Timeshares and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Friday, October 19, 2007
In yesterday’s Timeshare Owners Blog, I mentioned the use of Segways at theme parks, and the current battle over this issue in Orlando.
If you have physical challenges, you probably already know a good deal about the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA). The law was passed in 1990, and implemented in 1992. It was written to protect the rights of anyone with physical limitations or disabilities. The Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), (and several state law counterparts of the ADA) help to further define the terms of public accessibility.
US timeshare resorts constructed after January 1993, should fully comply with the ADA and offer timeshare units that are handicap accessible. They must also offer handicap accessibility to the facilities and amenities of the resort.
Timeshares for use by people with disabilities must be sold or rented at the same rate or price a timeshare owner or timeshare guest would pay for a comparable timeshare unit at the same resort. Even though the extra features in a handicap accessible timeshare unit add to the construction cost of the timeshare, these costs cannot be passed on to the individual.
However, even at resorts constructed after 1993, the number of specially equipped timeshare units is limited, so if you require a handicap accessible timeshare unit, the further in advance you make your vacation plans, the more likely you are to be able to reserve a unit that meets your needs.
Timeshare resorts built prior to 1993, must comply with the law through the: (1) the removal of architectural barriers and, (2) the provision of auxiliary aids and services to the disabled. Remember that interpretation of this law can vary from resort to resort, and to some degree can only be applied on a case-by-case basis. Certain facilities at some timeshare resorts simply cannot be adequately changed or retrofitted for complete accessibility by everyone.
To learn more about the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit the website for the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. To learn more about the options to buy timeshare, sell timeshare or rent timeshare, visit the website for Sell My Timeshare NOW.
