Best pool for toddler and preschooler

[Mrspeaks]

Hi,
We are planning a trip in September and will be using the pool several times. What is the best resort in terms of a toddler friendly pool? Would like a baby pool/splash pad/ zero entry if possible. We are open to different price levels.

 

[Babsy]

WE like CBR at the moderate price level. REALLY nice pool and play area. YC/BC has a sandy toddler area at Storm Along Bay. The pools at the GF and Poly are also great with a toddler (zero entry). Good splash and play areas also at the GF and Poly.

 

[LSLS]

The most fun ours has had was at the Beach/Yacht, specifically the area with all of the sand. She also liked the POR, but I think she just liked the swimming in general (she loved having the vest on so she could swim on her own).

 

[Dis703]

Of the resorts we've stayed at (POFQ, CBR, BWI, Pop and BC) CBR definitely had the coolest pool area for little ones. They have a shallow splash zone area with a pirate ship playground of sorts in the middle with slides and other things. It has a huge bucket on the top that fills with water and splashes down every so often as well. Our kids loved it.

 

[dansdad]

I would have to say CBR.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

POFQ's pool has that dragon!

 

[TravelingTotMom]

DS (almost 2) loves the Nemo-themed splash pad at AoA. They also have a zero entry pool.

 

[Kevin355]

CBR has a zero entry pool, real close to the food court, and has a great play area for kids.

 

[DSLRuser]

storm along bay sand castle pool. A great big pool with knee deep water, and a large sand bar right in the middle. It is the PERFECT toddler pool.

 

[tobikaye]

I do not have personal experience, but my cousin's 3 year old twins had a blast at Poly. The one twin kept asking if they could go back next week when telling me about the visit. I was told the other twin would have been happy staying and playing there than going to the park.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

My experience, having had a toddler and a preschooler, is they love every single pool ever no matter how sad or tiny or small or large, and you should consider, as a parent, some of the following:

• ease of supervision. Some of the water play areas will require less supervision than a full pool
• budget. Everyone on the internet will spend your money for you, but maybe you have other uses for the cash?
• bar proximity, er, sorry, that's just me

Resorts with excellent water play areas, by which I mean they're basically wet playgrounds with mini-slides and no deep water: Grand Floridian, Poly, Wilderness Lodge, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans French Quarter's will be open by then, Animal Kingdom Lodge. Beach Club/Yacht Club also has one, but it's part of a very large pool complex that would have made me nervous with littles. Depends on how good they are at staying near.

The Contemporary has a splash pad. It's okay. It wins on "supervision" and is the closest to Magic Kingdom, which is a big perk.

A lot of the pools have zero-entry areas, particularly the Value pools.

The big waterslides at Mods and Deluxes aren't going to matter, since they're one-at-a-time slides, and go into 3-4 foot water.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Definitely CBR! Zero entry main pool + awesome splash pad

 

[SwanVT2]

POFQ has a new kids splash pad! Plus the dragon slide. It looks pretty cool.

 

[opusone]

I have to vote for Stormalong Bay as well (must stay at Yacht Club, Beach Club or Beach Club Villas). With the toddler area and all the sand, plus the rest of the 3 acre pool area, it is by far the best pool on Disney property.

Here are a couple pictures of the sand castle/toddler area:

 

[KateP85]

Stormalong Bay at the YC/BC has always been my favorite for DS; we took him at 6 months old, again at about 18 months, then this past summer, and he's loved it every time. There's sand to play in, and plenty of shallower water. My only complaint was that it was often so crowded that while he was very young, I worried about him getting knocked over. But he mostly did fine.

Now he's a preschooler though, I think he'd have more fun with somewhere that has a splash pad or area with slides. We're staying on property in July, and we're in the process of looking at pools. The Grand Floridian and the Polynesian both look to have really fun water play areas, and I just saw photos of the new area at Port Orleans, that looks awesome too.

 

[Shannon R]

CBR is our go to with our toddlers, the zero entry pool and children's play area are huge hits with our family!! And we love the resort as whole aside from the pool too, it is very relaxing with several "beach" areas for you to take the littles and a few sand toys to play.

 

[DisneyWanderlust]

Favorite pool for all ages would have to be Stormalong Bay (Beach Club/ Yacht Club pool). There were many "kid-friendly" areas, and since the pool has a sand-bottom your children will have the opportunity to build sand castles, unlike at other disney resorts. Additionally, there is a small pool inside the pirate ship at Stormalong Bay that many small children spent hours in. Can't forget the nightly Disney movies on the beach either; kids also have the opportunity to make smores for a small fee.

 

[mickeynut1]

Another vote for CBR.

 

[vettegirl]

Our son was 14 months old when were at the Beach Club last and loved the pool there and the sand area.

 

[jaceraden]

I love Stormalong Bay at Beach/Yacht. No question! HOWEVER:

1. It's not really a sand bottom. It's sort of these weird plastic pellets.

2. My toddlers wanted to check out the other sections of the pool but they were way too deep and turbulent.

3. You have to EXIT the pool compound to get to the kiddie slide. That part was weird and inconvenient.

4. Stormalong doesn't have a spray pad/water play area like some of the other resorts do. Once the kids get bored of the "sand" and slide, there's nowhere else safe to go. There isn't even a playground at Beach/Yacht Club.

I LOVE this Resort and pool complex but our money would have been better spent at another resort like Caribbean Beach, POP or Port Orleans French Quarter at the toddler age.