Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we’ve been making use of our Disney Vacation Club timeshare. Not to stay at the Disney themeparks, but to visit the two Atlantic coast beach properties that are part of the DVC network.
Our first COVID era trip in 2020 was to Disney Vacation Club Vero Beach. It was our return to staying in a “hotel room” and we spent a short weekend watching TV and going out to eat (outdoors).
We’re in 2021 and I still had points in the program to use. We looked and found a weekend stay at Vero Beach that would work for us. Since we’re not traveling much, these short weekend trips fill the space we’d normally use to travel to New York City or Texas.
There was plenty of availability for our weekend and when we checked in early, our room was ready. We drove over to building 15, which was the same one we stayed in during our last visit. This time we had a room on the first floor. I knew something was different because there was a doorbell outside and two peepholes. We were assigned a handicapped-accessible room.
I want to point out that I had to specifically ask for a handicapped room for my mother who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and used a wheelchair for the last years of her life. In fact, I had a few moments when I unloaded on a hotel clerk because they didn’t have a handicapped room available even though I specifically made sure to book one.
Therefore I don’t mind getting an accessible room when that’s all that’s available. Still, I know there are certain changes to a room made to accommodate a wheelchair that makes the room less accommodating for a non-disabled person.
Walking into the room, it did not appear much different from the room we stayed in before. Pay no attention to the unmade bed since we didn’t receive housekeeping services for our stay.
The first indication that things were different was when I went to hang my jacket in the closet. Notice the hangers are sideways. That’s because the closet is not deep enough for them to be hung longways (Note from Sharon: I measured. The closet was 9″ deep).
Then we noticed the table only had one chair instead of the two we had in our last studio room. This meant only one of us could work on a computer (or eat at the table) at a time.
One of the most noticeable differences was the cabinet and TV. I don’t know where they found a 20-inch flatscreen and a dresser with cube drawers too small to fit any piece of clothing.
Changes were necessary to make the room accessible. This meant the microwave, sink and fridge were now in the bedroom. In fact, we had a better view of them from the bed than we did of the television.
The bathroom was definitely bigger in this room than our past stays. The vanity had its own space outside the bathroom.
And there was way more space to move around than in our past studio when the tub, toilet and sink were all crammed together.
However, we still had a tub and not a roll-in shower, albeit with additional grab bars.
I could have complained and asked to be moved to a different room. If we were staying for more than two nights, I probably would have done so. However, we ended up spending little time in the room since we visited the pool for most of our full day at the resort.
We ended the night watching the sunset from the Green Cabin Room balcony before heading to dinner.
I’m wondering how you feel about getting assigned a handicapped-accessible room when you arrive at a hotel. Do you go back to the desk and ask for a different room or do you stick with what you’re given and make the best of it?
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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