WDW Accessible Room Location Thread - UPDATE

[Ali and boyz]

thanks for replying so soon, really appreciate it. brilliant the things you find out on here

 

[Laneychris]

Hi, has anyone stayed at AKV with a roll in shower. My mom needs one and I was wonderig if you can request that in a Villa.
Thanks

 

[Minnie&Nana]

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[SueM in MN]

Yes, a roll in shower can be requested in a Villa, but be sure to tell them it is a medical request or it will not be guaranteed. If the CM says it cannot be guaranteed ask to be connected with special needs after you complete the reservation. Or call 407-939-7807, then press #4.

Have a wonderful trip!!

Roll in shower can always be guaranteed if needed for a disability (and most people without disabilities would not request one anyway).
it would be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act not to have some way of guaranteeing it.
In order to guarantee it, the CM needs to talk to someone in the Special Reservations Department before completing the reservation. If there is no accessible room with a roll in shower available for the resort/dates you are interested in, then they can look for other options (different dates/different resorts). That's why you need the CM to contact Special Reservations before completing the reservation.
They will usually not guarantee 1st floor or a specific location because there are many rooms that will fit that request and as long as those requests are filled before the general ones for the same thing, there should be no problem getting it.
If there are other special needs, like special cleaning, you have to work thru Special Reservations to arrange for those services. If you don't need a room with a roll in shower, you could call for those services after the reservation is completed.
DVC members staying at one of the DVC resort on points did not used to go thru the Special Reservations, but have for about the past 3 years or so.

Also, the phone number for Special Reservations listed above is correct (407) 939-7807, but option 1 is the option to press for resort reservations. Option 4 is camping and those CMs probably do have access to the same computer, but option 1 is the designated one for resorts.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

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[SueM in MN]

Sue, and FYI... #4 is the correct extension. It will say camping, but it is special needs - I know because I've spoken with them many times and this is the number they always tell me to call. They will say, "although it says camping, it is their direct extension".

I actually had called and spoke to a CM at 'option 1' earlier today about an upcoming trip, so I know that option 1 is a direct line and we have used it many times for getting what we needed.

It didn't make sense to me that WDW would be telling people to call option 4, when their phone 'tree' and their literature says option 1. It was confusing and I wondered why they would do that, so I called both options to ask what the difference is. Putting together what the recorded messages say and what both CMs said:

The phone number: (407)939-7807 is called Specialized Functions and that department has a number of different areas. (It used to be called "Special Reservations," which is why you will sometimes see it referred to that way).

Option 1, Special Room Requests, Guests with Disabilities is the direct entry point for most people with special needs/special room needs. They can handle most room requests for accessible rooms/people with disabilities.

Option 2 is not being used at this point (I think it used to be something about dining reservations).

Option 3 is Tours

Option 4 is Group Camping.

Option 5 is DL Paris.

The CMs at option 4 do group camping, but they also do follow up if a guest with special needs contacts WDW by letter, email or leaving a message on a phone. They also do follow up on requests where WDW needs more information from the guest in order to fill the needs.
Because they handle the correspondence and keep records about correspondence, they give out 'option 4' to guests they speak directly to and leave it as a "call back number" when leaving a phone, email or mail message asking for a guest to call back. That will get those guests directly to the CMs at option 4 who have their record. (If those guests chose option 1, they will be transferred to the phone number at option 4 since the CMs at the option 4 phone number have their information).

The gist of what they said was that either option 1 or 4 will get the guest to a CM who does special needs reservations and can help with the guest's needs. Most people use option 1, which meets the needs of most people.
If you contacted WDW thru mail, email or on their website, the CMs contacting you will be those from option 4 and will instruct the guest to call back on at option 4. That sounds like it explains why they told you to call that option - because you had more complicated needs that required more information to fill. And since they knew that about you, that's why they told you to call them directly in the future.

The CMs at that phone number on option 1 or 4 can look at CRO (non-DVC points) reservations, but can't look at DVC reservations made using points; DVC reservations are on a different computer than CRO reservations.

