question about resort reservations

[homeschoolmomof4]

We have a trip coming up the last week of January and I have a few concerns. Two of my children have invisible disabilities. My youngest son has a newly diagnosed auditory processing disorder and ADHD and my oldest son has ADHD/OCD and some other emotional/processing issues not yet diagnosed. We are currently booked under Grand Gatherings at Pop(my parents will be meeting us there). My TA has requested connecting rooms, a refrigerator and quiet rooms for the six of us. My concern is that these requests weren't made to the the team that handles special needs requests. Should I have her call back and make those requests specifically to them? I'm terrified that we'll not have connecting rooms. There is no way that we can handle the kids in separate rooms, especially if my oldest has a meltdown. We really need two adults to handle him. We also need the refrigerator for meds and special foods etc for my oldest boy's condition. I'm really concerned that if these requests aren't taken seriously, it could really impact the quality of our trip. Do ya'll have any suggestions as to what I can or should do at this point? I appreciate any help or suggestions you can offer. Thanks!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Have your TA call reservations to explain that the connecting rooms and refrigerator are needed for "medical necessity" and aks for that phrase to be on the reservation. The rooms assigners will consider that as the highest priority.

 

[livndisney]

We have a trip coming up the last week of January and I have a few concerns. Two of my children have invisible disabilities. My youngest son has a newly diagnosed auditory processing disorder and ADHD and my oldest son has ADHD/OCD and some other emotional/processing issues not yet diagnosed. We are currently booked under Grand Gatherings at Pop(my parents will be meeting us there). My TA has requested connecting rooms, a refrigerator and quiet rooms for the six of us. My concern is that these requests weren't made to the the team that handles special needs requests. Should I have her call back and make those requests specifically to them? I'm terrified that we'll not have connecting rooms. There is no way that we can handle the kids in separate rooms, especially if my oldest has a meltdown. We really need two adults to handle him. We also need the refrigerator for meds and special foods etc for my oldest boy's condition. I'm really concerned that if these requests aren't taken seriously, it could really impact the quality of our trip. Do ya'll have any suggestions as to what I can or should do at this point? I appreciate any help or suggestions you can offer. Thanks!

I would call back and work through the Special needs people. Do not leave it to "chance" at check-in. We recently returned from 2 stays at Pop and they were not at all helpful at check in.(Our needs were noted in in the system (medically needed) but were ignored). Even getting a "Manager" involved did not help. Our requests were not taken at all seriously, we were made to feel as if we were a "bother". Our trip was ruined and we have no plans to return to Pop ever.

Go through the Special needs people-they know how to handle things and get you what you need.

 

[SueM in MN]

Go through the Special needs people-they know how to handle things and get you what you need.

Since the OP booked with a travel agent, the travel agent needs to call Special Needs; they will not talk to the guest.
The reservation actually belongs to the travel agent and all changes/requests need to go thru the travel agent. That is part of the contract with travel agents.

Special Needs typically is involved in special rooms (i.e. accessible rooms) and other things that are more specialized than refrigerators. It's possible they will advise the travel agent to call the general reservation number and make the request as Cheshire Figment suggested.
You might also want to have the travel agent see if the requests can get extra emphasis by your reservations being part of a Grand Gathering.

You might also want to look into other options - like the Family Suites at All Star Music that would give you space for 6 people to sleep in one suite which already includes a kitchenette.

 

[homeschoolmomof4]

I would call back and work through the Special needs people. Do not leave it to "chance" at check-in. We recently returned from 2 stays at Pop and they were not at all helpful at check in.(Our needs were noted in in the system (medically needed) but were ignored). Even getting a "Manager" involved did not help. Our requests were not taken at all seriously, we were made to feel as if we were a "bother". Our trip was ruined and we have no plans to return to Pop ever.

Go through the Special needs people-they know how to handle things and get you what you need.

Yikes! This scares the heck out of me. I know over on the Pop Century resort thread, they said that you can fax the resort with your requests as well. Do you think this would be helpful? I've put in an e-mail to my TA, so hopefully she'll get back with me on Monday. I know she's already noted the medically necessary request on the fridge, but I'll see what she has to say about the matter and have her check with the Grand Gatherings coordinator. Wilderness Lodge has always been very accomodating in terms of our need for 2 connecting rooms. I'm beginning to wonder if we've made a mistake choosing Pop this year.

 

[mrsksomeday]

I would call my TA and stress that this needs to be called in asap. We had a friend come with us on our last trip, we had linked reservations, but didn't request connecting rooms but they gave them to us anyway. POP is every accomodating. We have been there 4 times in the last year and have always had good CM's that did their best to accomodate us.

 

[homeschoolmomof4]

Hey I just wanted to thank ya'll for your help. My TA faxed me a copy of the hard copy she received from Disney stating our special needs requests. I have this copy in hand now so if there are any difficulties when we arrive I have something from Disney in writing stating the connecting room guarantees. She had already made sure that it was noted on our ressies that we were traveling with children with special needs. She also has the manager's number and is calling Pop directly 3 days before our scheduled arrival to remind them. My TA is the bomb!

 

[Schmeck]

The only problem I see you having is your request for 'quiet rooms'. There's no way that request could ever be met. You never know who might be in the room next to yours, who might decide to run down the hall in the middle of the night, the toilets flushing can be heard through the room's walls, etc. And all the doors really bang loudly (at any of the resorts) when the door latch is extended. Some people come back late at night with screaming kids, some people start out very early in the morning, with screaming kids.

We were given a near the corner room, top floor at Pop Century. It was quiet 90% of the time, but it was really loud one night, loud enough to wake up my kids.

 

[lucigo]

We have stayed at Pop 3x this year. We have always gotten the connecting rooms, however over spring break we had to take the 3rd floor rather than ground floor, which I had requested. Once we were given side-by-side rooms without a door between, and I immediately called the front desk and they moved us to connecting rooms. They have always been more than helpful. The last week of January shouldn't be too crowded, you shouldn't have any trouble, get there early, and if they don't have any connecting rooms available they can let you go to the parks and have rooms ready for you when you get back.