I wish Disney would open family washrooms!

[JACH1976]

So, here's my situation. DS has special needs. He's getting to be old enough to know that he's not supposed to be in the woman's washrooms, but I just don't feel comfortable letting him go into the men's washrooms by himself. It's not a problem most of the time, as he can go with DH, but that kind of means that we can't go to a park without DH! People have suggested that we could use the companion washrooms, but I thought they were for people with mobility issues? To those on this board who do have mobility issues, can I (respectfully!) ask how you feel about people using the companion washrooms in these circumstances?

I wish that Disney would offer true "family" washrooms!

 

[jmartinez1895]

It would be fine for you to use that rest room. You son has a need to use it and you would be his companion. We use that rest room because my son uses a stroller as a wheelchair with his medical devices in the bottom and that way we can just roll him on in and not worry about his stroller, but one day we where waiting on the people inside to come out and it was a father with his daughter. He did not want to take her into the men's room and I saw nothing wrong with him using it. The only time I get made is when people abuse it, like go inside to change all there kids out of there swimsuits or use it as a dressing room to dress there little girl in her princess dress and then take forever doing her hair...yes we got caught behind that one. If you are going in, taking care of business and then getting out then you should not have any worries.

 

[smitch425]

So, here's my situation. DS is 6 yrs old, ASD/ADHD. He's getting to be old enough to know that he's not supposed to be in the woman's washrooms, but I just don't feel comfortable letting him go into the men's washrooms by himself. It's not a problem most of the time, as he can go with DH, but that kind of means that we don't get any Mommy/son time on the vacation. People have suggested that we could use the companion washrooms, but I thought they were for people with mobility issues? To those on this board who do have mobility issues, can I (respectfully!) ask how you feel about people using the companion washrooms in these circumstances?

I wish that Disney would offer true "family" washrooms!

Your idea of mommy and son time is being in a bathroom together??? There is nothing wrong with taking him into the women's room as long as he goes into the stall with you. Otherwise, either have your DH take him or use the companion restroom quickly. I would hope that you could find some other places for mommy/son time at a place like WDW other than the bathroom.

 

[JACH1976]

Um, no, my idea of mommy/son time is not going to the bathroom, but say we were to go to a park without DH, I would want to know that I wouldn't be stressing about him needing to use the restroom while we were there. My question was "where can I take DS to the washroom when my husband is not with us?" aka "Mommy/son" time. Sheesh!

 

[smitch425]

Um, no, my idea of mommy/son time is not going to the bathroom, but say we were to go to a park without DH, I would want to know that I wouldn't be stressing about him needing to use the restroom while we were there. My question was "where can I take DS to the washroom when my husband is not with us?" aka "Mommy/son" time. Sheesh!

If you reread what you wrote, I think you would agree that it sounded odd. Like I said before, you should have no trouble taking him in the ladies room as long as he goes into the stall with you. I also have a DS6 and he will go with me and DD8 when we are in a public restroom without DH. There was a thread on here the other day about boys being in the ladies room which got heated and deleted, but the general concensus was as long as they remain with you (especially a 6 year old with special needs) that it is totally fine. You shouldn't get stressed about the bathroom. You'll be fine.

 

[GinnyEmma]

He is a little guy. He'll be fine in the ladies room. Mommy/sin time in the rr sounds creepy. You might want to edit.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is what I have written about Companion Restrooms in a thread about Restrooms that is linked in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
I think most people who need the Companion Restrooms would agree with it.

Companion Restrooms
These are large enough for a wheelchair to go into and are set up for people who need assistance in the bathroom (whether or not they have a wheelchair).

• meet ADA wheelchair accessibility standards for size, space and arrangement of the room.
• raised seat, wheelchair accessible toilets with grab bars
• sink
• a single room with a door that can be locked, so there is no privacy from the other people who are in there with you.
• almost all have autoflush toilets
• some have a urinal
• some have changing tables

A few examples of people who need Companion Restrooms:

• a mother with an older son who is autistic and is too old to comfortably come into the ladies room with her
• someone who can't walk whose wheelchair doesn't fit into the regular handicapped stalls or doesn't fit into the stall in a way that allows them to transfer (so they can't leave it outside the stall and walk in)
• someone, like my DD, who needs room for a wheelchair and a helper (we don't fit in many of the regular handicapped stalls)
• someone, like my DD, who don't do well with all the noise in a regular restroom and need a quieter restroom.
• an older man or woman who has to assist their spouse/SO who has had a stroke or other situation that makes assistance in the restroom necessary
• someone with a colostomy or other need that makes being in a bathroom with a toilet and a sink necessary
• and, many other needs that can't all be listed.

The Companion Restroom or handicapped stall are the only toilets some people can use. So, there may be only 4-8 toilets in all of that park that they can use.
Handicapped stalls and Companion Restrooms are made so that people with disabilities are able to use the restroom. They may also be useful or convenient for some people without disabilities. Some people do choose to use them for convenience. But, there are not enough of them to be used that way if everyone who found them convenient used them.
I would like to ask people to consider whether or not they have other options. In some cases, they don't and should be using the Companion Restrooms or the Handicapped Stall. (One example might be a father traveling alone with a young daughter who doesn't feel comfortable bringing her in with him.)

 

[nyrebecca]

Companion restrooms are a lifesaver!

My son will be 13 the next time we are in the WDW and he is torn between two worlds so to speak. Yes, he is going to be a teenager (scary) , however he has Autism. He can be soooo self reliant on other things, but bathroom time is still being worked on.

