Villa design question for DVC vets

[dizneeluvr]

I recently read a post from someone who had to stay in a Handicapped-accessible room as that was all that was left. I don't understand why they would have to pay a change fee to be moved as in a way it seems to be a reverse "discrimination" thing (discrimination used for lack of a better word here) for families of young children who may NEED a bathtub.

But my question for the vets is this...I understand that Disney is probably required by law to have a certain amount of handicapped accessible rooms per the Americans with Disability Act. However, since there will surely be times (and probably a lot of them) where the room is being unused--or forced on someone who doesn't want it--wouldn't it make sense to build those small number of villas with a separate shower/tub. I realize that would make that particular unit larger, but wouldn't it then make it more usable and less of a headache for all involved when it isn't being used by a handicapped guest???

I've only read of this problem at VWL but I imagine it is the same at all the resorts, right?

Just a thought that keeps swishing around in my head (got to do something to pass the time before our arrival "home" next weekend) and wanted to see what some of you think.

 

[bicker]

The law (rightfully) provides for accommodation only to the extent it doesn't provide undue expense, and surely anything unnecessary is undue. There are no guarantees that you'll get a room with a tub; it's just not a guarantee that hotels are willing to make, given that they have to have some rooms without tubs that have to go to someone.

 

[Chuck S]

Do I think you should be relocated without charge? No. Requests for Non-handicap rooms - like all other requests - are not guaranteed. While I can see it may be inconvenient at bath time with small children, the handi-rooms do have hand held showers (at least at OKW - I'm assuming at all resorts)...so at least it is easier than using a standard wall-mount with small ones.

 

[SamR]

Requests for Non-handicap rooms - like all other requests - are not guaranteed.

This is true, and maybe therein lies the problem. For some folks, getting a non-handicapped room can be a significant factor in their perception of their DVC stay. As has been pointed out, not having a tub can be a pain with children. Futhermore, many adults (including my wife) also prefer baths, and would be less than thrilled at having to switch to showers only, especially if booked for a long stay. (We only make two requests when reserving our rooms, non-smoking and non-handicapped.)

I made this same point during one of the smoking/non-smoking threads: Why can't they guarantee a non-handicapped room, just as they guarantee a two-bedroom villa (as opposed to a one-bedroom villa or studio)? That way, if non-handicapped is that important to me, I will know that no such room is available at the time of booking, and can at that point decide to accept a handicapped room, change my dates, give up, etc. Certainly, the software behind the reservation center could be modified to handle this.

Obviously, as you factor more distinguishing factors into the room type, the number of combinations gets to be extreme so you probably have to draw the line somewhere. (That is, we probably don't want "non-smoking, non-handicapped, EPCOT-view, on the fourth floor, near an elevator..." to be a type.) But since the majority of the rooms are non-handicapped, non-smoking (and likely that is what the majority of guests want regardless of their view/floor/etc preferences), it seems like they could go a long way towards addressing some of these check-in time disappointments and conflicts by allowing a guarantee of that type of room.

Oh well, sorry for the length of this. I don't really want to fuel a fiery debate here,

just point out that while I understand the mantra of "they are only requests, not guarantees", I don't view that as the best answer for the DVC membership.

Thanks for listening!

 

[bicker]

What's your suggested solution, though? How do you handle the situation that they have a certain number of rooms with handicapped facilities, and SOMEONE has to get them?

 

[mikesmom]

Do you realize that it is not uncommon for hotels to ONLY have a shower available? We stayed at the Hyatt in Orlando several years ago on our honeymoon and were shocked to find that they only had showers - rooms with baths weren't even available. Since that time I've run across several hotels (while traveling on business) that only had a shower in the room.

 

[dizneeluvr]

I guess if you go by SamR's suggestion (which by the way makes a ton of sense)...then people would know at time of booking if handicapped accessible was all that was available and they would agree--or not--to take it at that time. Therefore eliminating the surprise (and probably angry exchange with CM's) at check-in.

When I posted this question it was out of curiousity. We have never been in this situation and I'm not sure it would bother us as we don't tend to bathe our kids in hotel tubs anyway, but I can see it being a problem for some people who weren't expecting it. And it just seems like something that might make sense to try to change in the building and planning of future DVC resorts if possible.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[bicker]

That would reduce the resort's flexibility. Remember they have to worry about yield management as well.

 

[SamR]

How do you handle the situation that they have a certain number of rooms with handicapped facilities, and SOMEONE has to get them?

Given that I doubt that there is all that many of them, and that there are probably a reasonably large number of guests that would accept them rather than change dates, I think they would fill up anyway. They might fill up last, but they would fill up. And those guests that accepted that choice would know then (at reservation time), instead of finding out at check-in. Hopefully, this would save the poor front desk CMs many an argument with arriving guests.

Look, I'm not naive. The chances of this approach happening are probably only slightly better than my chances of winning the lottery (and I never play the lottery ). The current system has the advantage (from Disney's perspective) of allowing greater flexibility of room assignment by deferring that asssignment to a room (or smaller subset of rooms) to the last minute. And despite what I said in the previous paragraph, Disney probably also believes it will maximize bookings since guests will not find out about a shortage of a room type (non-smoking and/or non-handicapped) until it is too late to do anything about it.

 

[SamR]

Do you realize that it is not uncommon for hotels to ONLY have a shower available?

I used to have a fair amount of business travel, and I can't say I've seen that very often. (Of course, I like showers so I wouldn't have viewed it as a negative when by myself on business.)

