DVC Pools, Pool Hopping, Etc.

[RobDoc]

... It is funny how people talk about hopping to the GF and Poly etc are these pools not included I remember being told we could use any pool on property not just DVC pools. Again this could be another case of mis information by the guides you know because that never happens LOL.

Pool hopping includes all WDW Disney resorts except SAB and AKL. GF and Poly are included ( they ARE, after all, Disney resorts) and many have reported enjoying using those pools. If you guide told you that the Swan/Dolphin was included, it was incorrect. The policy is:

You and any Guests staying with you at Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Villas, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Villas or Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are permitted to use other Disney Vacation Club and Walt Disney World Resort hotel pools (in addition to the pool at the resort hotel at which you're staying) if they are not at capacity. If the pool you are visiting reaches capacity, you may be asked to leave in order to accommodate Guests of that resort hotel. Please check with a Host/Hostess at the Front Desk of the resort hotel you wish to visit to find out about pool-access availability. You must present your "Key to the World" card with your "Disney Vacation Club Member" designation on it to use other resort hotel pools. Pool hopping is not available at Uzima Pool at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and Stormalong Bay at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts. In addition, this restriction includes the leisure pools at these two resort hotels. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Interesting that you were able to address the issue with the resort manager directly. Most would not get to speak with the manager when calling ahead - they'd just speak with someone at the desk. Glad to hear you were able to get the manager to answer the phone personally.

 

[Sammie]

The point is that when someone asks for the policy on pool hopping, age of children for ticket purchase, room occupancy, mug refills, etc (all the hot topics) and most quote Disney policy and then a few have to chime in with what you can get away with if you "ask" the right person or don't even ask just do it, then it gives others the idea about doing the same thing when truly they might not have ever even considered it.

My point is why even mention it. The OP asked for the policy and was given the policy, why not let sleeping or in this case pool hopping dogs lie.

As Jim stated abuse of any kind leads to changes, that we might all regret. Usually these changes come about due to the abuse of a few, but all of us suffer.

 

[J and R's mom]

I admit, I'm relatively new to the DIS boards (and to DVC), but I have to say, this thread is getting down-right tacky. I don't know CharlesTD's history (as some of you seem to) but my goodness!

Clarifying the rules is fine, but I don't come to these boards to be LECTURED by anyone (or to read others being lectured) and the obvious sarcasm in WebmasterDoc's last paragraph was harsh (and surprising coming from him).

Isn't this type of rhetoric what the PMs should be used for?

 

[Sammie]

I admit, I'm relatively new to the DIS boards (and to DVC), but I have to say, this thread is getting down-right tacky. I don't know CharlesTD's history (as some of you seem to) but my goodness!

Clarifying the rules is fine, but I don't come to these boards to be LECTURED by anyone (or to read others being lectured) and the obvious sarcasm in WebmasterDoc's last paragraph was harsh (and surprising coming from him).

Isn't this type of rhetoric what the PMs should be used for?

Welcome to the DVC board and this is mild.

If you are easily bothered by this type of discussion among folks that call them as they see them, then I apologize for that. But you might have to get a little thicker skinned to be comfortable in some of the discussions.

As to PMs, personally if I have something to say, I usually find it is worthy to share it will all and not hide it in a PM.

Hopefully you will stick around long enough to take the spicy with the mild.

 

[CharlesTD]

Actually Doc I did it in person not on the phone why would I call when I was staying at BWV it was ust as easy to walk over. Anyhow like it has been pointed out S&D are not on our list so use your own judgement.

 

[J and R's mom]

Thanks for the lecture, Sammie...

