ADA Rooms in BLT - Disappointment

[Einstein509]

We had a lake view BLT one bedroom booked over Christmas break. We checked into our room and realized there was no walk-in shower (only a bath tub with curtain) in the main bathroom. There were other things that were weird in the room, to include almost no kitchen counter space because the cabinets were about 10 inches off the counter. The main king bed was also lower to the ground.

I went to ask about these things at the front desk and they finally realized I was in an ADA room. We did not request this, but were placed there because the resort was running at 100 percent capacity. Also, our view was half lake and half tennis courts and backlot where every morning semi-trucks with trailers would pull in to haul away towel bins. So lake view was stretching it a bit.

The only saving grace here is that we did have a partial theme park view, so we could watch fireworks, and guest services did put a credit on our account because of the inconvenience. After several discussions with CMs at the front desk and at guest services, we were told that anyone can be put into these rooms even if you don't request them. The ADA rooms are designed to alleviate issues for people with disabilities, but they are hindrances for folks that don't need them. Especially the total lack of counter space. We had to put much everything on the kitchen island which also had the coffee maker on it because it was too tall for the regular counter.

We were also told that this can happen at any DVC resort. So lesson learned here is that you can be assigned an ADA room without even knowing it. You can call ahead and request that this not happen, but there is no guarantee that the request will be honored.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

That's always been the case. DVC does run at 100%, and if someone hass not requested/booked the ADA, it can sstill be booked and assigned.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Was there only one bathroom in the HA BLT one bedroom?

 

[sndral]

We had a lake view BLT one bedroom booked over Christmas break. We checked into our room and realized there was no walk-in shower (only a bath tub with curtain) in the main bathroom. There were other things that were weird in the room, to include almost no kitchen counter space because the cabinets were about 10 inches off the counter. The main king bed was also lower to the ground.

I went to ask about these things at the front desk and they finally realized I was in an ADA room. We did not request this, but were placed there because the resort was running at 100 percent capacity. Also, our view was half lake and half tennis courts and backlot where every morning semi-trucks with trailers would pull in to haul away towel bins. So lake view was stretching it a bit.

The only saving grace here is that we did have a partial theme park view, so we could watch fireworks, and guest services did put a credit on our account because of the inconvenience. After several discussions with CMs at the front desk and at guest services, we were told that anyone can be put into these rooms even if you don't request them. The ADA rooms are designed to alleviate issues for people with disabilities, but they are hindrances for folks that don't need them. Especially the total lack of counter space. We had to put much everything on the kitchen island which also had the coffee maker on it because it was too tall for the regular counter.

We were also told that this can happen at any DVC resort. So lesson learned here is that you can be assigned an ADA room without even knowing it. You can call ahead and request that this not happen, but there is no guarantee that the request will be honored.

I sympathize w/ you, it’s one of my concerns & I’m afraid if I request ‘not ADA’ the room assigner will misunderstand or quickly read the request & not see the ‘not’ & think I’m asking for one .
If I pay extra points for a view - then I want that view & IMO a ‘lake view’ should overlook the lake & not tennis courts + back lot. There are a number of ‘view’ issues w/ DVC, like the theme park view VGF BPK resort studios that can’t see MK because they are behind a tree. W/ AKV Jambo DVC got so many complaints about some of the savanna view villas that they reclassified them to standard view.

 

[Einstein509]

That's always been the case. DVC does run at 100%, and if someone hass not requested/booked the ADA, it can sstill be booked and assigned.

May have been, but it's the first time this has happened to us after many DVC stays on points.

 

[Einstein509]

Was there only one bathroom in the HA BLT one bedroom?

Still had two bathrooms but both had tubs with curtains. No walk-in shower like a normal 1 or 2 bedroom.

 

[Einstein509]

I sympathize w/ you, it’s one of my concerns & I’m afraid if I request ‘not ADA’ the room assigner will misunderstand or quickly read the request & not see the ‘not’ & think I’m asking for one .
If I pay extra points for a view - then I want that view & IMO a ‘lake view’ should overlook the lake & not tennis courts + back lot. There are a number of ‘view’ issues w/ DVC, like the theme park view VGF BLK resort studios that can’t see MK because they are behind a tree. W/ AKV Jambo DVC got so many complaints about some of the savanna view villas that they reclassified them to standard view.

I had the same exact thought. If I request "no ADA rooms," the assigner might misunderstand by seeing "ADA" or they will do it out of spite.

Not sure how the rooms are assigned though, manually or automatically.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We had a lake view BLT one bedroom booked over Christmas break. We checked into our room and realized there was no walk-in shower (only a bath tub with curtain) in the main bathroom. There were other things that were weird in the room, to include almost no kitchen counter space because the cabinets were about 10 inches off the counter. The main king bed was also lower to the ground.

I went to ask about these things at the front desk and they finally realized I was in an ADA room. We did not request this, but were placed there because the resort was running at 100 percent capacity. Also, our view was half lake and half tennis courts and backlot where every morning semi-trucks with trailers would pull in to haul away towel bins. So lake view was stretching it a bit.

The only saving grace here is that we did have a partial theme park view, so we could watch fireworks, and guest services did put a credit on our account because of the inconvenience. After several discussions with CMs at the front desk and at guest services, we were told that anyone can be put into these rooms even if you don't request them. The ADA rooms are designed to alleviate issues for people with disabilities, but they are hindrances for folks that don't need them. Especially the total lack of counter space. We had to put much everything on the kitchen island which also had the coffee maker on it because it was too tall for the regular counter.

We were also told that this can happen at any DVC resort. So lesson learned here is that you can be assigned an ADA room without even knowing it. You can call ahead and request that this not happen, but there is no guarantee that the request will be honored.

