Need King Sized Bed - no guarantees with AAA?

[PrincessSuzanne]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I certainly wouldn't want to take a Handicapped Accessible room from someone who "really" needs it. I will try doing what I have done in the past and call Disney directly to make sure the request is in the system. Does anyone know how many non-handicapped King sized bed rooms Wilderness Lodge has?

I don't know how many non-HA king beds they have, but since you have booked through AAA, Disney won't have you in their system, so you can't call them and make the request. AAA owns the reservation until you check in. Some people say they have faxed their request to the resort 3-4 days prior to check in and it worked, but some resorts say they won't accept them.

Suzanne

 

[BCV23]

Wading through all the posts about handicaps, etc. to hopefully give some advice.

A king bed is never guaranteed at Disney World. If you need a handicapped accessible room, you will get that. And most accessible rooms do have king beds.

Some of this is inaccurate, disnut8. A king bed is guaranteed if you book a one or 2 BR villa. All DVC villas have a king bed in the master bedroom.

As for how many accessible rooms have king beds in the other resorts, I'm not sure of the respective #s. But we've had many accessible rooms at the Polynesian and GF. None have had a king bed.

I agree with the rest of your post.

OP, we've never stayed at the WL. If no one else knows about king beds there on this thread, try the WL FAQ which is under the Resort FAQ sticky near the top of the page.

 

[lilyv]

I don't know how many non-HA king beds they have, but since you have booked through AAA, Disney won't have you in their system, so you can't call them and make the request. AAA owns the reservation until you check in. Some people say they have faxed their request to the resort 3-4 days prior to check in and it worked, but some resorts say they won't accept them.

Suzanne

A travel agent is able to note basic requests on the reservation.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

A travel agent is able to note basic requests on the reservation.

I know that, but the OP said she was going to call Disney directly and make the request and her ressie won't be in their main system.

Suzanne

 

[winterman]

DH is 6'6" also and is about 250 pounds.....he manages in a double a pop and queens at moderates and deluxes. Heck we even have a queen at home.

I'm quite sure that moderates have doubles (fulls) not queens.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I'm quite sure that moderates have doubles (fulls) not queens.

you are correct, my bad.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Yes, you definitely wnat to contact them if you have a special need, like a ground floor room for inability to walk up stairs. There is no reason to stay somewhere you don't want to because the resort you wanted to stay at says they can't guarantee something that they can based on your ability or disablility.

Suzanne

Disney will only guarantee accommodations inside the room. Because all resorts have elevators, Disney won't guarantee a first floor room. They will also provide a golf cart or some other means of assistance to get you to a room if it's far away.

The only slight exception is Port Orleans Riverside. Alligator Bayou doesn't have elevators, so if staying there they will note the need for a ground floor room. But you may end up in Magnolia Bend with an elevator.

This has been my experience and YMMV.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I know that at the Value Resorts and at Port Orleans Riverside, the handicapped rooms are all king beds. If you request a handicapped room, you will get your king bed and they will not charge you extra for it. Being that tall is a handicap of sorts so I don't think it would be cheating. But that's just my opinion. Please no flames.

1) This is BLATANT cheating.
2) You should leave handicapped rooms for truly handicapped guests!
3) How would you feel if you were handicapped and couldn't get a room.
4) Especially for a reason like this.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This has been my experience and YMMV.

When I stay at Pop Century (which is usually ), this is absolutely true. In fact, the CM with whom I last spoke about my upcoming reservation was surprised I wasn't requesting a first floor room.

Now, last time I stayed at OKW, I requested and got (through Special Services) a first floor studio - because the ECV can't climb stairs. Next time (split stay) I have the distinct impression I will be in one of the newer buildings - one with an elevator. But maybe not. I'm not the one who made the reservation. We'll see...

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Disney will only guarantee accommodations inside the room. Because all resorts have elevators, Disney won't guarantee a first floor room. They will also provide a golf cart or some other means of assistance to get you to a room if it's far away.

The only slight exception is Port Orleans Riverside. Alligator Bayou doesn't have elevators, so if staying there they will note the need for a ground floor room. But you may end up in Magnolia Bend with an elevator.

This has been my experience and YMMV.

Since some of POR has no elevators, they will put Ground floor on your ressie, so you don't get stuck without a way to get to your room. I beg your pardon, but Special Needs will guarantee a ground floor. My cousin has requested one for her ASD son for December and they said for that reason they can guarantee it. Every visit since I made the request for POR, I have been given a ground floor room. I had to have them take the request away from association with my name because I don't much like bing on the ground floor, but only requested it when we were going to stay at POR.

Disney can do whatever they want to. I have never heard of or seen Disney helping someone with a golf cart.

