Does Disney Close Pools If It's Too Cold?

[AndyMcV]

Hi Gang

Our friends and thier 5 year old daughter are heading to the CBR at the end of January/start of February (in 2 weeks). They are going to Disney for their first time for a week.

I wanted to know... do the Disney resorts close the pools if it's too cold out? Do people actually go swimming when you have to wear a sweater or pants? I've never planned on going to Disney at that time. I think they are expecting to go swimming, etc... I wanted to give them a heads up as to what may be realisitic. Will they even have to worry that it's cold out (if it is)?

Can you offer your advice?

Thanks
A.

 

[sjw4870]

I don't think they close the pools because of cold weather. I've been in January and February and they've always been open. I recall swimming as a child and the lifeguard was wearing pants and a heavy coat. Cold to a Floridian is warm to many people from the north

 

[Scoootch]

No, the pools are always open unless it's inclimate weather (meaning rain with lightening, hurricanes that kind of thing). Cold - they keep them open for. All the pools in WDW at both the resorts and waterparks are heated in winter. Do people actually swim when it's only 40 degrees out? Yes ...are they proabably freezing when they get out? Also yes lol...but they do keep the pools open so if your friend can stand the cold, then tell them to enjoy

 

[disneysnowflake]

One day last Dec it was in the 30s for a low and in the 50s for a high. The wind was very chilly. I wore gloves, and 50s sounded warm to me being that I'm from PA, but I was cold. At POFQ there were several people swimming in the pools. The poor lifeguards had long pants, winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves.

 

[stauncie]

We stayed at the Beach Club 12/11/04. We were ending a week long vacation offsite by staying the last night at BC and the kiddies had REALLY been looking forward to Storm Along Bay. Yes, it WAS cold. All the lifeguards were in long pants, coats, hats, scarfs, gloves, etc.
They closed SAB 2 hours early due to the cold (wind chills were around 30) They said it was for 'guest safety'. When I commented how we had looked forward to swimming in the pool all year, and we were only staying the one night, one of the lifeguards told me, that the 'quiet pools' were open 24 hours, and we could use them, but SAB was closing early for 'guest safety'. still not sure how its safe to swim in the quiet pool, but not the hot tubs at SAB???

 

[Scoootch]

My guess is that being that it was that cold they closed SAB so that they didn't have to have the life guards on duty for only a very small handfull of people. The quiet pools do not have lifeguards, it's all swim at your own risk. So the "safety" excuse was probably just that.

 

[jwfla422]

I agree with Scoootch on that one! I'm sure it was more of a "cost" issue by keeping lifeguards on when barely anyone was swimming.

 

[eeyore0062]

You may always swim in the quiet pools, year around at you own risk... hot tubs, too. However, the themed pool may be closed at the descretion of management if weather is a factor.

That being said, we saw people swimming in the themed pool at the Contemporary on Jan 3rd 2001, when the temp was 32 and the wind chill was 23... the life guards were closing the pool and having a difficult time getting these people out. Not that I blame them... they would probably be icicles by the time they got inside! The lifeguards had on wool hats and gloves, sweat pants (and I'm sure a few layers under those) and a big bulky jacket with a scarf. Probably a cushy job most of the year, but down right miserable once it gets below 65. These people live in Florida too. We are just not used to swimming in weather with temperatures much less than 80. 75 and I start wearing jeans and long sleeves!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I would agree with pools closed that normally have lifeguards, when it's that cold out. Pool heated or not- can you imagine how NOT all that effective a lifeguard would be if they had to pull someone out of the pool and they were dressed in layers, gloves, hat, jackets, etc.? All that bulky stuff they'd either have to take the time to take off or have it dragging them like lead in the pool if they had to jump in?

 

[mom22girls]

I hope they don't close the pools because we will be down there in a couple weeks too and since we are from Ontario too anything will feel warmer than it is here right now.

We will also be at the CBR with our 3 & 5 year old daughters and planning on swimmimg.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just packed our swimsuits. I can guarantee we'll be swimming this week, and if we're lucky we'll make it to Blizzard Beach!

 

[xterratri]

When we were there in Dec, one day had a high in the 40s with the previous night and next night in the low 30s. When we got up and about the second cold morning the main pool was closed. They do heat the pools so it takes quite a bit of cold to do it.

 

[quadaunt]

I've been told that all WDW resort pools are heated to 82 degrees. That's pretty toasty...until you get out and the air hits you. However, with our temps dipping down into the single digits by mid-week, well 40 degrees sounds downright balmy!

 

[jeancbpugh]

The lifeguards had on wool hats and gloves, sweat pants (and I'm sure a few layers under those) and a big bulky jacket with a scarf. Probably a cushy job most of the year, but down right miserable once it gets below 65.

I've often wondered how people can stand to lifeguard. I've never done it, but it must be hard to be always extremely vigilant and alert, when it must really be mind-numbingly dull! Any lifeguards out there to weigh in on this one?

 

[Sammie]

My guess is that being that it was that cold they closed SAB so that they didn't have to have the life guards on duty for only a very small handfull of people. The quiet pools do not have lifeguards, it's all swim at your own risk. So the "safety" excuse was probably just that.

Actually you answered your question, the key words being "swim at your own risk". If you swim in freezing weather in the quiet pools there is a sign that states "Swim at your own risk."

If Disney opens a pool with lifeguards then they are responsible for making sound and wise decisions concerning the safety of the guests in the pool, therefore they determined it was not safe to swim in such cold temps.

Basically its a liability situation.

 

[xterratri]

There are two approaches- one is at bigger facilities where people rotate positions. I've noticed that Disney seems to take this approach. The second is more appropriate for smaller facilities where you are the sole lifeguard for hours on end and that is to talk with the patrons. Yes, you have to continually scan but its possible to do that while conversing as long as the other people know that your priority is the safety of all patrons. It also gets rather chilly just sitting around outside especially when its windy and wet. While I never liked the idea of guarding fully clothed because it impairs your mobility in the water in an emergency, I too have done it. As far as swimming in warm water in cold air, some of my favorite memories of growing up were of going to the hot springs in Montana in the winter. Of course, we were the same kids that swam in the snow melt runoff during spring and early summer.

 

[uneamie]

Is it always "cold" in December??? I am taking my sister and her daughter next December for their very first visit to Disney World. I picked this time of year due to the Christmas atmosphere and festivities. I am hoping my niece can go swimming at Wilderness Lodge where we are booked...but I don't want her getting sick either. We also wanted to be able to rent the speed boats in the day time...is that going to be a no no too???

 

[Scoootch]

Ya just never know with the temps down here in FL. This Dec. went up and down...we started off with some pretty chilly temps part of Dec. and then I went from wearing my winter jacket (which btw is just a DVC windbreaker jacket ) to wearing shorts and a t-shirt again. Between mid-Nov. or so and mid-march temps can go in any direction and overnight sometimes Pack a little of everything from sweatshirts to sleeveless shirts and you'll be okay...but ya just never know.

Last week it was in the 80's here and this week it's been in the 50's to give you an example of our FL winter weather. I'm only an hour and a half from WDW.

Anyway, HTH's

 

[Mom2RinJen]

We're going the same time and usually do every year. What we do is if it's too chilly out, we take our heavy winter robes and extra towels. When we get out of the warm water we bundle up and wrap our heads and we're good to go. But I've been checking the weather for that week and its looking good for swimming (low 70's)! YAY!!!

Kim

 

[dmaz]

Weather.com is showing 40's for Monday. Definitely not swimming weather.