Anyone concerned about the current pool situation at the resorts?

[beesly]

I was just on the phone for almost 2 hours and got through to the recreation department, got one of the very last Pool Patios at the GF the week of March 27 for our designated pool day. Quite relieved. Almost no inventory left. I'm preparing for lounge chair wars for the other days. At a deluxe. Unthinkable.

Glad you were able to get one the day you wanted for peace of mind! Hopefully the other days you’re there will be more like what @GADisneyDad14 described from a few days ago - doesn’t sound that bad at all!

 

[Dave006]

Almost no inventory left. I'm preparing for lounge chair wars for the other days. At a deluxe. Unthinkable.

I guess lounge chairs are the new toilet paper crisis (2020) items for March 2021.

The issue is they have reduced the number of loungers on the pool deck. So reduced capacity at the parks and and the resort pool.

Dave

 

[boltjames]

Very concerned. We rationalized going to Disney with all the limited offerings, especially shorter hours, by expecting to spend more time at the hotel and pool. I got a great PIN code deal at the BC months ago and it would be expensive to change hotels at this point. The quiet pool would be plan B but I would be pissed to be paying for a deluxe resort, even with a relatively great rate, and not be able to use their main ammenity.

I'm in a similar situation at the GF.

What we thought when we booked months ago: "The park is going to be at 35%! It'll be almost empty, its going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience! No lines! And the hotels too, it'll be quiet and we'll have the pools practically to ourselves! Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake will be so much fun with so many fewer boats on the water! Eat at any restaurant we we want, just walk right in!"

What the reality is going to be: "The park feels more crowded than ever because there aren't any parades or shows and there's nothing for people to do except walk around and wait on line for rides. The pools have multi-hour waits because people either don't want to be in the crowded parks or were just planning to stay by the pools from the start. The marinas are all closed and if you haven't booked a restaurant you'll eat at 10pm."

It's beginning to feel like I put 9,000 $1 dollar bills in a pile and am lighting it on fire.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Almost no inventory left. I'm preparing for lounge chair wars for the other days. At a deluxe. Unthinkable.

Ha! Yeah, as a frequent guest of places like Poly and YC, lounge chair wars is what I expect! Sort of normal at peak times pre COVID, in my opinion.

(glad you got your GF patio!)

 

[Brett Wyman]

March 11th at SAB. Doesn't look horrible, yet.

 

[B-Ride]

Not as concerned now that our kids are older. On our last trip I don't think we got them in the pools once. Of course it didn't help that it was raining almost constantly.

 

[MATTERHORN]

We were at OKW this past weekend. Around noon to 1pm everyday, they started one way in, one way out of the main pool with a waiting list. So if you want some pool time at the main attraction pool, you need to be there by 10am like we were. If you can't, you're pretty much stuck with the quiet pools until about 4pm, the list was gone! They had CM's roaming the pool area constantly to try and get chairs ready to seat people.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Very concerned. We rationalized going to Disney with all the limited offerings, especially shorter hours, by expecting to spend more time at the hotel and pool. I got a great PIN code deal at the BC months ago and it would be expensive to change hotels at this point. The quiet pool would be plan B but I would be pissed to be paying for a deluxe resort, even with a relatively great rate, and not be able to use their main ammenity.

It's easy to avoid, just have to get there early!!!

 

[amcnj]

Sounds like pools may become the next “rope drop” experience at WDW!

 

[Mazz519]

Only Matters to us if we are doing a resort only stay , we used to do one a year and always tried to stay at BCV, BWV or AKL..... if were doing parks and everything we hardly ever go in the pools , so it doesn't really matter

 

[boltjames]

It's easy to avoid, just have to get there early!!!

As the dad who used to have to get to the pool at 6AM at certain resorts in the Caribbean while the rest of his family slept until 9, this isn't the best answer.

 

[Dave006]

It really depends on when you go. It has been fairly quite until this last week when the bulk of the world is on Spring Break. Early just means 10 AM when a feature pool opens.

That gives you the lounger of your choice. Otherwise just get there by 2 PM before the afternoon surge hits.

Dave

 

[SL6827]

Did a resort only stay back in October at the Yacht Club. SAB was a ghost town all four days.

 

[cgattis]

It's beginning to feel like I put 9,000 $1 dollar bills in a pile and am lighting it on fire.

Well, if you did that, at least you’d get to roll around in them first.....

This sounds crappy to say, but you really never know what you’re going to get in terms of amenities anyway. Our first and only (not because of this, just $$) stay at the Poly, we’d booked a year out and got notified right before our trip that the volcano pool would be closed the whole time. They never guarantee any of that stuff will actually be available. Do I LIKE that? Noooo, particularly not at these prices. (Just saying it’s reality.) I say just go, hope it works out, and if you encounter something like that, go to the front desk and speak to a manager. Show them your pile of $$$ for context LOL and voice your displeasure. They will try to make it right somehow.

 

[boltjames]

Well, if you did that, at least you’d get to roll around in them first.....

This sounds crappy to say, but you really never know what you’re going to get in terms of amenities anyway. Our first and only (not because of this, just $$) stay at the Poly, we’d booked a year out and got notified right before our trip that the volcano pool would be closed the whole time. They never guarantee any of that stuff will actually be available. Do I LIKE that? Noooo, particularly not at these prices. (Just saying it’s reality.) I say just go, hope it works out, and if you encounter something like that, go to the front desk and speak to a manager. Show them your pile of $$$ for context LOL and voice your displeasure. They will try to make it right somehow.

Think I'm just going to bribe a pool attendant. Look, there are worse things going on, first world problems, I'll deal with it. Still....

 

[ADisneyQueen]

How does the pool waiting list work? Do they text me when there is room or do have to stand there?

 

[melbatoast]

Also, does anyone know how crowded the quiet pools at BC/YC have been? If we can't get into SAB I'm hoping to at least go to the quiet pool! We will be there everyday at opening, but we have 1 park day that we wanted to rest at the pool mid-day - not sure that will happen!

 

[MATTERHORN]

As the dad who used to have to get to the pool at 6AM at certain resorts in the Caribbean while the rest of his family slept until 9, this isn't the best answer.

Yep, it's not ideal and I don't love it, but it's really the only way. So off I go, every morning at 10am when the pool opens! At least we have until 10, in Mexico and Intl destinations, like you, I have to be up and down by 7am! This is a breeze compared to that. And they were enforcing it, you could not enter the pool gates all week until 9:50 ish!

 

[boltjames]

Yep, it's not ideal and I don't love it, but it's really the only way. So off I go, every morning at 10am when the pool opens! At least we have until 10, in Mexico and Intl destinations, like you, I have to be up and down by 7am! This is a breeze compared to that. And they were enforcing it, you could not enter the pool gates all week until 9:50 ish!

That’s great news! Thanks.

 

[Kelly Lowe]

Yikes! Yes, I’m concerned...we have a split stay planned for the first week of June...poly and Beach Club.