Disabilities?

[Taikei]

Will disabled people have access to elevators faster than non-disabled people? I have scoliosis and cannot be standing in line for long periods of time, I anticipate that elevators will have long lines and registration even longer. I will be cosplaying as Stein from soul eater and will have a computer chair for part of the con, but not always so I was just wondering how staff handles this. I understand for people that are in wheelchairs and such that it is obvious that you are disabled, but what about the people that don't outwardly look disabled?

[FanFicGuru]

Will disabled people have access to elevators faster than non-disabled people? I have scoliosis and cannot be standing in line for long periods of time, I anticipate that elevators will have long lines and registration even longer. I will be cosplaying as Stein from soul eater and will have a computer chair for part of the con, but not always so I was just wondering how staff handles this. I understand for people that are in wheelchairs and such that it is obvious that you are disabled, but what about the people that don't outwardly look disabled?

I know that disabled people have a separate line for registration, but I'm unsure as to whether or not registration would honor your scoliosis argument. Of course I don't doubt that you can't stand for extended periods of time, but unless you have some sort of verification I would guess that registration staff would be reluctant.

Mod edit: disabled line strike out

[Taikei]

Completely understandable as well, what kind of verification should I provide though? Would i have to bring xray photos or something? That seems a tad drastic. I'm from Washington and planning to come all the way down here for this XD I just wanna know the rules on this and stuff. I mean I don't wanna look like a jerk by skipping in line when there isn't anything obviously wrong with me, but then again I don't want to be crying halfway through the line either.

[Mango Bunny]

I'm not totally sure, but I'll warn you about the elevators... If you're in the Hilton or Marriott you may encounter some problems there. Especially at the Mariott. The problem is, first of all, where you're boarding. If you're on the 25th floor and going down, it might be a while. If you're on the bottom going up, you'd have to announce your disability to get one quickly at times. I don't know how much you'd want to do that, and people might think it's odd anyhow.

You know what I'd do? Call your hotel and voice your concerns. See if there's any assistance they could provide for you. I'd also say to request a room, ABSOLUTELY on the lowest floor with rooms. This way you could potentially take a flight or two of stairs if that wouldn't be troubling to you. I'm working in the hospitality business currently, and I can tell you that we try to go above and beyond to accommodate and help our disabled guests. I work somewhere where you get driven to a cabin, and sometimes the guests don't tell us their grandparents or parents are 80-something and can't walk down the hill to breakfast. In those cases I gladly take a car up and drive them down.

All that being said, I'm not totally sure what they can do for you (perhaps send someone to escort you in? I have no idea) but most establishments also like to be friendly to people with disabilities, since the ADA is a terrifying thing to mess with.

If you're at one of the non-connected hotels I don't imagine you'd have too much of a problem though.

[Taikei]

Thanks so much for the information guys, It's really helpful. <3 I will definitely use the 'ask for a lower room' bit.

[Moonblossom]

I've got fibromyalgia and disautonomic dysfunction due to a malformation in my brain, which basically makes me prone to passing out and drops or spikes in my blood pressure (as well as a bunch of other things but they're not really an issue when it comes to standing in lines or using the stairs).

Last Fanime I went to (2008), I had a cane I used when I wasn't feeling well (didn't have it with me at all times), and the con staff was very nice and helpful to me, as was the Hilton staff. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for all the people in the elevator. Most of them were very accommodating and would make room for me and even the friend I travel with, but a couple of times I got told to "wait for the next one", and in one memorable case, "What the hell, I remember you and you didn't have that cane yesterday." I felt like he was implying I'd started carrying it just so people would make room for me or something.

However, I have to say I had no idea there was a disabled line - is this a new development or did I just miss it last time I was there? There wasn't an enormous lineup, but I was still stuck waiting in line for about half an hour.

Mod edit: strike out disabled line info

[ewu]

THERE IS NO DISABLED LINE FOR REGISTRATION.

