No accessible roll in shower rooms/AKL concierge

[BroganMc]

The medical center director where I work is a triple amputee and his remaining hand is missing fingers and flexibility. (He is, however, a speed demon in his powered chair.) Do you think they thought the swinging door would be easier for a person with this type of disability than the sliding door? I know some of those sliders don't always slide so easily.

I've been surprised before by what others can do and how. However, my functionality is not so far off from that. I can stand and walk a bit but my hands are more like flippers thanks to joint contractures. (I use my wrists to push or grab anything bigger than a pencil.)

The issue in shutting a swinging door in a chair is a clearance one. You need long arms to grab the door and pull it closed as you back up the chair. Or outside you need to manuever your chair out of the swing span, preferably by being behind the door as you push it closed. (I've been hit in the head many times trying to pull a bathroom door open from inside.)

A sliding door can be closed at a parallel angle. Just drive up to the side, lean and push open or closed. I open my deck doors like that all the time. The hardest part is grasping the door handle to get it started a crack. (Once the door is open a crack my footplate can slide it open the rest.)

Probably the biggest misunderstanding for planners is the added bulk a wheelchair adds to a person. You can't just squeeze by a partially open door. That's one of the reasons the pocket doors on accessible bathrooms (as in AKV's design) works so well.

 

[BCV23]

Pocket doors are easier indoors for my daughter but due to the weight of exterior sliding doors, swinging doors are easier for balconies or patios. As she's only 5" and probably about 100lbs, her arms are hardly long. The swinging doors aren't easy of course, but she manages. Sliders are impossible for her.

No one modification is go to fit everyone's needs unfortunately. But I suspect the swinging exterior door is recommended. Maybe Sue knows.

Liferbabe, did your room have a touchpad for opening the door to the lobby? The GF rooms have that feature which makes it much easier for my daughter as hall doors are usually springloaded an very difficult for her.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Liferbabe, did your room have a touchpad for opening the door to the lobby? The GF rooms have that feature which makes it much easier for my daughter as hall doors are usually springloaded an very difficult for her.

No touchpad, the front door is springloaded. (locked ourselves out going to the lounge at least twice) I thought the kitchen was the most functional area for wheelchair accessability.

The fridge has a bottom freezer pull out drawer, the dishwasher is a double dish drawer, the microwave is on the counter and the sink and range are low.
Also, the stackable washer and dryer are front loaders.

The furniture in the dining and living area is very heavy. (solid) So moving those things out of the way will require assistance. I had to have DH help me move the sleeper chair and got quite a workout moving the furniture into place every morning.

There is a slider in the living area and a swing out door in the master. I thought the path between the master bed and the flat Panel unit (to access the master patio or other side of bed) was kind of narrow and maybe impassable for someone in a bulkier chair.

The location of 6202 was very nice. 1 door from the lounge. We really enjoyed the lounge and the elevators are right past the lounge so getting around AKL was very easy.

 

[BCV23]

LIFERBABE, thanks for so much detail on the 1BR.

Again, Kathy...I hope it works out

 

[dclfun]

Thanks again for the support, and Sue, for the hugs I really needed. In case anyone has trouble with the room entrance doors which are very heavy at AK, maintenance can remove the spring loaded bar at the top so it swings freely. Of course you have to remember to shut it since it won't automatically shut. I put a strap on the door and then my service dog can open and close it once the attachment is off the door, otherwise I could be easily trapped inside a room plus then I'd need a person to open the door so I could get in to start with. The balconies at AK were never accessible to me since they're so narrow but I could at least see out of the sliding door. I finally have a day off and will call MS today to see what options I have for this trip- and I'll keep everyone posted since I know I'm not the only one that this issue will affect.---Kathy

 

[Samantha Becker]

We also had huge problems booking the wheel in shower. This will probobly be my brothers last trip to Disney and I wanted to make it special.
I was planning on getting a 2br SV. I was so excited to see the look on my brothers face to be able to see animals from the room. There are so many things he cannot do and this was was thing he could that was a once in a lifetime moment. I can't tell you how dissapointed I was when I called out at my 11 month mark right when they opened and they said they had non with SV. I literally broke down as I had no Idea that would happen. So I had to choose between 2br SV no roll in or standard view with roll in. I had no choice but no book the roll in since he can't go 5 days without showering.
He cannot stand let alone walk or even balance as he has no muscles in his legs any more from his muscular dystrophy. I find it so hard to believe with all the make a wish and kids that come down in wheelchairs that there are not more roll in showers. Why could they not make more? For all I care why not make all of them roll in. I am sure way more people take showers on vacation than baths. If they can't fill all the rooms with Handicapped guests start using it for reg guests at least reg guests can deal with it. But in this situation handicapped guests can't deal with it. I just don't get it. Very frustrating.

Anyway - are there good areas around the resort where my brother can go park himself to look at the animals?

