Any Salt Water Pools?

[SL6827]

Why did Disney make that one pool at the Poly salt water? Is a salt water pool better? Nicer? Pros vs. Cons?

 

[Lynne M]

Why did Disney make that one pool at the Poly salt water? Is a salt water pool better? Nicer? Pros vs. Cons?

There are advantages and disadvantages, this is a good overview.

Salt water chlorination

 

[AngiTN]

Why did Disney make that one pool at the Poly salt water? Is a salt water pool better? Nicer? Pros vs. Cons?

It's the newest constructed pool

Well, it was until they redid the one at the former WLV, which are now Boulder something Villas. That pool just opened a month or so back. No idea what they did with that one, maybe someone knows.

 

[SL6827]

It's the newest constructed pool

Well, it was until they redid the one at the former WLV, which are now Boulder something Villas. That pool just opened a month or so back. No idea what they did with that one, maybe someone knows.

So is it consider an upgrade then pool wise?

 

[AngiTN]

So is it consider an upgrade then pool wise?

Between traditional chlorine and salt water it's the newer technology in the world of pools

 

[Lynne M]

So is it consider an upgrade then pool wise?

For the guest? Not really, it's just a different method of chlorinating the pool. My guess is that Disney did it because it reduces the cost of maintaining the pool.

 

[NS8VN]

Most likely they did it for convenience, with the chlorine being produced onsite there is far less they need to transport and store. As far as being an upgrade, some people claim they can feel a difference and that the water feels 'softer'. I personally don't feel a difference, and just about every pool has salt in it anyway, but others swear they can tell.

I don't have any information on how WDW runs it, but it is possible that they are using an Australian-style unit that runs on higher voltage and higher salt levels. If so that would explain why people can more easily notice the salt than in a typical US salt pool.

 

[canadawithboys]

Thank you everyone for your replies and information!

A lot of people self-diagnose themselves with chlorine allergies, but such a thing is incredibly rare. While it is not impossible, I have had several people who claimed such an allergy swim in pools my company manages and had none of the side-effects they associate with chlorine. What typically causes discomfort and rashes are chloramines, which are the byproducts of chlorine reacting with contaminates. A strong chlorine smell indicates an abundance of chloramines and points to too little chlorine in a pool. It makes no difference what produced the chlorine, gas injection, solid or liquid forms of chlorine, or saltwater chlorine generators, once it is in the water chlorine is all the same. Pool water comfort is about properly balancing the water, assuring there is enough chlorine and the pH is properly controlled. There is also no such thing as a "saltwater filtration system", nor a pool that uses "no chemicals" that is open to the public in the US. All public pools MUST use an EPA approved sanitizer, either chlorine, bromine, or biguanide. Local codes dictate what those levels can be and they are regularly inspected and would be shut down if they are not kept within the guidelines. Cruise ships are a totally different situation than pools on land.

As was said above, most pools at WDW are bromine, though they can still be salt pools. The saltwater generator will produce chlorine which almost immediately reacts with the sodium bromide in the water to form bromine. Also the salt level in a saltwater pool in the US is 1/10th that of the ocean. They are about 2000-4000 PPM salt, most people can't even taste it. The ocean, on the other hand, is 35,000 ppm. So the experience is nothing like swimming in seawater.

Thank you so much for your info, I'm still learning about this all and I really appreciate any information I get! Your post actually gives me a bit of hope! I had never heard of a chlorine allergy until I went to ER after being in a hotel pool and immediately after getting out, I had a reaction that I had one year before (also at a hotel pool, but a different hotel) where my skin became red and blotchy with a rash, itchy, painful and tight. My legs swelled up that the skin on them looked like it was about to burst. :O By the next day, it was continuing to get worse and was extremely painful, swollen and sensitive.The doctor in ER said it was a chlorine allergy/sensitivity (he used both words) and said he also had one. He advised me never to go in a pool again because if I did it again, it could end up with it taking months to heal next time. He had apparently learned the hard way. The first pool it happened to me at one year earlier, they had the pool closed for cleaning and then reopened it and we went in right away. I wondered if it wasn't mixed properly or something. The second time (when I went to the hospital) was at a hotel as well... I don't know when they cleaned it but after the horrible reaction I had, I called the hotel to speak with the person in charge of treating the pool, so I could find out what chemicals they used. The gentleman I spoke with was extremely informative... I need to find the paper with the notes I took but he gave me the name of everything they use, etc. The doctor said saltwater pools weren't necessarily safe either, but when we went to AOA 4 years ago I was totally fine in the pool. Then again, I used to be fine in most pools I went in. I'm trying to figure out if I've just developed the allergy in recent years, or if it's only certain types of chlorine etc. Problem is, the effects of it were so awful that it scared me from ever wanting to try it again. However, the thought of taking my boys to DW and not being able to take them swimming makes me want to figure it out before I go. If I went in a saltwater pool here at home up to my ankles and watched for a reaction, then higher the next time, and so on. Then perhaps I would find that certain types of pools were fine and if I could find a DW resort that used the same chemicals, I would know that it was likely ok for me.
So sorry to anyone who read my last post and was bored to tears, lol ... it was much longer than planned. I do really appreciate all the replies because the thought of taking my boys to a DW resort with an amazing pool and not being able to go in (the little one would need an adult so he also couldn't go in) makes me super sad, and all the brainstorming is helping me to come up with some sort of plan.

 

[MJB87]

Are there any/many salt water pools at WDW? I read somewhere that Art of Animation's main pool is salt water. We stayed at AOA 4 years ago and loved it. I have recently developed a severe chlorine allergy/sensitivity, and I'm planning another trip to DW and hoping that either AOA's main pool is still saltwater and/or that other DW resorts are also using saltwater. I have not been able to find any recent info at all and I thought someone on here may know.
Thanks in advance!

This would be a great idea!

 

[buzznina]

We have own a pool for years and we noticed a big difference in the pool water when we converted over to a salt-chlorine generator. We no longer deal with dry skin and my DW and DDs have also mentioned that their hair doesn't feel stiff/brittle after swimming anymore.

 

[SL6827]

For the guest? Not really, it's just a different method of chlorinating the pool. My guess is that Disney did it because it reduces the cost of maintaining the pool.

Well it sounds like a possible win-win for Disney and the guest.

 

[bernina]

We just returned from Wilderness and the new pool appears to be salt water (salt water used to generate chlorine). There was very little smell and many swam with eyes open under water with no discomfort. There was also a slight salt taste when water splashed on my face.

We also noticed our suits were extremely faded after getting out of the pool/hot tub.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The oasis pool at the Poly had a distinctly salty taste so I assume it was a salt filtration system.

It might have just been the pool soup mixed with bodily fluids. Yuck.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We thought the new WL villas pool water tasted salty, too. We were there two weeks ago. It was definitely salt rather than bodily fluids. The pool didn't have very many people in it.

 

[Huff]

I'm not a chemist, I can only go by the smell, and the pool I was in didn't have that heavy chlorine smell.

A properly maintained pool will not smell like Chlorine. If it does its often not the Chlorine itself you are smelling. It is Chloromines which are the byproduct of biological pollutants and oils reacting with the chlorine. If properly balanced you won't smell it.