8am pool stalkers

[Juls]

Am in HH right now, looking off my balcony over the pool at all the tables and chairs there "saved" by someones towel or belongings. But amazed that there are no actual people in the pool or sitting in these saved chairs. That really burns my butt, I dont want to have to get up at 7:30am just to get a chair at the pool Thats too much work for me to do on vacation, lol

 

[LIFERBABE]

What a lovely view!! Loved sitting on my huge balcony at HHI last year!!

You should call the front desk and drop a dime on them!

 

[dvcsully]

I was at HH last August for 8 days. We never had any trouble finding a place to sit and hang out at either pool. There were 10 of us. If someone feels the need to place a claim on pool chairs at 8am, let them. You will be able to find a place to sit and enjoy. You are on vacation, at a beautiful place. Don't let the actions of others ruin your trip.

 

[kmk1180]

Sorry but if it were me, when I went to the pool and all the chairs were taken but no one was in them, I'd move the stuff to one chair and
sit down.
if they complain to you...say sorry no one was here so i figured
someone forgot or lost their things, their stuff is right there.
then go back to relaxing.
If they have a problem with that, then let them go to the desk and try to explain how they expected to keep all the chairs for themselves while they were not there.
My guess is HH would be on your side and tell them they can't reserve chairs if they aren't using them.

 

[gracelrm]

I wonder if you could ask the pool staff to remove the "saved" towels by explaining that they have been at a chair or table for xxx minutes or hours without a person being near them. I'm such a chicken and try to avoid conflict - I'd rather say to a person that wanted to confront me about taking "their" seat that the pool attendant/life guard cleared towels from unoccupied seats.

 

[purpliequeen]

lol This thread reminds me of my university. Despite the many libraries on campus, the popular ones fill up quickly (usually right up at opening). If it's around prelims or finals, people (I've done it too lol) will hoard their seat. We have signs on every desk/table service stating that people have the right to remove other people's belongings from a space if he/she is gone for more than 20 min. I've never seen this happen though, and I know some people will leave their stuff on a table and go grab dinner with friends.

Personally, if beach chairs are available, I'd just ignore the "claimed ones." It's not worth the frustration getting all worked up over it. I get enough knots from the stresses of everyday life. These people are probably even more stressed out and most probably have high blood pressure as a result. It's not worth it ruining your vacation. However, if it is a hard time to find the beach chairs that you are specifically looking for (i.e. close to the pool/in the shade/etc.), then I would call the hotel's operator or alert some lifeguards and just let them know what's up. You could also follow my university's 20 min policy, although I personally think it's better (and less work) letting someone else confront the people. I mean, you are on vacation after all!

 

[jstarcze]

Being new to DVC, I've been reading the rules and it seems to me that I read somewhere that "saving" chairs is not allowed when the parties involved are not in the pool area. I realize that it may have become common practice or a rule with little enforcement, but I would hope that the front desk would support your use of these "saved" chairs when those who saved them are no where to be found for a long period of time.

 

[rentayenta]

I am an admitted and proud pool chair stalker. I will gladly haul my cookies up at 7:00 to get a great spot and chairs. I also use my pool chair all day long unless I am at the pool bar (if applicable) or taking a quick dip. All is fair when you need a pool chair! I wouldn't dream of moving someone's stuff. What if they accused you of taking or breaking something?
It's less hassle to just go save your own chair.

 

[buzz5985]

Am in HH right now, looking off my balcony over the pool at all the tables and chairs there "saved" by someones towel or belongings. But amazed that there are no actual people in the pool or sitting in these saved chairs. That really burns my butt, I dont want to have to get up at 7:30am just to get a chair at the pool Thats too much work for me to do on vacation, lol

Ohhhh. That could be fun. You have any young children?? LOL You can send them down and move the towels around.

If there is just a towel - it's fair game. I look at it as someone was too lazy to bring the towel to the dirty towel barrel.

Doesn't HHI still have the striped towel?? And you need to turn one in - in order to get another?? Or did that stop?? That was the policy last summer. Made a big difference with the towel people.

 

[Claire L]

Oh no looks like the Germans have invaded HH

This happens all the time in European resorts and it is often the Germans who do this, although I am sure other nationalities also do it!

As has been said remove the towels or ask the pool attendents to, as it is clearly not in DVC rules, which is why we like DVC

Claire

 

[WiscBill]

I wonder if you could ask the pool staff to remove the "saved" towels by explaining that they have been at a chair or table for xxx minutes or hours without a person being near them. I'm such a chicken and try to avoid conflict - I'd rather say to a person that wanted to confront me about taking "their" seat that the pool attendant/life guard cleared towels from unoccupied seats.

It is a problem. I remember being at Vero Beach a few years ago and whenever we went down to the pool there would be a table with a cooler dropped on it and 3 chairs with towels.Never saw anyone actually sit in the chairs or use the cooler till the last day.

However at BWV, the bar staff does keep an eye on the chairs and will remove towels and articles after about a hour if no one is using the chair. I saw that happen a couple of times. Not surprisingly, the people never showed up that I saw.

