Hearing Impaired - Checking In at AoA

[budafam]

I have some clients that will be driving to Disney in August. Both parents are deaf. I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience with arriving at the resorts and checking in.. do they have someone that will be able to communicate with them available at all times? They have family flying in but I'm not sure they'll arrive at the same time. Thanks!

 

[buffettgirl]

I have some clients that will be driving to Disney in August. Both parents are deaf. I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience with arriving at the resorts and checking in.. do they have someone that will be able to communicate with them available at all times? They have family flying in but I'm not sure they'll arrive at the same time. Thanks!

I would imagine that your clients probably know how to handle their check in just fine without further assistance.

 

[budafam]

I would imagine that your clients probably know how to handle their check in just fine without further assistance.

Their sister in law requested that I check to see if all will be okay if they do it on their own.. doesn't hurt to make sure I guess.

 

[buffettgirl]

Their sister in law requested that I check to see if all will be okay if they do it on their own.. doesn't hurt to make sure I guess.

Not to be snarky, but they're adults. I'm sure they do most everything "on their own" and can navigate the check in at a hotel with more tools than you could provide.

 

[budafam]

Since she asked for help, I was just trying to provide it.. I can't exactly come off as "snarky" to my clients.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

There's not really any way for a hotel to be notified ahead of time because that's something that would likely be in a reservation. What's stopping them from writing things down or a CM doing the same thing? I mean there's any number of places a deaf person may visit where in all likelihood there's not going to be anyone around that can sign. That being said, there's like 4 people at my job that can sign so you never know. Maybe talkinghands will be around soon and might share their experience.

 

[jmartinez1895]

I really do not know the answer, but I am going to guess on this. I would assume that they do not have some one who uses sign language on staff at all resorts 24/7. I would also assume that the staff have been trained in how to help people with various disabilities and may be able to write information that would normally be spoken and could also read a write question.
The few deaf people I know are excellent at reading lips and can often tell what you are saying that way and then they will write a response.
You said that the parents are deaf, are the children hearing and are they old enough to interpret. As was already mentioned, I think that they deal with issues every day in the real world and checking into a resort will be of no issue at all, but I can understand checking and seeing if you can get any first hand experiences to share with them.
You can also call special reservations and make sure that he room is ready for non hearing guest ( if the guest want these services).
I think that you should be able to tell the Sister in law that your clients will be taken care of.

 

[wilkeliza]

As a CM I know that there are CMs that are ASL fluent and can be of assistance. Have your client (or you call on their behalf) and speak with the disabilities people. They can give you a schedule of shows that will have ASL interpreters already there or when you tell them your plans they can try to get someone there. Also if an interpreter is necessary they can work to try and make sure someone is there for your client. Driving makes it more difficult because a range of times is hard for them to schedule someone for but they will try their best to accommodate your client.

As a CM who knows ASL I find the responses you have received to be rude to your clients. I see you are trying to prepare them for what to expect and you have gotten pretty awful responses. I wish people treated the Deaf community like they should be. Asking for a heads up and even an interpreter if available especially over a week out is not a ridiculous request at Disney.

 

[Gracie09]

As a CM I know that there are CMs that are ASL fluent and can be of assistance. Have your client (or you call on their behalf) and speak with the disabilities people. They can give you a schedule of shows that will have ASL interpreters already there or when you tell them your plans they can try to get someone there. Also if an interpreter is necessary they can work to try and make sure someone is there for your client. Driving makes it more difficult because a range of times is hard for them to schedule someone for but they will try their best to accommodate your client.

As a CM who knows ASL I find the responses you have received to be rude to your clients. I see you are trying to prepare them for what to expect and you have gotten pretty awful responses. I wish people treated the Deaf community like they should be. Asking for a heads up and even an interpreter if available especially over a week out is not a ridiculous request at Disney.

No one is being rude. The op's client didn't ask for anything, her or his sil did. That person is assuming the client is unable to handle checking into a hotel because they are deaf. As other people said there are ways to communicate that don't involve signing. I know several deaf or hard of hearing people who travel and can check in and out of hotels. When I worked retail I had occasion to help a few deaf customers. It involved writing things down, som rudimentary finger spelling and lip reading. Took a few minutes longer but we got it done.

 

[Schmeck]

I have some clients that will be driving to Disney in August. Both parents are deaf. I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience with arriving at the resorts and checking in.. do they have someone that will be able to communicate with them available at all times? They have family flying in but I'm not sure they'll arrive at the same time. Thanks!

You'd have to know how your clients communicate regularly with regards to this situation - don't assume all deaf people use ASL. My mom is deaf, and she doesn't use ASL at all. She can read lips (when she wears her glasses) and she has some pretty fancy hearing aids now that help a bit.

I'd ask the clients first what their needs are, and then put that info on their reservation, and contact WDW.

 

[lanejudy]

I have some clients that will be driving to Disney in August. Both parents are deaf. I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience with arriving at the resorts and checking in.. do they have someone that will be able to communicate with them available at all times? They have family flying in but I'm not sure they'll arrive at the same time. Thanks!

Their sister in law requested that I check to see if all will be okay if they do it on their own.. doesn't hurt to make sure I guess.

The SIL is well-meaning, and so are you. However, if the deaf person(s) is actually YOUR client, then you have a responsibility to ask them what they need - not go by the SIL's thoughts. Unless they have been cocooned throughout life until this point, likely they have developed communication strategies for when they are out-and-about in the hearing world. Finding out what is available is great - but you would do them better service by asking exactly what they need. And if they truly are your client, ask them directly not through the SIL. I'm certain they can be accommodated in some manner at the resort check-in without waiting for the rest of the family to arrive.