 

[amee]

I tried to figure this out through reading through all the posts, but i am confused, has pool hopping been taken away completely?

thanks,

Amee

 

[bobbiwoz]

I tried to figure this out through reading through all the posts, but i am confused, has pool hopping been taken away completely?

thanks,

Amee

I just checked the members site and pool hopping is allowed at this time. This is from the Members site:

Pool Hopping Information for 2005

You and any Guests staying with you at Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Villas, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Villas or Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are permitted to use other Disney Vacation Club and Walt Disney World Resort hotel pools (in addition to the pool at the resort hotel at which you're staying) if they are not at capacity. If the pool you are visiting reaches capacity, you may be asked to leave in order to accommodate Guests of that resort hotel. Please check with a Host/Hostess at the Front Desk of the resort hotel you wish to visit to find out about pool-access availability. You must present your "Key to the World" card with your "Disney Vacation Club Member" designation on it to use other resort hotel pools. Pool hopping is not available at Uzima Pool at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and Stormalong Bay at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts. In addition, this restriction includes the leisure pools at these two resort hotels. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Resort hotel pools may become unavailable from time to time because of capacity limitations. Due to expected high occupancy, Disney Vacation Club Members may not "pool hop" during the following dates*:


February 20 - 26, 2005

March 19 - 27, 2005

May 27 - 30, 2005

June 27 - July 4, 2005

September 2 - 5, 2005

November 21 - 27, 2005

December 17, 2005 - January2, 2006

*Other restricted dates may be added based on projected pool capacity.

Bobbi

 

[LakeAriel]

Sorry to say but the only way to stop the abuse of the resort pools is to discontinue "pool hopping". From my experience more non DVC people hop then members. It leads to a lack of security, over-crowding, and costlier maintenence. (increased dues)

 

[Dean]

Sorry to say but the only way to stop the abuse of the resort pools is to discontinue "pool hopping". From my experience more non DVC people hop then members. It leads to a lack of security, over-crowding, and costlier maintenence. (increased dues)

Since abuse is by people who are not supposed to be there, just changing the rules will not help. If they monitor it appropriately, legal pool hopping should not be a big problem for the resorts. I do agree they will stop it just to make it simpler but don't feel they need to.

 

[LakeAriel]

If they monitor it appropriately, legal pool hopping should not be a big problem for the resorts.

Dean I agree with this 100%. Unfortunately I find Disney unwilling to monitor it so I'd rather see it go. Maybe if only the resort guests could swim they would be able to monitor easier. For example current room key. Put the resort name on it! That would be easier then trying to check DVC membership cards. Too many people rent and have keys that say DVC member but they aren't. They say "Oh well we left our membership card in the room but it clearly says etc etc" I could see how it could become a pain to the staff. There are hundreds of people at these pools in busy season. Resort guests only. Simple. I'd rather have room to enjoy the pool I'm at then hop to another. Like the song "Love the one you're with..." sort of!

 

[CarolMN]

If they monitor it appropriately, legal pool hopping should not be a big problem for the resorts.....(snip)........

Monitoring is not free. Looks to me like Disney is not willing to pay to do it "appropriately" for any pool except SAB.

Best wishes -

 

[JimMIA]

If Disney were to eliminate pool hopping, that would solve absolutely nothing...unless they monitor who's using the pools.

As Dean said, any rule change you make will only affect the people who follow the rules in the first place.

Disney's choice is not to have pool hopping, or not. Their choice is to control it or not, and they have generally chosen not to control it. As Carol said, it's a money thing.

 

[CharlesTD]

We pool hop it is one of our favourite things to do. We tried out the pool at SSR this past May and the kids really loved it.

 

[Sammie]

If Disney were to eliminate pool hopping, that would solve absolutely nothing...unless they monitor who's using the pools.

As Dean said, any rule change you make will only affect the people who follow the rules in the first place.

Disney's choice is not to have pool hopping, or not. Their choice is to control it or not, and they have generally chosen not to control it. As Carol said, it's a money thing.

And when enough guests complain about it, it will get monitored. There has been a huge complaint to the staff at the Polynesian about the problems there and improvements have been made.

 

[kathleena]

If DVC elimated pool hopping, the only thing it would do is stop the "legal, rule-abiding" guests from hopping.

The ones that just want to do it, no matter where they are staying, will still do it.

