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The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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Hotel Spotlight: Amway Grand Plaza

March 19, 2025 by Eliana Satkin

Amway Grand Plaza was recognized as a 2024 Accessible Travel Award Winner by Wonders Within Reach. Here’s what Jennifer, mom of an eight year old wheelchair user, had to say about their stay.

It was promising from the start when we saw a wheelchair accessible slow-down button for the rotating doors, adjacent to the standard automatic sliding doors. When you scan your key card at your room door, the door opens automatically, making it easy to roll in. There’s an automatic door button on the inside making it just as easy to exit as it is to enter. This is only the second time we’ve ever encountered automatic interior doors.

As one of the best accessible hotels we’ve stayed in, the Amway Grand Plaza impressed us with its wide bathroom doors, roll-under sinks, and perfectly placed grab bars. The roll in shower had the perfect set up for us, with the chair and moveable handle on the same end of the shower. Low bed height made for easy transfers.

The chair lift at the pool rotated to reach the hot tub. Valet parking is only $4 more than using the garage across the street, but if you do opt for the parking garage there’s a skywalk so you don’t have to worry about crossing traffic.

The seamless details make for an easy, barrier-free stay.

A person in a wheelchair rolling out of an open hotel door room. The automatic door button is visible on a left hand side.

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Filed Under: Accessibility, Accessibility Awards, Hotels, Mobility

What Would You Do?

March 10, 2025 by Eliana Satkin

What height is the right height?

This month’s What Would You Do is taken from Brittany DeJean’s post on LinkedIn.

Q: You are at a conference and are about to have a conversation with someone in a wheelchair who is half your height. What do you do? 

This is the scenario that a woman posed to me. She asked, “Should you get down like they are a child and talk to them face to face or do you treat them like anyone else who’s not your height?”

This second-guessing is enough to make some determine that it feels easier (and safer) to avoid the conversation at all. But avoiding disability is not a strategy (not to mention how awful it feels), and this woman wanted to know the “protocol”.

A: The answer is…it depends.

It’s not about getting it “right”, but assessing the situation to see how you can achieve your goal of having an actual conversation with someone.

Consider things like:

🔸 How long is the conversation?

🔸 How loud is the room?

🔸 Is there a chair for you nearby?

There have been times when I’ve bent down to speak to someone in a wheelchair because the room is too loud to hear otherwise. I’ve also proposed moving to a quieter location where we could be heard more easily.

There have been times when I stand at my normal height and converse just fine. I have also proposed finding a place where I could take a seat and get us at eye level. Sometimes I’ve been able to just pull up a chair in the vicinity.

If you get too fixated on following a “rule” (that in actuality, doesn’t exist the way you may assume it does), you risk losing the opportunity to have an authentic interaction with someone. No two wheelchair-users are the same, nor can you expect them to have the same norms, preferences or personalities.

So rather than go for a rule, go for your goal of a conversation, and remove any barriers that could keep that from happening.

Other comments included the importance of asking what the person feels most comfortable with. Being disabled doesn’t automatically make any one thing true or consistent about a person. It’s important to consider a person’s personal preference.

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Filed Under: Accessibility, Hotels, Mobility

Around the Web

March 10, 2025 by Eliana Satkin

Celebrities, major brands, and global initiatives for inclusion.

Actress Selma Blair on How Her Disability Impacts Travel

MORE

New Filmmaking Guidelines Show Inclusion Isn’t What We Thought it Was

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Rare Accessible Ice Palace in Adirondacks

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New Training Program for Accessible Travel Planning

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Australia Doing Away with Accessible Rooms – The accessible hotel room will be a relic of the past – replaced by an integrated modularity and customization that offers personalized, universally adaptive accessibility.

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Silver Train Makes New Tracks for Inclusion in China

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The Right Equipment Gets Everyone on the Slopes at these Ski Destinations

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Honda Creates the Scenic Drive for Visually Impaired

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New Tactiles Bring Hogwarts to Life for Blind Fans

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Shark Tank India Highlights Groundbreaking Disability Innovations

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UN Tourism and AccessibleEU Partner for Global Accessible Tourism

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Red Roof’s New Initiatives Give Back through Inclusion

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Filed Under: Accessibility, Blind Travel, Disability Awareness, Hotels, Mobility, Technology, The Arts, Transportation, Travel, Vision

Accessible Hotel of the Month: The Schoolhouse Hotel

February 10, 2025 by Eliana Satkin

Modern elegance meets West Virginia charm in this ultra-accessbile hotel.

