Disney to Close Pools Overnight

[Disney2013Girl]

If it's noise, they should say it's noise. They should also enforce their own noise regulations. Once again, because a few people/parents are unable to keep their children/themselves under control, the responsible ones have to suffer.

What about the noise of children/people running up and down the halls? The baby that's crying next door? The people stomping above you?

It's honestly a shame, assuming it's true.

 

[Princess Katherine]

This is great. People are trying to sleep. Although I have never encountered this problem at CR or the Poly.

Katie

 

[ParrotBill]

Disney's policy for leisure pools has always been open 24 hours. The sign at BCV and some others are there so they CAN close them if needed especially if excessive noise is happening.

I had a specific discussion with the front desk about this when I was there at BCV in August.

If this comes true, and they fence all the pools, put locks on them and staff with lifeguards, it is a outrageous reaction to one or two pool incidents in several years considering the thousands who use the pools safely every day. What next is the hours will be shorter and shorter. Like at other hotels whose pools close at sunset. The labor cost for even more lifeguards will be drive shorter hours. They will need 7 or 8 people to staff each leisure pool each day! Lifeguards can only attend a pool for about an hour at a time, trading off in regular intervals. Watch them sometime. Disney has a custom developed lifeguard training program and policies for handling the lifeguarded pools that far exceeds Red Cross standards.

If they fence these pools and lock them off then
- we will lose access to laundry facilities too at many of the resorts
- we will have to walk far around to get to some areas where the pool is not designed to be fenced. All the people who walk through the BCV pool will have to walk through the halls, bringing that noise into the halls.

Noise is not the reason. Noise in the halls is just as bad, and you should ask for a different view to begin with if you do not like pool noise.

Ugh. Other parents' negligence is the root cause if this happens.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Disney's policy for leisure pools has always been open 24 hours. The sign at BCV and some others are there so they CAN close them if needed especially if excessive noise is happening.....

Actually, even the leisure pools have posted hours on the signs at the pools. It's just that if a guest was swimming quietly, there wouldn't be a problem. And if they were not being quiet, the resort had a reason to kick them out of the pool.

The fencing of the pools is probably based on FL state law governing public pools. I think FL regulations also require posted pool hours. So maybe Disney is going to follow the rules they post.

 

[bookgirl]

I don't have a problem with that rule.

Yes it is a bummer, but it's probably safer because while I know that EVERYONE on this board is oh so safe and ALWAYS keeps their kids quiet and in eyesight, and NEVER drinks while at the pool, that's not the way of the whole world.

Sometimes rules are there to keep people safe from themselves and while it stinks those who don't need the rules sometimes have to obey them anyway.

 

[lbv7]

I am not sure why some people are getting so excited about something that may or may not happen.
Nothing has been announced by Disney.
This info comes from a blogger who has no official ties to Disney, and most probably has heard this from a Cast Member. If every comment or rumor spoken by a Cast Member (most of which are not true) would be posted on these boards there would be mass panic.
Just relax and wait to see if this is true or not.

 

[ilovemk76]

Great, another simple joy of life (swimming at night with hardly a soul around) taken away in the interest of "safety". I wish they would just wrap us up in bubble wrap already and place chips in our arms so that they can monitor us every second of the day so that we will all be safe.

Thank the people who sue over an injury of their own doing and the juries who think that corporations have unlimited money.

Some injuries are complete accidents. That is tragic but it does not mean you get a financial windfall.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't have a problem with that rule.

Yes it is a bummer, but it's probably safer because while I know that EVERYONE on this board is oh so safe and ALWAYS keeps their kids quiet and in eyesight, and NEVER drinks while at the pool, that's not the way of the whole world.

Sometimes rules are there to keep people safe from themselves and while it stinks those who don't need the rules sometimes have to obey them anyway.

I think if people are inconsiderate enough that they make noise in the pool at night, they will also just climb over the fence to swim.

 

[OurBigTrip]

The owner of the private property that is WDW. It's their sandbox and THEY get to impose whatever rules they like. YOU are free to go on vacation elsewhere if you don't like their rules.

This. Their property, their rules.

 

[gogo]

Thank the people who sue over an injury of their own doing and the juries who think that corporations have unlimited money.

Some injuries are complete accidents. That is tragic but it does not mean you get a financial windfall.

