Note: This post is part of our ongoing series exploring key public places where installing adult changing stations would create an immediate and lasting impact.
For millions of people with mobility challenges and their families and caregivers, something as simple as using the restroom can turn a day of fun into a day of frustration. While many seasonal attractions and entertainment venues have taken strides to improve accessibility with ramps, elevators, and accessible parking, one essential feature remains missing in far too many places: adult changing stations.
When families plan a trip to a favorite holiday light display, county fair, music festival, or amusement park, they expect joy, not stress. Yet without proper facilities, these spaces can unintentionally exclude a significant portion of their audience.
The Accessibility Gap in Seasonal Fun
Seasonal attractions are designed to bring communities together to celebrate, create memories, and share joy. But for individuals with disabilities who require assistance with toileting, the absence of adult changing stations means making impossible choices:
• Cut the outing short.
• Attempt unsafe or unsanitary diapering.
• Skip the event altogether.
Portable restrooms and standard accessible stalls simply aren’t enough. A wheelchair accessible stall still lacks the space, equipment, and dignity required for someone who cannot use a traditional toilet. Without a height-adjustable, changing station, caregivers are forced to improvise, often on restroom floors, in vehicles, or not at all.
That’s not inclusion. That’s exclusion by design.
The Hidden Impact on Families and Caregivers
Behind every person who needs an adult changing station is a network of caregivers and loved ones who are deeply affected by the lack of facilities. A parent caring for a teen with cerebral palsy, a spouse supporting a partner with multiple sclerosis, or an adult child assisting an aging parent with mobility limitations, each faces the same challenge: how to meet basic needs in public spaces that aren’t built for them.
When attractions overlook adult changing stations, they’re not just missing an amenity, they’re missing an opportunity to serve entire families who want to participate in community life.
Seasonal Doesn’t Mean Exempt from Inclusion
Whether it’s a summer carnival, a haunted hayride, or a holiday market, accessibility should never be an afterthought. In fact, temporary and seasonal events often attract large crowds and multigenerational families, making inclusive restroom facilities even more critical.
Installing adult changing stations, either in permanent restrooms or through modular, mobile restroom solutions, signals a commitment to true accessibility. It says: Everyone belongs here.
The Business and Community Case
Inclusion is good for business. When families know an attraction accommodates their needs, they stay longer, spend more, and share their positive experiences with others. Beyond economics, offering adult changing stations demonstrates social responsibility and aligns with evolving accessibility standards.
Communities are increasingly recognizing that accessibility is essential. Seasonal attractions that embrace universal design today set the standard for tomorrow.
Making Inclusion a Reality
Koala Kare believes that public spaces, temporary or permanent should not force families to choose between dignity and participation. By equipping seasonal attractions and entertainment venues with adult changing stations, it can transform frustration into freedom.