 

[JACH1976]

And yes, I did edit the OP, because it did sound a bit weird (I mean, I knew what I meant, but it obviously didn't come out quite right ) Thanks to Sue for posting the information about the companion restrooms.

 

[Disneylvr]

We use the companion restrooms exclusively in WDW for our daughter with ASD. We do have a special needs stroller but we don't always take it in the restroom with us. That is one of the reasons I love WDW so much is because they are so many companion restrooms! Wish more places outside Disney would get them.

 

[GinnyEmma]

And yes, I did edit the OP, because it did sound a bit weird (I mean, I knew what I meant, but it obviously didn't come out quite right ) Thanks to Sue for posting the information about the companion restrooms.

Lol, I didn't make it any better when I called it a mother/SIN time! Good luck on your trip.

 

[zstyles]

We always tried to use the first aid stations restrooms when we passed one..they are clean and family friendly.

 

[seashoreCM]

So, here's my situation. DS is 6 yrs old, ASD/ADHD. He's getting to be old enough to know that he's not supposed to be in the woman's washrooms, but I just don't feel comfortable letting him go into the men's washrooms by himself. !

Six years old is not too old to accompany a parent into a rest room.

Rest room age guidelines may be stretched if a person is handicapped, you mnetioned ASD and ADHD.

Even in a regular rest room you have to use some judgment. A non-handicapped stall might be too small for both you and your child, and you should at least try to keep the handicapped stall open for those who absolutely positively need it.

On another forum someone suggested standing outside the rest room while you child goes in alone, and if he yells for help (you taught him to do that in advance) you rush in.

 

[dclfun]

I also wouldn't worry about him being age 6. I've seen boys who appear to be much older in the ladies restroom at WDW all the time and have thought nothing of it. There really aren't that many companion restrooms throughout WDW and it would be wonderful if people used discretion and did not use them unless they really cannot use a regular restroom or stall. I can certainly see a teenager needing the companion restroom vs. going into one provided for the opposite sex and of course for someone who does truly need those features...but he won't be the only 6 year old boy in the ladies room- not by a long shot.---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

I also wouldn't worry about him being age 6. I've seen boys who appear to be much older in the ladies restroom at WDW all the time and have thought nothing of it. There really aren't that many companion restrooms throughout WDW and it would be wonderful if people used discretion and did not use them unless they really cannot use a regular restroom or stall. I can certainly see a teenager needing the companion restroom vs. going into one provided for the opposite sex and of course for someone who does truly need those features...but he won't be the only 6 year old boy in the ladies room- not by a long shot.---Kathy

I agree.
It's likely that no one will blink at a 6 yr old boy in the ladies restroom.
When there are threads complaining about boys in the ladies room, people are generally talking about boys 8 hrs and older (some people a bringing 11 and 12 yr old boys into the ladies restroom, which is too old).

If it will make you or your child uncomfortable to have him in the ladies room with you and your DH is not along, then use the Companion Restrooms.
But don't consider him to old to come in with you just because he is 6.

 

[JACH1976]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

My son is 11 with special needs. He needs our assistance in the restroom. He does use a wheelchair as needed but also walks. What I do with him is check to see if the handicap stall is available. If it is, we go straight to it then straight to the sink then out. We do this anytime we aren't near a family restroom.

 

[twinmum]

Our son is now 12, has cerebral palsy and is in his wheelchair at WDW...but he is age-appropriate other than his mobility issues. He is very uncomfortable having to come with me to the ladies room, and I do not blame him. While WDW does have companion washrooms that help our family with this situation, we have been frustrated by their availability (see examples above...while we appreciate that not all special needs are visible, when a mother comes out gurgling with glee about how sweet their fairy princesses look as they dance out in elaborate costumes, I'm suspecting that the companion washroom just became a large changeroom. I'm just saying...).

At least WDW actually has companion washrooms. It's become clearer to us how difficult it is to find facilities elsewhere that enable me to help my son and still have him retain his dignity. It's starting to impact our plans for outing together and I make a point of voicing my concerns when we encounter this problem.

If your son is not uncomfortable going with you to the ladies room, feel free.

 

[connie254]

I traveled with my son alone until I got remarried. I took my son with me into the women's restroom up until that time, and he was 13, autistic and DD. When my husband was there, he went into the men's restrooms. When DH didn't want to go, but my friend wanted to go with her granddaughters, the game plan was I wait outside both restrooms until the other females came out, he go into the men's room, they waited for him, while I used the facilities. Tried several times to access the companion restrooms and was in use each time. He can definitely use the bathroom without issues, but I am still concerned about safety. Still have concerns about sending him in there by himself, but seems there is no alternative. When we are deep in the park, the first aid area is not convenient.
I wish there was more than one companion restroom in each area.

 

[Cin]

My son too has ADHD and I used to have to take him with me into the ladies room. He is a teen now so not any more, but when he was little (under 8 years) I tried to send him in to the mens alone and sooo many times I would have to find a male employee to go in and get him as he would forget he was supposed to come back out. He would be studying the workings of motion sensors and water or hand dryers or whatever cool stuff he found in there. As a single mom it is terrifying when your kid never comes out and you start getting scared of kidnapping or other unmentionables. No one ever said anything to me about it, (taking him to the ladies' room with me) and if they had I wouldn't have cared, it is my son's safety and well-being I was concerned for. I didn't know about "companion restrooms" when we were there at WDW or I would have used those instead of the ladies' room. Thankfully even with ADHD they grow up and learn how to stay focused on task.