Serving Customers with Disabilities

What did the Embassy Suites Resort in Lake Buena Vista do to comply with the ADA?

1. List at least six things in the public areas.

-they put in lighted strips on stairs

-there are less inclined ramps to make it easier for guests with crutches and walkers

-vending machines are at an accessible height

-the gift shop is designed with t-shaped corners so it makes access with a wheelchair easier

-they have contrasting colours from the walls to the doors so that people with a visual impairment can find doorways and exits easier

-elevators have slower timers so that people don’t have to rush getting into the elevator

2. List at least eight things in the guestrooms.

-showers that have no lip at the bottom so people with wheelchairs or walkers can take them in the shower with them

-alarm clocks with larger numbers and with a voice feature

-they have emergency horns and flashing lights to alert guests with a visual or hearing impairment that there is an emergency

-padded pipes so that guests don’t burn themselves

-a vibrating alarm clock in the bed to wake guests up that may be hearing impaired in case of an emergency

-they have lower pedestal beds that are easier to get on rather than the usual large king sized beds

-light switches, towels and kitchen amenities are all placed at lower heights so that guests in wheelchairs can reach them

-grab bars are also in special locations in the bathroom to assist guests if they should need them

       What two pieces of equipment is available for use by guests with disabilities? 

A TDD or TTY is available for guests with a hearing impairment so that they can type their phone messages and read the responses.  Another piece of equipment would be an alarm clock that displays the numbers in large font and has a feature that will read the time to you if you press a button.  Another feature would be closed captioned television systems that have subtitles on the channels so that guests can read what’s happening while they watch.

       What special training did the staff in each department complete? Indicate at least seven specific things.

They were shown how to count money in different denominations and place them separately so the guest can file them correctly.  They were taught not to insist on helping people with disabilities but to ask if they would like your assistance.  They were taught that people with wheelchairs consider their wheelchair their own person space and touching their wheelchair or standing too close can make them feel uncomfortable.

The staff went through how it would be like to have to access things in a wheelchair or what it was like to be visually impaired by wearing glasses that block out light.  The housekeeping department was trained to make sure that they leave everything exactly where they found it so that guests can find it easily later.  They were also taught how to properly give directions if the person they were assisting were visually impaired.  Employees in food and beverage were taught how to correctly indicate to a person with a visual impairment where the salt and pepper is, for example

      Indicate two trends in hotels that may cause accessibility issues for a person with a disability. Be specific about the barrier created.

One would be when they put large furniture in a room.  This would make it difficult for a guest with a disability to maneuver around their room and if the guest were in a wheelchair than a king sized bed might be completely impossible for them to access and would limit their independence.

Another would be when people are trying to create a certain ambience in a lounge or other intimate setting by dimming the lights.  This could make it difficult for a visually impaired person to read the menu or find their seat or for a person with a hearing impairment to sign to an interpreter.