense. Okay, never mind!