For handicapped accessibility, it was really bad for me. First, going in the entrance, they directed us to the elevator to go to the room we needed. The wheelchair would not fit, not even a standard wheelchair would fit. We asked the front desk where another entrance with a bigger elevator would be, and they said to go outside and around the building where there is another entrance with a bigger elevator. We head outside down the sidewalk, down a hill, and there is no more sidewalk. There were big rocks and no sidewalk ramp to go down, so KayMarie and I go up the hill and back to where we started to go down the only sidewalk ramp. To get to this entrance with a bigger elevator, we had to go in the parking lot back down the hill. It was dangerous. A car could have backed up or been driving fast around corners. Then, we get to the entrance, but the main doors were too small, so I had to stand up, have the wheelchair brought in around me, (people are standing there waiting, so it was embarrassing), and, then, I swing into the chair. Luckily, I can stand and swivel around, but another person may not have that option. The elevator was bigger, thank god, so now up to the room...
The room door was too small, so I had to do my transfer thing. I got in the room, but not enough to turn around to go into the room. And, there was furniture and beds that only left narrow walkways around the room. So, what I had to do was...sit in the hallway, while everyone else was in the nice, cool room.
Now, we are going to the waterpark. All doors on the way are still too small for the wheelchair, so have to do my transfer thing. Not knowing that there is anything for the handicapped to do, I didn't bring extra clothes to get wet in. There was nothing on their website indicating wheelchair accessible activities, and no maps or signs showing wheelchair accessibility, so I just sat there and took pictures. I had to go to the bathroom, and, once again, the door into and all other parts of the handicapped restroom were too small. So, I did my transfer thing again, but it was very dangerous. The floor was so wet and slippery, that I could have easily fallen. Jodi and KayMarie had to help me. Jodi slipped in the bathroom. And, I had to stand up to use the bathroom. It was very dangerous. I'm not sure what they were thinking when they put a wheelchair sign on the door with flooring like that.
My family and I had been in the waterpark all afternoon, 4-5 hours, and were ready to leave, and a nice lifeguard told us something shocking. The lifeguard tells us where wheelchairs can go in the water at. We had been there all day, no one had told us about that, and there were no signs. We told the lifeguard thank you and that no one had told us that, but we are leaving now.
But, most important, the kids had fun, and that made it worthwhile. Jodi went down the waterslide and liked it.
KayMarie enjoyed the lazy river, but was afraid to go down the waterslide.
Christopher and Jonathan enjoyed everything. They had so much fun, and I'm glad I was able to get pictures and videos.
We had lunch there at the waterpark, and the food was good. Pricing was ok. You get decent portions for the money. Jodi and I had cheeseburgers and fries that were good, but not like OMG.
KayMarie had a garden salad that was really nice-sized and had a good vegetable assortment. Christopher and Jonathan shared chicken fingers and a cheeseburger. They both liked them a lot, but I think they were more excited to go back in the water.
When I got home, I Facebooked and Tweeted how unhandicapped accessible Edge Waterpark and Resort was, but I did not hear from them. So, I emailed them on 8/1/12, and not even a half hour after I sent it, they called me and apologized for the inconvenience that I went through. And, they said, in the next few years, they want to make Edge Waterpark and Resort more handicapped accessible. They would like my family and I to be the eyes to help them see where it needs to be more accessible. Of course, I would want to help. That is the whole purpose of this blog. Also, in their apology, wanting us to help, they want to send us a gift certificate to come back and give them another chance.
UPDATE: As of 8/8/12 we received a gift certificate for a night stay in a American Disability Act room. We will give an update when we go.
Check it out for yourself: http://www.duluthwaterpark.com/
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