Riverside or Caribbean

[Michigan]

I really wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge but since my youngest daughter has been hospitalized a lot this year and I missed a few months of paychecks I need to choose between Riverside or Caribbean in Feb.

It will be me my 2 spina bifida kids (12&20) that need a roll in shower and my dad who will be renting a scooter.

We at Riverside one night before a cruise but didn't really see much of it. So 'm looking for some quick help to decide. Room needs to be able to fit 2 wheelchairs and somewhere to put the scooter.

Thanks for the Help
Cindy

 

[KPeveler]

The rooms at Caribbean is a little bigger, but I personally prefer Port Orleans a little more. If there are rooms available, I like French Quarter better than the Riverside. POFQ is a small resort, so everything is near to what you need. French Quarter and Riverside share buses, and the French Quarter is the first stop. This means if you need a bus with both wheelchair spots open, your best bet is to stay at POFQ.

Caribbean is very large and spread out, which may not work well for you if you are planning on lots of trips to the pool or food court.

I have only been in a room with a roll-in shower in Coronado, but it only had one bed. I am not sure what moderate resorts (if any) have two beds in a roll-in shower... I am sure others here will come help out.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Caribbean is very large and spread out, which may not work well for you if you are planning on lots of trips to the pool or food court.

As pretty well known on the DIS, I don't agree with a lot of mwah CBR gets when it comes to staying there with a disability. For instance the above; a long distance to the pool? Unless somebody is solely focussed on the themepool; almost no long distances possible at CBR. Each village has it's own pool except Trinidad South. Unless somebody books a pirate room, it's a sure 99% chance you'll have a pool right there in your own village. Downside is that some of the quiet pools have a threshold at the entry towards to pool. On the other hand; they're very well attackable with the 'forward we go with enough speed'-method.

Distance? I find it a bit overrated. As always stated on this board when discussing mobility needs at the parks; each individual will cross big distances at any of the parks. Because of that, all of us will somehow be travelling in a way we can cross those distances. ECV's for instance come to mind. Which can make distance very relatively.

I personally love CBR and are already somewhat saddened we won't be staying there this year either. The Deluxes haven't done me wrong so far but my big love still is CBR. Love the theme and it's many many details. Love the awsome CM's that can be found there. Love the feeling of "2 vacations in one"; tropical feel and Disney. Love the beaches, pools, quiet serene walk around the lake etc. And sure enough, I silently also love the benefits of CBR being so unloved by and/or scary to those with a disability. As stated before, I've noticed less of those with a mobility aid at CBR and it's bus stops as I've had at for instance bus stops for other mods, during our stay at AKL etc. Hardly ever ran into a bus with both wheelchairspots already taken.

A possible downside to CBR depending on needs and abilities; Old Port Royale. The foodcourt has those 'individual tiles' on the floor, making it a bumpy experience. Not difficult to navigate in my experience, but more bumpy than for instance concrete.

Also mentioned a lot as a downside of CBR is the fact that Custom House -where you check in- isn't in the same building as the food court. I have no problem at all with that. All you do there is check in, anyway. For anything else, like ADR's, problems, whatever; concierge CM's will be at Old Port Royal at a concierge desk during the day.


As far as the room goes? Haven't done a PO room, so no help there. Have done CBR and I could very easily fit both my powerchair and manual chair in a room without even a second of feeling crowded. Had no furniture removed, had all kinds of other aids and med supplies all over taking room up. Still felt spacious. Unlike the room at AKL; almost exact same square footage, but different lay out -amongst others caused by the balcony-. That was a crowded mess even after having furniture taken out. While I've only stayed in the CBR room solo, could've easily shared it with no problems.

As far as beds go; discuss this with Special needs. You can book any room with roll in shower just like you'ld book any other room if you had no need. Disney will provide bedding for all of those in your party booked. So if let's say you'ld normally be able to book upto 4 individuals into a CBR room; same goes for a CBR room with roll in shower. For some of the POR rooms that can be booked upto 5; again, you can book upto 5 in the room with roll in shower. It will be taken care of.


Most of it will come down to personal likes and dislikes for theming, wishes for a resort and what it has to offer etc. A thing that is a plus to one person can be a negative to the other person, even with the same type of disability. The rooms at CBR are bigger, which can come into the equation. But then again, lay out of a room can do a lot. Depending on where that extra space is located, it might be of great use or not really. Comparing plans of the rooms might be of help there. Other than that, I'ld really let your families wishes, taste and dislikes determine where you'll stay. That and availability of room with roll in shower, desired discountcode etc.

 

[POOHsie]

POFQ won't work for you because the handicap/roll-in shower rooms all have one king bed. And I have been told directly by Disney that these king handicap rooms are only for two people per fire regulations. I have also been told Riverside has "some" handicap/roll-in shower rooms with two double beds. I can't confirm this. I only know of Riverside's single king bed handicap/roll-in shower rooms. Again, I believe that would be for two people only. Even if you booked a double-double/roll-in shower room, your party has 3 adults and 1 teen. Double beds would be tight!

I am not sure what the bed size is at CBR. I believe at Coronado they are queen, but does that mean you can get a 2 queen/roll-in shower room? I don't know.

There is a little bit of legwork you will have to do to get the proper accommodations for your party. Hope you can get some help here, or you will have to call Disney about your special requirements. Good luck!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

POFQ won't work for you because the handicap/roll-in shower rooms all have one king bed. And I have been told directly by Disney that these king handicap rooms are only for two people per fire regulations. I have also been told Riverside has "some" handicap/roll-in shower rooms with two double beds. I can't confirm this. I only know of Riverside's single king bed handicap/roll-in shower rooms. Again, I believe that would be for two people only. Even if you booked a double-double/roll-in shower room, your party has 3 adults and 1 teen. Double beds would be tight!

