"Official" word on the future of pool hopping to SAB

[travelbug]

I had a very nice conversation with my guide on Sun. afternoon. I'm considering an add-on at BCV, but had a couple questions first.

In the course of conversation, he told me that the "powers that be" will be announcing the permanent discontinuation of pool hopping to SAB once BCV officially opens. He said that it won't matter what time of year it is. Only guests staying at BCV (or Beach & Yacht Clubs) will be able to use the pool there, and they'll have to show room cards. He said that pool hopping to other resorts will still be a DVC privilege, although they can still temporarily suspend that at peak times.

I've never done any pool hopping before, so I guess I don't know what I'm missing in terms of SAB. I'm just curious if anyone else has heard the same thing??

[DVC-Don]

I heard the same thing from a life guard at SAB last August. "Once the BCV open, pool hopping to there is over for good." I was pool hopping at the time from BWV.

[CarolA]

SAB is a very nice pool. It is the only one I have been to where Disney actually checks to see if you belong. It has a nice slide and some cool features. A kind of lazy river, a whilepool area and some quicksand!

I really like it which is one of the reasons I bought at BCV. That was already a big hotel complex and one of the reasons they can charge what they do is that pool. I figured the pool hopping was going bye bye there!

[Lew]

We stayed at the YC prior to joining DVC in 1995. SAB was overcrowded then.

I can just imagine how it will be with the addition of BCV guests. I realize there are other pool facilities at the YC/BC complex, but SAB is the recreation area most guests want to enjoy.

Stay tuned...

[CaptainMidnight]

It makes sense. If it's crowded now, it will need to be regulated when BCV opens. IF you want to use SAB, stay at BCV on points. Once the novelty wears off, I'm sure it will be available at non-peak times at the 7 month window.

I'm glad that even though SAB may not be part of future pool hopping, that pool hopping will still be available to other resorts. It would be fun to visit the Polly again and go swimming.

[Uncleromulus]

Another thump on the head to DVC'rs (like me) who thought "pool hopping" was something they'd keep around. After all, that poor excuse for a main pool at OKW invites me to pool hop. Now, they take away one of the best "hopping pools".
Thanks, Disney.

[DVCajun]

Yeah, that's pretty disappointing. We actually haven't even used the pool at BWV yet because SAB was right across the lake!

We have a very nice pool at our club at home so we don't swim much while we're at Disney anyway. So I will just keep my fingers crossed that we'll be able to when we're in the mood. We stay away during peak times anyway.

[Pluto4President]

Ouch, so glad I bought at BDV as well!

[sgtpet]

To all that thought BWV were the greatest, you are realizing that BCV is the king of DVC's. All the posts of how much better BWV was than the others, now it is over.

BCV = SAB
BWV = Scary Clown Face


Good night.

[BeckyV]

As far as comparing BWV and BCV, I don't think you can say one is king over the other. It depends on personal likes and dislikes. My kids love BWVs over the pool at BCV. The CMs were surprised to hear my child wanted to go back across the lake to the clown slide. She said it was more fun.

[Joeblack]

I am sorry, sgtpet. I like the BCV idea but I don't agree with your conclusion. There has to be an advantage for BCV owners to make up for the limited view....exclusive use of SAB would be one, as is the bigger size of OKW rooms or the point structure in BWV or the amazing themeing of WLV.

SAB is probably the nicest pool in WDW, but IMHO Luna Park or the pool at WL are more than enough to have a great time. Also, if pool use is the sole reason to purchase, I believe that for way less money you can go to BLizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon.

Still, i believe BCV will be an amazing resort and I am considering an add-on there.

[llp479]

Our guide actually used the fact that we wouldn't be able to pool hop to SAB as a selling tool. "Take the kids over and look at the pool, then you'll be sold."

Our kids could care less. As long as it has water they're thrilled. We don't have high expectations when it comes to pools.

Our guide said pool hopping to other resorts at non-peak times would still be allowed.

