Written by SavageMan on 26 Aug, 2005
We were joined for a portion of our week at Breezy Point by two of our parents, one of which needs wheelchair accessibility. Actually, what she uses isn’t a traditional wheelchair, but in essence an "electric chair." She uses it as a seat at the…Read More
We were joined for a portion of our week at Breezy Point by two of our parents, one of which needs wheelchair accessibility. Actually, what she uses isn’t a traditional wheelchair, but in essence an "electric chair." She uses it as a seat at the table and just as easily as maneuvers it down a walking path.
This issue makes us a little more aware of accessibility issues of a resort, and the purpose of this document is to highlight where someone else who would visit this resort would succeed or have problems.
First off, much of the resort is totally accessible. The lobby area and conference center building is totally accessible. All of the "hotel-type" rooms would be accessible. Some of the Whitebirch units are accessible with wheelchair ramps. Some of the units are accessible only by steps. Some of these units also have an upstairs, which would not be accessible at all by wheelchair.
Our unit at Whitebirch Estates was mostly accessible, but we had problems with the doorway. The resort maintenance crew quickly fashioned a ramp that would work for the doorway. They were very pleasant about this request and more than willing to help when asked. Our Whitebirch unit was large enough to easily accommodate the maneuvering of the chair.
The restaurants are accessible, as is the Marina bar. The swimming pool areas are not. From what we could tell, the High Village accommodations and pool area would not be able to be used by someone in a wheelchair. If this is not the case, it certainly was not clear as to where an elevator might be.
Outside the resort is a mixed bag as far as accessibility. Some of the shops in Pequot Lakes and Nisswa may be accessible, but most are small and have very narrow walkways between the merchandise. I would not recommend shopping for someone who needs a wheelchair.
Be sure to ask ahead of time as to how accessible your unit will be if this issue is of concern to you. There are many accessible options at Breezy Point and White Birch, but there are also several options that would not work.