TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Mobility

Fun in Action?  This Party Bus Sucks…You In!

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A man stands between two buses wearing a jumping Joey tshirt in American flag colors

Historically, the party bus has been elitist, if not downright ableist. Jumping Joey’s is changing that. Jumping Joey’s Journey, a local transportation service, has expanded its offerings with the recent acquisition of a 14-passenger, handicap-accessible minibus. From bar crawls and weddings to church events, family trips, and school field trips, Jumping Joey’s Journey delivers more than just a ride – they create an electrifying experience. They call themselves the ultimate party experience on wheels, and now that party will be open to all.

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It may be time to reach out to your local transportation services to see how you can up your party game.

Hotel Spotlight: Radisson Blu, Bloomington, Minnesota

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Two children site in a hotel room in blue armchairs. A wheelchair is next to them.

By Jennifer Allen

Typically, our son is a part time wheelchair user and we’re able to cheat a bit when it comes to room accessibility. Since I’ve seen how often we need those cheats in hotels, I was a little bit nervous for our first stay as a full time wheelchair user.

Radisson Blu absolutely nailed it in accessibility, comfort, luxury, and convenience. The sliding bathroom door, roll under sink, double grab bars for the toilet and roll in shower made the bathroom a breeze. The bathroom, bedroom, and living spaces in the suite were spacious and easy to navigate. The convenience of the hotel, with FireLake Grill House downstairs and Mall of America across the hall, was unbeatable. If we weren’t so excited to get out in nature with the track chair, we never would’ve had to leave the building. The staff were friendly and helpful and even the revolving entrance door had accessibility options. 

It was a completely seamless hotel stay.

What Would You Do: The Accessible Shower Isn’t Usable—Now What?

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You answer the phone at the front desk of the hotel to learn that a guest with a mobility disability is unable to use the shower. The controls are on the opposite end of the shower from the built-in shower bench, and they can’t reach them. What do you do?

Your Responses:

John Sage | Sage Traveling

Unfortunately, the disabled guest already felt their disability in a way they don’t experience at home, will possibly be posting negative reviews, and will possibly avoid that hotel chain in the future. This guest is almost certainly not the first person to experience this accessibility barrier so there’s no telling how much revenue has already been lost. 

Kitty Sharman | TravelAbility

Assuming I were a line-level front desk attendant, I would start by thanking them for the information and apologizing for the inconvenience. I would find out if all of the accessible rooms have the same issue. If a room without that issue is available, I would move them to that room if they wish. If they wanted to stay in their current room, I would provide them with a movable shower chair. I would then contact management to alert them of the issue.

Jessica Haga | Disability Mom

Maybe they could send someone up to turn the shower on, then the person could bathe and call back down when they’re finished to have someone come turn it off.

Jennifer Allen | Disability Mom

Imagine checking into a hotel to find your room doesn’t have a shower. It’s absurd to think about, but a shower that can’t be used is as useful as none at all. This is more than an inconvenience: it’s an indignity. Adults don’t want to ask strangers for help showering. 

First, have some empathy. Even if it may not be your fault personally that the shower is inaccessible, the person calling you is in an extremely uncomfortable situation and is just trying to figure out how to bathe on vacation. 

Second, work for a solution. This isn’t a, “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. We’ll add points to your hotel loyalty account” situation. The guest needs to bathe. Find a different room. Buy a shower chair. Find a different hotel. 

Third, make it up to them. Props to you that you fixed the situation and now your guest can shower, but they’ve moved rooms or missed time from their itinerary to help sort things out. They’re likely frustrated and good hospitality involves making them feel welcome.

IG User

As a wheelchair user, the solution I would propose to the hotel staff is for a portable shower chair to be brought that can go closer to the shower controls. Many hotels have them available, you just have to ask the right people!

July 2025 Around the Web

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Meet the Hiker Bringing Off-Roading Wheelchairs to L.A.

Austin Nicassio in an all-terrain wheelchair poses on a train with a lake and mountains in the distance

It’s a crisp, clear Southern California day, and I’m at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park with Austin Nicassio. He’s ripping up a steep dirt trail covered in rocks and roots in what looks, at first blush, like a miniature bulldozer. Until…

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Adaptation Ventures: The First US Angel Group for Disability Tech Startups

Two people in white t-shirts and Jeans sitting with a large dog in-between them and smiling broadly.

