Saturday, August 31, 2013

Radisson Hotel and Waterpark Of America in Bloomington, MN



For our family's biggest summer vacation, we headed to Bloomington, MN, to stay at the Radisson Waterpark Of America and to visit the Mall Of America. We got all packed up and headed 4 hours south to The Cities. This will be our first time staying at the Radisson Waterpark Of America. We were worried because Jodi called to ask if they had an ADA handicapped room with a roll-in shower. They said they did not. I called the same place not knowing Jodi called there earlier. I asked the same thing that Jodi asked: if they had an ADA handicapped room with a roll-in shower, and they said they did. So, we were not sure what to expect when checking into our room, but we were hopeful that our stay would go smoothly.

Arriving at the hotel, the lobby was packed with people. The line was very long, and they had ropes to the counter, but a kind gentleman that was staying as well helped move the ropes for me. When getting up to the counter to check in, the counter was too high for being in a wheelchair. It would have been nice to see a lower counter for me to sign and not be looked down on. We were not recognized for being Club Carlson members. I showed the hostess my number, and she said, "Oh I have it right here." 

We got the package that got us four passes to Waterpark Of America and four passes to Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall Of America. We needed to get me a dry pass, since I am in a wheelchair and could not access all the areas. When I made the reservation, they said that it would be at a discounted price. 

As we got to our room we saw room service plates in front of our door. It was very unappealing and not a good start to our stay. There was cleaning staff down the hall. As we are getting ready to go to the waterpark, we thought she would take it. But, when we left the room, the plates were still there. Also, while in the room, I had to use the bathroom, and the toilet seat was very loose. I was afraid to fall off or that it was going to break. Others used the toilet and said the seat being that loose was scary. 

We headed down to the waterpark and wanted to talk to a manager. We were not looking forward to being in the long line. We saw a maintenance staff coming by. His name was Roberto. We told him we wanted to speak to a manager. He asked what the issue was. Roberto went and got the manager on duty, William (Willie). While we were waiting to talk to the manager, Roberto went right away to fix the toilet seat. We told William the issues that we had since check-in, and he said, if we had any other problems, to let him know. 

We got to the waterpark counter to get my dry pass, and the same thing as in the main lobby: the counter was too high. We asked for a pass for wheelchair, and the lady was charging us full price. We said that it was for wheelchair, and that I am not going to be able to take full advantage of the park. But, she still rung us up for full price. Then, we mentioned that when we made our reservation, they said I could get a dry pass that would be at a discounted price. She finally gave us the correct pass.


 
Overall, our family enjoyed Waterpark Of America, there just needs to be more tubes for the amount of people that visit. For wheelchairs, there is plenty to do, with easy access to the wave pool and in Fort Snelling (the water playground with the giant bucket). There was a lift chair to lower you into the water into a tube near the Lazy River. The only challenge was the accessible ramp that goes across to the other side of the park. It had some steep parts, so being by myself would have been difficult. And the visitors that use the ramp would have to turn around so we could get by, luckily people were considerate, but that may not be the case all the time. A standard size 32" wheelchair will work best in the waterpark and in the hotel. Also, inside the waterpark the air was cold, a lot of us were shivering.  

 
Back in our room to shower, I rolled into the shower, and I couldn't reach the showerhead. If someone was staying by themselves, they wouldn't be able to reach the showerhead. So, I am glad I had my family there. When I was not using the showerhead, there was nowhere to hang it, raise it, or lower it to where I needed it. The bar that I would place the showerhead to where I needed it was there but the hook on the showerhead was missing. 

The king-size bed was a nice size for Jodi and I. But, with having one leg to get up from the bed, the bed was too low. When we were lying in bed, I noticed inside the light above the bed was full of dust. It was gross and didn't seem to reach the Radisson's high standards. Christopher and Jonathan really enjoyed the bunk beds that were in the wall, with little nightlights, and a curtain. KayMarie thought the sofa bed was okay, but the bar in the middle hurt her back. And, there were no blankets for her. I had to call and request them. 

When checking out, we talked to the manager on duty. His name was Willie. He listened to our concerns, was understandable, and made corrections for us that were fair. Even though there were some issues, our family did enjoy our stay and would visit again. We recommend Radisson Hotel and the Waterpark Of America as a STOP IN, but fixing these minor issues will make it a even more enjoyable stay for all who visit. 

Check out all the rides at Radisson Hotel and Waterpark of America!






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