Also, the initial CM does not have to make arrangements with special needs while on the phone - I prefer to make the reservation then call special needs. I have found a couple of CM's in SN that are exceptional and prefer to speak with them directly.

That is true, and if that's how you prefer to do it, it's your decision.

If you are making a DVC points reservation, the reservation CM does need to call Special Needs for you (at least from what I have always been told). The 2 different CMs have to communicate so that the Special Needs CM can look at the Special Needs log to see which accessible rooms are already listed on the log as blocked. The CM at DVC is the only one who can see the DVC reservation and put notes into the DVC computer system. So, for DVC points reservations, the only way to do it to have the DVC CM contact Special Needs (at least from what we have been told - and we've been DVC members since 1994, so we've had a lot of experience with this part).

We have never done this, but some people have posted in the past that they requested to be put on a conference call with reservations and Special Needs both on the line with them at the same time and it worked well for them.

The problem I can see with making the reservation first and then calling Special Needs, it's possible that you will have a reservation for a room in a resort at a time when there are no rooms available there that meet your needs. There have been several times when this would have happened to us if we had made the reservation and then called Special Needs.

One was 2 yrs ago, when a roll in shower room at SSR was available for every day except the day smack in the middle of our trip. If we would already have had the reservation and then called Special Reservations, they would not have been able to block the room for us because it was not available for the entire stay. We would have had the cancel our reservation and re-book. As it was, the CMs worked together and made 3 reservations for us - one for the accessible room for the first part of our trip, one for the accessible room for the end of our trip and a reservation for one day at another resort (with a waiting list for the accessible room at SSR). Since we had not booked yet, we also had the option of checking availability at other resorts.

A similar thing happened for an upcoming trip. This time, there was not an accessible room for the first night of our trip. Since we didn't actually have a reservation, we had a number of options, including cutting a day off our trip, choosing a different resort entirely or making a separate reservation for a a different resort and then making a reservation for our first choice for the rest of the trip. The Special Needs CM stayed on hold, with the accessible room blocked for the days it was available while the reservation CM discussed our options with us and got our decision.

Those situations are why I would not make a reservation first and then call Special Needs. If you're not sure your needs would be met after the reservation CM called Special Needs, you can always call Special Needs back and make sure your needs were made clear. But, at least you do have an accessible room blocked for you.

So anyway, if option 4 is what works for you and is what you prefer to use, no one here will argue with you. But, most people's needs can be met by calling (407) 939-7807, option 1 and they will never know that option 4 is used for anything other than Group Camping.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

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[shermomof5]

We just returned from AKV. There were 6 and 7 of us staying in a 2 bedroom lockoff. The 1 bedroom - room 5319 had a roll in shower, sliding doors, no tub, king bed, dishwasher drawers and a pull out sofa and sleeper chair.There was no island in the kitchen which gave us tons of room for my sons power chair. We also borrowed a manual char from the resort to use in our room. Our adjoing room was 5321 and was not accessible. It had a queen and pull out couch. We had a Savannah View room and saw animals whenever we were on the balcony. The balcony is accessible off the bedroom. When I had booked the room I specifically asked for a roll in shower. I was told on several occasions that I was getting a handicapped accessible room. When I was checking about getting a shower chair a few days before we arrived, I was told that I was not booked for a roll in shower. They asked me if we required the roll in and they immediately blocked off the rooms for our 16 night stay. Everything was great!!!

 

[lunapnp]

We just returned from AKV. There were 6 and 7 of us staying in a 2 bedroom lockoff. The 1 bedroom - room 5319 had a roll in shower, sliding doors, no tub, king bed, dishwasher drawers and a pull out sofa and sleeper chair.There was no island in the kitchen which gave us tons of room for my sons power chair. We also borrowed a manual char from the resort to use in our room. Our adjoing room was 5321 and was not accessible. It had a queen and pull out couch. We had a Savannah View room and saw animals whenever we were on the balcony. The balcony is accessible off the bedroom. When I had booked the room I specifically asked for a roll in shower. I was told on several occasions that I was getting a handicapped accessible room. When I was checking about getting a shower chair a few days before we arrived, I was told that I was not booked for a roll in shower. They asked me if we required the roll in and they immediately blocked off the rooms for our 16 night stay. Everything was great!!!

