Going in Resorts to Swim........?

[catjammies]

Can you visit a particular resort just to swim & not stay there???

 

[gepetto]

nope.

 

[pnelson]

Some people will tell you that you can't even breathe the air at a resort if you haven't paid to stay there. But, no, you can't pool hop.

 

[ducklite]

No, sorry, resort pools are for the exclusive use of the guests of that particular resort. Besides, it give you a good reason to come back for another visit so you can try a different resort and it's pools

Anne

 

[buckeye]

Just an interesting tidbit to share...

I checked out some Disney guides from the library and got one published in 2000. (I'd never seen it before so I wanted to check it out, although it was dated.) It stated that one of the benefits of staying onsite was that you could swim in ANY resort pool! This opened my eyes as to why there is so much confusion about this. If someone gets a dated guidebook (and doesn't realize it) they can be misinformed.

Another reason to plug into the DIS...

 

[pnelson]

I know in 1998 we had no idea if it was okay or not-We didn't even think it wasn't and we swam at Wilderness Lodge after eating there. I don't know what the policy was and don't remember any signs. It did have the benefit of us deciding to stay there on our next visit, however. I think some people are just not aware that it is not allowed. It's something that really doesn't bother me however-I'm too involved in my own vacation and never really noticed if anyone hops or not.

 

[katrina1122]

I'm sure the rules have changed since I was last there (99), but we asked the front desk at the Boardwalk Villas if we could go over to the Y&B Club and use their pool because the pool at the BW was really busy that day for some odd reason, they told us to go ahead, we took the boat over went swimming the whole afternoon and no one questioned, me, my sister, her boyfriend, my best friend and my mom. Whether the front desk was in the wrong or not, or whether the rules have changed or not, why does it really matter? You've paid resort fees, you can go into other resorts for tours and to eat, why not swim? As long as you are a paying WDW guest I personally think its fine. Just don't bother anyone.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by katrina1122
I'm sure the rules have changed since I was last there (99), but we asked the front desk at the Boardwalk Villas if we could go over to the Y&B Club and use their pool because the pool at the BW was really busy that day for some odd reason, they told us to go ahead, we took the boat over went swimming the whole afternoon and no one questioned, me, my sister, her boyfriend, my best friend and my mom. Whether the front desk was in the wrong or not, or whether the rules have changed or not, why does it really matter? You've paid resort fees, you can go into other resorts for tours and to eat, why not swim? As long as you are a paying WDW guest I personally think its fine. Just don't bother anyone.

Katrina, the problem is that certain resort pools draw tremendous crowds from both the resort and other resorts, plus day guests, to the point that guests of that resort can't find a place to sit and the water is too crowded to swim. It's also an insurance liability issue for a number of reasons.

The rules HAVE changed dramatically in the past few years, mostly due to guests complaining about over crowded pools at the resorts they are staying at.

Anne

 

[smfnj]

Originally posted by buckeye
Just an interesting tidbit to share...

I checked out some Disney guides from the library and got one published in 2000. It stated that one of the benefits of staying onsite was that you could swim in ANY resort pool!

Which guide book was this in, I don't remember ever reading this? We have MANY books dating back to '91.

steve

 

[buckeye]

It's called The Everything Guide to WDW, Universal Studios, and Greater Orlando, written by Jason Rich. In the section on where to stay it has a highlighted place in the margin that even gives this specific example:

"One of the benefits of staying at a WDW Resort is that as a guest you can take advantage of the amenities at other WDW Resorts. For example, if you're staying at the All-Star Movies Resort, you can spend an afternoon at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club's pool area..."

I don't even think think this information was true back in 2000, but maybe it was. It just popped out at me after reading all the heated discussions about this topic in the discussion boards!

 

[katrina1122]

Well if the pools are overcrowded there in lies the problem...which is why the front desk cm's told us to head on over to the other pool in the first place.
Granted its been far too long since I've been down there, and if all goes right we'll be there in Jan, but regardless, there's obviously a problem if pools overcrowd that often that people feel the need to pool hop to find room and if they've had to create a policy, whenever it was created.
Like I said, I see nothing wrong with it myself. As to the liablity issue, well that's something they have to deal with on a grand scale beyond just a pool issue.

 

[hookedup]

Okay I know this is a touchy subject with many but I will tell you that I had an agent from CRO tell me that a benefit of staying at a Disney Resort was being able to use the pool at the other resorts - with the exception of the one at the Beach Club. This was 3 years ago when I was researching and planning a trip.
So when someone tells you that they have been told this is okay that certainly could be the case.
I have no interest in swimming at a different resort from which I am staying - I think it's a pain in the rear just to walk to the pool at the resort I am staying at - I could not imagine the production to actually have to travel to another resort to do this. I would go to BB or TL on the bus instead.

 

[smfnj]

Originally posted by buckeye
It's called The Everything Guide to WDW, Universal Studios, and Greater Orlando, written by Jason Rich.

"One of the benefits of staying at a WDW Resort is that as a guest you can take advantage of the amenities at other WDW Resorts. For example, if you're staying at the All-Star Movies Resort, you can spend an afternoon at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club's pool area..."

