Is it possible to ask for a mini-fridge at the Pop? NOT a beverage cooler like what's in the room.

[chaoslobster]

So I just now learned that the fridges have all been ripped out and replaced by beverage coolers that won't keep milk fresh and have no door slots, just a clear glass door. Is there any way to ask for a real mini-fridge? I'm severely disabled, there is no way I can bend myself in half and then reach deep inside the little cooler. I need the shelf or slot on the door in order to get at anything in there. Or is it possible for a CM to move the cooler out of its cubby and sit it on top of the dresser? Are they attached to the cubbies?

Since I'm assuming the answer here is "no, you're out of luck, too bad for you" does anyone have any ideas here? I don't have room to pack an actual ice cooler and I'm not sure there's even a place to keep one in the room -- I can't bend to get things from the floor. I've always been willing to pay so much for Disney because they can accommodate my disability and I'm safe while traveling alone, but I'd feel incredibly rude calling the front desk several times a day, at 6am and in the middle of the night to get things in and out from the useless beverage cooler. Will it even keep cream fresh for 12 days? How about chocolate milk? Cheese and fruit?

Would it be possible to ask for a whole bunch of the small ice bucket things and just line up half a dozen of those on the dresser and keep them full of ice? Anyone have a better idea?

 

[lanejudy]

You can request a mini-fridge, but such requests are based on availability and I'm not sure if POP even has any. I think requesting the cooler be moved out of the cabinet may be possible - explaining you cannot bend to reach into it as positioned inside the cabinet. Another tip I've heard is to place a bucket of ice in the cooler to help. It should maintain enough cold for dairy items, be sure to check the settings (or have maintenance do that when they move it out of the cabinet).

 

[chaoslobster]

Yeah, if they can move the cooler to where I can reach it, it should be okay. If worse comes to worst and it won't keep cream and milk from going bad, I can keep dairy products in the ice bucket. I just have no idea what to do if they can't move the cooler. I'm picturing half a dozen ice buckets lined up on the dresser like soldiers.

 

[Best Aunt]

Or is it possible for a CM to move the cooler out of its cubby and sit it on top of the dresser? Are they attached to the cubbies?

Even if not physically attached, I don't know if they are allowed to put the cooler on top of the dresser. I don't know if the dresser is designed to hold the weight.

Is the room that you reserved Handicapped Accessible? If yes, I wonder if the cooler is in the usual place in those rooms, or someplace else. I would think that you're not the only person who wouldn't be able to reach into a cooler which is on the floor.

There has been a lot of discussion on the DVC boards about how cold the beverage coolers get, and whether food will spoil in them. People have mentioned keeping ice in there to lower the temperature. (I realize that wouldn't help your problem of not being able to reach inside.)

If you can't use the cooler at all, and are thinking of ice buckets on the dresser, would a styrofoam cooler be a better option? You could put the lid on it to keep things colder. On the other hand, I don't know if that would make it too hard for you to grab what you need.

 

[chaoslobster]

Even if not physically attached, I don't know if they are allowed to put the cooler on top of the dresser. I don't know if the dresser is designed to hold the weight.

Is the room that you reserved Handicapped Accessible? If yes, I wonder if the cooler is in the usual place in those rooms, or someplace else. I would think that you're not the only person who wouldn't be able to reach into a cooler which is on the floor.

There has been a lot of discussion on the DVC boards about how cold the beverage coolers get, and whether food will spoil in them. People have mentioned keeping ice in there to lower the temperature. (I realize that wouldn't help your problem of not being able to reach inside.)

If you can't use the cooler at all, and are thinking of ice buckets on the dresser, would a styrofoam cooler be a better option? You could put the lid on it to keep things colder. On the other hand, I don't know if that would make it too hard for you to grab what you need.

I didn't get a HA room, no. I don't need it; they're designed primarily for wheelchair users and that's not the sort of accommodation I need. I rent a commode seat and shower chair from a medical rental while I'm there, and that takes care of my two biggest issues.

I have no idea about the dresser's weight limit either, obviously. The room also has a desk, under where the Murphy bed folds up. It'll stay folded for the first half of my trip since I don't need the second bed, and once my friend arrives on day 5 he can deal with getting stuff out of the cooler for me.

Yes, if it turns out the cooler cannot be moved somewhere accessible, a styrofoam cooler chest would be a better choice than a dresser full of ice buckets -- but I can't bring a styrofoam cooler in my luggage, and I can't hop out to Wal-Mart and buy one either. I don't drive and can't get in and out of a regular car so no Uber or Lyft. I'd need to buy one somewhere on Disney property, somehow, and then find a way to wrangle it onto my scooter and back to the Pop. Is there somewhere that might sell that kind of thing? It's not really a standard gift-shop item!

