Best resort pool

[nickelsfamily]

Which WDW resort do you think has the best pool? Keeping kids in mind!
We will be getting into our hotel...POP early afternoon. On our day of check in we never do a park, unless early enough! I have dinner reservations that evening and wanted to take my boys on a little "pool hopping" for fun before hand!
Thanks, Julie

 

[Boater]

Pool hopping isn't allowed, your home resort is your pool. I know at Storm Along Bay when it's crowded they check room keys and do wrist bands.
SAB by the way is the best pool.

 

[nickelsfamily]

Let me clarify...
I wanted to find a resort with a good kids pool and do lunch!
Then we will be at the contemporary for dinner. Before hand we will use the pool, we have friends staying there, use their shower in the suite and then go to dinner.
In the past, I have been told by CMs that this is fine! As long as you are dinning or with a guest at the hotel. I asked about this about 2 years ago when visiting.So, unless I was missinformed or things have changed....Its not as if I am staing at the Supper 8 and trying to use the pool at wdw.
Sorry, I didn't mean to get you all worked up!! I'm not out trying to cause problems on the DIS board!
Thanks,
Julie

 

[Boater]

I'm sorry, I'm not worked up.
I just know they only let resort guest in the pools at busy times.
I've seen them make everybody show room keys to get in.

 

[Big J]

Officially, you are not allowed to pool hop unless you are a DVC member (excluding SAB and AKL).

Is pool hopping allowed in reality is another matter. You will get many strong opinions about this on the DIS boards.

 

[pedro2112]

Let me clarify...
I wanted to find a resort with a good kids pool and do lunch!
Then we will be at the contemporary for dinner. Before hand we will use the pool, we have friends staying there, use their shower in the suite and then go to dinner.
In the past, I have been told by CMs that this is fine! As long as you are dinning or with a guest at the hotel. I asked about this about 2 years ago when visiting.So, unless I was missinformed or things have changed....Its not as if I am staing at the Supper 8 and trying to use the pool at wdw.
Sorry, I didn't mean to get you all worked up!! I'm not out trying to cause problems on the DIS board!
Thanks,
Julie

I"m sorry julie, but I am confused about your follow up post. In your intitial post you didn't ask about the contemporary's pool, you specifically asked:

Which WDW resort do you think has the best pool?...... On our day of check in we never do a park, unless early enough! I have dinner reservations that evening and wanted to take my boys on a little "pool hopping" for fun before hand!

Why would ask which resort's pool is best when you were only planning on going to the contemporary's pool because you have friends staying there? I apologize if I am misreading your posts, as sometimes it is difficult to put one's thoughts into writing. I think this confusion is why Boater answered the way he did.

If you have friends that are staying at the contemporary and want to swim there, just have your friends ask if it is ok. Most people who have done this have reported that it was allowed under these types of circumstances.

 

[nickelsfamily]

My last post-
I asked about other pools as I want to take the family to a resort for lunch that also has a nice kiddie pool! Sorry if I wasn't clear in my second post.
After lunch, we are meeting up at the Contemporary to meet up with friends, hang out at their pool and then go to dinner.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

I don't think you are allowed to go to a resort pool just because you are dining there. That is still considered POOL HOPPING, and that is not allowed.

 

[harmonium]

I do not think that just eating at a resort entitles you to use of the pool. If you are a guest of someone who is staying at that resort however then you are in the clear. I am not sure about all the resorts rules, but SAB normally requires a room key check. This will be our second year staying at BCV and last year we were carded before entering the pool area. I would call resorts first before scheduling a meal with the intention of using the pool. No harm in asking.

 

[aDVCguy]

Without a doubt...The Polynesian's!

The pool slide transverses through an enclosed tube
before shooting you out the end! What a blast!!!

 

[newholidayx2]

No pool hopping is NOT allowed! I never heard of anyone being allowed to pool hop because they were eating at a certain restaurant. Maybe a long long long time ago.
I know even for DVCers (who can poolhop to other hotels except Beach Club & Animal Kingdom Lodge) that we have certain blackout dates too that we cant hop. And we must be staying on points, not cash.

 

[daisyduck123]

I don't think you are allowed to go to a resort pool just because you are dining there. That is still considered POOL HOPPING, and that is not allowed.

You are absolutely right!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The last time we pool hopped was back when WL first opened and we were guests at FW and it was permitted. So it was a looooong time ago.

At present no pool hopping--but you can go pool "looking". We have done that. Unfortunately we were fully clothed and could only look. But hey---we weren't breaking any rules .

The 2 resorts I want to stay at solely for the pool are the Poly and BC. I've heard they are the best--I have seen them. And I think I agree.

But look from afar and enjoy them on a future trip .

The only thing permitted to a non-resort guest when you are dining at a resort is the privilege of parking at the resort for the duration of your resort visit.

So you can park at Contemp to visit your friends. It would be much easier than riding the bus from Pop with swim gear and dinner clothes.

 

[Suzanne74]

I would say the Poly pool then you can hop back on the monorail to the Contemporary. I have stayed at a lot of the various WDW resorts thru the years and although I have never pool hopped I have also never been asked to show any form of ID or room keys. I even see many people on the monorail in full bathing suit attire, swimmies etc.. getting off at Grand Floridian, Poly etc... even on my last trip a few months back. Those lifeguards could care less. Maybe it is a rule but I have never seen it enforced. I guess you could always just stay at your pool and then head out later

By the way, I see that you are pretty new. Welcome and don't be offended to ask anymore questions. Some people are real sticklers here about various "rules" and can get nasty but overall it is a great board.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

They might not let you swim with your friends either. We were staying at WL and Sisters family at FW, cold off season and asked if they could joing us at the pool. WE were truned down but told we could join them at FW????

