Balls at the pool?

[Dug720]

In January we were not allowed to use the go pro in the pool at AOA . I figured it was a rule and immediately put it away. The kids had it on a harness that was in no way interfering with anyone.

As it should be. The lifeguard is the final word at the pool. If they say to stop using something, you should obey, not go running to management to whine.

 

[Schucraig]

This has happened to our son as well. The lifeguard was very nice about it and gave him a softer ball that he was allowed to use. It seems the only ones that are really okay are the very soft foam balls that absorb water. I think the one he was using may have been the same little football your son had.

Thank you, I am glad your son was given another ball to use. The lifeguard that spoke to our boys was quite rude and gave little to no explanation. It all has to due with proper communication.

 

[Disneylover99]

The lifeguard that spoke to our boys was quite rude and gave little to no explanation. It all has to due with proper communication.

I know I've had to speak to a lifeguard on a few occasions. I believe they are instructed to not take their eyes off the area they're sweeping and just be direct in answering questions. So what maybe came across as rude to you, was just the lifeguard doing their job.

 

[Schucraig]

I know I've had to speak to a lifeguard on a few occasions. I believe they are instructed to not take their eyes off the area they're sweeping and just be direct in answering questions. So what maybe came across as rude to you, was just the lifeguard doing their job.

I totally agree with you if indeed she was doing her job. However, she was not scanning the pool. She was sitting in her chair chatting with a few adults. There were only a dozen people in the pool at the time. I am not going to go on about it. The few around us were shocked at what she had done. When it was her time to leave the few adults by her were all upset that they would have no one to chat with. The other lifeguard that came cleared the pool properly. She just up and left without sweeping the pool.

 

[AGRINTON]

Hard balls are banned from many pools. Our community pool does not allow them. Disney is correct in not allowing a hard football to be thrown around. Personally, I find it extremely inconsiderate to be throwing balls around in a pool filled with people. There are plenty of lawn areas at BW to throw a football. The pool is not a safe place to do that. People can get hit with a rogue ball and that's not cool.

Sorry your sons were embarrassed, but that is their issue. There is no reason to be embarrassed if they did not know they were doing anything wrong. There are rules in place and the lifeguards are responsible for the safety when of the pool area, not the front desk manager. The pool is the lifeguard's domain.

You sound like a boat load of fun!

 

[minnie mum]

You sound like a boat load of fun!

I think that was uncalled for. Safety has to be the lifeguards' first priority. The poster you quoted was quite correct in their posting. No need to make negative personal comments.

 

[hsmamato2]

this thread.... really??? I always figured if we're paying 2-300+ per night to swim in a pool for a while, they pretty much let guests enjoy themselves.... if no one is hitting others in the head with pool toys, or running around completely naked, then things should be ok(?) guess I was wrong..... and I say this thinking about both sides, my kids wanting to play,and my (middle aged) self wanting to not get hit with a (tiny) football..... OP I would have asked at the desk also, if the lifeguard behaved in a rude way. If it wasn't rude, I would just let it go- and move on to other games. It just seems wrong to have pp's call OP a 'whiner' to ask the question.....

 

[DisneyNurse19]

No, this is not a new rule. 19 years ago we also took a ball into the pool and were asked by a lifeguard if he could look at it. Luckily it was a soft tennis sized ball and all was ok.

 

[Boopuff]

Hard balls are banned from many pools. Our community pool does not allow them. Disney is correct in not allowing a hard football to be thrown around. Personally, I find it extremely inconsiderate to be throwing balls around in a pool filled with people. There are plenty of lawn areas at BW to throw a football. The pool is not a safe place to do that. People can get hit with a rogue ball and that's not cool.

This is one of my pet peeves at a pool! I just don't get why kids need to throw anything while others are relaxing in a pool!! Now op what would you have done/said if I had been hit with the ball? I just don't understand why your kids can't find a nice grassy area to throw a ball around. I go to a pool to cool off, swim, have fun. The problem really is if two kids are throwing a ball they are several feet apart. So essentially the area between them becomes unseable for other guests since it becomes a "hit-or-miss" area. You risk being hit with the ball if you get in-between the kids. So again why should 2 kids get tons of real estate while everyone else gets to dodge being hit?

