Better control of pool hopping at the Poly?

[leanne11]

with the changing rooms right there we saw teenagers with backpacks with towels and their swimsuits taking a "break" in the afternoon. all you do is jump on the monorail and take a swim, then change back into clothes and zip back to the parks. it's great to see them paying zero for the pleasure it cost me $220/night, don't get me started on the people who took up all the hammocks to watch the electical parade and fireworks then went back to their own hotel....

 

[thumpersfriend]

Well, we will be arriving at the Poly this Thursday morning. I am so excited. But I probably will mention it to the lifeguards if I notice this. They can't do anything unless they know I guess.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I think some of the people using the Poly pool are guests at Shades of Green. It's a short walk from SOG to the Poly and the last two times I was there (SOG) I saw a number of people walking back to SOG in swimming suits and towels. At first I thought they were returning from one of the Disney water parks but I noticed some of the people were still drippy.

The SOG pools are pretty boring compared to the pool at the Poly and the proximity is bound to tempt a lot of folks who walk to the Poly to use the monorail anyway.

 

[Lizzybee]

I pool hopped at my last trip...but it was totally legal, hopped right from Ole Man Island to Doubloon Lagoon. Sometimes the pools were crowded at POR and POFQ but I thought it was just b/c it was spring break. I guess we were enjoying it too much to wonder if people from resorts other than POR or POFQ were using the pool. I suppose if I heard someone opening saying they were there from somewhere else, especially off WDW property, I'd have been annoyed. We took at least two of our room keys with us to the pools when we went, we didn't bring the kids' keys with us. No one ever checked.

 

[chobie]

with the changing rooms right there we saw teenagers with backpacks with towels and their swimsuits taking a "break" in the afternoon. all you do is jump on the monorail and take a swim, then change back into clothes and zip back to the parks. it's great to see them paying zero for the pleasure it cost me $220/night, don't get me started on the people who took up all the hammocks to watch the electical parade and fireworks then went back to their own hotel....

I would be one of those hammock taking people. Now, I knew pool-hopping was off limits, but I did not realize after spending $25 on drinks at the lounge to take out to the beach to watch the electrical parade, that taking up a hammock or a few minutes was off limits. Pool rules are posted, but I must of missed the posted rules about hammock-hogging.

 

[skiwee1]

I would be one of those hammock taking people. Now, I knew pool-hopping was off limits, but I did not realize after spending $25 on drinks at the lounge to take out to the beach to watch the electrical parade, that taking up a hammock or a few minutes was off limits. Pool rules are posted, but I must of missed the posted rules about hammock-hogging.

Actually there are 4 signs stretched across the water at the Poly beach that says that the beach is for Poly resort guest ONLY. Not only did you miss the hammock rules but the beach rules too. Just remember that in the future. Thanks.

 

[Atomant]

I'm confused !

According to reservations on several occasions, they informed me that
DVC resorts had pool restrictions for only vacation club guests. The other resort pools were open to all disney guests.

Is this true or false ?

 

[efinn88858]

Well, we will be arriving at the Poly this Thursday morning. I am so excited. But I probably will mention it to the lifeguards if I notice this. They can't do anything unless they know I guess.

I'll be there this Saturday after spending a LOT of money to treat my family to a "once in a lifetime" vacation. Am I to understand that I could have stayed at an All Stars for a lot less, and still got to use the Poly's pool, beach and hammocks for nothing extra? I will mention it to the lifeguards, the desk staff, and everyone else at the pool if I have to.

 

[George_T]

The idea that I would like to see Disney do is give pool hopping privileges to guests if the guest goes to a pool in their own category of hotel (value guests be allowed to go to any value hotel; moderate guests get to use any moderate pool, etc.). Gives you a little variety, but also places limits on where you can go. I could understand why those who stay at a deluxe would be upset at someone who paid for a value hotel to pool hop, but a moderate guest who went to a moderate pool is less irritating to me.

Given that we will be staying at POFQ in September, one of the nice things is that we can use either the FQ or Riverside pool. That was one of the factors that came into our decision in staying at FQ. But if you stay at CBR or CSR, no use of other pools in the moderate category is allowed.

