Please tell me about SAB

[WoodysRoundup]

Already in planning mode for our next trip and am considering trying for 2 nights at BC specifically for the use of SAB. Can anyone give me specifics? Is it as great as it looks? Will the kids be happy I booked us 2 nights there? Is it worth the hassle of another split stay for the experience? We walked by it last trip and it does look awesome! TIA!

[Hunclemarco]

From what i remember, SAB coveres about 3 acres. The bottom of the pool is all sand, and the sand can be kinda deep down, but it feels good. There are 2 slides, the main slide, and a smaller slide. There's a whirlpool in one section, a kiddie section, and a "lazy river" area. I'm sure there's more, but can't remember. There is a slideshow of the pool on www.tagrel.com. I have had some friends not go in because the pool was very crowded (we were there in August), but BCV has other pools as well.

[jade1]

We like it for a number of reasons. Being restricted-it never seems crowded to us, and we usually stay at spring break. They have a middle area they do games that gets very busy (in a good way) but you dont have to be in that area. Because it stretches so far, always seems to be areas with few or no people in it. Yes the chairs can fill up-but we much prefer the chairs on the beach anyway (always empty)-the sugar sand on our feet, watching the BW and the boats go by. We still have wrist bands and the beach is right by the slide anyway-so on occasion we will look and see no line and then go down. Cant beat the Cheeseburger and No Way Jose Sundae at Beaches and Cream-then step out the door and jump into SAB. Also the location in general can be a real advantage for saving time. We often have in our possession (one of us gets them around 11AM for everyone) FP's for TT and/or Soarin, and can enjoy the beach/SAB until the last moment when its time to leave. Same goes for an ADR at Japan for example.

Typical spring break of the beach/chairs from the slide:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/jademn/SP2008044-1.jpg

DD and friend from spring break as well-many areas are almost empty:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/jademn/SP2008030.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/jademn/SP2008029.jpg

[Tigger031266]

SAB is the best pool that I have ever been in but it appeals to certain groups. Little kids <8 love the sand island section. It is way great for them. You kind of have to be a pretty good swimmer to like the rest. The water slide is pretty good.

One favorite is a wirlpool part, that is really cool and I never seen a pool anywhere that has it. It kind of blows people and kids around in a circle. Very cool.

It is not as good as a water park by any stretch but it is very cool.

[Deb & Bill]

SAB is my least favorite pool. It's always crowded. There are some areas in the pool that are 8' deep with a very swift current (right near the so called lazy river - more like a fast little loop). I hate the sinking sands area. We were at BCV in May and June and I never went to SAB; instead I headed to the Dunes Cove pool at the villas.

If your children are small, you are going to have to watch them like hawks. They can easily get into the deep areas without knowing. Or, because the pool is so spread out, you can lose sight of them.

[Chim Chiminy]

SAB is our favorite pool.
We took a no parks trip and spent a lot of time here. My kids love the sandy bottom, lazy river, and the whirlpool section.
It was hard sometimes to get my dd to leave that section of the pool, she loved spinning round and round and round. DH and I thought it was fun too.

It is nice to just float along in the lazy river section with a pool noodle. At times a family of ducks would hop in and join us, which again the kids thought was great fun.

The only crowded time I saw was when they did pool games, it got a tad crowded in that area for bingo and Disney trivia.
We won both times, and really enjoyed it. They give out nice prizes too.
DD picked an iDog when we won Bingo, and DS got a nice light up Nerf basketball hoop set. I saw both at Target when we got back home, and they were not cheap prizes!

They also hold pool karaoke there and give out participation prizes for that. DD got a Toothtunes tooth brush.
The pool recreation staff is the best.

We thought it was worth doing a split stay, for the trip we stayed three days at BCV and then a few days at the BWV. We enjoyed our time at BCV so much more and were sad to leave.

[Jaaron2]

When we stay at the Beach Club (which is once or twice a year :rotfl2:) our kids spend half of vacation in the pool area (13,11,9. We go to the parks in the morning, spend the afternoon in the pool. We the head out to Dinner and either spend the evening at the Boardwalk or pool most days. Our kids wont let us stay anywhere else. We actuall had to do a split stay in August between BCVand BWV. While at BCV it was pool, pool, pool. While at BWV it was Community Hall all the time.

[jade1]

The only crowded time I saw was when they did pool games,.

Yep, and next time you see that area crowded, go look at the other bays and see how sparse it is (like my pics above). We actually like crowded at times, but having many open chairs on the beach is nice, and open areas to swim is also nice.

[jade1]

There are some areas in the pool that are 8' deep with a very swift current (right near the so called lazy river - more like a fast little loop).