2nd question - we will need to have a twin size hospital bed delivered. The roll in shower is connected to the king room. If we take out chair and nightstand next to king bed by porch will there be enough room to put the hospital bed there also knowing he will need the wheelchair to fit in between?

 

[BroganMc]

I can't tell you how dissapointed I was when I called out at my 11 month mark right when they opened and they said they had non with SV. I literally broke down as I had no Idea that would happen. So I had to choose between 2br SV no roll in or standard view with roll in. I had no choice but no book the roll in since he can't go 5 days without showering.

You mean MS told you there are NO savannah-view rooms with a roll-in shower? That doesn't sound right. When is your reservation?

For all I care why not make all of them roll in. I am sure way more people take showers on vacation than baths. If they can't fill all the rooms with Handicapped guests start using it for reg guests at least reg guests can deal with it. But in this situation handicapped guests can't deal with it. I just don't get it. Very frustrating.

I agree with you but there are many here who find the roll-in showers troublesome. Non-disabled users tend to have problems with leakage (something I suspect is caused more due to unfamiliarity in how to use them than design). But that's another debate. Best we can do is advocate for a change in ADA laws requiring more roll-in showers in ADA rooms.

Anyway - are there good areas around the resort where my brother can go park himself to look at the animals?

Yes, there are several areas. There is the Arusha Overlook right in the heart of the resort. It's an outdoor area overlooking the resort as well as savannah. There are also overlooks in the Uzima pool areas. All are staffed by native guides who are happy to provide assistance as well as information.

 

[SueM in MN]

Anyway - are there good areas around the resort where my brother can go park himself to look at the animals?

I don't have any pictures of them on this computer, but there are some nice lounges and a trail where you can see the animals.
Here's a map of AKL.

If you look at the map, the kind of irregular shaped part around where it says Arusha Rock Firepit is a wildlife observation path. The paths are nice and wide and in most of the area, you can see pretty much everything from a wheelchair. The kind of horseshoe shaped areas above where it's labeled Kudo Trail and Zebra Trail and also the area labeled Sunset Overlook are nice covered porches that overlook the trails in those areas. They are wheelchair accessible and also rocking chairs.
There are a couple of other overlook areas; I don't know the names of them, but they are marked with a pawprint on the map and they are close to the pool.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Weren't there areas on each floor down the hallways where you could look out the windows and see the savanna? These weren't outside balconies, but just windows along the corridor.

 

[BCV23]

Samantha, that's so sad. Did you make your reservation a while ago? Could it possibly be that there just weren't any accessible rooms in the declared inventory yet?

The public viewing areas that Sue and others have told you about have great views though.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is a picture from the DIS site's page about AKL; the photos link.

The kind of rounded part of the building has a porch on the bottom floor that I mentioned in the other post (the area above it is some kind of really nice suite). This picture also shows the trail by the Arusha Rock Firepit in the middle of the picture.

This is another view showing part of the trail.

 

[Samantha Becker]

You mean MS told you there are NO savannah-view rooms with a roll-in shower? That doesn't sound right. When is your reservation?


They did not tell me there were no more of those units available, I was told that there were no 2BR SV with a roll in shower.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Samantha Becker]

I don't have any pictures of them on this computer, but there are some nice lounges and a trail where you can see the animals.
Here's a map of AKL.

If you look at the map, the kind of irregular shaped part around where it says Arusha Rock Firepit is a wildlife observation path. The paths are nice and wide and in most of the area, you can see pretty much everything from a wheelchair. The kind of horseshoe shaped areas above where it's labeled Kudo Trail and Zebra Trail and also the area labeled Sunset Overlook are nice covered porches that overlook the trails in those areas. They are wheelchair accessible and also rocking chairs.
There are a couple of other overlook areas; I don't know the names of them, but they are marked with a pawprint on the map and they are close to the pool.

Thanks, this info will come in useful.

 

[Samantha Becker]

Samantha, that's so sad. Did you make your reservation a while ago? Could it possibly be that there just weren't any accessible rooms in the declared inventory yet?

The public viewing areas that Sue and others have told you about have great views though.

Our reservations were for October 26-30 so I just made the reservations in late November.

 

[Samantha Becker]

Anyone know if the bathrooms in the handicapped rooms actually have enough room to pull up wheelchair right next to toilet for transfer? I know some hotels think HC accesble is just putting a grab bar in.

 

[Dean]

I don't know how many HC rooms at AKV have roll in showers or how many HC rooms in SV will be HC. I doubt there will be zero in the current building for SV. Most likely are that either their already booked up or that they are not yet declared into inventory. There is no legal requirement to spread them out over unit types though DVC always has it seems to me. Certainly for the concierge rooms it's understandable that there isn't both a studio and 1 BR with a roll in shower given there are only 5 of each. AKV is still new and must be viewed in it's entirety once completed to be judged on issues such as this. The are plenty of great places to see the animals, I know Samantha's son will have a great time.

