Guests at the Poly?

[jtlund]

Background: I have a timeshare a mile away from WDW gate that I was given at work. I splurged and got teh Poly for a couple nights while we're there. My BFF, her hubby and 2 kiddos are stayign with us at the timeshare. I have a couple questions:

1. Are you allowed to have guests during the day at the Poly pool(s)? If so, is there a charge?

2. The first night we're at the Poly, we have MNSSHP in the evening and the second day I booked Dinner Package with Fantasmic. I'm now regret doing that because one of the reasons I booked Poly was so we could maybe watch the fireworks from the beach there and enjoy perks of being on-site. If we go to dinner/Fantasmic, I'm sure we won't be back at the hotel until late and 5 year old ds will just keel over from the day. I'm thinking of changing our plan and doing Fantasmic on a different day when we're at our timeshare instead of the Poly and then we'll have one of our off days there and just enjoy the hotel. Good idea? Maybe I should book Luau for that night instead? My son is 5 and my friends kids are 5 and 4.


TIA!

 

[goofy4tink]

You may have guests, but not for swimming. The pools, at all resorts, are for the use of registered guests at that particular resort only. It's really not fair to those who are paying to use the amenities to have to share with off-site guests.
If being at the Polynesian is what you want to do, then by all means, reschedule the Fantasmic dinner package. Doing the Luau might be fun...I'm not sure the kids would enjoy it though. My dd was 9 when we went and she was very ho-hum about it...no interest in going back to see it again. But, she loved HDDR.
If you do decide on the Luau, be sure to reserve an early show, so that you can see those fireworks from the beach.

 

[michellejed]

If it was me I would not shell out the money for the Poly for just 2 days and not be around long enough to fully enjoy it!

When we stayed at CBR we asked at check-in if we could have guest come spend some time with us at the resort and use the pool, they said of course we could, I think Disney wants to convert every one to stay on-site

We may have just had a kind CM but I would ask for sure.

 

[safetymom]

There is a difference in using the pool at a moderate and the Poly. If you ask when you get there and they say yes then go ahead. But I wouldn't plan on being told yes. The Poly gets used quite a bit and it is for resort guests only.

 

[spiceycat]

would also go with MNSSHP on a different night too...

so you can enjoy the Polyn!

is your free timeshare at Westgate by any chance.

 

[Lynne M]

True....the deluxes are far more strict about pool use than the moderates and values. Some conduct random resort ID checks, and they will evict non-guests from the pool area.

You can ask, and if the pool's not busy, the lifeguards may allow your guests to swim. But it's just as likely that they'll say no. The Poly pool is kind of small and tends to get crowded easily.

 

[jtlund]

We've got the timeshare at the Parkway International from October 19-26. We have the whole day off the first day we get to the Poly (October 21). The only thing I have tix for that day is MNSSHP. We can take the monorail to that - ds will be beside himself. As for the 22nd, before I decided to splurge on the Poly, I had booked the dinner package w/Fantasmic. After the things I've heard about Hollywood & Vine, I'm not even sure I want to do that anyway. I think we'd have just as good of a time at the Poly watching the fireworks on the beach. Maybe do Fantasmic on Saturday (I haven't scheduled anything that day yet). THEN, we can spend all day the 22nd at the Poly Volcano Pool, etc. and then have dinner somewhere nice. Is Hollywood Studios a whole day thing or is half day there enough?

We check out of the Poly and back to the timeshare on October 23rd but the 23rd is also my hubby's birthday. The CM that took my reservation asked if we were celebrating anything while we where there and I told them it was dh's birthday on the 23rd. I booked Dining w/Shamu for his birthday dinner - he's never been to WDW or Sea World (or out of Minnesota for that matter). Of all of the possible birthday dinner places, I'm positive he will LOVE the Shamu thing.

As far as the Poly and guests go, it's really not that big of a deal. There's a pool at the timeshare that my friends can use - I just thought it would be fun to have them over for an hour to swim with us at the Poly but I totally understand Disney policy and wouldn't want to do anything against the rules.

 

[HeidiGW]

Keep in mind the day you have the MNSSHP, you may enter the MK at 4 p.m.
I'd enjoy as much of the resort at I could--it is our dream resort and we've yet to stay--put off Fantasmic.
I'd suggest an early dinner at 'Ohana. Ask for a table by the window, so you can see to the pool lagoon. Watching the fireworks from the beach is great. Catch the water parade, too. I think it is at 9:00 or 9:15 p.m.
(If you have room have a Dole Whip for me while viewing the fireworks!!!)
The dining with Shamu is cool. You can eat outside on a patio, off the big tank. And the orcas swim up on a cement landing. I mean you are barely feet away from them. At least that is how it used to be.
IF you have a day, the new water park Aquatica is FABULOUS!!!!! I think you can buy multiple day, multiple passes for not much more than a one-day pass to Sea World.

 

[DisCopper]

OK, this might be a Disney Sin...

Growing up, we made our yearly trip to Disney (Magic Kingdom only back then) and being your basic redneck, blue-collar family, we couldn't afford to stay at one of the 4 resorts on property at the time. We always stayed off property.

