Best splash play areas at Disney Resorts

[pixie08]

Kidani, Poly, GF, saratoga but they are all deluxe.

I would say Caribbean at a mod.

 

[stratus]

Thanks for posting this. It will be my son's first time to Disney and I am getting excited to do pool tours

 

[Sue M]

Thanks for posting this. It will be my son's first time to Disney and I am getting excited to do pool tours

Just so you understand, there is no pool hopping at other resorts. You can certainly go looking, but pool areas are off limits to those not staying at that resort. The exceptions are POR & Pofq sister resorts and share facilities as does YC/BC , & AKL & Kidani.
If you're DVC you can use some but not all other resort pools.

I just saw a YouTube video of the new splash play area at Port Orleans French Quarter, it looks great! I thought it couldn't get better than the Wilderness Lodge. Does anyone have a listing with photo/video links to them all? We are staying at Riverside this month but are planning to ride the boat to FQ for splash play.

Which resort has the best splash play area in your opinion?

One of the best things about POR/POFQ is the walk along the river between them. You'd get there faster walking then by boat. And the walk is so pretty. I think it takes 10 min to walk between resorts.

 

[stratus]

Just so you understand, there is no pool hopping at other resorts. You can certainly go looking, but pool areas are off limits to those not staying at that resort.

I thought DVC members were afforded pool hopping with some exceptions (BLT, Poly for example)

(we are DVC members)

 

[Sue M]

I thought DVC members were afforded pool hoping with some exceptions (BLT, Poly for example)

(we are DVC members)

Yes, I think we posted at same time while I was amending my post to include DVC. I think AK may be excluded too. Not sure, I'm not DVC

 

[JPDtheJD]

Just so you understand, there is no pool hopping at other resorts. You can certainly go looking, but pool areas are off limits to those not staying at that resort. The exceptions are POR & Pofq sister resorts and share facilities as does YC/BC , & AKL & Kidani.
If you're DVC you can use some but not all other resort pools.

I'm sorry, what I meant was I haven't understood the allure of pool hopping because it's so much trouble. When we became DVC members I knew that hopping was allowed on a limited basis. For our upcoming trip we are out of points so staying at Port Orleans has me researching...I am very excited about the POFQ splash area!

 

[JPDtheJD]

That being said I would have been excited about the possibility of hopping to VGF but I don't think DVC hopping is allowed if you are not staying at a DVC resort on points.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I thought DVC members were afforded pool hopping with some exceptions (BLT, Poly for example)

(we are DVC members)

Yes. The exceptions are significant:

• BLT/CR
• Poly
• AKV/AKL
• BC/YC
• AoA Big Blue Pool

All are un-hoppable.

 

[stratus]

Yes. The exceptions are significant:

• BLT/CR
• Poly
• AKV/AKL
• BC/YC
• AoA Big Blue Pool

All are un-hoppable.

The big blue pool is out? that makes me very sad. What measures do they have in place to stop hopping?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The big blue pool is out? that makes me very sad. What measures do they have in place to stop hopping?

Most pools are now gated and require you to use Magic Band to enter.

Pool hopping is a member benefit that can easily be ended entirely. Treat it as the privilege it is.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Someone asked about a height requirement at POFQ. Yes, there is one and they were strictly enforcing it in April. I think 48" is correct. We've stayed everywhere and I don't remember them ever measuring people anywhere but here. Best kids area? Poly...no question. The best thing I like is that it's close to the main pool, so it was very easy to go back and forth. GF, is very awkward if you ask me, no chairs, you just have to kind of stand there and the people coming out of the main lobby are right there....it's weird. WL, 2nd best probably followed by POFQ. AKL kidani is very nice but secluded so once again, we just had to stand there and it was cool that day so not ideal.

 

[JPDtheJD]

Someone asked about a height requirement at POFQ. Yes, there is one and they were strictly enforcing it in April. I think 48" is correct. We've stayed everywhere and I don't remember them ever measuring people anywhere but here. Best kids area? Poly...no question. The best thing I like is that it's close to the main pool, so it was very easy to go back and forth. GF, is very awkward if you ask me, no chairs, you just have to kind of stand there and the people coming out of the main lobby are right there....it's weird. WL, 2nd best probably followed by POFQ. AKL kidani is very nice but secluded so once again, we just had to stand there and it was cool that day so not ideal.

Awesome review. You can't tell all that you noticed just from the pictures.

I am glad to know they are enforcing the height requirement at POFQ.

 

[Sue M]

I'm sorry, what I meant was I haven't understood the allure of pool hopping because it's so much trouble. When we became DVC members I knew that hopping was allowed on a limited basis. For our upcoming trip we are out of points so staying at Port Orleans has me researching...I am very excited about the POFQ splash area!

I hope you love POFQ & POR. It's our fav moderate. I love the mansion section of pOR along the river. And the min pool is nice too. If you get a chance go see Bob Jackson show. So fun. We've enjoyed a stay at POFQ too. We had building 4 right across from food court. Great location.

 

[oceanmarina]

I also love splash areas. Here are my favorites (my kids had a blast at all of them);

#1 Kidani Villas at Animal Kingdom
#2 Polynesian Splash Area
## Wilderness Lodge Villas

 

[JPDtheJD]

We measured our 6 year old yesterday. She is just under 48 inches. I didn't realize she had gotten so tall. It was just last year she was barely able to ride Everest. Now we may have to worry about her constantly being measured at POFQ splash pad!

 

[got15]

Our kids loved the splash pad at the Poly! GF was a very close second!

 

[jon18uk]

According to the Port Orleans fan site, the maximum height for the Water play area is 48" http://www.portorleans.org/doubloon-lagoon.php

 

[JPDtheJD]

This time last year they were not enforcing a height restriction at Wilderness Lodge. Older cousins & siblings were allowed to have fun with littles.

 

[bumbershoot]

Older cousins & siblings were allowed to have fun with littles.

A concept that I, as a mom of an only, despise. If my son, who was still a true kid at heart, couldn't go into the water play area b/c of his height, none of those other too-tall kids should, either, no matter how little their relatives are. From his perspective it makes absoltely NO sense. If it's a safety issue, it's a safety issue. After all, HE would stay away from all those other kids, and not cause them problems. Whereas their sibs and cousins would be playing with them, and might easily bump them.

Sigh. It's like ball pits. The moment kids get coordinated enough to actually play in them and not just fall over (or pee), they are deemed too tall or old for them. Makes me nutty.

 

[JPDtheJD]

I can see both sides. I noticed one mom asking on the POFQ thread about the height restriction because she wasn't going to be able to watch her 7 year old and her toddler at the same time. I know I can't watch both in the pool. It sorta stinks to not be able let a 50 inch 6 year old in.