King bed only in disabled rooms at WL?

[vhoffman]

 

[Andrew Bichard]

As a general rule this is usually the case, both inside and outside of Disney.

A 'disabled' bathroom is usually bigger than a regular one to allow space for a wheelchair to manoevre. This often results in a smaller sleeping area.

I have never stayed at Wilderness Lodge with children, so I don't know how the find bed space in the 'disabled' rooms. You should phone Disney to check. I stayed there a few years back and, from memory, the room was a bit tight even with just the one bed and we had to move furniture around to make enough room to get my power wheelchair close enough to the bed to transfer. My room at AKL the following year was identical except for the decor, so I assume Disney uses the same floor plan for most of its rooms.

One thing I do know for certain, is that the 'disabled' rooms with roll in showers at the Boardwalk Inn are huge. Two queen size beds, a daybed big enough to sleep a four foot child and enough space left over to drive figures of eight in an ECV.

Andrew

 

[Eeyore1954]

WL rooms are some of the smallest for a deluxe resort at WDW. The best answer would come from the resort staff. They can better explain the options available.

That said, one option to investigate is the Junior Suite. This is a good alternative for families, because it offers more space and 2 rooms (the living area and a separate bedroom). The bedroom has 2 beds (I think queen size). The living area couch opens into a bed also. Most of these rooms overlook the lake, although there are some that have a pool view.

One downside to these rooms: only 1 bathroom. They do have their own small fridge, which is nice. Rates run from $390 to over $500 per night depending on the season.

 

[BCV23]

Although we've never stayed at the WL, I do think they will accomodate you without going to the extra expense of a junior suite. In addition, from my SIL who stayed in one of those rooms with her family (no wheelchair), they aren't very commodious rooms.

I don't think contacting the resort will help very much. I would call CRO and they will probably transfer you to Special Needs department. Good luck.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

We have a friend who has been in Housekeepng at Caribbean Beach for several years. When it was closed for th full rehab, she worked at AKL. Her comment was the rooms in CBR are actually LARGER than the ones at AKL. Since WL and AKL have the same size rooms this may not be a good choice of hotel.

 

[autumnblue]

I had a similar problem trying to book a room at AKL, I was told we would have to get two rooms. I agree that this is unfair because you then double your expenses and isn't having a disability expensive enough. Research the ADA I believe that they have to offer comprable rooms to you and if you need four in a room they should give you the other room for free if they don't have room that accommodates the four of you. A person without a disability would not be forced to get two rooms. They should also seriously consider making a larger variety of rooms available to people disabilities(ie conceirge at the poly).

Autumnblue

 

[BCV23]

vhoffmann, I saw your post on the resort board about WL or GF. We have stayed in an accessible room at the GF and it was great. I think you would find lots more room than WL and it could accomodate your whole family.

But if you're willing to spend that much, consider the Polynesian. We've stayed in accessible rooms there many times and they're huge. Plus the transportation is the easiest in our opinion. There is a parking lot right outside the building if you will have a car. You can walk to the TTC and take the EPCOT monorail or walk to the Great Ceremonial House and catch the resort monorail to the MK.

Although we've never stayed at the WL, we have taken the boat that services WL and FW on our way to HdD. With my daughter's power chair, it was hard to manage that boat. Tight corners and door.

 

[SueM in MN]

Although we've never stayed at the WL, we have taken the boat that services WL and FW on our way to HdD. With my daughter's power chair, it was hard to manage that boat. Tight corners and door.

Also, depending on the water level, the boat may not be accessible to power wheelchairs, ecvs or people who can't transfer out of their manula wheelchair to get onto the boat.

 

[BCV23]

I actually thought that the water level problem had been solved although I've not asked about it. Anyway, we haven't had a problem with water level for a couple of years even though I've been told the water table is still low.

I do know that there are several new docks...I think they may be "floating" so that they adjust to current water levels. Be interesting to know for a fact.

 

[videogal1]

Originally posted by autumnblue
I had a similar problem trying to book a room at AKL, I was told we would have to get two rooms. I agree that this is unfair because you then double your expenses and isn't having a disability expensive enough. Research the ADA I believe that they have to offer comprable rooms to you and if you need four in a room they should give you the other room for free if they don't have room that accommodates the four of you. A person without a disability would not be forced to get two rooms.
Autumnblue

I have heard that they can do just that. Call Special accommodations dept. for further information. In many cased a PWD with an attendant requires an adjoining room.....

 

[dclfun]

The resorts will give you appropriate accomodations for your party size at the same pricing that someone NOT needing those accomodations would have @ the same party size, so don't worry about the bedding arrangements. You do need to go through special services- I always ask to be connected to them to check on availabiliy as the regular res floor doesn't have that information, nor can they assist you. That said, WL accessible rooms, as Andrew mentioned, are very small and the bathrooms are difficult. We checked in there and checked out when I realized I couldn't maneuver through the spaces- they moved us to the Contemporary at no additional charge where the rooms were more spacious. AKL is great even though the rooms are still smaller- at least the bathroom is huge and truly is accessible to someone who can transfer vs. the ones at WL. ---Kathy

 

[zaksmom]

I recently spoke with special reservations. If you have four in your party, you must be offered accommodations for four for the price anyone else pays - an adjoining room, upgrade, etc. We have three in our party, so at AKL ADA regs are met by the fold out chair-bed, even though it makes the room extremely tight. At allstars, we get the adjoining room. One with the roll-in shower and king bed and one regular two bed room. HOpe this helps.
have fun!