We were assigned to HA villas 3 times in our first 5 stays at DVC. One time, when we pointed out to the front desk that there was no tub and I needed a tub, the CM at the front desk actually laughed at me and said "Well, you're DVC now-a tub is a request, not a guarantee!" And they insisted that if they moved us o another villa, we'd have to pay the $25 move fee. After that, for every trip I figured out the HA room #s at the resort we'd reserved, and the next time we were assigned to a HA room (only a few trips later), we went to the front desk, and since we hadn't been to the room (I showed them the list of HA rooms) they moved us. The lucky part was that our new room met all our requests-we loved it!

 

[gracelrm]

We received a HA studio at BLT on a trip and we also looked out over a "not so magical" area that was loud in the mornings. Since we didn't have a kitchen in a studio - we didn't have the inconveniences you experienced. We were on my retirement trip where we stayed 3 nights at each of the MK resorts and 3 nights at CCV in studios. Our PVB, GF and CCV rooms were all perfect so we "suffered" through the less than perfect nights at BLT. But, best I can remember, that has been the only time out of many, many trips that we had a HA room.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I do online check in and will stop by the front desk if an accessible room has been assigned to me based on the app. Sometimes it’s possible to be moved but sometimes it’s not. Such is life.

(The visual alarm rooms I don’t ask to be moved from - only difference I could tell from a non-accessible room would be the flashing lights if a fire alarm went off.)

 

[Einstein509]

I do online check in and will stop by the front desk if an accessible room has been assigned to me based on the app. Sometimes it’s possible to be moved but sometimes it’s not. Such is life.

(The visual alarm rooms I don’t ask to be moved from - only difference I could tell from a non-accessible room would be the flashing lights if a fire alarm went off.)

How do you see that's an ADA room on the app? Ours didn't list anything special other than the room number.

I imagine there's a cross-reference list out there somewhere.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

How do you see that's an ADA room on the app? Ours didn't list anything special other than the room number.

I imagine there's a cross-reference list out there somewhere.

Interesting - in the app it actually showed it was an accessible room under “room type” for me and what kind of accessibility the room was (eg visual alarm). (The screenshot isn’t that helpful because my current room isn’t accessible but this is where it pops up for me.)

 

[SteveMouse]

Now, imagine being disabled and always assigned a room with poor views, limited counter space, and more. I may have some disabilities, but I need a high bed. I have significant issues transferring from a low surface to/from my wheelchai.

 

[Einstein509]

Now, imagine being disabled and always assigned a room with poor views, limited counter space, and more. I may have some disabilities, but I need a high bed. I have significant issues transferring from a low surface to/from my wheelchai.

Totally understand. The cookie cutter ADA rooms/accommodations can't accommodate every single disability out there.

Plus, it's not right if they reserve the sketchy views for those rooms, like Lake View, but not really unless you stand and look in a particular direction.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Now, imagine being disabled and always assigned a room with poor views, limited counter space, and more. I may have some disabilities, but I need a high bed. I have significant issues transferring from a low surface to/from my wheelchai.

DVC did a bit of an odd thing at BLT. They placed all accessible rooms in the lakeview category but gave them the theme park view. TPV often gets complaints there as there's the parking lot and a few other possible view issues. Those booking the ADA rooms pay LV points but will always get a TPV. I'm not certain that's a terrible trade off.

 

[jo-jo]

Still had two bathrooms but both had tubs with curtains. No walk-in shower like a normal 1 or 2 bedroom.

That seems odd. I would think a shower would be easier than a tub for someone with extra needs. My DH would takes a showers vs. tub any day. its hard for him to step over a tub.

 

[robinb]

I've been assigned a number of HA rooms over the years. Are they ideal for someone who doesn't need the accommodations? Nope. Would I complain about it? Nope again. I consider myself lucky that I'm not limited to just a few villas in the resort and if I happen to get one ... "oh well". I'm actually shocked they gave you any money for your "inconvenience" of living like a person with disabilities for a few nights.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That seems odd. I would think a shower would be easier than a tub for someone with extra needs. My DH would takes a showers vs. tub any day. its hard for him to step over a tub.

There are all kinds of different needs.

 

[Einstein509]

I've been assigned a number of HA rooms over the years. Are they ideal for someone who doesn't need the accommodations? Nope. Would I complain about it? Nope again. I consider myself lucky that I'm not limited to just a few villas in the resort and if I happen to get one ... "oh well". I'm actually shocked they gave you any money for your "unconvince" of living like a person with disabilities for a few nights.

For the money we paid and continue to pay for DVC, I expect to be assigned what I picked. We stay at BLT 1 bedroom maybe once a year, so we value our vacation and the accommodations. We also don't go to the parks, so we spend more time in the room and enjoy the resort.

So while you don't view it as an inconvenience, we certainly did given we didn't request an ADA room and didn't get what we normally stay in.

Heck, even Marriott and Hilton basic hotels give you the option of selecting an ADA room. They don't just put you in one.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

For the money we paid and continue to pay for DVC, I expect to be assigned what I picked. We stay at BLT 1 bedroom maybe once a year, so we value our vacation and the accommodations. We also don't go to the parks, so we spend more time in the room and enjoy the resort.

So while you don't view it as an inconvenience, we certainly did given we didn't request an ADA room and didn't get what we normally stay in.

Heck, even Marriott and Hilton basic hotels give you the option of selecting an ADA room. They don't just put you in one.

Fact with DVC is that the ADA rooms are part of all inventory. If they have not been otherwise specifically reserved they are part of the pool of inventory. Others do it differently but that is neither here nor there as DVC did not.