So do you think I should contact Mem. Satis. again?

[mjc2003]

You only quoted a small portion (up top) of my post. My point is, if their cruise line can do it successfully and not offend "little Billy's" parents, in fact they LOVE IT, then certainly the resorts can do it. What is your defense with that? Respectfully asking of course, in line with the discussion .

I'm not defending Disney's position, merely pointing out that it's a reality that won't change, IMO. The cruise line can do it because, like I said, it's in line with an industry norm. The competitive nature of the cruise industry means that Disney has to align itself with what the other big boys are doing. They don't have to do this at WDW, they call the shots.
They also know how to get people to return. They've determined that having adult only areas on the ships is a selling point. They've likewise determined that having adults only areas at the resorts is not a selling point (or else they'd have them in place already).
Of course some people would welcome such a change, some would not like it. Disney is not in the business of instituting polarizing rules. They want to say "No" as little as possible.

Yes, certainly the resorts "can" do it. But they won't. Disney's core constituency is the urban, median income family. Family being the key word. They are simply not going to make operating decisions that favors their non-core customers at the expense of their core customers. They WANT the whole family in the hot tub. That's my point.

 

[Jillpie]

I'm not defending Disney's position, merely pointing out that it's a reality that won't change, IMO. The cruise line can do it because, like I said, it's in line with an industry norm. The competitive nature of the cruise industry means that Disney has to align itself with what the other big boys are doing. They don't have to do this at WDW, they call the shots.
They also know how to get people to return. They've determined that having adult only areas on the ships is a selling point. They've likewise determined that having adults only areas at the resorts is not a selling point (or else they'd have them in place already).
Of course some people would welcome such a change, some would not like it. Disney is not in the business of instituting polarizing rules. They want to say "No" as little as possible.

Yes, certainly the resorts "can" do it. But they won't. Disney's core constituency is the urban, median income family. Family being the key word. They are simply not going to make operating decisions that favors their non-core customers at the expense of their core customers. They WANT the whole family in the hot tub. That's my point.

I appreciate your point of view. I believe that Disney however, does not stay stagnant. They DO listen to what people want, and they make changes all the time. For example, just recently the CEO stated that the number one complaint is the poor quality of coffee in their parks and resorts. They listened and are now making a huge (thank you Disney!) change for us to Starbucks. I know for a fact, they read these boards and do act on complaints, if there are enough of them. Like I said, there are three hot tubs at Stormalong Bay, if they made one all adult, the "Billy" family (I liked your example) can just go to the other two tubs, simple. Never say never, I say. They do listen.

 

[AmyB2006]

I'm not defending Disney's position, merely pointing out that it's a reality that won't change, IMO. The cruise line can do it because, like I said, it's in line with an industry norm. The competitive nature of the cruise industry means that Disney has to align itself with what the other big boys are doing. They don't have to do this at WDW, they call the shots.
They also know how to get people to return. They've determined that having adult only areas on the ships is a selling point. They've likewise determined that having adults only areas at the resorts is not a selling point (or else they'd have them in place already).
Of course some people would welcome such a change, some would not like it. Disney is not in the business of instituting polarizing rules. They want to say "No" as little as possible.

Yes, certainly the resorts "can" do it. But they won't. Disney's core constituency is the urban, median income family. Family being the key word. They are simply not going to make operating decisions that favors their non-core customers at the expense of their core customers. They WANT the whole family in the hot tub. That's my point.

I see your point, but what would one hot tub out of say 3 or 4 hurt? It's not like they'd be making all the hot tubs adults only, just one.

And I liken Aulani to a cruise ship honestly. Not like a regular Disney resort. Aulani is self contained and is only that resort. It's not like you have WDW that you're there for. When you go there you're going to experience the beach, pools, and hot tubs, and whatever other area attractions there might be.