 

[LakeAriel]

This is a sore spot for me. As a DVC member I can pool hop (except during Easter week, it was prohibited due to crowds) I have never hopped it just doesn't appeal to me. I, too, have overheard the conversations from people who live in the area and use the pools for free. They get on the "free" buses (no ID required) and use whatever pool they like. Last year at Animal Kingdom Lodge my family and I could not get a chair near the pool one day out of seven. When you realize that people who are not even staying on Disney property are taking up those chairs it's infuriating. I reported it to DVC and apparently nothing changed.
This year I was at VWL, my home resort, and it was mobbed. I witnessed a family of 10, 3 adults, 7 children get on the bus at MGM and go to WL with their beach bags. I am disgusted. I called DVC when I got home and spoke to a superviser. She told me this has been a problem they have known about for years, but don't know how to correct. Please! Check ID's!!!! On the bus and at the pool! I sent an Email to Disney also with this concern. I have yet to get a response 3 weeks later. This is a huge security problem! With three poor children murdered in Florida in the past 2 months by sex offenders don't tell me Disney can't secure the grounds of their resorts! It's much more serious then the chairs issue. Anyone can get in and out and transportation is provided at our expense! I intend to write to the CEO.

 

[Magic2000]

In Oct 2003, DH, DD & I had dinner at Ohanas, which we really enjoyed. After dinner, when the waiter brought us our bill, he encouraged us to head down to the beach to watch the fireworks. When he brought us our change, he even told us how to get to the beach. We did walk down to watch the fireworks, and there were very few people on the beach.

Last summer, again, my family had dinner at Ohanas, and once again, we were encouraged to stick around for the fireworks! Our waiter told us that we'd get a great view from the beach. We headed out, and played around on the hammock and even enjoyed swinging on the swing. We didn't see any signs on the beach, but to be honest, we weren't looking for signs either. Both times, our waiters told us we could go. And, I have to say, I did hear him telling other people around our table about the excellent view down on the beach. (We didn't stay for the fireworks though; we caught the monorail back and as we got to the bus stops, the fireworks started!)

We didn't know we were doing wrong. We knew we couldn't swim in the pools, but didn't think anything about sitting around on the beach. (Not that it makes any difference, but both times we were there, there were not that many people on the beach. There were still lots of chairs.)

 

[skiwee1]

I'm confused !

According to reservations on several occasions, they informed me that
DVC resorts had pool restrictions for only vacation club guests. The other resort pools were open to all disney guests.

Is this true or false ?

FALSE. DVC members do have certain restrictions but poolhopping is basically a DVC perk. No other Disney guests get to poolhop. That is a big NO NO.

 

[crzy4dsny]

Make sure they are pool hoppers first. Let me say first that I have never pool hopped and never will. I just don't see a point in doing it. When ever we are at the pool and my kids want to go back to the room they will say, "can we go back to the hotel now". For some reason that is what they say. What they mean is, can we go back to the room now.

If you were sitting near us and heard that you would assume that we are hoppers. Most of the time I will say we are at our hotel. I'm sure no one around us believes me though. I'm sure I've been accused of being a pool hopper before.

 

[Lizzybee]

Is it allowed to wait on the beach and watch the geyser at WL if you book a Wishes Cruise that leaves from there even if you aren't staying at that resort? The boat captains sure seemed to think those were fine things for us to do while we waited. I can understand the pool thing but as I understand it, it's not unusual for resort guests to "check out" other resorts. I would have done more of that if we had stayed there longer. I mean I don't think I'd spend a ton of money on a deluxe resort unless I had taken a peek and was completely blown away. Not this trip but last we took a monorail to the Poly just to see what the fuss is and I thought it was cool but my kids didn't care for the part we saw. I would have liked to have seen the value resorts and maybe the GF, maybe next trip I will set aside some time to do that.

 

[chamonix]

Both times, our waiters told us we could go. And, I have to say, I did hear him telling other people around our table about the excellent view down on the beach.

A waiter wants you to leave him a good tip. A waiter wants to turn over his table fast enough to make more tips from more diners--he doesn't want you lingering at a table nursing that last drink until the fireworks start.

The beach is clearly marked with signs. Of course, there are other places besides right directly on the beach and in the chairs, hammocks, swings, etc where you can still see the fireworks perfectly well. For example, there is a path and grass behind the beach, just steps further away. Think of the beach as front row, and the chairs, swings and hammocks as reserved seating. Poly guests have already bought those seats.

