DVC resort pool slides - which ones allow kids to wear life jacket?

[disney-super-mom]

I'm trying to plan a trip for next fall for my family, and in the past I've received conflicting answers about kids being allowed to wear life jackets on the slides. It's not a make or break kind of thing, but it's nice to know when you have a four year old who doesn't swim all that well.

Can any of you tell me if your kids were allowed (or if you observed kids being allowed) to wear life jackets on any of the DVC resort slides?

Thanks

 

[icydog]

I have never heard of any restrictions on life jackets and slides. I have been a member for a long time and this is a new one on me.

 

[winjos]

My DD has worn a life vest at WL, OKW and HHI. She has not been to the other resorts. She loves waterslides.

Good Luck!

 

[crisi]

BW does, but you can't wear them (or couldn't a few years ago) down the big slide at SAB (but you could on the little slides at SAB).

 

[Eeyore's Pride]

I agree. As of a few years ago, you could not wear a life vest in SAB.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

We were just at BCV in October and my DS was allowed to wear a lifevest down the big slide, Hope this Helps
D

 

[disney-super-mom]

Hmmmmm, well it sounds like it's alright for the kiddos to wear life jackets on the slides, with the possible exception of the big slide at SAB (although someone said their little one was allowed to wear one on the big slide at SAB).

Good to know though. Our two kiddos LOVE, LOVE, LOVE water slides. However I think they're a bit too young for it to be worth the cost of admission to a WDW waterpark, although I could be wrong about that (they'll be 8 and 4 next fall).

Anyway, ever since they saw pictures of the sandcastle slide at OKW, they've wanted to go on it (of course when they see pictures of the clown slide at BWV, they want to go down that one too, and so on and so forth ).

Here our oldest (Ryan - 7) enjoying the slide at the Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland, but that empties into a catch-trough, so we didn't have to worry about life-jackets on the slide there. (great slide BTW - very fun!)

Well, thanks for the responses to my question. It was just one of those little things that a parent wonders about and wants to know.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hmmmmm, well it sounds like it's alright for the kiddos to wear life jackets on the slides, with the possible exception of the big slide at SAB (although someone said their little one was allowed to wear one on the big slide at SAB).

Good to know though. Our two kiddos LOVE, LOVE, LOVE water slides. However I think they're a bit too young for it to be worth the cost of admission to a WDW waterpark, although I could be wrong about that (they'll be 8 and 4 next fall).

Anyway, ever since they saw pictures of the sandcastle slide at OKW, they've wanted to go on it (of course when they see pictures of the clown slide at BWV, they want to go down that one too, and so on and so forth ).

Here our oldest (Ryan - 7) enjoying the slide at the Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland, but that empties into a catch-trough, so we didn't have to worry about life-jackets on the slide there. (great slide BTW - very fun!)

Well, thanks for the responses to my question. It was just one of those little things that a parent wonders about and wants to know.

Isn't Paradise Pier a great hotel? We stayed there in Sept and had a great view of California Adventure. I'd love to go back to DL, but we'd have to fly and we're not that crazy about flying.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

The slide at Beach Club does empty into a pool but there is a rope that you can stand at and as soon as your kid comes down you can go over and get them. What we did was have our older daughter come down first then we knew our son was right behind, the lifeguards were great all week with the little guy on the slide

 

[disney-super-mom]

Isn't Paradise Pier a great hotel? We stayed there in Sept and had a great view of California Adventure. I'd love to go back to DL, but we'd have to fly and we're not that crazy about flying.

We loved the Paradise Pier hotel! Rooms were roomy, decor was nice and cheerful, room service was fast and delicious, and although we had a standard view, it was a pretty good view (we overlooked the pool deck/slide, the DVC office, some parking areas, and we had a great view of the DL hotel). It was the best trip to DL/DCA we've ever had. We spent at least 3-4 hours every afternoon/evening swimming and sliding there. We really loved the Disneyland hotel too when we stayed there, but the Neverland pool is not as little kid friendly (for kids that can't swim yet) compared to the Paradise Pier pool deck.

I'm not big on flying either, but we HAVE to fly to get to ANY Disney park. I just suck it up and pretend I love to fly for my kids sake, but boy am I nervous on the inside!

 

[kdzgon]

I know it's not DVC, but when we stayed at CR in Sept, the little ones (3 1/2 YOs) were required to wear vests if using the slide.

 

[Laurabearz]

at the Luna pool Life jackets were A-OK! Also the slides at HHI!!!

 

[Anniegirl]

My non-swimming 6 year old wore a life vest down the big slide at SAB this August with no issues. He also wore one at the OKW slide, and the slide at POFQ. Loves the slides, but can't stay afloat, poor kid.....

 

[dwelty]

I know it's not DVC, but when we stayed at CR in Sept, the little ones (3 1/2 YOs) were required to wear vests if using the slide.

Do the Disney Resorts provide these Live jackets?

 

[disney-super-mom]

My non-swimming 6 year old wore a life vest down the big slide at SAB this August with no issues. He also wore one at the OKW slide, and the slide at POFQ. Loves the slides, but can't stay afloat, poor kid.....

Well that's good to hear. I was hoping that wearing a life vest on the SAB slide was allowed.

Our 7 year old can doggie paddle pretty good, so we don't worry too much about him going down a slide without a life vest, but our 3 year old can't swim a lick yet. However, he wants to do everything his big brother does, so if big brother gets to go down a water slide, then little three year old brother better be able to as well, or WATCHOUT - 3 year old ATTITUDE UNLEASHED! (Luke, our 3 year old) (me)

 

[JimMIA]

Our DD4-going-on-24 swims like a fish, so I'm really more curious about this than concerned.

But why would they NOT allow a kid to wear a PFD?? That really sounds crazy to me.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Our DD4-going-on-24 swims like a fish, so I'm really more curious about this than concerned.

But why would they NOT allow a kid to wear a PFD?? That really sounds crazy to me.

I don't know why exactly, but I have heard before that on certain slides at WDW (in particular the slide at SAB), they didn't allow life vests to be worn.

I'm thinking it could be because of 2 reasons:

1. Because the buckles on the vests could possibly cause damage to the slide. (We have water parks here in our area that don't allow life vests to be worn if going down the slides just for this reason.)

2. Because the buckles could possibly cause a child to get hung-up somehow on a slide, and therefore life vests aren't allowed on tube slides because a lifeguard wouldn't be able to see if or where a child got hung-up, and if another slider went down, then WHAM - OUCH!

Those are a couple of my theories anyway.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Our kids have worn vest at OKW, SSR, and AKL. Never a problem.

FWIW, we took our kids to Typhoon Lagoon at ages 6, 4, and 3--it was the best day of the whole trip! There is a ton for little ones to do there. Our kids are water bugs--can't get enough of slides, etc., and are very comfortable in the water.

 

[Sammie]

Our DD4-going-on-24 swims like a fish, so I'm really more curious about this than concerned.

But why would they NOT allow a kid to wear a PFD?? That really sounds crazy to me.

I am not sure why they changed it at SAB, but it used to be you could not wear them. The reason was and possibly they changed the vests, is that they were concerned since the slide is long and enclosed, a child might get caught up in the enclosed part due to the vests. So SuperMom guessed correctly.

So in the past, no vests on any enclosed slides.