Travelers and event planners who are seeking small-town charm with modern amenities will find their heart’s desire in The Schoolhouse Hotel, a bespoke lodging in the Allegheny Mountains of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Renovated from the town’s beloved schoolhouse, the hotel offers guests a true community experience that’s perfect for every kind of personal or professional gathering.

Lights and bathroom facilities are one-touch activated. All spaces offer plenty of room for wheelchairs and scooters. There’s even artificial grass for service animals.

NOT JUST A HOTEL… A COMMUNITY

People who hold their meetings, weddings, company retreats, and class reunions at The Schoolhouse Hotel will find a warm welcome in a small town that’s always ready for big occasions. There’s a wedding chapel mere steps away… not to mention a spacious ballroom, conference rooms, a first-class restaurant, a rooftop bar, thirty custom-appointed rooms, and a whole town of accessible charm to explore. And, of course, there’s amazing local scenery to hike, bike, kayak, and simply enjoy.

ACCOMMODATE YOUR DREAMS

The Schoolhouse Hotel was built to exacting ADA standards. Lights and bathroom facilities are one-touch activated. All spaces offer plenty of room for wheelchairs and scooters. There’s even artificial grass for service animals.

CELEBRATE WITH CLASS

The Schoolhouse Hotel is small-town comfort with modern convenience. Guests love to talk about the personal service they receive. Supported by a vibrant local community, it’s a place to gather for any occasion, step away from distraction, and focus on what matters most.

Visit www.theschoolhousehotelwv.com or call 304-536-0999 to begin your adventure.

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Filed Under: Hotels

Innovation of the Month: Hero Door Opener

February 10, 2025 by Eliana Satkin

By Jennifer Allen

What if you could make any door automatic in about 15 minutes? That’s exactly what Pierre Paul set out to do with the Hero Door Opener, an innovative device designed to transform how we access the spaces around us.

The problem:

Pierre pointed out that there are over 42 billion doors worldwide, less than 5% of which are automatic. The closed doors for people with disabilities are not metaphorical in this situation.

there are over 42 billion doors worldwide, less than 5% of which are automatic.

Jennifer Allen

The Solution:

When asked about the inspiration behind his invention, Paul shared, “It literally came from a dream.” He went on to add, “All of my innovations have come from manifestations or visions in my mind. The idea was simple: open doors more seamlessly.”

The Hero Door Opener fills a critical gap, particularly for people with disabilities. The device integrates with existing mechanisms and allows doors to be opened via a mobile app, a fob, or even voice commands like “Hey Siri.” It’s affordable, quick to install, and practical for businesses and homes alike.

Accessible and Affordable

Priced at $1,750, with options for a $400 push receiver, a $30 universal fob, and a free app, the Hero Door Opener is designed to be cost-effective. Paul’s team even helps businesses find grants and tax write-offs to offset the costs, making the device accessible to more people. Most businesses have been able to implement this game-changing accessibility technology at no cost, transforming inclusion in their spaces.

Organizations like Busch Stadium, Cardinal Stadium, Bradley University, and The Schoolhouse Hotel have already implemented Hero Door Openers, further proving its versatility and appeal.

Business and Personal Impact

The Hero Door Opener has proven invaluable in commercial settings – beyond accessibility and inclusion goals. At the University of Illinois, catering staff struggled with doors closing on carts and knocking over food. With Hero, they just ask Siri to open the door for them, making their jobs easier and safer.

The real magic of the Hero Door Opener lies in its ability to empower. Paul shared the story of a young boy named Zippy, who loves playing in his backyard but couldn’t open the door independently. Installing the Hero on his family’s door and giving him a personal fob transformed his world.

“Now, Zippy can open the door whenever he wants,” Paul explained. “He even helps his mom bring in groceries. It’s that autonomy, that ability to contribute, that’s huge for us.”

“Whether you’re young or old, whether you have a disability or not, we all need to open doors,” Paul emphasized.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

As a start-up, the biggest challenges have been in manufacturing and funding. With its practical design and life-changing impact, the Hero Door Opener is going to change the face of accessibility, but it’s a journey to get to that place where costs are covered before orders are placed.

A Note from Pierre:

You will only ever grow and succeed if you learn how to take feedback from both people who support you and people who don’t. We’ve been appreciative for the skeptics and for the cheerleaders because they both play a valuable role in our journey. We cannot thank Jake and the TravelAbility team enough for the opportunity to meet more of both of those individuals and to prove ourselves as we make the world more accessible.

Watch The Hero Door Opener Pitch at TravelAbility’s InnovateAble Showcase

Visit the Hero Door Opener Web-site

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Filed Under: Disability Advocates, Hotels, Technology, Trends

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