 

[lanejudy]

Would shelf-stable products be an option for you? Maybe individual creamers instead of cream, shelf-stable milk or cheese instead of regular, fruit that doesn't require refrigeration. I guess it may depend what you need for food in the room and whether there are any dietary limitations.

I can see ice buckets on the dresser getting messy - if there's a crack, it'll leak; the outside gets weepy from condensation; melting ice results in a bucket of water to dump each day (might be easier on the bathroom sink than the dresser). I also wouldn't leave a styrofoam cooler on the dresser, maybe on a towel on the floor if there isn't space in the sink area but then it may not be accessible.

 

[jujubiee4]

When did they take out all the mini fridges? This is the first I have heard of it.
Is it all the resorts? The DVC's?

 

[HopperFan]

When did they take out all the mini fridges? This is the first I have heard of it.
Is it all the resorts? The DVC's?

When they renovated the rooms they changed the style of the fridge in the value resorts. I think the Music Suites got regular fridges now. Each resort may be different.

At POP location is about the same in a cabinet. We take food/drinks etc with us and have used the new ones without issue as far as temperature goes. The style is different aka no door shelves. I would think there would be no issue in moving it to a different location in room.

OLD



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[Mle8308]

We have used the cooler and had no issues with keeping milk cold. Sometimes they are pushed back too far into the cabinet and do not have adequate air flow around the unit. We move it forward slightly so air can circulate. It won't keep ice cream solid or get drinks ice cold, however beverages, creamers, etc should be fine.

 

[Disneylover99]

We have used the cooler and had no issues with keeping milk cold. Sometimes they are pushed back too far into the cabinet and do not have adequate air flow around the unit. We move it forward slightly so air can circulate. It won't keep ice cream solid or get drinks ice cold, however beverages, creamers, etc should be fine.

Same with us. We’ve stayed for 2 weeks at a time and had no issue with milk, yogurt, etc…. going bad.

 

[lockets]

You can have a cheap cooler shipped to the hotel for you and held until arrival. I think hotel charges $6 for that.

 

[bookgirl]

Same here. I use milk in my coffee and haven't had it go bad in the coolers, in fact I've had food in the coolers and it hasn't gone bad, that I know of. I have asked for an actual fridge when I had meds that needed to be cold and I didn't want to risk it and I was given one but that was a while back when some of the resorts hadn't switched to the coolers so I'm assuming they still were around.

 

[fla4fun]

Would you be able to reach into the cooler from a sitting position? The beverage coolers are not quite as deep as the mini fridges. I have back problems and have trouble bending, but I can easily reach what I need from a seated position on one of the room chairs. You mentioned traveling alone in your first post. When I go to Pop solo, I leave the chair that would be closest to the bed over by the fridge, and keep the one on the opposite side at the table.

I have not tried to keep milk in one, but since I keep the thermostat in the room as low as it will go, I have never had an issue keeping beverages and sandwich fixings cold. In fact, on a few occasions, I have had the opposite problem and had ice begin to form. If you are concerned about long term milk storage, perhaps buy smaller quantities from the food court, so you would have fresh every couple of days.

 

[DLgal]

The bottom shelf will get cold enough to prevent spoilage, but I agree with just buying shelf stable milk and coffee creamer/half and half in those mini cups. Buy at home and pack.

 

[scard192]

Had refrigerated coffee creamer in the frig all week with no issues.

 

[chaoslobster]

I really appreciate the people offering suggestions!

No, sitting down won't help unfortunately, or this wouldn't be an issue. I'd need to be sitting on the floor level otherwise I'm still bending and reaching downwards and in at the same time, and I can't even manage a low chair so sitting on the floor isn't an option.

Shelf stable chocolate milk is one of the most disgusting things on this planet, so if it comes to that, I'll just go without or see what's available at the food court that I can buy on the spot rather than keeping a larger container in the room. The plan was to save on food costs by having groceries ordered and not buying all my food onsite, plus my diet is a bit picky for medical reasons; I try to eat fresh and not processed and packaged. That said, I'm realizing I am gonna have to compromise some stuff here.

I'm not a fan of "Coffeemate" either, but if there's no choice it's definitely better than powdered creamer. Powdered creamer is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and it's already here, coming for us. CoffeeMate also needs to be refrigerated, though? I normally take my coffee with single cream.