Despite these staggering numbers, disability tech companies attracted only around $4 billion in early-stage investments in 2022 — a fraction compared to… 

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Time to Check-Out… the European Accessibility Act and Its Impact on Travel, Hospitality and Leisure

EAA 2025 logo on blue background featuring yellow stars

The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) or EAA is a significant legislative measure aimed at improving accessibility for consumers… 

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Virgin Australia and Adelaide Airport Launch Australian-First Accessibility Program

A flight attendant and a pilot with three children smiling broadly inside of an airport

Virgin Australia and Adelaide Airport have today announced the official launch of the ‘Try Before You Fly’ (TBYF) program, committing long-term to… 

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One Blanket Accessibility Pass for Theme Parks Isn’t Cutting It

A split image shows two scenes at an amusement park. On the left, a young woman wearing a dark green hoodie covers her mouth with her hand and appears emotional or overwhelmed. On the right, she is seen from behind holding hands with a man in a dark hoodie as they walk together along a cobblestone path toward a roller coaster in the background. Trees and colorful buildings line the walkway.

Every summer for the better part of a decade, Monica Matheson would take her daughter Jessica to Canada’s Wonderland. But Jessica’s mother says a recent… 

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Six Dimensions of Accessibility: Zelenska Launches ‘When You Can’ Campaign

Olena Zelenska in a clean white blazer against a purple background

First Lady Olena Zelenska has announced the launch of the national social change campaign “When You Can, “aimed at raising awareness about six key…. 

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July Ambassador Report: On the Road with Kristy Durso

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Kristy Durso isn’t just advocating for accessibility—she’s helping redesign the framework that tourism, conferences, and education are built on. Even in the midst of moving her home to Colorado, Kristy has been busy pushing accessibility to the forefront of hospitality conversations across the globe. She even whipped up another children’s story while riding along with her moving truck. Here are some highlights from the past month:

American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)

Kristy’s input was put into practice at this year’s ASTA conference, making it one of the most accessibility-forward conference experiences she’s seen.

“They had a sensory suite for travelers to take a break—it was right on the front page of the conference website,” she shared. “There were resources for each major area of accessibility. For Blind and low vision travelers, they had a link to Be My Eyes. For Deaf and hard of hearing, they listed three different transcription services. For mobility, they had a local DME company listed so people could rent or repair equipment.”

It wasn’t just about putting accessibility information out there—it was about centering it.

“The sensory room was one of the most talked-about features of the show,” Kristy said. “I walked in on day one and saw someone already using it. I turned to the organizer I’d been working with, and he immediately said, ‘We have to do more.’ Then another attendee came out and said, ‘This needs to be at every single conference.’”

Kristy is already in conversations about improvements before the next national conference.

Reaching Across the Ocean

Kristy has been making waves for months with her keynote speech on Reframing Accessibility, this time she took it across the waves.

Kristy was the keynote speaker in Slovenia’s Accessibility in Hospitality conference.

This time, she was able to  share her wisdom virtually, from the comfort of her home… at 4:00 a.m.

Coming Up

In the coming months, Kristy is planning to:

  • Moderate a panel at Destinations International
  • Speak at ASTA’S Expedition Conference
  • Deliver a Keynote in Alabama and evaluate a hotel property committed to accessibility
  • Guest lecture at Florida International University
  • Present at the American Indigenous Tourism Conference
  • Head to D.C. as an ambassador during ASTA’s Legislative Days, where she’ll speak directly with senators and representatives about accessibility issues.
  • Lecture for Ms. Wheelchair PA

There’s also something new in the works that could take her message to a wider audience: a potential talk series produced by a film company in Oregon.

“I want to take destinations on the journey,” she said, “from not thinking accessibility applies to them, to understanding disability as a culture—not a charity case.”

Kristy’s voice is shaping the future of accessible travel, and her message is clear: accessibility isn’t a special feature—it’s a standard that everyone deserves.

Kristy Durso is sitting in her wheelchair on the beach, smiling over her shoulder with the beautiful turquoise ocean in the background.

Meet Kristy: Kristy is a writer, speaker, and disability travel advisor. She has experience across multiple disabilities traveling as a wheelchair user with a pace-maker along with her children with intellectual disabilities, autism, ADHD, and over 30 food allergies. 

As TravelAbility’s ambassador, she networks and speaks around the globe to promote accessibility and inclusion in the travel space.