I don't know. Of course we could "argue" this in circles, I just don't see why having one hot tub at Aulani would be a big deal. The other WDW resorts? Ok, I can see your point on those.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Lots of interesting comments since I last checked into my thread. I haven't heard back yet (second time) from Member Satisfaction, but I know I will likey hear from them on Monday. I do think this thread indicates how many adults here on the DIS/DVC board would appreciate an adults only hot tub at Aulani, and maybe the other resorts too. Last I checked this thread was running about 90% in favor.

If Disney is going to require under 14 year olds to be be accompanied by someone at least 14 for park admission, I'm thinking that could mean they would be open to change in hot tub policies.

Of course, for me it's a mute point, because I'm never going in one again!

 

[Sammie]

I see your point, but what would one hot tub out of say 3 or 4 hurt? It's not like they'd be making all the hot tubs adults only, just one.

And I liken Aulani to a cruise ship honestly. Not like a regular Disney resort. Aulani is self contained and is only that resort. It's not like you have WDW that you're there for. When you go there you're going to experience the beach, pools, and hot tubs, and whatever other area attractions there might be.

I don't know. Of course we could "argue" this in circles, I just don't see why having one hot tub at Aulani would be a big deal. The other WDW resorts? Ok, I can see your point on those.

I think definitely Aulani needs one and as to WDW resorts, if there is more than one on the resort property then yes one needs to be adult only and I see no problem with that.

However as I stated earlier, enforcement of that would be very hard. After what Diane is going through I can not for the life of me imagine why any adult would put a child in a public one.

If you google "how safe are public hot tubs", the comforters being gross is nothing compared to hot tubs.

 

[smidgy]

Just because I am in favor of "adults-only" does not mean I am looking for a vacation spot where publicly debaucherous behavior is the norm.

Being in favor of an adults only area is about parents that do not supervise their kids & let them use what is supposed to be a relaxing environment as a playground to say nothing of the inappropriateness of allowing children alone with strangers in a confined space. The children who sit properly while accompanied by an adult are not the issue (although I don't think it ever appropriate for diaper/toddler aged kids).

And then there are the health concerns... for both the kids and the other guests. Member Services should look at their policy (or lack thereof) from this perspective more closely.

And that's my opinion.

very well said! hot tubs, in general , are for adults.

 

[Dean]

very well said! hot tubs, in general , are for adults.

Most places limit them to 12 and above, I was thinking Disney did too.

 

[cseca]

I'm sorry to hear about your medical issue Diane. How miserable for you to come home from such an expensive vacation to this kind of problem

I do have a question tho ( sorry if it sounds stupid), but would this kind of medical problem apply to regular pool as well? Or is it only hot tub related?
I am totally a germaphobe and my skin is crawling just reading some of the posts on this thread.

 

[AmyB2006]

I think definitely Aulani needs one and as to WDW resorts, if there is more than one on the resort property then yes one needs to be adult only and I see no problem with that.

However as I stated earlier, enforcement of that would be very hard. After what Diane is going through I can not for the life of me imagine why any adult would put a child in a public one.

If you google "how safe are public hot tubs", the comforters being gross is nothing compared to hot tubs.

Enforcement would be hard yes. And I'm going to go throw up now. LOL Google is not your friend sometimes.

 

[CarolMN]

Most places limit them to 12 and above, I was thinking Disney did too.

I can't find any pictures of the signs right now, but I also thought that the signs posted near the hot tubs all say something about children and age limits.

But as you often post, Disney does not consistently enforce these things.

 

[mjc2003]

I appreciate your point of view. I believe that Disney however, does not stay stagnant. They DO listen to what people want, and they make changes all the time. For example, just recently the CEO stated that the number one complaint is the poor quality of coffee in their parks and resorts. They listened and are now making a huge (thank you Disney!) change for us to Starbucks. I know for a fact, they read these boards and do act on complaints, if there are enough of them. Like I said, there are three hot tubs at Stormalong Bay, if they made one all adult, the "Billy" family (I liked your example) can just go to the other two tubs, simple. Never say never, I say. They do listen.