 

[RLRDA]

I am an admitted and proud pool chair stalker. I will gladly haul my cookies up at 7:00 to get a great spot and chairs. I also use my pool chair all day long unless I am at the pool bar (if applicable) or taking a quick dip. All is fair when you need a pool chair! I wouldn't dream of moving someone's stuff. What if they accused you of taking or breaking something?
It's less hassle to just go save your own chair.

These are the magic words (bold)! You actually use your chair even though you got up early to "claim" it. It sounds like there are plenty of others who just drop resort towels on chairs (not their own possessions) in hopes that they've "reserved" a chair for whenever they feel like using it much later in the day - if at all.

 

[LIFERBABE]

this reminds me of Vegas (on a much smaller scale) at MBay. We get up early to go the pool and people had already claimed all the chairs with magazines and flip flops. Not even a pair they put 1 shoe on each chair. We could not even find a place to eat our lunch! Finally after watching a row of chairs with nothing but a flop in them for 2 hours, i politely removed the flop so I could sit down and eat our lunch. The young girl watching the row of chairs spoke up and I told her I would move if the occupant returned. Since we had been there since opening, no one sat in that row of chairs but her.
Finally a little after noon, the "adults" showed up, fully dressed, raving about the brunch they enjoyed. They decided they were not going to swim afterall! I felt bad the young "saver" who did not get to swim and spent her morning watching these chairs.

I was more angry at myself for not moving the shoe earlier. I paid for my vacation and why should a shoe have a place to sit when I dont?
I refuse to stay there again because the pool chair saving is out of control.

And my advice is to not leave anything in a chair unattended that you may want. You could lose more than your chair

 

[Chuck S]

I've read threads about the pool chair thing, someone even mentioned it was pretty bad at OKW. I don't know if we've been lucky, or maybe because we usually travel in early June and then in the Nov/Dec/Jan timeframe, but I've never seen this problem. People did leave a towel to claim a chair, if they were actually in the pool, but I've never seen the pool areas deserted with towels on the chairs.

 

[Dean]

Am in HH right now, looking off my balcony over the pool at all the tables and chairs there "saved" by someones towel or belongings. But amazed that there are no actual people in the pool or sitting in these saved chairs. That really burns my butt, I dont want to have to get up at 7:30am just to get a chair at the pool Thats too much work for me to do on vacation, lol

It sounds like you should borrow my super soaker given your vantage point. Always take the high ground when using a squirt gun. Just ask someone or move the towels yourself and give them to a CM if you're confident they haven't been there in a couple of hours.

 

[CarolA]

Am in HH right now, looking off my balcony over the pool at all the tables and chairs there "saved" by someones towel or belongings. But amazed that there are no actual people in the pool or sitting in these saved chairs. That really burns my butt, I dont want to have to get up at 7:30am just to get a chair at the pool Thats too much work for me to do on vacation, lol

Take a picture.

Haul the camera to the front desk!

Ask for a manager. COMPLAIN LOUDLY!

Seriously, posting on here, nice but no cigar!

Nothing will change if you don't make them aware of your dissatisfaction!

 

[Deb & Bill]

It sounds like you should borrow my super soaker given your vantage point. Always take the high ground when using a squirt gun. Just ask someone or move the towels yourself and give them to a CM if you're confident they haven't been there in a couple of hours.

Ooooh, I like that idea, Dean. You could soak their towels so that when they finally get there, the towels will be soaked. And when they finally get there, you could cool them off from above.

 

[smr33]

I admit that when we are in HH, at least one member of our party (usually me, the mom) gets up early, grabs a cup of coffee and a book, and sits down at a pool table to reserve it for the rest of us when we show up as we wake up. I don't think it's a terrible thing to do. At least a few of us remain at the table throughout the day. If we decide to go somewhere else, like the beach, we clean up all our stuff and leave the table open for someone else to use.

We had rooms overlooking the pool last year and LOVED it. We were worried it would be too noisy, but found it very convenient for keeping an eye on kids down at the pool when making dinner or taking showers, etc. I am actually hoping we get the same rooms this year when we go in August!

 

[DVC-Don]

Once a couple of years ago there were quite a bit of "saved" chairs at the WL main pool early in the AM. I watched a life guard come and take every towel away. I cheered, he waved.

 

[Starr W.]

I admit that when we are in HH, at least one member of our party (usually me, the mom) gets up early, grabs a cup of coffee and a book, and sits down at a pool table to reserve it for the rest of us when we show up as we wake up. I don't think it's a terrible thing to do. At least a few of us remain at the table throughout the day. If we decide to go somewhere else, like the beach, we clean up all our stuff and leave the table open for someone else to use.

We had rooms overlooking the pool last year and LOVED it. We were worried it would be too noisy, but found it very convenient for keeping an eye on kids down at the pool when making dinner or taking showers, etc. I am actually hoping we get the same rooms this year when we go in August!

We do the samething, but it's DH who goes down with the coffee and WSJ. We also are at the table for a good chunk of the day, as I usually sit and read or do my needlepoint.