[ZerasPride]

I'd love to add on at BCV but to be perfectly honest (and I know we are in the minority) my family prefers the "quiet" pools. I thought SAB was too much like a crowded water park. I don't like water parks much. I preferred to spend our time at the Beach Club at the regular old rectangular pool. So for my family, a BCV add-on would have nothing to do with SAB. It was nice but I guess my expectations were too high from the things I had read on the resort board. I am interested in the Poly pool (stayed there last year and it looked like fun) and I've heard great things about the pool at CSR so I'm glad at least for now, if I want to pool hop, I've got choices.

Lisa

[TheWho]

Let me look at it from a different angle. If I'm staying at BW, I can't pool hop to SAB. That's fine. But if someone else is staying at BCV, they can hop to my pool at BW. SAB might get all the press about being a great pool, but I happen to think the BW pool is fun too. I say if BW people are banned from visiting SAB, let's ban BCV people from Luna. :mad:

This is pool hopping war!!

[LIDisneyFan]

I still keep wondering how they'll handle the BCV crowds at SAB. After all, they had to stop pool hopping at SAB during many weeks each year due to crowds. Now they add sevarl hundres rooms (I know, and a quite pool, but get real), and they think SAB can handle it?

I don't think the DVC hoppers were ever the issue (how many are there at one time anyway) - but when you have hundreds more registered guests, thet will have an impact.

[JonHM]

you realize that what you're calling for (albeit probably tongue in cheek) is a complete end to pool hopping, altogether.

I also think that sgtpet's comment was somewhat tongue in cheek. Definitely LOL at the 'scary clown face' reference. I thought something was wrong with me for thinking that clown face was scary... :D

[dvcdudes]

Nice shot "sgtpet".

I'm a bit disappointed but not surprised at the ending of pool hopping to SAB.

As far as BCV being king?????
I'll stay at BWV thank you very much. I'll stay in a One Bedroom Standard View and save 6-8 points per night. Now the consensus on the going value on points seems to be $10 each. The way I figure it.... If we go on our usual 5 night trip... thats a savings of $300-$400. WOW!!! That savings allows me to take my family of 4 and go to any of the REAL water parks about 2-3 times during our stay.
Here's another way to think of it. It saves me the cost of one 7 day hopper plus pass each stay. OKW'ers save even more points for their stays.
Oh and as far as I can tell from the pictures I've seen, standard view at BWV will be every bit as good as any view you could possibly get at BCV.
One more thing... Where is all the entertainment in that area? Last I checked it is on the boardwalk not on the walkway by the BC. BWV is still the premier location.
JMHO

[dvcdudes]

Don't get your feathers in a ruffle.... this is also tongue in cheek. Not that I don't feel that way about my "Home" but I think BCV will be every bit as beautiful. I look foward to trying them out one trip.

[AnnK]

Sgtpet,
You forgot to put OKW pools
or was it because they can't even compete with BCV and BWV ( scary clown and all?:D

[zillow]

I can only add that while all the rest of you are crowding around SAB or hopping over to Luna Park and crowding there to avoid the throngs at SAB, I will be relaxing in the shade of my wilderness retreat, lounging on a chaise, sipping a cool drink... I'm quite happy not to claim WVL as king above all - it is in my book and that's enough for me.

[sgtpet]

JohnHM and DVCdudes sensed where I was coming from. Just having a little fun since everybody gets so serious about which location is better.

Seriously, who cares. If you want SAB then buy into BCV or take chances at the 7 month window. Why would somebody want to pool hop to a location that is going to be more overcrowded than it can be today. I think I might even go over to the Poly pool for a change.

And for all our OKW fans your homes are much larger than the rest of the WDW DVC's. No slide though. Oh no not again...

[cswans]

It does sound a bit like the beginning of the end of pool-hopping, and that is sad as it was a nice selling perk.

[CarolA]

I will say this. I have stayed at YC/BC and I was actually fairly amazed by the number of pool hoppers! I can only assume they were all valid since the CM at the gate was checking IDs, but there are LOTS more than you might realize. And lots of the pool hoppers were big groups of 7 or 8 people coming over from OKW.
(I could hear the cast member talking to them as he checked their IDs.)

[PamOKW]

Carol -- I'm not sure when you saw the large groups of pool hoppers. One possible explanation is that the SAB pool was made available to BWV guests when they were working on their pool. Someone also recently posted that the heater at BWV was not working and folks went over to SAB instead. I'm not saying that it's possible there are large groups all the times, just wondering if you might have hit an unusual circumstance.

