Disney's Written Policies On Pool Hopping

[ducklite]

From the Island Palm Press:

"Swimming

Enjoy our two heated pools. The Nanea Volcano Pool features a groto slide and children's play area. lifeguard hours are subject to change. We do provide Coast Guard approved life jackets. Our pools are intended for the exclusive use of Disney's Polynesian Resort guests. For your safety and enjoyment, diapered children are required to wear swim diapers or rubber pants when using any pool at the Walt Disney World Resort. Swim diapers are available in our merchandise locations for your convenience."

From the Tide Tribune:

"Stormalong Bay Pool Complex

Splash to your heart's content in three sprawling acres of watery fun at Stormalong Bay. Enjoy an active lagoon featuring whirlpools, bubbling jets, and rising sand, a quiet lagoon for relaxed bathing, and a shipwreck flowing with exciting waterslides. Inner tubes are available for hourly or daily rentals. The Stormalong Bay pool complex is intended for the exclusive use of house guests of Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort. Swimmers' aids are allowed. Floaties are available at the merchandise window near the pool and merchandise shops in all resorts."

From Habari:

"Uzima Pool
Uzima means 'clear water' and there is plenty of it to enjoy in our 11,000 square foot pool featuring a 67 foot long water slide! Gather by the pool, enjoy the Florida sunshine, and splash and swim in our version of a watering hole. Uzima pool is intended for the exclusive use of Disney's ANimal Kingdom Lodge guests only. For your safety and enjoyment, diapered children are required to wear swim diapers or rubber pants when using any pool at the Walt Disney World Resort. Swim diapers are available in our merchandise locations for your convenience. Hours of operation 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Guarded 24 hours."

From The Boardwalk Bugle:

"Swimming

Luna Park

Splish and Splash at Luna Park, our 190,000 gallon pool that harkens back to the days of a 1920's amusement park. Ride the slipiest slide around the 200 foot long Keister Coaster. Inner tubes and fun noodles are available for hourly and daily rentals. The Luna Park pool comples is reserved for guests of the Boardwalk Inn and Villas only. Stop by Community hall for swimmer's aids and information on swimming lessons."

From the Sassagoula Sentinal:

"Swimming

Doubloon Lagoon and Ol' Man Island

...is reserved for the exclusive use of Port Orleans Resort guests. Lifeguard on duty seasonally. For hours of operation, touch Disney Information."

Suffice to say, as you can clearly see, resort pools are intended for the exclusive use of guests of that resort, and that resort only. Disney DOES make the rules, they are CLEARLY printed in the literature you get when you check in to each resort, and in many cases clearly signed outside the pool area for each resort pool.

Pool hopping is NOT allowed, except as privilege to DVC members, or between sister resorts, or sometimes in the case of rehab at the main pool if a resort, in which case arrangements will be clearly explained to guests during check-in.

Anne

 

[pnelson]

So, is there a reason you went to all this trouble to print all this information out? I know pool hopping is not allowed, but, personally I'm not one to get all hot and bothered about it. Or really care what anyone else does.

 

[ducklite]

I typed it out as there seems to be a lot of confusion and disagreement on Disney's official policies on pool hopping. Just thought I'd clear it up with the "written proof" directly from WDW.

If you don't care what others do, let us all know which resort you'll be at on your next trip so we can send the pool hoppers your way. I'll bet you change your mind once your pool is overcrowded and you can't find a chair because of the hoppers breaking the rules.

It's happened to me several times, it's frustrating, and that's why I care.

Anne

 

[pnelson]

Actually, if that happened to me, I would probably just HOP to another pool as I am a DVC member and can go where I want to.

 

[peachgirl]

Pool hopping is NOT allowed

Unless of course, you ask and they tell you it's ok. It happens all the time. You're right...WDW makes the rules and they also bend and break them all the time.

That was a lot of trouble for something everyone already knows.
There is no mass confusion on this policy and very little disagreement as to what the policy is. Most people just want to know if their particular circumstance would allow them to bypass the standard rule. Sometimes it does, which is why they ought to ask.

