Best Kiddie Pool?

[MBIJ]

Anyone have thoughts on what they believe to be the best kiddie pool at a DVC (or other on-site) property? How is the kiddie pool/playground situation at OKW?

 

[KNWVIKING]

CSR has a great pool area for kids. OKW is average.

 

[baileybrad]

I think that you are being way to kind to OKW calling their kiddie area average. I would say that VB though not on site has a great kiddie area even though there is actually no "pool", the Pirate Ship is firstrate.

 

[wdwendyd]

The very best kid's area is at BCV at Stormalong Bay. There is a large area with a sand beach and sand bottom where the water never gets deeper than a foot and a half. I am looking forward to having grandkids just so I can take them to this pool!

 

[KNWVIKING]

... I went with CSR because you can pool hop to it. I gave OKW an "average" because I have seen a lot of kids playing in the sand box area,so I guess it's not a total waste.

 

[MBIJ]

Thanks for the thoughts. We've been to SAB, and found that that was great, but I should have been more specific. We are staying at OKW and know that we can't hop to SAB, so I was wondering about other locations. Is CSR probably the best of the pools we can hop to? How is the kiddie area at BWV or the Poly?

 

[colleen costello]

I give OKW a big "thumbs down" for their kiddie area for personal reasons. We were there this July 4th and I sent DH and the kids to the main pool. I stayed behind to do laundry. DH was resting on a lounge chair and not watching the kids (8 and 4) too closely. My daughter was off a bit behind him and began climbing the little sand-looking sculptures. She evidently slipped down one and smacked her head. My husband and other parents ran to her, and a Mom who saw it said Erin did NOT lose consciousness, but the whole scene was awful. Erin slept a lot and felt like throwing up, and I struggled not to get hysterical and rush her to some icky ER.

Moral of this story? This place needs some soft sand, a decent slide, and a LIFEGUARD to tell little kids to quit climbing when Mom is off doing laundry and Dad is dozing! We avoided the main pool for the rest of our trip! OKW is a beautiful, peaceful place but the lack of lifeguard really bugs me. I think every resort should offer a guard at ONE of the pools.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It is not the lifeguards job to babysit your children. Your husband screwed up royally by not watching your daughter. Even if there was a lifeguard there, it would not have been their responsibility. There's not enough lifeguards at WDW to watch all the kids when their parents are not watching them. OKW and the cast members there were not at fault.

 

[sandieb]

My grandkids like swimming no matter what the pool is like. For a really terrific time, try a morning at Typ[hoon Lagoon. They have a wonderful children's area.
Sandie

 

[baileybrad]

I am sure that Colleen appreciates D&B pointing out the obvious that it was not Disney's fault that her child fell on those useless sculptures. I am sure that "Mr.C" knows that he screwed up. But the matter at hand is that the OKW main pool offers nothing special in the way making its pool area anything even close to DVC level quality compared to all of its other resorts.

Not sure how old your little ones are MBIJ but the volcano and its associated slide at the Poly is neat. It is also a zero entry level pool. The Boardwalk has that great slide and there are some little metal vehicles with a bit of a spray area that is rubber padded for the little ones.

 

[colleen costello]

Thanks, BaileyBrad! OF COURSE we know lifeguards are not there to "babysit." I simply meant that parents appreciate a lifeguard for the inevitable times that accidents occur. Most parents willl admit to a time where they "looked away for a second" and an accident occured with a small child. For these scary moments, having someone trained in first aid is a blessing.

 

[spiceycat]

I think that OKW has some one trained in first aid - just ask at the the Community hall if you have a problem in the future.

For children under the age of 8 - POFQ has a water dragon (serpent or something) that is great for that age group. they have a lifeguard - but this slide is slow - it is the only one that the parent can go down with the child - this slide is really tame but for the younger children it is great. Your older children would be bore here - not exciting.

for the 9 and up - then I agreed with the above - CRS has a great slide better than the ones at the deluxes.