Is it difficult to get a shower chair? We are booked for a roll-in shower room at WL so I guess I need to call about the shower chair.

 

[steffali]

Can anyone tell me which room is better for a CL with a roll in shower? We are trying to decide between BC/YC or BWI deluxe

 

[SueM in MN]

Is it difficult to get a shower chair? We are booked for a roll-in shower room at WL so I guess I need to call about the shower chair.

The roll in showers have a fold down shower chair in them, so if you are able to use that, you won't need a shower chair.
Here's a roll in shower at OKW (in a studio)

and here's a WL roll in shower room - it's not my picture, so I'm not sure if it is from a one bedroom or a studio.

On our last OKW visit, the fold down shower chair was broken and they were not able to fix it because they were waiting for a piece. We called and got a portable shower chair delivered a few hours later.

 

[dmlashultz]

Does anyone know of a detailed map of the location of Wilderness Lodge accessible rooms? We are looking for an accessible room which adjoins to a regular room (for kids and grandparents). We would like to get a nice view if possible. We asked for woods view, but apparently some woods view room mostly are "roof view" with a few trees in the background!

Thanks for any info!

Laurie

 

[dmlashultz]

I guess I meant locations of the accessible rooms *connected* to a regular rooms, in WL.

Thanks,
Laurie

 

[lisam427]

does anyone know where there are as\ccessible rooms at both coronado springs and caribbean beach. we would need a room with a roll in shower and are planning to book a disney vacation in the near future.

 

[Juliah]

We stayed in an accessible room with a roll-in shower in the Ranchos section of Coronado on the ground floor three years ago. We asked to be moved after the first night because it was so far from the conference center (we were attending a conference and needed to go back and forth to our room frequently), and they were kind enough to move us to an accessible room with a roll-in shower in the Cabanas section. There, we were in building 9B on this map, near the end of the building closest to the lobby and restaurants and on the ground floor:

http://allears.net/acc/coronadomap.jpg

So, at least as of three years ago, I know there were roll-in shower equipped rooms in those two sections of the resort.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

They are spread out, where CBR is concerned. I've had myself rooms in both Trinidad North (first building from OPR, room with parking lot view) and in Matinique, building 21 (again; first building from OPR, even closer, room with courtyard view). From some talks, I learned there is at least one more room with a roll in shower in building 21. Besides that also learned there are rooms with roll in showers in other villages.

 

[snocrash]

We're planning a family trip to WDW in November and hoping to stay at POR. What about rooms there for a family of4?

Thanks.

 

[splashmtnfan]

I am a little concerned about my upcoming June 2-16 trip. My friend's DD is staying in her room with her mom & dad and she is getting her 6 yr. old son for two weeks (he lives with his father as she thought it best as she was in the military).... thing is they are concerned that their accessible room @ POR-Riverside may NOT have the trundle bed... We are going as a Grand Gatherings Group and our room is supposed to be near them and we requested a trundle as well... Does PORR have the accessible rooms with trundles? I am thinking with 4 people in their room they may only give them a two bed room with no trundle. The little boy lives in a different state than his mom and he will more than likely feel more comfortble in the trundle. Anyone ever stayed in one with a trundle?

 

[splashmtnfan]

I started a thread about this but just saw this post... most of the posts on this thread are at least a year-three years old... so any updates will be appreiated. BFF is staying in an accessible room @ PORR for two weeks in June and we are just wondering if there are queen beds with trundle in accessible rooms?

 

[loadsapixiedust]

We have stayed twice at POR with connecting rooms one of them an accessible room with roll in shower, the first time we were in the Alligator Bayou section, I believe this is the only section with trundle beds, our double room had one. On our latest trip we stayed in Acadian House and our rooms did not have a trundle bed. Both times we had one king room which had the roll in shower and one with 2 doubles. Hope this helps. If you want to have the trundle bed you would need to request the Alligator Bayou section, we preferred the themeing and location of this area too.