In which case you haven't been given the full info. It isn't wrong, but it isn't right either. You can book rooms as you would normally. Bedding in the roll in shower rooms has nothing to do with that, that will be taken care off. As long as a standard room with regular shower can be booked by 4, a same type standard room with a roll in shower can be booked by upto 4 also. Period.

Same goes for any resort. Been there, done that, so to say and we've been taken care of. Will not eleborate on how things get taken care of. Not wise but not even really possible as it will be taken care of on a individual basis. Having said that; they do allow such booking and it will not result in 4 adults having to share one king bed. But most important thing is that you can book the same amount of folks into the same type of room as you would in a room without roll in shower. Obviously if you willingly book King bedroom as a roomtype, that is not true. However booking a roomtype that is NOT specific king room, does come with this range.

If OP would normally be OK with booking this party into one room with 2 double beds, they can do it now also. Not my personal choice, but that's personal. WDW does offer the option.

 

[POOHsie]

Only handicap room type at POFQ is king. Told that by Disney. Also told two people only in king handicap room per fire regulations. So POFQ is off the OP's list of choices. I am staying at POFQ in Sept. A third person wanted to join us mid-trip, and it couldn't be accommodated for above reasons. We will be moving mid-trip to a double-double/roll-in at POR. I have only been in a king/roll-in at Disney, so the double-double/roll-in will be a new experience.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Only handicap room type at POFQ is king. Told that by Disney. Also told two people only in king handicap room per fire regulations. So POFQ is off the OP's list of choices. I am staying at POFQ in Sept. A third person wanted to join us mid-trip, and it couldn't be accommodated for above reasons. We will be moving mid-trip to a double-double/roll-in at POR. I have only been in a king/roll-in at Disney, so the double-double/roll-in will be a new experience.

Perhaps you guys were dealt with differently because of the third person added later on during the trip and/or because there is a double/roll-in option at POR. That, or you have been speaking to a wrongly informed CM.

Having said that; you have been given right info in and of itself with the king bed info. But it doesn't end there depending at which resort and roomtype a family is looking into booking. Disney will accomodate a family booked into a room with roll in shower just like they would in a regular room of that same bookingtype but without a roll in shower. They have to offer the same 'oppertunity' after all. Being able to book the same roomtype with the same amount of people is doing that.

Disney will and does accomodate. I've made reservations for 3 adults more than once at both CSR and CBR. I will not elaborate at how this was accomodated nor how some other families have been accomodated, but it can be done. Heck, Disney themselves will not be very forthcoming with that info as it will be such a case-by-case taking care of things. But they will take care of things in such a way it does not involve more people in a bed than it's meant for, or having to sleep in the tub.

 

[POOHsie]

Do you know if the OP can get a roll-in shower room at CSR with queen-queen. Is that what you got when you were there? That would probably be comfortable for 4 people.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Do you know if the OP can get a roll-in shower room at CSR with queen-queen. Is that what you got when you were there? That would probably be comfortable for 4 people.

I'm not up to date on the bed arrangements at CSR, so can't say that. We ended up switching back to our beloved CBR once the roll in shower room became available at CBR. I do know how things were planned for us at CSR, as I was informed of the details because a lot of things were going very very wrong with that booking thanks to the reservations computer acting up. However, that info isn't supplied as the standard as far as I was told. And experienced with bookings, for what that's worth.

But, most important thing is that they can book as they would normally do without the need for the roll in shower. How that works with regards to room lay out, space to move around etc.; that depends on the above factor and many more. Best bet is to contact special needs dep for that, I guess. In and of itself they can book POR, POFQ, CSR and CBR like they'ld normally would when it purely comes down to sleeping arrangements.

Talk about making things easy. Guess sometimes there is no way of making things really easy.

 

[POOHsie]

Not much is easy for special needs accommodations. It all has to be done the old-fashioned way, by phone. I haven't found much on the internet for reserving handicapped rooms anywhere. And that eliminates online-only specials. Handicapped is a small but growing market. I look to see more handicap interface as time goes by. I can go most places now with my scooter, but I have to do copious research first.

 

[Eeyore5]

When my mom and I stayed at POFQ 2 years ago, she requested a room with a roll in shower. She was told she could get that with two beds (there was no way we would share a bed). When we got there it was a king size bed. We were told by the staff at the resort that there are no rooms with roll in showers that have two beds. We moved rooms and she got a shower chair.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

POOHsie; when making a booking online gets you a discount but you can't book an accessible room online because procedures require you to call in; you're within your right to get that online discount. with WDW it's very easy. simply book the online discount and call in. As long as there is a accessible room available in the category you booked AND that roomtype is available for that discount; they'll simply put an accessible room under that discount and done. I've done it before when the phone CM couldn't find availability, but I did have one online.

Eeyore; your experience will have been different as there were only 2 of you. As stated before; disney will make sure there is enough beds for all to sleep. With 2 people in a king bed room; there is enough place to sleep. You not wanting to share the bed -which I can understand by the way- does not come into the question where as disney is concearned. For those specific groups, there would be no "disney will take care of things" just like there would be no such thing if a family of 4 books a 2 bed room, but doesn't want to share a bed. Now if it would've been 3 or 4 of you, the experience probably would've been different.