One of my great childhood memories is of heading to the Poly in the heat of the afternoon. I changed into my bathing suit in a bathroom and played in the pool for an hour or so. Afterward, we were back to the Park.

In probably 5 years, no one ever questioned us.

This was, however, the late 70's and times have certainly changed.

 

[smidgy]

pools at the Mods: I think the pool at CSR far surpasses the pool at the poly.(they have a GREAT slide, and a huge pool!)
we generally stay away from wdw at the busy times. but... if I were at CSR and we could not find lounge chairs together , because they were taken up by "visitors" I would be just as peeved as those people lacking lounge chairs at the Poly (due to "visitors") . I would feel the same at Pop, or all stars. (I know, I admit, no one is going to "sneak in" to the fantasia pool at all star movies)
often times frequent wdw guests like to "try out" dif. resorts to see where they might want to stay on a future trip. scope it out... try out the restaurants or food courts. we do it ourselves often. and very often book at that same resort next year) but if "checking out" the pools to see what they are like means you are not alowed to swim or use the lounge chairs, it shouldn't matter if it is a deluxe resort, moderate, or value. If I am not allowed to take up a lounger at the grand floridian when staying at CSR or CBR, then a guest at GF should not be allowed to do the same when checking out CSR or CBR for a future trip. (kids staying at the contemporary, with their boring pool, would be thrilled to jump into the hippy dippy pool at pop, while mom and dad were checking it out for a less expensive future trip)

esp. with the new pool at CBR.( I remember when we used to HAVE to go in the summer, when we had kids with us, and it was really hard to get 4 loungers together, let alone 2. fair is fair.)

 

[safetymom]

All the resort pools are for guests of that resort. My point is that more people want to hop to the deluxe resorts. You would probably be less likely to be granted permission at those deluxe hotels to bring guests.

CBR has a locked gate so no after hours swimming. I wonder if they are going to do that at more resorts and check wristbands for everyone?

 

[goofy4tink]

OK, this might be a Disney Sin...

Growing up, we made our yearly trip to Disney (Magic Kingdom only back then) and being your basic redneck, blue-collar family, we couldn't afford to stay at one of the 4 resorts on property at the time. We always stayed off property.

One of my great childhood memories is of heading to the Poly in the heat of the afternoon. I changed into my bathing suit in a bathroom and played in the pool for an hour or so. Afterward, we were back to the Park.

In probably 5 years, no one ever questioned us.

This was, however, the late 70's and times have certainly changed.

It was fine with Disney waaaaay back then. My dh's aunt used to do that all the time...it was no problem. In fact, she and I were talking about 2 yrs ago...she said she was taking her daybag with her to MK...that way they could head over to the Polynesian and cool off at the pool! I told her that wasn't allowed. She said it is...they had done exactly that on every trip, until they stopped going in the late 90's. Well, I had to explain the 'new' policy to her. She didn't much care...she was taking their swimsuits with her to MK and swimming at the Polynesian later in the day. And no, they were not staying anywhere on Disney property. I never asked her how it went.

 

[DiznEeyore]

She didn't much care...she was taking their swimsuits with her to MK and swimming at the Polynesian later in the day. And no, they were not staying anywhere on Disney property.

 

[Tinkbellfan]

I had a similar experience at the Poly regarding guests. We where there in June 08 and had friends who were in the Orlando area (off-property) that came to visit. They understood the policy of no guests in the pool, but the CM at guest services who helped us change some dining ressie's said "of course you can invite them to swim". We double checked with the front desk and the life guard and they both said "thank you for asking and that it was no problem".

Maybe it was just the CM's that day. The pool was not at capacity even though it was in June so that could have helped too. I understand why some people would be upset about this if the pool was packed, but it turned out to be a fun time with "old" friends (he was the bestman at our wedding - 20 years ago).

 

[smidgy]

All the resort pools are for guests of that resort. My point is that more people want to hop to the deluxe resorts. You would probably be less likely to be granted permission at those deluxe hotels to bring guests.

CBR has a locked gate so no after hours swimming. I wonder if they are going to do that at more resorts and check wristbands for everyone?

locked gate? is that new with the new pool? wristbands? we have stayed at11 disney resorts (if you count the dolphin as disney) and never had a wristband. I have heard of them at stormalong bay, though. (although, as I mentioned, we go in may or sept, and recently early dec or feb before pres. wk)

when at the dolphin one may, there were 2 young couples next to us at the grotto pool and i overheard them saying they were staying at allstars, and then walking over to epcot for immum. It didn't bother me at all because there were plenty loungers and the pool wasn't crowded at all.

when would it bother me? if there weren't enough loungers (esp. ones in the sun, we like to tan) I know, it's bad for your skin. or, if someone were not stayaing onsite at all. (nebo and I wondered if locals ever sneak in to use the pools.)
but if a family were staying at that resort and had guests, I would think that was ok, (again, as long as there was room) I know that's not disney policy, just saying what would and wouldn't bother me