Suzanne

 

[safetymom]

Caribbean Beach doesn't have elevators either.

 

[darcyt]

Does anyone know how many non-handicapped King sized bed rooms Wilderness Lodge has?

I requested a king at WL, and was given a handicapped room. I went to the front desk and said I didn't want to take that room in case someone really needed it. The CM said if I requested a king at WL, I would get a handicapped room. Whether that's true or they didn't have another type of king available, I don't know, but that's what she said. I wanted a tub anyway, so we moved to another room with two beds.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Since some of POR has no elevators, they will put Ground floor on your ressie, so you don't get stuck without a way to get to your room. I beg your pardon, but Special Needs will guarantee a ground floor. My cousin has requested one for her ASD son for December and they said for that reason they can guarantee it. Every visit since I made the request for POR, I have been given a ground floor room. I had to have them take the request away from association with my name because I don't much like bing on the ground floor, but only requested it when we were going to stay at POR.

Disney can do whatever they want to. I have never heard of or seen Disney helping someone with a golf cart.

Suzanne

Tone is very difficult to interpret, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that no offense was meant. However, when you say:

I beg your pardon, but

It tends to lend itself to negative interpretation. If you'll please recall, I also posted:

This has been my experience and YMMV.

I've had ALL cast members note a request for a ground floor, but I've never been able to get one to guarantee it. I also mentioned the exception was Port Orleans Riverside - but that you may end up with a higher floor in the Magnolia Bend section as there are elevators there.

Once again - that's been my experience. Not saying it's right or wrong - but rather my exprience.

 

[mskayjay]

We are in the same quandry. We are going to WL for our 25th, do not want the ADA room and they cannot guarantee a King. And as another poster said, I've never come up against such a policy that you have to request and hopefully get your choice when you get there. Maybe we'll luck out but phooey.....

 

[kaytieeldr]

You know, I bet if Disney ever built an adults-only resort, they'd have a higher ratio of king-bed rooms - and they'd be a guaranteed, bookable category...

 

[mskayjay]

You know, I bet if Disney ever built an adults-only resort, they'd have a higher ratio of king-bed rooms - and they'd be a guaranteed, bookable category...

*snorrrrkkkkk* smart alec! lol

 

[catne]

Some posters have claimed Disney is the only hotel that will not "guarantee" requests for specific room types or specific kinds of beds...this is NOT true. WE stay at hotels a dozen times a year, and always book at least 90 days in advance, staying at mid to upper range hotels.

We requested a king room at a brand new Embassy Suites in Charlotte, NC last fall...rooms in an upscale business hotel, over $200 a night. We got a lovely room, but it had 2 double beds (not even queen size!.) They gave us an over-sized corner room as a consolation for not having a king bed for us.

We've also had similar things occur at hotels in the Marriott and Country Inn chains. We've asked for specific floors (such as to avoid no-elevator issues) and for specific bed requests..they usually come through with what we requested, but not always.

What we've discovered is that it really just depends on how full the hotel is & how late we checked in. The more empty they are or earlier we check in, the more likely we are to get what we asked for.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You know, catne, you've made some excellent points.

Probably nobody has stayed in every hotel chain, or every unit of a chain, or every independently-owned or -operated property... so we don't know for sure how every single hotel/motel/inn/resort handles bed requests, or even how/if this varies among units of a single chain, etc.

 

[Gillian]

Please check the boards here for info on king beds at the WL.

From what I remember reading about people on their honeymoons or other adult trips, it is very difficult to get a decent king bed room at the wilderness lodge!! A lot of them are acessible rooms, many are on the ground floor, there aren't a lot of king rooms, stuff like that.

The good thing about WL is that the standard beds are queens, not full/doubles.

The Polynesian (from what I have heard, not personal experience) does not have king beds except in suites.

I hope you can find a solution that works!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Please check the boards here for info on king beds at the WL.

From what I remember reading about people on their honeymoons or other adult trips, it is very difficult to get a decent king bed room at the wilderness lodge!! A lot of them are acessible rooms, many are on the ground floor, there aren't a lot of king rooms, stuff like that.

The good thing about WL is that the standard beds are queens, not full/doubles.

The Polynesian (from what I have heard, not personal experience) does not have king beds except in suites.


I hope you can find a solution that works!

What is a decent king bed room? DH and I had a king bed room at WL and it was accessible, but it was decent. I have yet to stay in a room at Disney that isn't decent, no matter what kind of bed it was, that is something I expect from Disney. They did try to put us in a former smoking room at ASMo last June and because of my asthma and being sick already, I requested a different room, but it was a decent room.

There are king rooms on all floors at WL some are accessible and some aren't. I don't know where your info came from, but you need a more reliable source.

Suzanne