For the record, this isn't something that has been a problem for us--the beach/fireworks thing, but the poolhopping is bad. We rarely can find lounge chairs at the pool and we go in the off season. If I saw someone who was obviously poolhopping I would be tempted to alert a lifeguard. I would think non-resort towels would be a good tip-off. Or, using the poolside bathrooms to change into swimsuits.

 

[keys2kingdom]

This irritates me to no end when I can't find a chaise or even an empty chair for that matter at SAB. When they originally fenced it in you had to show your ID to even enter the pool area. They still do this in the peak season but during value season you only have to show it for towels. Bummer.

 

[Pedler]

This year I was at VWL, my home resort, and it was mobbed. I witnessed a family of 10, 3 adults, 7 children get on the bus at MGM and go to WL with their beach bags. I am disgusted. I called DVC when I got home and spoke to a superviser. She told me this has been a problem they have known about for years, but don't know how to correct.

I have to believe that this is a problem that Disney does not really want to make an effort to correct.

When we go to Ocean City Maryland we stay at the Holiday Inn Suites on the Beach. It has a nice pool with a slide, a current section, whrilpool, kiddie slide. It is probably the best pool on the boardwalk. As such they have secured the pool with a simple system. They have a different colored wrist band for each day of your stay. When you check in you are given the number of wristbands for each person in your party for each day. You can not get into the pool without the wristband on. At $400 per night for a ocean front suite I definitely appreciate that they keep control on the pool.

This could easly be adapted to Disney. The only modification would be to have a mechanism for DVC members to get a wrist band at the front desk by showing ID on the day they want to use the pool. They would also need to have resort specific wristbands to keep out guests from other resorts.

Its not a fool proof system by any means but it is simple to implement, low cost and would most likely keep out the vast majority of pool hoppers.

As for the people on the beach. Thats another story.

 

[dallastxcpa]

I have a problem with the idea of not being able to linger at a resort after dinner. I will in the future continue to use the facilities at the AKL, Poly, GF, etc. My husband and I can drop more on dinner (at the California Grill, Victoria & Alberts, Narcosses etc) than most people spend on their room. So if I feel like staying around to watch the fireworks, electric pagent, or animals on the savanah I am going to do it with no regrets.

 

[married2grumpy]

Almost any time we've gone to WDW we've had problems getting pool chairs. It happens whether you are at a value, moderate or deluxe. I think we all know to get the best spot by the pool, you MUST get there early. I don't know how many chairs "poolhoppers" take up on any given day but I'm sure even without those few hoppers, there still would be a chair shortage.

Maybe we should all be more concerned about those guests who get lucky enough to get a chair and hang on to it all day long, even when they aren't anywhere near the pool. I think this is more of an issue than the pool hoppers. I don't think that many of us have witnessed or can point out pool hoppers but I'm sure we have all seen the chairs stacked with personal items that sits unused for hours on end.

 

[chamonix]

I have a problem with the idea of not being able to linger at a resort after dinner. I will in the future continue to use the facilities at the AKL, Poly, GF, etc. My husband and I can drop more on dinner (at the California Grill, Victoria & Alberts, Narcosses etc) than most people spend on their room. So if I feel like staying around to watch the fireworks, electric pagent, or animals on the savanah I am going to do it with no regrets.

Like I said, I don't have a problem with it, but the Polynesian resort does. They obviously have a rule, clearly stated on their signs that the beach area is for resort guests only (and the pool as well). If you feel entitled to break their rules, you join the legions of many who feel entitled to do so by virtue of whatever their own rationale is--maybe it's that they paid for theme park admittance, maybe that they paid for dinner at Kona's or Ohana's (hard to spend that much there, really) or maybe they feel like they paid for the allstars so deserve to hang around where ever they want to at WDW. Who knows?

I also can spend a ton of money at Narcossees for example, but would never think it entitled me to swim in the GF pool. We all have our own personal feelings for right and wrong and what we are entitled to, I guess. Noone is saying you shouldn't "linger" at a resort after dinner--look in the shops, take a walk on the beautiful paths at the Poly, walk out to the Point, or out on the dock--whatever--but there are some rules about where and how you linger--the rules say no sitting on the beach, and no swimming in the pool. If you choose to ignore that, you aren't the only ones, obviously--and therein lies the problem, eh?

As for the resorts you mention (who have the more high end restaurants where it's possible to spend large amounts of money) the activities you mention (seeing the animals, for example) are not against the rules, and are open to all. It's just the Poly with the beach rules. I'm assuming you aren't going swimming in the pools. (?)