I guess with the two adjacent ones at SAB, for example, they could make one for adults only. It wouldn't hurt, though the logistics might be an issue b/c you'd end up by default with a "kids" hot tub with all the parents 25 feet away. I don't ever see a resort at WDW with a standalone hot tub or pool that is dedicated to adults only.
I do agree that they are never stagnant, but the decision to switch to Starbucks was a business decision as much as anything else. I know they are very reactive to complaints, it's why they are so good at what they do. They believe in serving the customer. But I do also believe that they know who their primary customer is, and that will never change. Putting in place a rule that prohibits children from any area of their resorts is taking something away from their core customer base. That's why I don't see it happening. But you are right, you can never say never.

I see your point, but what would one hot tub out of say 3 or 4 hurt? It's not like they'd be making all the hot tubs adults only, just one.

And I liken Aulani to a cruise ship honestly. Not like a regular Disney resort. Aulani is self contained and is only that resort. It's not like you have WDW that you're there for. When you go there you're going to experience the beach, pools, and hot tubs, and whatever other area attractions there might be.

I don't know. Of course we could "argue" this in circles, I just don't see why having one hot tub at Aulani would be a big deal. The other WDW resorts? Ok, I can see your point on those.

I have not been to Aulani, but I think an argument could be made that an adults on area there would make some sense. But as somebody else mentioned, it was in the plans and was scrapped so clearly Disney didn't think it was a prudent course of action.

I think the underlying commonality to this discussion is that often kids are not properly "policed" by their own parents, and I don't think that issue is going to change.

 

[mjc2003]

I can't find any pictures of the signs right now, but I also thought that the signs posted near the hot tubs all say something about children and age limits.

But as you often post, Disney does not consistently enforce these things.

I'm pretty sure there is no posted age limit. I do think it says something about children being accompanied by an adult. I'm there in a few weeks, I'll be interested to see if the signage says anything. I know the hot tub at SAB next to the kid pool is always full of kids, but I also went in one time and it wasn't overly hot, so I asked the lifeguard if it was broken. He said no, just that they keep the temperature down a little because of the kids; so in that case, they are actually accommodating children.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think the underlying commonality to this discussion is that often kids are not properly "policed" by their own parents, and I don't think that issue is going to change.

Exactly, and THAT is the perfect argument for having ONE adults only hot tub at Aulani.

I can't find any pictures of the signs right now, but I also thought that the signs posted near the hot tubs all say something about children and age limits.

But as you often post, Disney does not consistently enforce these things.

Carol, I seem to recall that as well, but I have NEVER seen it enforced at all at WDW. I don't recall what the sign said at Aulani other than it had the official hours as 8 am to 10 pm.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I'm sorry to hear about your medical issue Diane. How miserable for you to come home from such an expensive vacation to this kind of problem

I do have a question tho ( sorry if it sounds stupid), but would this kind of medical problem apply to regular pool as well? Or is it only hot tub related?I am totally a germaphobe and my skin is crawling just reading some of the posts on this thread.

I was wondering this as well! Diane, thank you for pursuing this! Splashing, jumping kids and toddlers in hot tubs is my number one pet peeve at Disney. I am so sorry you acquired this infection. My plastic surgeon was adamant that I not go in a public hot tub after my breast reconstruction surgery after breast cancer treatment last year. He said he never goes in public hot tubs. I thought he was being ridiculous regarding himself. Now, not so much!

 

[Dean]

I do have a question tho ( sorry if it sounds stupid), but would this kind of medical problem apply to regular pool as well? Or is it only hot tub related?
I am totally a germaphobe and my skin is crawling just reading some of the posts on this thread.

It's mostly a hot tub issue due to the temp making it easier for certain bacteria to grow and jets blasting the skin and driving the bacteria into the pore's and micro cracks. There are similar issues that can come from the ocean and dirty fresh water but different organism's.

 

[lilpooh108]

I'm a cynic. I believe that Disney does not limit the hot tub to adults b/c:

(1) If they posted a sign, they're arguably liable for enforcing it. This costs more money b/c a CM would have to police the policy.