One difference here is one of expectations. On many/most trips you walk into a hotel not knowing exactly what to expect (other than some set of standard amenities). However, as DVC owners, most of us took the tour and experienced the "Wow Factor" at our first encounter with a DVC accomodations. We assume that is what all DVC accomodations look like (at least at that resort) and that we will have that same set of features on each stay. Is it surprising that some are then disappointed to find out that that is not quite the case? Again, the difference may be trivial to some, but to others it will not be.

Again, just my thoughts...

 

[Simba's Mom]

Angry exchange with CMs at check-in? Not necessarily-we were given a handicapped room and not even told! Part of my point is that the model rooms for DVC all show tubs, and if that's not necessarily what you'll get when you check in, they should tell you at the model that not all rooms have tubs. Truth in advertising! Having gone through a big issue with having been given a handicapped room without being told at check-in (even at All-stars, Disney's least expensive resort, they ask if it's OK-if they give me the courtesy of asking, I don't mind), this is a very sore point with me!

 

[Chuck S]

I have a question...we've had handi-accessible studios, but not a 1 bdrm...are the one bedrooms like a "regular" one bedroom? In otherwords, I'd assume that the shower has been adapted, but the jacuzzi tub is still in place? If so, then having a bedroom, or anything other than a studio - would give you a tub for the kids? Or do the 1 bdrm handi-units have no jacuzzi tub? Does this vary from resort to resort (I've only stayed at OKW)?

 

[goofy4dvc]

I think I was the one who posted the most recent trip report about handicapped accessible rooms. As I said in my post, I wasn't bothered much by not having a bathtub, as DH and I prefer showers anyway. What I was bothered by was the lack of storage and NO counter area in bathroom for me to put cosmetic bag as I was putting on my make up and no counter to lay my blowdryer on while I was drying my hair. I got really frustrated because I had to put stuff on the toilet lid as I got ready and store my stuff on the counter at the wetbar.

One more thing I didn't mention before. The studios have no brooms or vacuums. No problem withthe carpets because they didn't get very dirty, but the tiled bathroom floor got really dirty. I have carpet in my bathroom at home, so I didn't realize how much hair accumulates on the floor after two people shower and wash and dry their hair!!! I'm kind of a "clean freak" and it really bothered me. I think I'll purchase a very small broom and dustpan to take with us next time. I mentioned the dirty floor to CM and they just said that studios don't come with brooms. I thought they might offer to loan me one just for a few minutes.

 

[bicker]

Originally posted by SamR
"How do you handle the situation that they have a certain number of rooms with handicapped facilities, and SOMEONE has to get them?"

Given that I doubt that there is all that many of them,

By design, there needs to be XX% more than will be requested at any one time, so as to preclude the possibility that someone will certifiably "need" one and there not be one available (not to mention a little wiggle room for overlapping reservations).

and that there are probably a reasonably large number of guests that would accept them rather than change dates, I think they would fill up anyway.

That still reduces the hotel's flexibility. There is a cost to that, a cost that I'm not willing to bear (especially since, in this case, I'm an owner).

To be honest, I'm playing devil's advocate a little. In the end, I don't see a problem with making a small percentage of rooms guaranteed non-handicapped. With a small-enough percentage (probably close to 10%), there wouldn't be much loss of flexibility.

Now, how would you feel if you called to make your reservation at the 10 month point and they were all already reserved, and all you were offered was whatever-was-available? Would that be okay?

Look, I'm not naive. The chances of this approach happening are probably only slightly better than my chances of winning the lottery

But mainly because the "need" is so small as compared to the cost of implementing the change. I'm not saying the need is invalid; I'm just saying that the inconvenience you're highlighting is really quite limited, both in terms of how many people are affected, and the harm that each one actually experiences.

 

[bicker]

We're talking about studios, right? One bedrooms all have both tubs and showers, I believe. Indeed, one bedroom units are spec'd to have "whirlpool tubs." Studios aren't spec'd to have any specific bathroom facilities.

I think I would see a bit of a problem in putting someone in a one bedroom unit that doesn't have a whirlpool tub in it, without advance notice...

 

[bicker]

Originally posted by Simba's Mom
Part of my point is that the model rooms for DVC all show tubs,

Model rooms are irrelevant. DVC membership is a real estate transaction, and the law provides that all conditions of the transaction MUST be in writing. You sign a statement when you buy-in that clearly acknowledges recognition of that fact. All that matters is what is written in the prospectus.

Truth in advertising!

Doesn't apply to real estate transactions which refer to prospecti.

 

[bicker]

Originally posted by dizneeluvr
I understand that Disney is probably required by law to have a certain amount of handicapped accessible rooms per the Americans with Disability Act.

Originally posted by bicker
The law (rightfully) provides for accommodation only to the extent ...

Just another thought here.... Is DVC even subject to ADA? I know the public areas of the building, itself, are, but since the Villas are a timeshare, I wonder if ADA is even applicable. (Of course, Disney does offer the rooms for rental, so that probably makes ADA applicable, but what if they didn't? What if it was just members-only???)

 

[Chuck S]

Originally posted by bicker
Just another thought here.... Is DVC even subject to ADA? I know the public areas of the building, itself, are, but since the Villas are a timeshare, I wonder if ADA is even applicable. (Of course, Disney does offer the rooms for rental, so that probably makes ADA applicable, but what if they didn't? What if it was just members-only???)

Interesting question Bicker, and I'm no lawyer...but since real estate interests are offered to the general public, and X% of the general public requires handi-rooms, then I'd think that ADA would still apply. Remember, the laws had changed after OKW was "completed", and when the decision was made to add the "new" buildings, elevators were included in the design to meet the new requirements.

 

[bicker]

My condominium is newer that BWV, and I can assure you that it is not handicapped-accessible in the least.

 

[Chuck S]

Maybe the elevators were added because of a state or county law/ordinance?