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Out of Sight is Not Out of Mind for Hoteliers Accommodating Hidden Disabilities

by Carley D. Thornell

Mar 21, 2025

© MORGAN’S

March 2025

The Hidden Garden Kids Club at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa offers an Alice in Wonderland-like enclave of enchantment. Blocks, books and Bluey on a big screen await toddlers through teens.

PHOTO: © MARRIOTT

Dedicating much of the sixth floor to children isn’t much of a surprise given the resort’s proximity to Walt Disney World. But what does surprise many — pleasantly — is a dedicated Sensory Calming Corner. Designed with weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones and a texture wall with colorful ribbons and velvety fabrics, this space aims to meet the needs of kids with autism especially, but every little one gasps with delight at the light-up touch tiles and 3-D butterflies.

The resort is among the growing ranks of hoteliers designing for inclusivity and guests with invisible disabilities in mind. Ed Warner, cofounder, Motionspot, a U.K.-based accessible design firm, notes just 8 percent of people with disabilities use a wheelchair, but design regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act largely focus on people who need mobility aids. That leaves a lot open to interpretation for the other 92 percent with invisible disabilities such as hearing loss, food allergies and anxiety.

Motionspot earned a top hospitality award for redesigning Hotel Brooklyn in Manchester, England, with hidden disabilities in mind. Improvements included bathroom fans that don’t interfere with hearing aids and, for those with vision limitations, enhanced lighting and more contrast from the earth-toned, monochromatic standard popular in many hotels.

Once completed, the under-construction Morgan’s Hotel in San Antonio will feature sensory-sensitive colors and lighting, hearing aid loops, and easy access to elevators, said Sharon Newhardt, Director of Inclusion and Culture.

© MORGAN’S

The hotel lies near Morgan’s Wonderland theme park, which features rides designed for mobility-aid users. The park also accommodates those with special needs such as cognitive disorders, and bright pops of green and yellow are common on the many guests wearing sunflower lanyards — an increasingly universal indicator of invisible disabilities.

Beyond the physical features, employee training proves an essential component to offering an inclusive experience, noted Newhardt. Hotel employees will receive the same comprehensive sessions now provided to park talent regarding terminology, etiquette and specialized interpersonal skills.

Massachusetts teacher Robin Perron, whose students are primarily autistic, says sensitivity training can make all the difference beyond physical accommodations. “People with sensory needs may not make eye contact. Saying hello may be a struggle,” said Perron. “Having staff training to deal with that, who understand the reasons why, can create a better [hospitality] experience.”

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