Here is a pic of that-and yes be aware of it, another great addition of SAB. Obviously you don't go into this "separated" area if you cant swim, but at least you have another uncrowded area that is different from any WDW resort pools. Many of us like having a deep area to tread water and be away from little ones for a while. :thumbsup2

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/jademn/SP2008034.jpg

[Sammie]

It is a beautiful pool but not worth the move for 2 nights to me. Depending on when you are going it can and does get very crowded.

I think kids enjoy any pool with a slide and this one actually to me has the least desirable slide of all of them, due to the fact it was built on the other side of the walkway.

With people walking to Epcot, surrey bikes flying by, it is just too much congestion to really enjoy hoping out of the pool and going down the slide.

I would not move just to use SAB and you never know what the weather will be.

[helloconnie]

The crowds are also dependent on the time of year you travel. We stayed at the BC April 30-May 4 and the pool was never crowded. Our son (3 at the time) LOVED it! He mainly enjoyed playing in the sand play area that creates a zero entry just like the beach. The slide looked amazing but we did not get a chance to try it out. Hurricane Hanna's, the poolside dining area, serves the kids meals in a pail with shovel. This added to the delight of my son. The CMs were a lot of fun as well, shooting water at people as the floated by on tubes in the lazy river. Overall, we thought the pool area was pretty awesome.

[DenLo]

Here's a link to the Tagrel slideshow: http://www.tagrel.com/Tours/Flash/sab.shtml

I would recommend that if you do a split stay that BCV would be on the second half of the stay as the kids will want to go back to SAB and they might be disappointed to hear they can't.

[petbren]

Anyone know the hours of SAB?
We will be there the last week of August, wanted to try BCV, mostly due to SAB(home resort is BWV). Is it open at night too?

[crisi]

Its a very cool pool. We are planning on seeing if we can't move at seven months one of our next trips. But we have been avoiding it since the kids were old enough to independent swim. Its a great pool for small kids. Its a great pool for older kids. And its probably a great pool for the kids in between, but it gives me grey hair.

As was mentioned, there are places where you step off and its eight ft. deep and a current. You cannot see the slide entrance from the spot where the kids get out. You can't sit any one place and get a view of the entire pool. If you loose your kids here, it might take a while to find them in all the nooks and crannies. When we were there when our kids were little, the woman in the lounge chair next to us (well, next to our stuff) had lost her daughter for half an hour. There are lots of lifeguards, though, so its more of a comfort thing (IMHO) than a true safety thing.

[Jillpie]

As an adult, I LOVE this pool, and so do my teenagers! The thing that I love the most about it, are there are big alcoves where you can swim and get away from everyone. For those that say that this pool gets crowded, I have to disagree. Yes, there are parts that do get crowded, especially where they do the games. But the middle part (I swear, they made this part just for me, its in my signature), its just a slice of heaven. We go to this pool every single day of our trip, and enjoy it so much! I think its is definitely worth your reservation of two nights, for sure!!:thumbsup2

[dopeygirl76]

We are at BCV for our first stay there Nov 28- Dec 5 and SOOOO excited about SAB - there will be 9 of us (5 kids) and we are hoping to enjoy some pool time!!!

[queenie82]

Fascinating thread. It sounds lovely having some depth for a change. We had a stunning pool at the westin in maui but everywhere I stood up I was out of the water from the elbow up! Not really fun...

We are moving to spend our last night here because of the pool...I think it is worth the move. I mean unless you go to Disney twice a year or more I think a split stay is definitely justifiable.
I love the sound of the whirlpool.
The whole start and end of the slide is interesting. I never really thought about it (as I wandered by looking jealously over the fence).

I think one of the strongest messages from this though is that you should take your kids to lessons such that they can be reasonable swimmers. I had lessons from a very young age so although mum still watched like a hawk there was some confidence there.

OP...I think it is worth it if you love great pools!
Go the split stay!! :yay:

[Crystal_27]

We are trying to get into BCV for a couple nights in June, 2010 (when our 7-month window opens). SAB looks absolutely incredible!! :goodvibes

[jade1]

As an adult, I LOVE this pool, and so do my teenagers! The thing that I love the most about it, are there are big alcoves where you can swim and get away from everyone. For those that say that this pool gets crowded, I have to disagree. Yes, there are parts that do get crowded, especially where they do the games. But the middle part (I swear, they made this part just for me, its in my signature), its just a slice of heaven. We go to this pool every single day of our trip, and enjoy it so much! I think its is definitely worth your reservation of two nights, for sure!!:thumbsup2

I agree completely. If you stop by near the B&C area-it will appear packed many times. But unless you like it busy (many do), you have many more areas to find a chair (if you even want one), and many areas of the pool with hardly anyone in them.