Frankly, when I'm at WDW I don't have the time nor inclination to try and figure out if every swimmer is where they're supposed to be.

Btw, since you've had "your" pool overcrowded by these people several times, please share with us just how many people caused the pool to be overcrowded? 10? 20? 100? And how many of these were people that weren't staying at the resort?

Really, this has nothing to do with throngs of illegal swimmers crowding people out of the pool. It has everything to do with worrying yourself sick that someone got something that you think they shouldn't have.

"I am a DVC member and can go where I want to"...tee hee

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by pnelson
Actually, if that happened to me, I would probably just HOP to another pool as I am a DVC member and can go where I want to.

I am as well--I own at both BWV and BCV. But I don't always stay on points (in the past 15 months I've paid cash for stays at the GF, Poly, AKL, and YC), and I also don't find it convenient to pool hop--I like to swim where I stay. I don't usually spend more than a couple hours at a time swimming, and don't want to spend an hour getting someplace else to swim, then an hour getting back in a wet bathing suit.

At the BCV it hasn't been a problem in recent years since they built the fence and started carding people, but the BWV is still a problem, although they have become more proactive about looking for and throwing out "crashers" this past year.

BTW--even DVC members can't hop to the AKL pool or SAB, and during peak seasons pool hopping privieges are suspended for DVC members.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by peachgirl
Btw, since you've had "your" pool overcrowded by these people several times, please share with us just how many people caused the pool to be overcrowded? 10? 20? 100? And how many of these were people that weren't staying at the resort?

Really, this has nothing to do with throngs of illegal swimmers crowding people out of the pool. It has everything to do with worrying yourself sick that someone got something that you think they shouldn't have.

Anyone who is a pool hopper who sholdn't be there when I can't find a seat is causing an overcrowding situation. Period.

I'm certainly not worrying myself sick, although I will become more proactive about "turning in" people who are getting something they are not entitled to, especially at teh expense of others who are entitled to it.

Anne

 

[peachgirl]

I will become more proactive about "turning in" people who are getting something they are not entitled to, especially at teh expense of others who are entitled to it.

We're all free to spend our time at WDW any way we choose, within WDW's limits of course. If that's how you want to spend your time, fine by me.

 

[pnelson]

Ducklite-Wow, turning people in. Personally, I think what you said applies to most people who go to WDW-Pool hopping can be inconvenient and time consuming-MOST people don't do it. I can't believe you get all twisted up about this, but hey, like Peachgirl said, if you want to spend your vacation time being the pool police-have at it!

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by peachgirl
We're all free to spend our time at WDW any way we choose, within WDW's limits of course. If that's how you want to spend your time, fine by me.

If it means getting a pool hopper thrown out so I can get a chair at the resort I'm staying at, I think it's a few moments well spent. I don't plan on spending hours "hunting people down", but I'll never again sit in a hot tub listening to other bathers talk about how they have "crashed" when I can't get a chair and have my stuff on the ground.

Anne

 

[Debbie]

All this because someone asks an innocent question that could and should be answered politely? I'm With a board this size, each day with new people with new to them questions arriving everyday, a polite, "No, Disney policy is that pool-hopping is not allowed." No judging, no berating, simply answering the question. If someone else suggests bypassing the rules, then it becomes the original poster's decision as to what to do. Finis. Have a magical and wonderful day!

 

[JOC]

I'm sure Ducklite posted information she felt would help out the newcomers as far as pool-hopping is concerned. I don't believe she did it as an "in-your-face" type thing. I don't think "everyone" knows that pool-hopping isn't allowed, or why would they be asking the question on this board? By the way, I'm not related to Ducklite, nor have I even met her. I've just been noticing lately that a lot of threads that should be friendly and helpful turn into debates and arguments and ultimately get locked, and I hate to see that happen.

 

[Tea Please]

Originally posted by peachgirl

Frankly, when I'm at WDW I don't have the time nor inclination to try and figure out if every swimmer is where they're supposed to be.