 

[candykisses]

Help me understand....we are a family of 4 and need an accessible room with a roll in shower. Also a king bed is better for my husband. Do we have to stay at the All Stars to have the second room comp'd? Or does that apply to a moderate resort also?

 

[SueM in MN]

Help me understand....we are a family of 4 and need an accessible room with a roll in shower. Also a king bed is better for my husband. Do we have to stay at the All Stars to have the second room comp'd? Or does that apply to a moderate resort also?

We are members of DVC and get a one or two bedroom, so we don't have any personal expereince, but I have been told that it applies in any hotel.

At allstars, we get the adjoining room. One with the roll-in shower and king bed and one regular two bed room.

Just to clarify, so no one ends up with something they didn't want.......
Adjoining rooms sound like they "join" together with a door between them, but that's not the definition in "hotel language". Adjoining rooms are just rooms that are next to each other (they may even be across the hall in some hotels). Connecting rooms are the ones that are next to each other and have a door that connects them directly together without going out in the hallway.

 

[SueM in MN]

I actually thought that the water level problem had been solved although I've not asked about it. Anyway, we haven't had a problem with water level for a couple of years even though I've been told the water table is still low.

I do know that there are several new docks...I think they may be "floating" so that they adjust to current water levels. Be interesting to know for a fact.

The last time we stayed at WL was 2 years ago and I know that it was a problem then. Luckily, DD was using her manual wheelchair because we had to lift it on.
We were at WDW in March, but I didn't look at the signs by the WL boat dock at MK. I know when just DH and I were there in July, the "boat might not be accessible to users of wheelchairs and ecvs because of changing water levels" was up, although I did see people with wheelchairs getting on.

I know that the dock to go from the TTC to MK was changed, but I had asked some CMs at that time, if the one at WL was changed to and there were some reasons they couldn't change it (which I have forgotten). People were posting earlier this year that they had been at WL and had not been able to get their ecvs on the boat during trips November and December, 2003. So, unless they made some recent changes at WL, I guess you have just been lucky.

 

[BCV23]

Sue, I wasn't posting about WL dock explicitly...in fact we have never gotten off there. I thought I mentioned that we didn't get off there. I just see so many posts about water level and know we haven't had a problem at the TTC or FW in a couple of years. Too bad about the dock at WL and good to know as we're DVC, too and might have tried it someday.

As far as comped rooms, we're a family of five and twice at GF we were able to have a second connecting room in Sugar Loaf comped as the accessible room only had beds for 4. Was booking a room for this summer and was told that now they give you a fold down bed instead. I think that room would be really tight in that case although the bathroom is huge.

Anyway, looks like our eldest can't come anyway.

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by BCV23
Sue, I wasn't posting about WL dock explicitly...in fact we have never gotten off there. I thought I mentioned that we didn't get off there. I just see so many posts about water level and know we haven't had a problem at the TTC or FW in a couple of years. Too bad about the dock at WL and good to know as we're DVC, too and might have tried it someday.(

Sorry, I thought I read you had stayed at WL.
I don't have any experience with the FW dock (except when WL and FW shared a boat and it stopped at both places). I do know that either Safari Steve or Chip 'N Dale Express (2 WDW CMs who post on the DIS) had said a while ago that the TTC dock had been fixed, so it works in all water levels now.

The docks at Epcot Center, MGM and the Epcot Center resorts were never a problem. My FIL was talking to a boat CM one time who explained why they don't have a problem, but the MK area does. The waterways by Epcot and MGM are basically canals and they can control how high the water in them is by opening and shutting gates that let water flow in or keep it from flowing in. Bay Lake at MK is too big for them to regulate the water level.

 

[zaksmom]

Sorry about delay getting back on line -- typing my son's term papers!

The way the accommodation was described to me was that if the room with the king bed had a daycare or chairbed that could accomodation a third person - then a second room was not offered. It met the requirement of equal accommodations.

If the room needed to have an uncomfortable, folding cot rolled in for the third person, this did not meet ADA. That's why with our party of 3 we were offered a second room at the All Stars and not at Animal Kingdom Lodge. I

If you have 4 in your party, a second room is offered if you need the roll- in shower room and it only has a king bed. ADA says you must be provided the same accommodation as those not needing the roll-in shower, which is sleeping room for 4.

Hope this helps.
Have fun.

 

[hockeymom7691]

I just wanted to let you know that we were a party of 3 (my Mother, DS12 & myself). We stayed at WL in December and my mother called special services, we had two rooms (connected). My Mom had a room handicapped room to herself (which was very roomy) and DS & I had a room.

My Mom had plenty of room & loved having her own space (so did we)