[jade1]

Fascinating thread. It sounds lovely having some depth for a change. We had a stunning pool at the westin in maui but everywhere I stood up I was out of the water from the elbow up! Not really fun...

Yep, and the kids do grow up, and ours (as do we) love SAB for having some deep areas-its very hard to find in public pools these days.

[crisi]

I think one of the strongest messages from this though is that you should take your kids to lessons such that they can be reasonable swimmers. I had lessons from a very young age so although mum still watched like a hawk there was some confidence there.

My kids are strong swimmers - my parents live on a lake so we started swim lessons at two. That still doesn't raise me to the comfort level of having kids in that 'in between' age here unless I'm willing to trail them. Say six to ten or so.

Home for us is BWV. Starting around five, the kids could get in the pool themselves. (Before that, I pretty much had to be in the water with them - too deep and they lacked the common sense to keep enough energy to be able to swim back if they got out too far). I'd have a swimsuit on, and a book, and get a drink from the pool bar, and look up and be able to spot them. Or sit and chat with my husband. That sort of half an eye on the kids thing you do when they are that age. If you want to let your kids go free range, but you still want to be able to look up and spot check, SAB isn't a good pool - regardless of how strong they swim. Also, its pretty easy to get lost at SAB if you don't know it. Its easy to get a little turned around in there - and for pre-tweens, they could just have a hard time finding you and panic.

My kids are now ten and eleven, and now I don't have an issue with it.

[jade1]

My kids are now ten and eleven, and now I don't have an issue with it.

Great reply crisi. And that's the thing, time does fly by and the older ours got-the more they wanted SAB-not splashing up to there waist with a bunch of little kids, but room to stretch out and get away.

[toniosmom]

My son will be 6 when we travel to BCV for spring break 2011. At the age of 4-1/2, he can swim in water way over his head with no trouble. He will continue to swim between now and then, strengthening his skills with lessons and summer 2010 of almost-daily swimming. While I am currently comfortable with him in the water and I know his skills will improve between now and then, I'm starting to get a little concerned about SAB.

Should I be worried? :confused:

[crisi]

Great reply crisi. And that's the thing, time does fly by and the older ours got-the more they wanted SAB-not splashing up to there waist with a bunch of little kids, but room to stretch out and get away.

We are really looking forward to switching, if we can, for SAB. I know that at this age (and they'll be almost 11 and 12 by the time we go) they will LOVE it. And you have to let go sometime, right? (If we can't, there are other resorts - we've been BWV bound for a bit and want to stretch, I think my husband is still hoping BCV will be full and he'll get "stuck" at VAKL or WLV). And at this age yet - it isn't Typhoon Lagoon, but it might save us ONE day at a waterpark.

But I sure don't regret not having it available to them last year or the year before. I would have done a lot less relaxing. However, everyone is different, and I know there are a lot of DISers that would let their kids enjoy SAB a lot younger, and probably as many that think I'm nuts for letting them run around that pool barely supervised by me at ten.

[Sammie]

My son will be 6 when we travel to BCV for spring break 2011. At the age of 4-1/2, he can swim in water way over his head with no trouble. He will continue to swim between now and then, strengthening his skills with lessons and summer 2010 of almost-daily swimming. While I am currently comfortable with him in the water and I know his skills will improve between now and then, I'm starting to get a little concerned about SAB.

Should I be worried? :confused:

I would say the 8 foot swift current would be the area to be most cautious of. I would definitely make sure he knows this is way over his head and is very swift.

The other areas will be ok for his ability. It just a very large area and due to the design can not be watched from one place on the deck.

[crisi]

My son will be 6 when we travel to BCV for spring break 2011. At the age of 4-1/2, he can swim in water way over his head with no trouble. He will continue to swim between now and then, strengthening his skills with lessons and summer 2010 of almost-daily swimming. While I am currently comfortable with him in the water and I know his skills will improve between now and then, I'm starting to get a little concerned about SAB.

Should I be worried? :confused:

Really, it depends on how involved you want to be. At that age I really LIKED to sit back with a umbrella drink and just be able to WATCH kids from a chair. And you can do that at SAB, if you restrict your kids to the part of the pool where your chair is (and then move if they want to move).

But I have two to watch, and my son is definitely a free ranger....My daughter would have wanted to be on the sand bar at one end while my son wanted to be going down the slide at the other - can't see them both from one spot at SAB. And, while my son is a pretty responsible kid, by free ranger I mean that he'll go down the slide three times, get bored, look for me to tell me he's going somewhere else (I suspect not too hard) and then just disappear. And I'll find him chasing lizards somewhere. Or in the hottub. ("But I looked for you, Mom!") My daughter is much less of a free ranger, but much more of a ditz....she'll just get bored and wander.....

