Does anyone complain about the pool hours?

aprincessatlast

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 1, 2012
We just returned recently and while we had a wonderful time, the pool opening and closing definitely affected out trip. We rented a car and often would want to return around 3 or 4 but knowing we had 2 -3 hours before the slides closed and the lazy river really bummed us out. Not sure what the reasoning was either. (hard to see) Are the hours longer in summer?

Just really curious as we did not but it was my number 1 gripe next to the mattress and bedding. Wondering if it bugged others as well or was a fall thing?
 
People certainly complain here, not sure if they voice their concerns with Disney.

I know with the time difference we were up and ready to be out the door at 5am.
By 8pm we had no interest in hanging out at the pool.
 
When we were at Aulani during the end of August/ear;y September, the main pool stayed open until 10. The rest of the pools closed at 8. We really enjoyed those last two hours. We also went down to the beach after the pools closed.
 
We just returned recently and while we had a wonderful time, the pool opening and closing definitely affected out trip. We rented a car and often would want to return around 3 or 4 but knowing we had 2 -3 hours before the slides closed and the lazy river really bummed us out. Not sure what the reasoning was either. (hard to see) Are the hours longer in summer?

Just really curious as we did not but it was my number 1 gripe next to the mattress and bedding. Wondering if it bugged others as well or was a fall thing?
That would absolutely bug me at any time of year at a family resort in Hawaii and is a valid thing to complain about.

I'm sure their reasoning is that it saves them money...
 


When Aulani first opened 6 years ago, the lazy river and pools where open to 10pm.

No one was really in them and the lifeguards were standing around doing nothing. About 3 or 4 years ago the hours were cut.

I think during summer the lazy river still closed at 8pm but main pool stayed open later.
 
I know with the time difference we were up and ready to be out the door at 5am.
By 8pm we had no interest in hanging out at the pool.

THIS. There is at minimum a 2-3 hour time difference even for west coast folks when going to Hawaii. LOTS of us East Coast folks love Hawaii and go as often as possible. And for us, it is either a 5 or 6 hour time difference, depending on whether it is daylight savings time or not as Hawaii does NOT do daylight savings time.

At home I am a night owl, love to stay up until super late and sleep in when given the chance, but in Hawaii, that 5 or 6 hour time difference kicks me in the pants, especially the first week we are there. I find that I retire MUCH, much earlier when in Hawaii than at home, and truly enjoy being up early to greet the day as the colors change as the sun begins to peek over the Hawaii mountains (assuming one is in the lions' share of the resorts which are on the leeward/western side of the islands. :cutie: ).

When Aulani first opened 6 years ago, the lazy river and pools where open to 10pm.

No one was really in them and the lifeguards were standing around doing nothing. About 3 or 4 years ago the hours were cut.

I think during summer the lazy river still closed at 8pm but main pool stayed open later.

THIS. :thumbsup2
 


I think they want to keep the noise down. And keep your wallet out for dinners / luaus / bars...etc.
We found it difficult to find anything open after 10pm. We are night owls and enjoy a nightcap. I was very surprised with so little options after 9 pm!
 
We found it difficult to find anything open after 10pm. We are night owls and enjoy a nightcap. I was very surprised with so little options after 9 pm!

This is the reason why I'm surprised the pools aren't open later. But PP mentions no one was really in them after dark, so perhaps that's not the kind of evening entertainment people would want. I know there's a lot of people who stay at Aulani and don't leave, but there's also a lot of people who are off-site enjoying Oahu and likely aren't at the resort that time either. I also think the early closure drives people to the luau, bars, restaurants, etc.
 
We found it difficult to find anything open after 10pm. We are night owls and enjoy a nightcap. I was very surprised with so little options after 9 pm!
You can have a drink at Monkeypods or Just Tacos across the street after 9pm. This is Koolina and if you want nightlife you will have to go to Waikki.
 
The thing to keep in mind, Ko Olina is a residential area that just happens to have a few resorts there. There is a large local population that still have to get up each day, go to school / work. I am certain that all of these factors come into play when resorts are planning their activities.

I look at Ko Olina as being a relaxing portion of Oahu. You want late nights and more excitement, Waikiki is the place.

And if you think Aulani is quiet - trying staying up the road at the Beach Villas. They are RIGID about noise levels as well as other rules. Security guards are there 24hrs a day to enforce the rules.
 
In all my trips to Hawaii, I just don't see or hear of a lot of clamor from visitors for nightlife past about 10pm. I think mainly due to the time difference of at least a few hours for a west coast tourist to 5 or 6 hour time difference for those of us that live on the east coast of the mainland.
 
after 9 pm there isn’t much to do outside of waikiki (night clubs and such)...even in waikiki there isn’t too much to do...but there are some options.
 
As a family who went to Aulani about a year after it opened, we really loved the late pool hours, and we are east coasters. We toured the island during the day and had pool time in the evening. There was NOTHING better than going around the lazy river after dark and looking up at the sky through the lights in the trees. It was heaven. It was also nice having the pool open until 10 pm. I have often wondered, however, why they have so many life guards at the pool and no lifeguards what so ever on the beach.
 
I don't need a loud, party, nightlife atmosphere, but it would be nice to sit in the hot tub after 8:00 PM. We were disappointed about the early pool closings.
 
In my opinion, family pools should be open until at least 10 PM, if not 11 PM and "Quiet" or "Adult Pools" 24/7 - Barring Lightning in the area or other safety issues of course and this should apply to all pools at all hotels everywhere.
 
Sounds good in theory but in this litigious time, imagine a resort not having lifeguards and something happening to someone...…. Would only take 1 person to be a fool / not be careful, injure themselves then it would somehow become Disney's fault in the person's mind.
 
Sounds good in theory but in this litigious time, imagine a resort not having lifeguards and something happening to someone...…. Would only take 1 person to be a fool / not be careful, injure themselves then it would somehow become Disney's fault in the person's mind.
Most pools don't have lifegaurds, even most adult Disney pools don't have them, so I don't buy into that. With proper signage liability is minimized.
 

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