If you require accommodations, please email registrationATfanimeDOTcom.

[Moonblossom]

Thanks for clearing that up :) I was wondering how I'd missed it previously.

[Tsu]

It's just a guess, as I haven't done it myself, but I'm willing to bet if you asked nicely and perhaps could show some sort of medical identification that you were in some way disabled, the hotel staff might be OK with letting you use their service elevators. I doubt they'd give you a key, but you could probably call them when upstairs to have someone send it and just ask them at the desk downstairs. Hotels are usually pretty accommodating about that kind of thing. If not, ask the people at the elevator. If you make it known to folks around you that you're disabled, the majority of them will probably be OK with letting you get on, even if one of them has to wait. People at the cons can be really pushy and nasty when it comes to the elevators, BUT, I tend to think most people are decent enough to be kind when someone's hurting and/or can't possibly take the stairs.

[Rin_chan]

I'm not totally sure, but I'll warn you about the elevators... If you're in the Hilton or Marriott you may encounter some problems there. Especially at the Mariott. The problem is, first of all, where you're boarding. If you're on the 25th floor and going down, it might be a while. If you're on the bottom going up, you'd have to announce your disability to get one quickly at times. I don't know how much you'd want to do that, and people might think it's odd anyhow.

You know what I'd do? Call your hotel and voice your concerns. See if there's any assistance they could provide for you. I'd also say to request a room, ABSOLUTELY on the lowest floor with rooms. This way you could potentially take a flight or two of stairs if that wouldn't be troubling to you. I'm working in the hospitality business currently, and I can tell you that we try to go above and beyond to accommodate and help our disabled guests. I work somewhere where you get driven to a cabin, and sometimes the guests don't tell us their grandparents or parents are 80-something and can't walk down the hill to breakfast. In those cases I gladly take a car up and drive them down.

All that being said, I'm not totally sure what they can do for you (perhaps send someone to escort you in? I have no idea) but most establishments also like to be friendly to people with disabilities, since the ADA is a terrifying thing to mess with.

If you're at one of the non-connected hotels I don't imagine you'd have too much of a problem though.

I had that problem at the Marriott last year, yes, I was on the 25 floor >< it was an awful ride every time. Sometimes it would take as little as 3 minutes, or as much as 15. So a lower floor would for sure be a good idea if you can't handle standing for long periods of time. My friend has a butt load of medical problems so it was a bit bad for her.

Not to mention the elevators always made me want to throw up :x

[Mango Bunny]

My first year at fanime I was on the 20-somethingth floor. I have asthma so when I went up the stairs it triggered an attack, yadda yadda. I've requested a lower floor ever since. They're accommodating.

[HunterZero]

It's important to note that the earlier you arrive to ask for a room on a lower floor, the better. As rooms fill up the hotel's options for accommodating your request decrease. You could also try calling up the housing group or the hotel directly to request something ahead of time.

[LadyGlitterbow]

Who would I go to about my friend being deaf? She can read lips, but at previous cons, if she is not in the front row at panels, she misses out on everything. Is there anything available for deaf people? Otherwise going to any panels is kind of useless. Any advice?

[ewu]

best would be to email panelsATfanimeDOTcom they may be able to accommodate you. You may also speak to the people manning the doors before the panel room opens, but they may not be able to help you as much as emailing panels.

Who would I go to about my friend being deaf? She can read lips, but at previous cons, if she is not in the front row at panels, she misses out on everything. Is there anything available for deaf people? Otherwise going to any panels is kind of useless. Any advice?

[LadyGlitterbow]

best would be to email panelsATfanimeDOTcom they may be able to accommodate you. You may also speak to the people manning the doors before the panel room opens, but they may not be able to help you as much as emailing panels.

Who would I go to about my friend being deaf? She can read lips, but at previous cons, if she is not in the front row at panels, she misses out on everything. Is there anything available for deaf people? Otherwise going to any panels is kind of useless. Any advice?

thanks so much!