Hmm, I've never seen this book. Does it say spend time at the pool area or in the pool, lol?

The way I understand it is that DVC members can use most of the resorts pools, with a couple of exceptions and PO / DL can use each others pools.

>hookedup
>Okay I know this is a hot topic but I will tell you that I had an
>agent from CRO tell me that a benefit of staying at a Disney Resort
>was being able to use the pool at the other resorts

Not a hot topic for me, heck, I don't even use the pool at the resort i'm staying at. There are a lot of people here on the Dis who have forgotten more about Disney than a lot of CM's and especially CRO agents know. You can't take everything they tell you as gospel. I'd be willing to bet that "pool hopping" is illegal, so watch out for D-Cop, hehe.

steve

 

[packy]

When we stayed at the BC in '99, they checked resort IDs to get towels, but if you wanted to walk in and swim there was nothing stopping you. There were no CMs posted at the two gates from the walkway by the water. You could also just climb the slide stairs (outside the fence) slide down and you are in the pool. Just to point out, it was difficult to find an empty chaise at BC and we were there in late August when DW really wasn't that crowded.

 

[buckeye]

You're right, Steve! It does say "at the pool area", not "in the pool"!! Ha, ha! I guess that's the catch...

 

[mkymouse4ever]

We here at the DIS are always c/o about day visitors or dvc people pool hoping, BUT the people I've met most at the pool (my sister and I are single women no kids) and hot tubs are actually cm's on there day's off! and this does include SAB! I really do not care who is at the pool, they are going to be crowded when its hot, and if I lived in orlando, I would be trying to figure out how to sneek in too! ( go ahead and flame away) So I wonder if cm's get this as a perk or if there "friends" just let them in"? The 1st time we met some was at the wl, asked where they were from and told us they worked there "cm's" on day off, we have talked to others at sab, poly, cr, and at the gf the "boss" caught one of the cm's taking up a lounge chair and reading in her swim suit (lunch break) and chased her out of there, she was next to us, I think he told her she would be fired if caught again. (the pool area was packed). So I doubt disney condones this activity but it happens just the same.

Remeber if you really want to pool hop: Universal's 3 hotels ALL have pool hoping privilages and encourage you to pool hop!

I have to agree with the other poster though, I can barely get out to my pool, getting to another resort is just to far! and to much work.

MKY

 

[eccflash]

OK Ill give the official word as a cast member. It is ok to pool hop if your staying at a disney resort. There are no restriction on this at all. All resort anemmities are open to all "disney" resort guest. You can eat, shop, rent boats, bikes, and yes even swim at any disney resort. It is also a perk of being a cast member that we can swim in any pool without being a resort guest. This came as party of my traditions class. It is not publicised because they dont want everyone doing it, (just like discount codes) but it isd avaliable. Another thing is that if you bike or skate you can go to any of the resorts. best for skating or rollerblading is coranado springs, all stars and wildernedd lodge.(no cant do it on your breaks) no matter where you work you are not supposed to be onstage during breaks. Its a BIG BIG nono.

 

[ducklite]

Another case of a CM clearly stating something that is in direct oppostion to printed materials and posted signage.

Sorry, I'll believe the signage and the printed materials handed out at a resort before I'll believe a person claiming to be a CM on an Internet BB.

If this is the case, then why does DVC make it a big selling point?

Anne

 

[goofy4tink]

Have to say that one of the reasons we're staying at the Polynesian next month is the pool. We'll be using the pool every day since it's going to be so darn hot/humid. We were going to be at CBR but upgraded for the pool area. Now, I have an issue with pool hopping. If, and this is a huge if, it is alright to pool hop if you are a WDW resort guest, how do they know you are? What is to stop those poor Orlando residents from just coming on in and jumping in the resort pools? Yes, I know that anyone can eat at the restaurants, check out the various resorts, but no one is being crowded by this. The restaurants hold just so many people. When they are full, you wait for an opening. Last time I checked, the pool areas didn't have this option. So, I pay for the amenities at a deluxe resort and since others paying for a less expensive resort decide to use the pool at my resort, I have an overcrowded pool. Fair? I think not. And this is NOT a case of the have and have-nots. I know plenty of people that have a lot of money and use the AllStars(probably why they have lots of money!) while we have scrimped and saved to have one last fantastic family trip at a deluxe.
And as too what the guide books tell us...I read in one, and I'll have to check which one later, where it said the Coronado Springs was the only moderate that you could get a boat to Epcot at!!! Now, what happens to those people that book CS based on that info??
Soooo, I'm going next month. I think I'll switch my ressies back to CBR, but take my 3 y/o mugs from DxL with me over to the Polynesian for refills. What with cramming all 8 of us into that little room at CBR we'll need to spread out at the nicer pool!!!!

JOKE people!!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Think I could try out the beds at the GF on my next trip? I'd like to see how they feel.

Wait a minute, I'm staying at the GF.

Forget the original thought.

If you read the large wooden signs at each of the resort pools, they state they are exclusively for the guests of that resort. Not the guests of WDW, but the guests of that resort. I'll take a picture and bring it back.