 

[Dug720]

this thread.... really??? I always figured if we're paying 2-300+ per night to swim in a pool for a while, they pretty much let guests enjoy themselves.... if no one is hitting others in the head with pool toys, or running around completely naked, then things should be ok(?) guess I was wrong..... and I say this thinking about both sides, my kids wanting to play,and my (middle aged) self wanting to not get hit with a (tiny) football..... OP I would have asked at the desk also, if the lifeguard behaved in a rude way. If it wasn't rude, I would just let it go- and move on to other games. It just seems wrong to have pp's call OP a 'whiner' to ask the question.....

The "rudeness" wasn't addressed in the first thread. Just that her darling snowflakes were "embarrassed". And even taking the "rudeness" (I'm putting it in quotes since we don't KNOW that it was "rude" as much as she and her little dears didn't like what they were being told. Again, we don't know and are getting one side here, but I can imagine that she or the boys protested and the lifeguard got firm, which got perceived as being rude as can happen when we are upset or embarrassed about something we got called on) into account, if that were the true issue, why is it the rule that was questioned and not the lifeguard's "rudeness"? The OP claims she went to address the RULE and not the TREATMENT, so yes, that IMHO is whining. I'd be slightly more sympathetic if we'd gotten the whole story from the start AND the complaint to the front desk and management was about the "rudeness" rather than the rule.

 

[Fennella Brewer]

In January we were not allowed to use the go pro in the pool at AOA . I figured it was a rule and immediately put it away. The kids had it on a harness that was in no way interfering with anyone.

I can see a Go Pro being an issue with privacy of the other people in the pool. Not sure that I would like to have my fat toosh on youtube for all to see.

 

[Boopuff]

I can see a Go Pro being an issue with privacy of the other people in the pool. Not sure that I would like to have my fat toosh on youtube for all to see.

I can only imagine what a couple of "nice young men" would do with a video of my pooh-sized self floating around...

 

[DLgal]

This is one of my pet peeves at a pool! I just don't get why kids need to throw anything while others are relaxing in a pool!! Now op what would you have done/said if I had been hit with the ball? I just don't understand why your kids can't find a nice grassy area to throw a ball around. I go to a pool to cool off, swim, have fun. The problem really is if two kids are throwing a ball they are several feet apart. So essentially the area between them becomes unseable for other guests since it becomes a "hit-or-miss" area. You risk being hit with the ball if you get in-between the kids. So again why should 2 kids get tons of real estate while everyone else gets to dodge being hit?

I completely agree! I think it is rude and selfish behavior and it drives me crazy. I have two boys also, and they get very annoyed when people are playing catch in a pool and they have to avoid the entire zone they are taking up.

 

[Schucraig]

The "rudeness" wasn't addressed in the first thread. Just that her darling snowflakes were "embarrassed". And even taking the "rudeness" (I'm putting it in quotes since we don't KNOW that it was "rude" as much as she and her little dears didn't like what they were being told. Again, we don't know and are getting one side here, but I can imagine that she or the boys protested and the lifeguard got firm, which got perceived as being rude as can happen when we are upset or embarrassed about something we got called on) into account, if that were the true issue, why is it the rule that was questioned and not the lifeguard's "rudeness"? The OP claims she went to address the RULE and not the TREATMENT, so yes, that IMHO is whining. I'd be slightly more sympathetic if we'd gotten the whole story from the start AND the complaint to the front desk and management was about the "rudeness" rather than the rule.

Give me a break. This site is supposed to be used to share information and experiences. Not to bullying people.

 

[Dug720]

Give me a break. This site is supposed to be used to share information and experiences. Not to bulling people.

Not "bulling" (or "bullying"). Just stating the facts that without giving us all the information up front and when more was given that it still was not the rudeness (which should be addressed if indeed it was truly rude and not just that her kids were embarrassed) than the rule that was brought to the front desk CM's attention does come off as whining TO ME. Clearly there are some others who don't feel that way.