We were even checked for ID a few times that trip and no one but a few crazy kids ( mine included) were in the H20.

 

[MOMOFMNM]

if you were new and never visited the DISboards, how would you know you could not pool hop?? I am just curious...

just like in Vegas the resorts and pools seem pretty darn open, no one ever asked for any ID at the Poly...

I have never pool hopped but could maybe see why some would think it is ok seeing as they are all owned by Disney...

Just an opinion

no need to pool hop when you choose the best resorts for pools

ie Poly and BVC (our next stay!! )

 

[all4fun]

if you were new and never visited the DISboards, how would you know you could not pool hop?? I am just curious...

just like in Vegas the resorts and pools seem pretty darn open, no one ever asked for any ID at the Poly...

I have never pool hopped but could maybe see why some would think it is ok seeing as they are all owned by Disney...

Just an opinion

no need to pool hop when you choose the best resorts for pools

ie Poly and BVC (our next stay!! )

OK I can understand this POV, however if someone payed to stay at a premium resort why should someone else who only paid to stay at a value or moderate be able to just come in and enjoy the benefits of that resort without paying for it? Also, the pools are built with the capacity of that resort in mind so how would Disney be able to control that without limiting the pools to resort guests only? Obviously during less busy times it's probably not a problem and they (CM's/hotel mgmt) might not even care but during the busy season if I was staying at the Poly, GF, or any of the other Deluxe resorts and was turned away from my resort pool because itl was full due to non-resort guest using it, I wouldn't be happy about it. So looking at it that way, I can understand why they wouldn't officially allow pool hopping. Just another POV....

 

[MOMOFMNM]

OK I can understand this POV, however if someone payed to stay at a premium resort why should someone else who only paid to stay at a value or moderate be able to just come in and enjoy the benefits of that resort without paying for it? Also, the pools are built with the capacity of that resort in mind so how would Disney be able to control that without limiting the pools to resort guests only? Obviously during less busy times it's probably not a problem and they (CM's/hotel mgmt) might not even care but during the busy season if I was staying at the Poly, GF, or any of the other Deluxe resorts and was turned away from my resort pool because itl was full due to non-resort guest using it, I wouldn't be happy about it. So looking at it that way, I can understand why they wouldn't officially allow pool hopping. Just another POV....

your son is cute btw!!

OK seeing as though I did pay premium prices for a rack rate at the Poly, I can honestly say...I do not give a care who is there... as long as there is room for all of us....Ican see where numbers MIGHT be a problem...if we get there and we can not swim because a million people are hopping from ASMO then maybe I'd care but really when you pay for the Poly or BC or whatever, you are paying for more than just a pool...and the locations are the MAIN reasons I suppose. Really I do not think it is as big of a problem as everyone would think, most people happily swim at their home resort pool. Maybe SAB would have an extreme amt of visitors and I can see why an ID would be needed...

if Disney really cared that much would they not gate off the pools and require a card/key for entry?? It would be very easy to gate off the Volcano pool for this reason...I believe they probably do not care too much...but who knows...I could be very wrong

just trying to jump in here!!

 

[all4fun]

Oh I agree with you. Just trying to figure out the logic of why pool hopping might not be allowed! I can also see where Disney has an "official" policy about something, but for the most part doesn't enforce it. For instance they might officially say you're not allowed to bring food into the parks but everyone knows it's ok to do because in reality, no one will stop you. It seems to me they put rules in place just to cover themselves under certain circumstances but it's up to the cm's discretion whether or not they are enforced.

However according to a pp they do enforce this rule at least some of the time, so that's something for the OP to keep in mind. They might try it anyway, but just be prepared in case someone turns them away.

btw, we think he's cute too, but of course, we're biased!

 

[nickelsfamily]

WELL, I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS SIMPLE QUESTION WAS GOING TO TURN INTO THIS! OTHERWISE, I WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED!!

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BEFORE I GOT MARRIED, SO MAYBE 8 WE WOULD POOL HOP...MAKE A DAY OF IT! TWO YEARS AGO WE WENT TO USE THE POOL AT ANOTHER RESORT FOR AN HOUR OR SO, ASKED A CM AND THEY SAID "NO PROBLEM". BUT, I COULD UNDERSTAND IF THE POOLS ARE FULL AND ITS SEASON.

I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON PAYING FOR A LESS $$ POOL AND USING A MORE $$$ RESORTS POOL. I BELIEVE THAT YOU PAY FOR THE ROOM ,IE: SIZE, AMENITIES, DECOR AS WELL AS THE LOCATION. I KNOW THAT WHEN I PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE RESORT ITS BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS, THE POOL IS THE LAST THING ON MY MIND WHEN BOOKING. JUST MIO!!

AS FOR WHAT WE WILL DO ON OUR TRIP, I AM UNDECIDED. I GUESS THAT I WILL SPEAK WITH SOMEONE UPON OUR CHECK IN.....MARCH 20, 2006!

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INPUT!!
JULIE