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I was getting ready to write this information later in February, but since questions have come up, I am writing the information now.
A new provision of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) involving resort and hotel reservations will be effective beginning March 15, 2012.
It will require hotels/resorts to:
http://www.adahospitality.org/conten...g-Reservations
I read the new guideline a while ago and didnt get a chance to re-read it trying to get the information posted quickly. I dont think there is any requirement for reserving a certain location, such as first floor unless there are other disability needs. The reason for that (and why they never actually reserved/guaranteed those rooms) was that there are few rooms that have been adapted for different disabilities, but there are many room that could be used to fit the first floor request.
My guess is that to reserve and be guaranteed a first floor room, you will need to reserve a room with a tub with grab bars if you dont need a roll in shower. This would be consistent with what the new rules say.
There are many more rooms with tubs with grab bars than there are rooms with roll in showers, so taking a room with grab bars out of commission will not inconvenience those who require a roll in shower.
Disney had dealt with this before through their Special Reservations Department, but will be required to deal with it on internet and Mainstream telephone bookings. So, there are a lot of changes coming in a short time and it will take some time for the CMs to all get up to speed.
I do know they are making changes in their request system, both online and what is available for CMs to use.
I know there was a lot of confusion among CMs before regarding what constituted an accessible room. When we have asked for an accessible room with a roll in shower, we have been told things like all the first floor rooms are accessible (which we know is not true).
Hopefully, the CMs will be educated so they actually know what they are talking about and guests with disabilities wont be holding their breaths from the time they make their reservation until they get into their room.
A new provision of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) involving resort and hotel reservations will be effective beginning March 15, 2012.
It will require hotels/resorts to:
- allow accessible rooms to be booked in the same ways for people with disabilities(phone, internet) as for people without disabilities
- have access to information available about those rooms that are descriptive enough for the person to decide whether the room will meet their needs (including photos or other images)
- include information about which features which rooms have, including which are accessible with roll in showers and which have tubs with grab bars
- reserve and hold a specific room for that specific guest with a disability. Those specific rooms must be actually removed from the reservation system (to avoid double booking and ensure that when the guest arrives the room they needed was available for them)
- hold accessible rooms back for reservation by people with disabilities until all non-accessible rooms of that type/class have been rented.
http://www.adahospitality.org/conten...g-Reservations
I read the new guideline a while ago and didnt get a chance to re-read it trying to get the information posted quickly. I dont think there is any requirement for reserving a certain location, such as first floor unless there are other disability needs. The reason for that (and why they never actually reserved/guaranteed those rooms) was that there are few rooms that have been adapted for different disabilities, but there are many room that could be used to fit the first floor request.
My guess is that to reserve and be guaranteed a first floor room, you will need to reserve a room with a tub with grab bars if you dont need a roll in shower. This would be consistent with what the new rules say.
There are many more rooms with tubs with grab bars than there are rooms with roll in showers, so taking a room with grab bars out of commission will not inconvenience those who require a roll in shower.
Disney had dealt with this before through their Special Reservations Department, but will be required to deal with it on internet and Mainstream telephone bookings. So, there are a lot of changes coming in a short time and it will take some time for the CMs to all get up to speed.
I do know they are making changes in their request system, both online and what is available for CMs to use.
I know there was a lot of confusion among CMs before regarding what constituted an accessible room. When we have asked for an accessible room with a roll in shower, we have been told things like all the first floor rooms are accessible (which we know is not true).
Hopefully, the CMs will be educated so they actually know what they are talking about and guests with disabilities wont be holding their breaths from the time they make their reservation until they get into their room.