The lifeguard - who is in fact the boss at the pool - ruled the football could not be thrown. That should be the bottom line. If she truly was rude, THAT could be addressed with management.

 

[Deb & Bill]

this thread.... really??? I always figured if we're paying 2-300+ per night to swim in a pool for a while, they pretty much let guests enjoy themselves.... if no one is hitting others in the head with pool toys, or running around completely naked, then things should be ok(?) guess I was wrong..... and I say this thinking about both sides, my kids wanting to play,and my (middle aged) self wanting to not get hit with a (tiny) football..... OP I would have asked at the desk also, if the lifeguard behaved in a rude way. If it wasn't rude, I would just let it go- and move on to other games. It just seems wrong to have pp's call OP a 'whiner' to ask the question.....

The front desk has no jurisdiction at the pool. The lifeguards are the authority at the pool.

 

[maxiesmom]

The "rudeness" wasn't addressed in the first thread. Just that her darling snowflakes were "embarrassed". And even taking the "rudeness" (I'm putting it in quotes since we don't KNOW that it was "rude" as much as she and her little dears didn't like what they were being told. Again, we don't know and are getting one side here, but I can imagine that she or the boys protested and the lifeguard got firm, which got perceived as being rude as can happen when we are upset or embarrassed about something we got called on) into account, if that were the true issue, why is it the rule that was questioned and not the lifeguard's "rudeness"? The OP claims she went to address the RULE and not the TREATMENT, so yes, that IMHO is whining. I'd be slightly more sympathetic if we'd gotten the whole story from the start AND the complaint to the front desk and management was about the "rudeness" rather than the rule.

Wow, I don't think you need to be so rude and dismissive in your answers. To ask on the Disboard if others have run into the same thing is not, in my book, whining. Only the OP was at the pool and can testify to the attitude of the life guard. I'm not sure why you are so quick to think the OP is making things up.

 

[maxiesmom]

I completely agree! I think it is rude and selfish behavior and it drives me crazy. I have two boys also, and they get very annoyed when people are playing catch in a pool and they have to avoid the entire zone they are taking up.

No less rude than having to avoid kids that are splashing around or jumping in the pool. It is a public pool, we all don't own a certain section. The pools are large enough to move away if the actions of others bother you.

 

[hsmamato2]

IDK...as far as the gopro is concerned,about the privacy thing,isn't that just a camera that's waterproof? (i know,OT) but we have always had water safe cameras in the pools,and never had an issue. Again, obviously I am speaking from my own experiences(and I wouldn't want my tushie on someone youtube video either lol) but that seems very strange. Not to argue with anyone here,since none of us was there to see anything, but I honestly always felt so relaxed in Disney resort pools,a very different feeling from our local town (cheapo) pools with terrible rules and really unhappy lifeguards... That's why I wondered about it- I truly did always figure that Disney provided a unique and expensive resort experience,and didn't impose a lot of pool rules on guests. Maybe things are different now..possibly they're enforcing newer rules(?)

 

[HopperFan]

I was wondering if this ever happened to anyone else. As it has never happened to us at any other resort. It was a small 3" football that they sell at all stores here at Disney ........ I would like to let all of my Disboards friends know of this new policy.

This is not a new rule.

My kids are in their twenties and when they were very young there was zero pool toys allowed. Water wings and guest owned flotation devices were completely banned. If you need a flotation you HAD to use one of their life jackets. I remember using theirs for my DD and it was awkward for her because my kids all learned to swim via back bubbles. I remember when nerf and the fabric covered sponge balls were finally allowed. I remember when beach balls and noodles were allowed (I think that was about the time POP Century opened) and was so surprised since floats etc were not allowed.

Just because an item is sold at the resort doesn't mean it's for pool play. Could the lifeguard handled it better, sounds like it, but they absolutely have final word on all things in regard to the pools.

In January we were not allowed to use the go pro in the pool at AOA . I figured it was a rule and immediately put it away. The kids had it on a harness that was in no way interfering with anyone.

We always have a camera in pools and at water parks. I think what might have been the issue is the harness itself more than the camera.