Why is a Handicapped room such a bad thing?

[vernon]

Given the choice, I'd prefer not to have a HA room. The lack of a bath/messy shower would be one reason, lack of cupboard space would be another, I find the toilets are uncomforable to sit on ( maybe I have odd length legs, but I know my SO has a similar discomfort), I find the beds are usually at an umcomfortable/unusual height. None of the above, if taken individually are going to ruin a holiday, but collectively ( for me) they do take away from an experience that usually will have cost me $10k+. I do believe timescale has an influence on peoples feelings on this issue, for a couple of nights it isn't hard to gloss over, if you're staying for 2 weeks a couple of small annoyances can wear people down over time. Different people have different tollerance to those annoyances, to those that can ignore them, congratulations. I don't believe it's fair to be critical of others that have a different outlook on what's important to them.

This isn't just, for me, an issue with DVC rooms. If I'm paying top $$ for a hotel room and I get something that, to me, isn't what I want I don't think it is unreasonable to say so and ask for a change. IMHO a HA room is not a standard layout. In the same way that I don't think a hotel should check anyone into a smoking room ( when non smoking was requested) or a room with a single "kingsize" bed instead of a standard two queens ( if that is how they advertise their hotel) without mentioning it at check in, check in staff should inform the guest and give the guest the option if it is an issue to them. If the guest is given advance notice of this situation and accept the allocation that's fine, but there are people, me included, that prefer not to have a HA access room.

 

[montessori]

Originally posted by CarolA
ALL DVC resorts have these rooms. It is the law.

If this is the worst thing that ever happens to you, you are leading a charmed life. If it ruins your trip, my belief is that you need to think long and hard about what it would be like to need these facilities and not have them.

As we age with our memberships, odds are that more of us will need these rooms.

It would be interesting to come back to the same group of posters in 10 or 15 years and ask how many need these facilities.

I really don't understand the need for this response.
No one said that getting a handicapped room is the worse thing that ever happened to them or that it ruined their trip.
Of course, these rooms must be available for those who need them. I don't think anyone would argue with that.
I agree with Vernon. I am willing to pay top dollar for a vacation at a nice resort, but I expect to stay in a room that I enjoy and feel comfortable in.
I really don't like the shower and bathrooms in the HA studio units at all. The sink is IN the bathroom, not separated so that one person can be using the toilet or shower in private, while another is at the sink. There is no vanity or counter space.

sink area in HA unit vs. sink area in regular unit

I don't like the kitchenette in the HA studio either but the bathrooms are the clincher for me.
Maybe I'll need an HA unit someday. Maybe not.
My grandmother traveled extensively until she was 90 years old and never needed one. God bless her.
If and when I need one, I will reserve one.
Until then, I will not stay in an HA unit.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

For me it was more of a surprise to walk into HA studio at Hilton Head when checking in very late one night in early January. There were only about 4 cars in the entire parking lot, so the resort was not busy, why in the world would they put us in a HA room if they didn't have to.

I agree that the bathroom leaves a lot to be desired, and the wet bar area has the microwave at the refrigerator level, which means you bend over a lot.

We have had a HA accessible room at Port Orleans and loved the walk-in shower there, but then it also had a huge vanity with lots of counter space, too, so not a problem.

I also think that most members have stayed at DVC many times and have a preconceived notion of what the interior of their room will look like, so walk in and not be told it is HA, is a very big surprise and takes some getting used to.

It wouldn't ruin my vacation, but I can see it would be a big inconvenience for those folks requiring a bathtub for kids.

 

[baileybrad]

is the one that I have seen mentioned on these boards more than any other....we have a 1 year old, a 3 year old and a 5 year old....all take baths....not showers, so we need the tub that comes with a regular studio...when our little one is out of the crib we won't have the problem anymore because we will have the hot tub in the larger unit. Don't understand the need for any sem-harsh responses to the original poster's questions and the majority of the responses given have not been.

 

[colleen costello]

For us the biggest problem would be with a HA studio. We are a family of 4 and when we rent a smaller room, I try hard to keep it tidy and organized. When we were assigned to a HA room, there was NO closet. None. That space was used in the large bathroom. So where do you put all your stuff? Not under the beds, as they are too low to shove the suitcases under.

Again, of COURSE resorts need these rooms. But it helps when they let you know at check-in so you can say "No." For a single traveler or even a couple it might not be a biggie, but for a large group it was.