[baileybrad]

I prefer pool hopping Hilton Head style. One with a great slide and the other with a back drop much superior to any of the Orlando DVC properties.

[TheWho]

I would hate to be a DVC sales person trying to explain this "perk" to a perspective buyer.
Let's see........You can pool hop except for the following situations, AKL is off limits (the animals are still getting used to their surroundings) You can't pool hop to SAB (in part due to the locals or non-DVC resort guests illegally crashing) You can't pool hop during several peak times of the year. You can't pool hop if your a DVC member (who dropped big bucks) who is not staying at a DVC resort.

I'm not saying any of these restrictions are NOT needed, however, this has become a "perk" that carries a big asterick next to it. It probably is time to end the confusion and end it.

I still want to ban BCV from walking over to my BW pool. OKW and WLV folks are of course welcome.:D

[Uncleromulus]

From an OKW person--thanks!!
Say--maybe you folks at all the other DVC spots would want to take up a collection and help bring the main pool at OKW into the new millenium?? Would be no real need for me to hop anywhere then!!

[~Magical Princess~]

Sorry to say, but that's yet "another" reason why I haven't joined yet ... I only "rent" ...... :(

[invalid_char]

I can't see why anyone from BCV would ever pool hop to BWV, unless it was just one time out of sheer curiosity.

Even if it is a perk for BCVers to pool hop to Luna Park, I think it will be a perk that is very rarely exercised and certainly not often enough to concern anyone at BWV.

As Paul Newman once said (about his wife): "Why go out for hamburger when you can have steak at home?"

[CarolA]

By the way when I saw the pool hoppers it was August of 2001. (I think) All pools were open. My feeling is that a lot of them were from OKW. I based this on conversations I heard and the fact that I saw lots of people walking to their cars when they left the pool. My theory has always been that as DVC members we know we will be back so when it is HOT like it was that week, we head to the pools.

[PKS44]

I am confused.:confused: Why do some people want to see an end to Poolhopping? Why do others think this is the beginning of the end even if they don't want to see it end? Other than SAB with it's capacity issues is there really enough poolhopping to create any kind of issue to make Disney stop this selling point? I say no. IF SAB is out of the equation, the perk is a win win for everyone...The pools are paid for. There are many pools and probably few hoppers on any given day. Therefore they create minimal "extra" use of any pool and virtually no extra cost to Disney. They can tout this as a "perk" to sell DVC and it costs them nothing. Why end it? Where are all the "headaches?" What does Disney gain by ending it? (other than at SAB where BCV will increase capacity to the breaking point apparently most of the year--though when we were there on a busy October weekend SAB was nearly deserted...and I know rooms were hard to come by at YC BC and BWV at that time because I had tried to book them)
If they end poolhopping completely I will be shocked....and confused:confused:

[Tigger1]

I love the SAB pool but last trip I pool hopped to BWV, less crowded. I pool hopped for a quick swim while in the area.
The time it takes to go from one resort to another just to pool hop is too long. I would rather go to the water parks for the day.

It is neat to pool hop to different pools to also see the other hotels.

The poly and WL are nice pools too.

Tigger

[DVCajun]

When I was growing up we always pool hopped to the poly-- I have very fond memories of that pool.

I don't see them taking pool hopping away for good. If you make a big list like that, listing every pool separately, it does sound like a huge asterisk on our pool hopping privilege. However, if my memory serves me correctly, I was told that if capacity was an issue that resort guests would naturally have priority. That made sense to me (still does) and I was happy with that explanation. We are all on both sides of this issue at one point or another. I would be hugely peeved if I went to my pool and couldn't find a lounge because someone from another resort was pool hopping. Conversely, I can't in good conscience resent being restricted from someone else's pool if it's getting full.

[MaryAnnDVC]

I would at least like to see the problem of non-DVCers and non-Y/B club guests using SAB addressed first, before taking it away from DVCers. I've stayed at the Beach Club 3 times since 97, and BWV once since becoming a member last year and pool-hopped to SAB, and we were NEVER asked for identification.

[DVCajun]

Actually, that's true in my case too. We weren't approached at all. Of course, it wasn't busy either, so maybe that's why.