(2) If they posted a sign, they're arguably liable if a kid gets hurt. After all, they were concerned enough to not allow a child in to the hot tub in the first place.

They probably look at the number of incidents involving children in hot tubs on their property per year, their insurance coverage regarding accidents, and the probability of exposure v. costs of enforcement and decided to come out on the cheaper end = no restrictions.

This makes it incumbent on the parent to protect the child, rather than Disney.

 

[Sammie]

Here is video of the one at the Paddocks pool at SSR. No age except the one about children under 12 but there is a warning about small children. The sign is at 3:22 in the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Ci6QQBNUg

 

[MinnieGirl33]

deleted

 

[DonnaL]

We love to use a hot tub .....our own.... In all the years we've been DVC members I've only once used the hot tub at any resort....at the quiet pool at VWL...and that was before our hot tub service repairman told me about all the nasty stuff. He also services bath jetted tubs and they are even worse than hot tubs. He said he advises every one of his customers NOT to ever use a hotel/resort room jetted tub without making sure they sanitize it themselves. The water from jetted tubs never fully drains from the tubing from previous bathers and needs to be sanitized ..otherwise you are literally taking a bath with whomever used that tub before you. An acceptable way to do that is by using a cup or two of bleach in a filled tub and run the jets for at least 15 minutes to circulate the bleach water thru all the tubing. At least with hot tubs, they are sanitized and maintained on a regular basis with chemicals (or at least should be) however, especially in hot climates with the sun beating on those tubs for a good part of the day....those chemicals quickly lost their potency in the heated water...I know this from my own experiences with our hot tub. In the colder months our chemicals stay stable from one week to the next with minimal adjustments, but, in the summer when the hot tub is uncovered with full sun coverage it's not uncommon to need adjustments ... more bromine....on a daily basis. And, also... the more use it gets...meaning of course the bodies using it ....the more chemicals needed to maintain the sanitized level the tub should be. We also drain and refill ours more frequently (about once a month) in the warmer months simply because using more chemicals makes the water harsher. In the winter, we usually go about two months or even sometimes a little longer...depending on the usage it gets.

 

[miprender]

We love to use a hot tub .....our own.... In all the years we've been DVC members I've only once used the hot tub at any resort....at the quiet pool at VWL...and that was before our hot tub service repairman told me about all the nasty stuff. He also services bath jetted tubs and they are even worse than hot tubs. He said he advises every one of his customers NOT to ever use a hotel/resort room jetted tub without making sure they sanitize it themselves. The water from jetted tubs never fully drains from the tubing from previous bathers and needs to be sanitized ..otherwise you are literally taking a bath with whomever used that tub before you. An acceptable way to do that is by using a cup or two of bleach in a filled tub and run the jets for at least 15 minutes to circulate the bleach water thru all the tubing. At least with hot tubs, they are sanitized and maintained on a regular basis with chemicals (or at least should be) however, especially in hot climates with the sun beating on those tubs for a good part of the day....those chemicals quickly lost their potency in the heated water...I know this from my own experiences with our hot tub. In the colder months our chemicals stay stable from one week to the next with minimal adjustments, but, in the summer when the hot tub is uncovered with full sun coverage it's not uncommon to need adjustments ... more bromine....on a daily basis. And, also... the more use it gets...meaning of course the bodies using it ....the more chemicals needed to maintain the sanitized level the tub should be. We also drain and refill ours more frequently (about once a month) in the warmer months simply because using more chemicals makes the water harsher. In the winter, we usually go about two months or even sometimes a little longer...depending on the usage it gets.

I learned the hard way with those jetted tubs. When I was a teenager we stayed at a BestWestern. I thought it would be cool to take a bath in one until all black gooey stuff came shooting out from them I think I have been scared for life because I will never use one again

And Hot Tubs really gross me out... Dh uses them but I think I am going to tell him to stop