 

[budafam]

Thank you everyone. This will be their first trip to WDW and I know no matter what it will be wonderful. The SIL is putting the whole trip together so I've only been talking to her. While I don't want to make it seem like they need help, I also don't want them to have any trouble so I figured it didn't hurt to ask here. Thanks to those who gave helpful info

 

[Talking Hands]

I am hard of hearing and use both ASL as well as voice. As most people with a hearing loss, I carry pad and pencil to communicate when I am not getting it. I know that CM are aware for this as they often will offer me pen and paper. There are CM that know sign language and many will wear a pin on their nametag with SL in the sing language alphabet and your clients and look for that.
A cell phone that has texting ability can also be used to type messages.

 

[Talking Hands]

As a CM I know that there are CMs that are ASL fluent and can be of assistance. Have your client (or you call on their behalf) and speak with the disabilities people. They can give you a schedule of shows that will have ASL interpreters already there or when you tell them your plans they can try to get someone there. Also if an interpreter is necessary they can work to try and make sure someone is there for your client. Driving makes it more difficult because a range of times is hard for them to schedule someone for but they will try their best to accommodate your client.

As a CM who knows ASL I find the responses you have received to be rude to your clients. I see you are trying to prepare them for what to expect and you have gotten pretty awful responses. I wish people treated the Deaf community like they should be. Asking for a heads up and even an interpreter if available especially over a week out is not a ridiculous request at Disney.

I'm sorry but the answers I have seen are far from rude. They are based on reality. Most deaf people know how to communicate with hearing people without using ASL. I say most because there are deaf with other issues that may not be able to but I doubt they would be coming on their own.
My question is why is the TA talking to the a third party and not directly to her clients. I find that hearing family are often unaware of how deaf family members function in the hearing world.
Btw I don't expect to find an interpreter when I check into a hotel. I hope that the TA has arranged for the room to have adaptive equipment such as tty, door knocker and alarm clock in the room on arrival.
As to treating the Deaf Community as they should. Even at Disney we are not always treated as we should be. I have had my sign language referred to as money talk by a CM. I have been ignored when I request captioning. Why because I can use my voice. Because I can voice doesn't mean I can hear well enough to understand a show.

 

[wilkeliza]

I'm sorry but the answers I have seen are far from rude. They are based on reality. Most deaf people know how to communicate with hearing people without using ASL. I say most because there are deaf with other issues that may not be able to but I doubt they would be coming on their own.
My question is why is the TA talking to the a third party and not directly to her clients. I find that hearing family are often unaware of how deaf family members function in the hearing world.
Btw I don't expect to find an interpreter when I check into a hotel. I hope that the TA has arranged for the room to have adaptive equipment such as tty, door knocker and alarm clock in the room on arrival.
As to treating the Deaf Community as they should. Even at Disney we are not always treated as we should be. I have had my sign language referred to as money talk by a CM. I have been ignored when I request captioning. Why because I can use my voice. Because I can voice doesn't mean I can hear well enough to understand a show.

I only found it as rude because many people said they are adults and can figure it out. If it was me and my TA gave me that response I'd fire them right then. I just saw the OP looking for guidance in something she has not dealt with directly before. Asking for what might be available doesn't necessarily mean she is assuming her clients need the extra help but rather now she knows what options they have and can offer them as the discussion continues. However, perhaps contact Disney directly would have been better than coming to the boards.

Now onto something else you mentioned if you heard a CM call ASL monkey language I hope you reports them. All CMs are trained (well expect food and wine and flower and garden seasonal staff) to be kind and offer the best assistance to guests with disabilities. Calling ASL monkey language isn't just nasty to the guest I'm sure it's grounds for firing.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

But the clients DIDN'T ask, the SIL did. The SIL is assuming they need help. Any option given here has been to help OP understand that these clients have likely been in situations lots of situations where they had to deal with a hearing person that wasn't familiar with communicating with a hearing impaired person. There's any number of ways to communicate without having someone that knows ASL around and our points have been that the clients have run into it before and can deal with it.

 

[jmartinez1895]

But the clients DIDN'T ask, the SIL did. The SIL is assuming they need help. Any option given here has been to help OP understand that these clients have likely been in situations lots of situations where they had to deal with a hearing person that wasn't familiar with communicating with a hearing impaired person. There's any number of ways to communicate without having someone that knows ASL around and our points have been that the clients have run into it before and can deal with it.

 

[Talking Hands]

Now onto something else you mentioned if you heard a CM call ASL monkey language I hope you reports them. All CMs are trained (well expect food and wine and flower and garden seasonal staff) to be kind and offer the best assistance to guests with disabilities. Calling ASL monkey language isn't just nasty to the guest I'm sure it's grounds for firing.

I definitely did report them. Since it was a day that the interpreters were at that park I talked to them as well as guest services.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Their sister in law requested that I check to see if all will be okay if they do it on their own.. doesn't hurt to make sure I guess.

since very few people speak/sign ASL, I am quite sure they are well accustomed to dealing with things without an interpreter.

 

[carrie1626]

Thank you everyone. This will be their first trip to WDW and I know no matter what it will be wonderful. The SIL is putting the whole trip together so I've only been talking to her. While I don't want to make it seem like they need help, I also don't want them to have any trouble so I figured it didn't hurt to ask here. Thanks to those who gave helpful info

As a side note when talking to the SIL, please ask her if she is aware: there are specific times/days when ASL interpreters can be arranged for live shows.

When requested, Disney World will provide Sign Language interpretation at live Theme Park shows with a minimum of seven days' notice. Currently, interpreted performances are available on a rotating basis as follows:

Disney's Hollywood Studios - Sundays, Wednesdays
Magic Kingdom - Mondays, Thursdays
Epcot - Tuesdays, Fridays
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park - Saturdays