Don't want to get too off topic, but most times if you sue and it is your fault, you won't get a windfall. Sure, there are examples of people suing for ridiculous reasons but I'd bet more times than not they get nothing.

 

[Shaden]

This. Their property, their rules.

No one is debating Disney's ability to make rules, this is probably the worst response on this thread.

We are debating the value of the rules they decide to make, and their potential impact on our vacations, and perhaps our decisions to stay on property or not.

Seriously, worst possible response on the thread.

Disney could also choose to fill in, and cement over all their pools, they can do whatever they want, that is not the point here.

 

[OurBigTrip]

No one is debating Disney's ability to make rules, this is probably the worst response on this thread.

We are debating the value of the rules they decide to make, and their potential impact on our vacations, and perhaps our decisions to stay on property or not.

Seriously, worst possible response on the thread.

Disney could also choose to fill in, and cement over all their pools, they can do whatever they want, that is not the point here.

And all of the debating and complaining will change nothing, if this is in fact what Disney has decided to do.

What is the big draw of swimming late at night, after the pools are supposedly closed? Fewer people. Of those people, I doubt that the majority will choose to stay off-site due to this...a blip to Disney.

If it's a deal breaker for someone, then there are plenty of great off-site resorts nearby, and people should avail themselves of those accommodations, if they feel it will make for a better vacation.

We also enjoy late night swims, but not being able to is a non-issue for our family. 30 minutes a day isn't going to make or break our vacation, but YMMV.

 

[manning]

This is absolutely dumb, no more post fireworks swimming ?

I get what their mentality is I imagine, trying to limit liability, but its individual responsibility at play. If you know there are no lifeguards on duty, then its your responsibility, pure and simple.

And I think the accidents they have had in the pools have all taken place WITH lifeguards on duty ... I just don't get this decision. Another aspect Disney may be changing in a way we wont like, and we just fell in love with this place in the last couple years

Try telling that to someone who would sue for any reason.

 

[Nature Mom]

I really hope this rumor doesn't come to pass. Yes, I understand about the safety issues and noise level (that's why I would never book a pool view), but one thing that helps my decision on which resort we book at is pool and hot tub access at night. I have lupus and the wear and tear on my body at the park is only relieved by nightly aqua-aerobics and stretching in the pool and some time in the hot tub before bed. As much as I love being on property, not being able to take a dip at night would make me strongly consider staying off property.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I honestly thought that the pools closed at 11:00 anyway. It won't effect us, but I hate it for those that it will. Maybe it won't happen.

 

[TDC Nala]

Just like with the mugs. If the CM's would enforce the policy, there would be no need to spend all that $$$ on the new "chip" system. I guess WDW doesn't like their CM's to say anything negative to guests......

and they would also have to pay labor costs for at least one CM to stand guard over each pool for the entire night and turn guests away. If they're really going to do this, then fences are cheaper.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I'm glad. The boy that drowned at POP was 13 and there was no lifeguard and his family was present. This could be any family. The cruise ship was not lifeguarded and a child near drowned and is still trying to recover.

I think this is a good move. Lifeguarded pools are one big reason I will choose Disney over an off site resort.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm glad. The boy that drowned at POP was 13 and there was no lifeguard and his family was present. This could be any family. The cruise ship was not lifeguarded and a child near drowned and is still trying to recover.

I think this is a good move. Lifeguarded pools are one big reason I will choose Disney over an off site resort.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Lifeguards can't watch every single person all of the time. If a parent can't keep their eyes on a child when they only have one or two to watch, you can't guarantee a lifeguard would have noticed anything when they have a pool full of kids to try and watch.

Lifeguards are great back up to parental supervision. But they should be treated as back up. Not as I'm Going to Let My Children Loose And Rely On Someone Else to Care For Them.

The only way to 100% guarantee you won't drown is to stay out of the water.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

How does a 13 year old boy die in a 4 foot pool with everyone around him? I don't get it.

I can't figure this either. The only thing is a drowning person does not make noise or look like what we see in the movies so no one noticed. How a 13 year old in shallow water drown I can't figure out either.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[rock_doctor]

If you really take note the newer resorts already have a fence around the pool. BLT, AoA and so on all have fences so i am not surprised. This way if somebody drowns or gets hurt Disney can say they made a reasonable attempt to keep the person out of the pool and in fact the person was trespassing. It gives them much greater control over the pools, of which they don't really have at this moment. I am ok with it.