I'm going to have to call the Pop directly and see whether I can talk to someone who'll be able to answer the question about moving the cooler somewhere I can reach it. Wish me luck; in my experience it's impossible to get an answer that sort of question until you're at the hotel asking it in person, because they have to consult the maintenance staff to find out if it's even physically possible, and then punt back to a manager to see whether they're permitted to do it. Nobody on the phone will ever admit they can tweak the pressure on the room door, either, but they can and they will if you ask in person since it's a clear fire hazard when a guest can't exit the room. (The struggles of my 5'0" 89lb disabled self vs The Pop Century's Room Doors are absolutely EPIC.)

The door thing is how I know what it's like when I have to call the front desk several times a day and have a CM walk to my room and help me, because before I figured out that the doors are adjustable, I wasn't able to open the door on my own. I had to call the desk every single time I needed to enter or exit my room. It was... not magical. I'd really rather not have a repeat performance with "Hi, could someone come get the yogurt/cheese/melon/hummus out for me, please."

I hadn't realized I could get a styrofoam cooler shipped ahead of me, but that seems like my best bet here since it's unlikely they'll be able to move the beverage cooler. Not exactly ideal and I see many back and forth trips of schlepping ice in my future, but it'll be good enough to keep milk, cream, and yogurt at a safe temperature, and I'll make do on the rest.

 

[jo-jo]

Where are you getting your milk ,etc? Grocery delivery ? If so, you could probably order a cooler from them. There are also coolers like this.

https://www.amazon.com/OlarHike-Col...id=1651311082&sprefix=coolers,aps,800&sr=8-21

Would you have space in your luggage for that? That way you know you have it. But will you have issues getting ice for it? I think I'd bring some ziplock bags, and put the ice into the bags. Add food items, but bags of ice on top. that way your don't have food items floating in water as the ice melts.

I'd keep it on a towel or two just to be safe.

 

[Best Aunt]

From what I've read on here for years, when you think you are calling the hotel, or the front desk of the hotel, you are actually speaking to someone at an off-site call center. That happens whether you call from home or call from your hotel room. I don't think they admit that they are not actually at the hotel. It might be possible for them to transfer you to someone at the hotel, or put you on hold while they speak to someone at the hotel.

In the past, there were buttons (or maybe it was a combined button) on the phone for housekeeping and maintenance. Those got you to someone who was actually in the hotel. But I'm not sure those buttons are still there.

 

[Anna131517]

I didn't get a HA room, no. I don't need it; they're designed primarily for wheelchair users and that's not the sort of accommodation I need. I rent a commode seat and shower chair from a medical rental while I'm there, and that takes care of my two biggest issues.

I have no idea about the dresser's weight limit either, obviously. The room also has a desk, under where the Murphy bed folds up. It'll stay folded for the first half of my trip since I don't need the second bed, and once my friend arrives on day 5 he can deal with getting stuff out of the cooler for me.

Yes, if it turns out the cooler cannot be moved somewhere accessible, a styrofoam cooler chest would be a better choice than a dresser full of ice buckets -- but I can't bring a styrofoam cooler in my luggage, and I can't hop out to Wal-Mart and buy one either. I don't drive and can't get in and out of a regular car so no Uber or Lyft. I'd need to buy one somewhere on Disney property, somehow, and then find a way to wrangle it onto my scooter and back to the Pop. Is there somewhere that might sell that kind of thing? It's not really a standard gift-shop item!

You could have something delivered from Walmart or Amazon (along with groceries) and bell services will bring it to your room.

 

[chaoslobster]

Hmm, that looks pretty small so I could probably fit something like that into my luggage, yeah. Do those soft zipper coolers keep things cold as well as the styrofoam coolers? I could probably change the ice twice or even three times a day if needed, and I'm not bringing the cooler outside the room into the heat, it's just a stand-in refrigerator.

I don't think I'll have any trouble getting ice, unless the ice machines at Pop have also changed. I'm accustomed to putting the room's ice bucket into my scooter basket and bringing it to the machine to fill it up, so that ought to be fine. The soft cooler looks like it has carry handles so I should be able to hang it from the scooter's armrest to carry it to the ice machine, but if need be, I could just make two or three trips with the ice bucket. Extra time and inconvenience doesn't bother me so long as there is a way to do it myself without annoying the CMs constantly for help.

Now that I think of it, are you even allowed to use the ice machine for this? I seem to recall there's a sign nearby that specifically prohibits filling up coolers from the resort's ice machine, which is understandable... but would this small soft-side cooler be okay? It shouldn't need more than a couple ice buckets worth of ice, I don't think. I'm not filling up a giant tailgate chest cooler and since I can't reach the room's beverage cooler this is the only option, so surely that would be okay?