I just can't see punishing the innocent because the guilty create problems.

 

[NMW]

Monitoring is not free. Looks to me like Disney is not willing to pay to do it "appropriately" for any pool except SAB.

Best wishes -

I don't know how great a job they are doing monitoring SAB either. We were at a party last night and a couple with 3 children that I didn't know that well were telling a group of us about their recent (last month) trip to Disney. They have some sort of camper or RV (I don't know anything about camping so I'm a little vauge on what they were talking about). They stayed at Fort Wilderness for 2 weeks in their camper thing.

Anyway, they were talking aobut Soarin, the heat, etc. Then they started talking about the pools. They said their favorite was at the Beach club and started describing it. They told some little story about one of the boys hitting the father in the eye coming down the slide, etc. Now, none of these people were DVC except us. Many people there had stayed at the Beach or Yacht clubs and were agreeing about the pool. I looked at my husband and wanted to say something about staying at Fort Wilderness and pool hopping to SAB. However, he gave me this "don't say anything about your crazy Dis board rules".

The funny thing is that I don't think these people knew this was wrong, nor do I think anyone in the group of people knew it was wrong, many of them go to Disney every year and stay in Deluxe hotels. I just can't believe they were able to pool hop there. When we last stayed at the BC (Dec 2003) we had to show our room cards to get in. The people did say something about eating breakfast at Cape May Cafe, maybe they swam after that. I'm not sure.

I agree with Kathleena. Making pool hopping illegal for DVC members will not stop people like this, just the "legal" DVC pool hoppers.

 

[Man_Of_Leisure]

We enjoy pool hopping every now and then. It is something we like to do that is different, expecially when we wish to go eat and shop at another resort that afternoon, then pool hopping adds an extra dimension to the visit.

However, I do agree that Disney needs to have better control over the pool hopping. They don't allow park hopping unless you have the appropriate pass so why should pool hopping be any different. How much extra would it cost to have a cast member check room keys or your 'Key to the World' and provide a colored wristband like they do for other special events at the parks? Once the pool is at capacity then they can stop issuing wristbands. Disney has already determined what is peak time of the year and does not allow pool hopping during those times so they can just issue wristbands to the resort guest (each resort would have a different color).

This would allow for more control over pool access and the lifeguards could visibly verify offenders without having a guest become the pool police because they happen to 'overhear' a conversation or see someone with a refillable mug from another resort and suspect they are violaters.

I believe it is Disney's responsiblity to maintain control of who enters their pools and who doesn't. Just to say DVC members can no longer pool hop and then to magically expect everyone else to stop pool hopping is unreasonable. If they have to increase the room rates of the resorts (because the resort guest also use the pool and should be able pool hop) as well as our fees in order to provide security then so be it. Spreading that cost between all of the resort guests and DVC members will make it an insignificant increase.

Maybe there should be other restrictions as well. How about if you are staying at a value resort then you can only pool hop at other value resort pools. If you are staying at a moderate then you can choose to pool hop at any other moderate or value resort. If you stay at a deluxe resort or are a DVC member and have a 'Key to the World' then you can pool hop at any Disney resort, including AK and SAB.

Man Of Leisure

 

[kathleena]

RE: the family hopping over from the camper.

It may have depended on how crowded it was at the pool and what time of day it was. Three times now in two trips, we have arrived at the pool and checked in for the wristband and they told us we didn't need one because the pool wasn't so busy.

If that family was there late in evening, they may have been able to use the pool easily.

 

[DVCDawn]

We've pool-hopped a few times for a very good reason. We own at BWV. I'll admit, I think it is a fantastic pool. However, our children are small and the kiddie pool at BWV is not very big. So we have hopped over to VWL a few times -- the kiddie pool is much bigger there. We like to eat outside and enjoy the wooded views.

The first time we stayed as DVC members, however, we were still allowed to pool hop to SAB. My oldest was 2 years old then and she had a blast in the sand-bottomed part.

DVCDawn