It would be great if Gen Con would step up and give a little more priority to the aged and disabled folks.
Screw that. I don't want priority treatment. I want equal treatment that doesn't penalize me because of my disability and provides accommodations where necessary to put me on equal ground with everyone else. Priority treatment because of my disability is so... demeaning. It's really, really insulting.
While they would certainly be more convenient for some people, very few disabilities would require a downtown hotel room to accommodate them. There are accessible transportation options for getting downtown and there are designated quiet areas within the ICC where someone can go sit down, relax, and rest if they need a break from the hustle and bustle of the con. There's a pool of accessible hotel rooms that people with disabilities can participate in if they need to and there are disability services on-site to assist people who need help during the con.
And this doesnt affect me. I dont need such a room. But I feel for those who actually do.
As far as I understand it the ADA rooms are held aside for those requiring them. Anyone needing an ADA room goes through the same process as everyone else and once they secure a hotel they can contact that hotel directly and request one of the ADA rooms. Again, as far as I understand it, the big change was that anyone requiring an ADA room is not guaranteed a downtown room, but is guaranteed an ADA room in whatever hotel they are able to book.
It doesn't affect me either, but it's my understanding that Gen Con goes out of its way to accommodate anyone with a disability.