I hadn't really thought about it, how is disney about allowing a hospital bed to be delivered from off site?

agree with you but there are many here who find the roll-in showers troublesome. Non-disabled users tend to have problems with leakage (something I suspect is caused more due to unfamiliarity in how to use them than design). But that's another debate. Best we can do is advocate for a change in ADA laws requiring more roll-in showers in ADA rooms.

To the point where I'd rather not go to WDW at all than have one for free.

 

[Claire L]

They did not tell me there were no more of those units available, I was told that there were no 2BR SV with a roll in shower.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I am surprised as about 80% of the DVC units are SV. Maybe an idea to call back again and see if anyhting has opened up since your last call.

Claire

 

[dclfun]

OK- resolution to my saga. After several calls and returned calls to me yesterday both by MS and Special Services I was given a SV room with a roll in shower by the elevators on the 5th floor and will be allowed concierge access. That was all I wanted and I consider this to be a good compromise. A MS supervisor had to call over to the resort itself to get permission for the concierge access and she gave me his name in case I have any issues, which she didn't expect me to have, when I check in. As to the different accessible room types, I was told by SS that they are continually changing. The person I spoke with there did not have information about the width of the bathroom doors but did call right away to the resort to check and apparently rooms are still being declared into DVC inventory. As to the poster whose brother needs a roll in shower and wanted a savannah view, definitely call back and ask to speak with a supervisor as the CM I spoke with originally wasn't familiar with the room types and SS couldn't see the room I had been given as MS had assigned it. Perhaps the room you need is now in DVC inventory. None of this made much sense to me so imagine my relief when the MS supervisor said, " I know exactly what you need" and took the time to make it happen for my family.
Dean- Disney allows hospital beds to be delivered as well as other offsite mobility equipment such as hoyer lifts, etc. Someone who cannot travel without this equipment certainly can't bring their own. Even DCL allows hospital beds to be placed in staterooms if they're needed by a guest. You may also think that we need to wait til the DVC units are all declared into inventory but for some people there may be no time to wait, as in the case of Samantha's brother. Why should someone with a disability who needs an accomodation such as a roll in shower, not be able to choose the resort in which they purchased points at the same time as a nondisabled guest? Since DVC is willing to do what they did for me then I consider that a reasonable accommodation that should be offered as an alternative rather than getting the email I got from them that didn't offer any alternatives but left me thinking we were out of luck. ----Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

Anyone know if the bathrooms in the handicapped rooms actually have enough room to pull up wheelchair right next to toilet for transfer? I know some hotels think HC accesble is just putting a grab bar in.

There are 2 types of standards for accessible rooms. One type is NOT wheelchair accessible. It is meant for someone who can walk, but needs some extra things for stability, like a raised seat toilet and grab bars by the toilet and bathtub. Those rooms would be totally appropriate for some people, but not for your brother's needs.

The other type of room is fully wheelchair accessible and has to meet the standards listed on this ADA standards page for Hotels, motels, inns, and other places of lodging designed and constructed after January 26, 1993. Since AKL was built well after that date, they were required to meet those standards.
The standards for the rooms with roll in showers have to include a wheelchair space next to the toilet for transfers (there are actually plans with required minimum sizes in that document).

Some older hotels added raised seat toilets and grab bars to rooms to call them 'accessible', but to be fully accessible, they need to have a roll in shower and the other things in the standards.
When reserving for a room, ask for a roll in shower or fully accessible room.

There is no legal requirement to spread them out over unit types though DVC always has it seems to me. Certainly for the concierge rooms it's understandable that there isn't both a studio and 1 BR with a roll in shower given there are only 5 of each. AKV is still new and must be viewed in it's entirety once completed to be judged on issues such as this. The are plenty of great places to see the animals, I know Samantha's son will have a great time.

There actually is a legal requirement in the standards I linked to above that resorts disperse the rooms. From the Standards:
Common Problem:
Accessible guestrooms are not dispersed among the various classes of rooms available at a lodging facility and do not provide people with disabilities the same range of amenities available to others.
*
Result:
Persons with disabilities who desire or may need different classes of accessible guestrooms are denied the range of lodging options that other guests without disabilities can take for granted (e.g., rooms with one or two beds, suites.)
Requirements:
In order to provide persons with disabilities the same range of options that are available to other persons at the facility, lodging facilities must disperse accessible guestrooms/suites among the various classes of guestrooms/suites available at the facility. Factors to be considered in dispersing accessible guestrooms among different classes of rooms include room size, cost, amenities provided (e.g., smoking and nonsmoking rooms, suites, kitchenettes, rooms with preferred views, connecting rooms), and the number of beds provided. ADA Standards 9.1.4.

I will agree though, that until all the rooms are completed, we won't know exactly how they are dispersing rooms to meet the requirement.

 

[SueM in MN]

Since DVC is willing to do what they did for me then I consider that a reasonable accommodation that should be offered as an alternative rather than getting the email I got from them that didn't offer any alternatives but left me thinking we were out of luck. ----Kathy