[Deb & Bill]

I would say the 8 foot swift current would be the area to be most cautious of. I would definitely make sure he knows this is way over his head and is very swift.

The other areas will be ok for his ability. It just a very large area and due to the design can not be watched from one place on the deck.

It is so easy to get caught up in this current and be in water over your head, even for an adult. I am 5'11" and nearly lost my footing as I was walking from the spot where persons in wheelchairs can enter the pool trying to get over to the hot tubs. I wasn't aware of this depth and current and was very concerned when I couldn't get my footing easily and quickly.

If your children have not been in this pool before, you need to walk around the pool with them, whether they are good swimmers or not, and point out areas where it gets deep fast and the current pulls you into the deep water. In the sinking sands area, it can be difficult to get your footing, so that area should be pointed out as well.

No matter the age of your children, you are responsible for them at this pool and not the lifeguards. And I know I am speaking to the choir here because the majority of you will watch your kids. Just make sure they know about some of the dangers of SAB.

[toniosmom]

Thank you all for the advice.....I feel better. He is at the age where I am not comfortable letting him go in the pool alone, so as long as I am with him, we should be fine. I'm really looking forward to it -- the photos I have seen look so inviting!

[JandD Mom]

I just returned last week. We are also BWV owners and love it there as our "home". Our stay at the BCV has not changed that. We are happy we tried BCV because of SAB, but probably won't stay there again. I think Crisi summed up the issues with the pool perfectly.

If you like to be able to keep tabs on your kids, it's just not possible. There are too many places they can go, and too many things they find to do (and too many people) that it's just not possible to sit on a lounge chair and watch them. Keep in mind also that the entrance to the waterslide is actually out of the pool area, across a walkway, toward the lake on the beach. The entry point is the closest pool to the BC. That is the most crowded area.

So to say you will keep your child in one area is unrealistic because (a) it does get very crowded, no matter when you go, and you are not guaranteed to find a chair in the area where your child will want to swim (for 6 of the days of our vacation the only place we could get chairs was on the Yacht Club side, by the sand pool where all the little kids played); (b) it's so large there is no way your kid will want to stay in one place. If they do, why go here?

So unless you plan on getting in the water with your child, or moving repeatedly, you'd better be comfortable having the child out of your sight if you use this pool. As I said before -- why go here if you plan on confining the child to one small area of the pool?

[Jillpie]

So unless you plan on getting in the water with your child, or moving repeatedly, you'd better be comfortable having the child out of your sight if you use this pool. As I said before -- why go here if you plan on confining the child to one small area of the pool?

I have to disagree here a little bit about the "confining" part. Well, if you want some relaxation time on the lounge chair, (nothing wrong with that) and your child wants to stay in the water, I would confine them to stay in the general area in front of me. That would just be my rule, no question. Then, we can explore together when we both get in the water. Thats half the fun at this pool, as there are so many places to go, but do it together! Now I have three teenagers now, but I can put myself back to those years in a second, and yes, as little kids, I would tell them they cannot go out of my sight while I'm not in the water with them. I was at SAB this past April, and I saw something that I will not soon forget and ended up reporting it to the lifeguard. As I entered the jacuzzi, I saw two very small children, about the ages of 4 and 5, ALL ALONE. They had the jacuzzi to themselves, it was going full blast. I looked all over the place for their parents, no where to be found. I got out of there, and found them in the main pool, oblivious of where the children were. I just couldn't believe the neglect. But I digress. SAB is a blast, but just stay with your kids in the pool, its fun!!

[liznboys]

Already in planning mode for our next trip and am considering trying for 2 nights at BC specifically for the use of SAB. Can anyone give me specifics? Is it as great as it looks? Will the kids be happy I booked us 2 nights there? Is it worth the hassle of another split stay for the experience? We walked by it last trip and it does look awesome! TIA!

Hi J! :)

We did the one night at BCV and enjoyed SAB over the two days we were there. It was wonderful!! I was worried about it being too big, too spread out, too dangerous, etc... But we didn't have any troubles.

We stayed together for the most part (a few times my dh took 1 or 2 one place while I took the others another place), and we all enjoyed the different areas. My older two are great swimmers and they loved the deep area. They would swim down to the bottom of the 8 feet. My younger two would wear their swim vests and just float along. It was great!

So yeah, we had no issues, we loved it, and can't wait to go back!! :)

[islandtimect]

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[BarrerasFamily]

SAB is wonderful!!! My 7 year old DD has begged me to book at BCV next October so she can use SAB. She loved everything from the slide to the whirlpool to the sandy pool area. We (my DW and I) liked it because it was all nicely contained in one area.