Very well said Peachgirl. I could not agree more. I simply do not have the energy to let complete strangers rent that much space in my head.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Tea Please
Very well said Peachgirl. I could not agree more. I simply do not have the energy to let complete strangers rent that much space in my head.

Hellooooo...Like I said, I'm not going to hunt for them, but when an obvious situation occurs which detracts from my enjoyment of the resort that I am staying at because of pool crashers, I'm no longer going to simply look the other way.

Anne

 

[NancyK]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by pnelson
"Ducklite-Wow, turning people in. Personally, I think what you said applies to most people who go to WDW-Pool hopping can be inconvenient and time consuming-MOST people don't do it. I can't believe you get all twisted up about this, but hey, like Peachgirl said, if you want to spend your vacation time being the pool police-have at it!"

Have to agree that MOST people would not be bothered to pool hop. But then, I'm not one to worry what other people are doing or whether they're entitled to something or not. It's funny how pool-hopping and resort mug topics always end in a debate.

 

[peachgirl]

Have to agree that MOST people would not be bothered to pool hop.

That's pretty much what I think too. I'd bet there are only a very few who ever do....which pretty much throws the "they're preventing me from enjoying the pool" theory right out the window and leaves you with the , "It eats me alive because I think that someone, somewhere might be getting something I don't think they're entitled to" theory.

Just to be clear, I think don't think one should pool hop. Unless of course you have permission from the only people who have the right to give it to you....WDW. Then again, it's really the business of WDW to control, not me, so I don't worry about it.


Now if you come to my house and jump in MY pool without asking...I might say something!

Since the position of pool cop is already spoken for, does anyone mind of I stand guard at the soft drink dispensers and check for those criminals using old refillable mugs?

 

[married2grumpy]

Thanks for the info Ducklite. As someone who was unsure of the official pool policies, I appreciate your post. I have been at the pool when there is no chair for me to sit at or put my things on. I find it very fustrating to say the least. I have overheard people during our last stay at the Poly say they had just come over to check out the pool for the day. Those were the same people who sat in one of the few hammocks on the beach that night during the fireworks and EWP and left none available for resort guests. No I did not turn them in but maybe I should have. I personally don't understand why you are getting so much grief over this post. I think it will be helpful to a lot of people who are new to this board and may prevent people from becoming pool hoppers unknowingly.

 

[vbfamily]

Why does every thread about a sensitive issue have to get to this ugly point?

I always thought policies were easily broken. Last year we were going to sleep 5 in a room at WL because we wanted to save money. We didn't do it because the rooms were SMALL. I'm glad we didn't do it because that would have taken away right I had to complain about someone next to me that was stuffing 8 people in their room or someone playing loud music at 2 am.

Lately there have been a lot of threads about Disney's policies on a lot of issues-smoking, room occupancy limits, pool hopping, and so on.

One day I was just sitting here and came to the realization that if everyone follows Disney's policies then the only thing that can result is a more enjoyable vacation for everyone.

I think there is a simple answer to all threads like this. Follow Disney's policy and then that gives you every right to expect others to do the same.

 

[epcotfan]

Ditto to what married2grumpy & vbfamily said. A lot of people ask about pool hopping policies and she supplied the information. Give the gal a break.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by peachgirl
That's pretty much what I think too. I'd bet there are only a very few who ever do....which pretty much throws the "they're preventing me from enjoying the pool" theory right out the window and leaves you with the , "It eats me alive because I think that someone, somewhere might be getting something I don't think they're entitled to" theory.

Just to be clear, I think don't think one should pool hop. Unless of course you have permission from the only people who have the right to give it to you....WDW. Then again, it's really the business of WDW to control, not me, so I don't worry about it.


Now if you come to my house and jump in MY pool without asking...I might say something!

Since the position of pool cop is already spoken for, does anyone mind of I stand guard at the soft drink dispensers and check for those criminals using old refillable mugs?

Well I want the mug checking job! LOL! Nothing gets my panties more in a wad then seeing people re using mugs when they know they shouldn't be. I wish WDW would put someone at the soda dispensers and make sure they are not the same mugs.