Disability Services Guide to Dragon Con Wiki

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This is an all-inclusive guide to Dragon Con for people with disabilities. This will be an ongoing collaboration among DCDS staff to address getting around all aspects of Dragon Con. Maps with accessible routes, restaurant guides, FAQs, self-advocacy training and more, oh, my! If you are new to Dragon Con Disability Services, this link; [How Disability Services Work at Dragon Con] on all things DCDS, should be your very first stop.

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Dragon Con Disability Services

 * Dragon Con supports equal-access and provides on-site assistance for anyone who has a disability. Please be sure to stop by the Disability Services table if you need any assistance.

Dragon Con seeks to do its utmost to provide equal access to its participants with disabilities in accordance with State and Federal Law. Due to the conventions limited resources, convention staff may be required to discuss your reasonable accommodation with you in order to attempt to meet your needs. Seating is limited, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. We ask that you be cooperative, and prompt for seating times for events you would like to see.

The convention offers a variety of services to help you enjoy your Dragon Con experience, including: We offer 6 stickers for badges, based on seating requirements: (details on accommodations here)
 * Wheelchair accessible bus service between the Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Westin, and official Con overflow hotels.
 * Convention schedule in an electronic version to be downloaded to your screen-reading device (or printed upon request only).
 * Sign Language interpreters upon request.
 * Staff working all areas of Main Programming in the Hyatt, Marriott, Westin, Hilton and Sheraton, keeping them accessible for people with disabilities.
 * Providing stickers to members with medical conditions to put on their badge, giving directions for emergency contacts.
 * Running registration for people who, due to the nature of their disability, can’t maneuver the tight turns or long lines.
 * Wheelchair Seating; for our wheeled folk, of course.
 * Seat in Line / End of Row Accommodations; for non-wheeled folks with mobility impairments.
 * Proximity / 50 ft. to Screen; for visual/lip-reading access.
 * Sightlines; for access to the interpreter and other unique situations.
 * Safe Space for Service Dogs: seating for people with service dogs, to keep the animal safe.
 * PCA: for individuals with significant disabilities who need significant assistance with daily living and personal care.
 * Medical: This sticker is a place to put emergency information if you have a medical condition that the EMT needs to know about before they put you in the ambulance. It does not entitle you to any other services.

Look for the Disability Services table at Registration, in the Sheraton.
One important thing to remember: we will do our best to make sure events are accessible to you, but that does not mean we guarantee you a front row seat, or head of the line privileges. If you are going to a very popular event, you must get there extra early to get a good seat, just like everyone else. The accessible seating will not be in the front row. We follow the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which specifies the number and arrangement required for accessible seating. If you arrive late, or in some cases even "on time" for an event, you may not get the seat you would prefer, and in some cases you may not be able to get in at all.

While staff will always do their best to make accommodations, once *General Loading* begins in a ballroom, disability seating is NOT guaranteed.

Qualification for services does not guarantee availability of seating.
''Dragon Con Disability Services seating policies will be updated to, unfortunately, include a seating cap on disability seating in some situations.  This is done primarily to maintain the safety of attendees waiting for seating, both in the regular line and DCDS seating areas. DCDS, as always, works to set a level consistent with Federal requirements for seating under the ADA. ''

''To facilitate this limit, each seating area will provide a returnable seating confirmation (a card) to each DCDS-approved attendee (to include 1 companion) beginning 60 minutes prior to the start of a panel. When the available seats run out, disability seating will no longer be available for that panel. Final seating decisions will rest with the DCDS ballroom lead for that panel. In any situation where seats remain at the completion of the loading process, our existing policy will apply – we will do our best to accommodate attendees, but no seating will be guaranteed.''

The Con covers more than seven square blocks on a steep hill. We strongly suggest that if an individual has difficulty walking long distances that they consider renting an electric scooter.


 * Scooter and Wheelchair rentals are available by contacting ScootAround Inc. toll-free at 1-888-441-7575, by email at [mailto:info@scootaround.com info@scootaround.com], through their website at www.scootaround.com/rentals/d/dragoncon or by fax at (204) 478-1172. PLEASE CONTACT THEM EARLY.  For more information please check out http://locations.scootaround.com/rentals/d/dragoncon/information.htm

Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer to help with Disability Services (we are always on the lookout for trained sign language interpreters and those experienced/comfortable in dealing with people with disabilities), please contact Cherie Wren, [mailto:disabilityservices@dragoncon.org disabilityservices@dragoncon.org].

Links for More Information
How Disability Services work at Dragon Con

Frequently Asked Questions

Self Advocacy- Your Key to Con-Happiness

Service Animals at Dragon Con

DragonCon on the Spectrum

The Shuttles

Disability Parking at DragonCon

The Secret Ninja Way; Navigating the Con

Access to the DC Parade

Sticker Explanations

PCA accommodations

Not finding what you need? Ask Us at our Forum on Discord