How crowded does Stormalong Bay get?....in August?....compared to other resort pools?

[Goofy'sFriend]

Hi all.......I'm debating whether or not to change our plans from the Poly to the YC. We LOVED Poly's pool, but did find it crowded. I wonder how many people hop over to use this pool from the MK?? Anyway, we have always wanted to stay at an Epcot resort and my family is now thinking that we should be trying a resort we haven't been to yet. We are thinking that we would like to try YC with the great pool. Just wondering how crowded it really gets.....especially in August. How would you compare the crowds there to other resort pools? THANKS!!

 

[Demosthenes]

This pool gets extremely crowded; with the addition of the BCV, it is very hard to find a pool chair, or even much space in the pool during the busy times of the year at SAB. I love this pool, and we love this resort, but it just isn't worth the hassle during the busy times of year. The overcrowding at SAB even fills up the quiet pools, which is where DW and I prefer to swim.

 

[jel0511]

If you thought the Poly pool was crowded, you're in for a shock at SAB. That pool has to be the most crowded on property, and it serves THREE resorts. When we stay at YC or BC, we hit the pool in the AM, and leave around lunch, it's just too crowded for us and our kids 5 and 2. It is an awesome pool, but unless you get to the pool early, your choice of chairs is low.

 

[Goofy'sFriend]

Wow.....your answers really make me think I should choose AKL (our other choice if we switch from the Poly).......but, I've heard that is crowded too........I just don't know. Thanks for your help!

 

[Allie322]

We have been to Disney in mid-July for each of the past three years. We stayed as AsMu, POR, and YC. We found that at around mid-afternoon, ALL of the pools were crowded, regardless of which resort we were at, and chairs were tough to find. We changed our strategy last year and tried to go the pool first thing in the morning and stay till noon-ish, or we went in the evening. We had no problems. My advice is stay where you think you'll have the most fun and don't worry about the crowds--they're everywhere!

 

[jel0511]

I have to agree with Allie322. Any resort pool in the summer is going to be crowded. I can tell you that AKL's pool is just as crowded as the Poly's. Since there is only one pool at AKL, there is nowhere else to go, like the other deluxes that have quiet pools. Pick the resort you want to stay at, not based on pool attendence. Since any pool will be crowded in the afternoon during the summer.

 

[Pinnie]

I can agree that ALL pools are going to be crowded mid afternoon in the summer.

However, we were at BCVs during the week after Easter (Very crowded time) and we were able to find chairs every time we went down to swim mid-afternoon. Albeit they weren't "poolside" but it worked for DH and me!

They do check resort keys, so be sure to bring yours to the pool!


pin

 

[epcotfan]

Originally posted by Goofy'sFriend
Wow.....your answers really make me think I should choose AKL (our other choice if we switch from the Poly).......but, I've heard that is crowded too........I just don't know. Thanks for your help!

AKL pool will be just as crowded. I recently stayed at the AKL and it was busy day and night. If you want pools that are less crowded I'd stay away from the ones with zero entry depth. They tend to attract lots of families with small children. And you know kids...they love being in the water all day!

 

[Kerlynne]

I don't mean this to sound rude, but why do some of you worry about finding a chair? You are hot, so you will be in the pool. You could always sit at the end of the pool, and stick feet in. If I want to "lounge," I go upstairs, to my air conditional room! LOL

12 days and counting... to Yacht Club--whoo hoo!

 

[epcotfan]

I think many people (including myself) like to lounge by the pool with a drink or book. It gets very frustrating when you can't find a poolside chair to relax in.

 

[Scoootch]

Originally posted by Goofy'sFriend
Hi all.......I'm debating whether or not to change our plans from the Poly to the YC. We LOVED Poly's pool, but did find it crowded. I wonder how many people hop over to use this pool from the MK??

Just another bit of info. here.....you won't find anyone pool-hopping here. As most may already know, pool hopping is not aloud unless you are a DVC member staying at a Disney resort on pts. But at SAB they strictly enforce the no-pool hopping rule here as it's not even available to the DVC pool hoppers. You must actually be staying at Yacht Club, Beach Club or the BCV's in order to be able to use SAB. They check I.D.'s at the enterences to SAB and you are given a wrist band like at a water park.

All that being said, as a previous poster mentioned, all the pools tend to get crowded mid-day in the middle of summer at Disney but at least at SAB they check for pool crashers to keep the crowds down to only those who belong at this resorts pool. So if you'd like to be at YC this summer - I'd say GO FOR IT!! AND HAVE A GREAT TIME!!

 

[boston-yachter]

The last week in August last year....NO ONE WAS IN THE POOLS!
We stayed at both AKL and CBR...and would go back to the resort around 1 or 2 and be able to find a chair, and swim....this was at the main pool of CBR...but even at AKL...there were not many people....we were at the pool form the second we checked in till night....and not many people were in it!

We also got a chance to visit the EPCOT resorts....we could see that Luna Park was not crowded either, nor SAB....yes there were people swimming, but noting to the point where it would get frustrating...this was also at peek "swimming" time

With the new FTP I don't know how the resort crowds for August will be this year...I cause its either hit or miss....

 

[pstepka]

Are you permitted to bring your own chairs to SAB? I'm thinking of those fold up director's chairs that fit in a bag that we use for the kids' ball games.

Pam

 

[beccasmom]

We're DVC'ers who stayed two nights at the BCV on points last week. SAB was very, very crowded even in the evening. We ended up using the smaller, but much less crowded BCV "neighborhood" pool. SAB is a terrific pool, and deservedly very popular. I prefer things to be a tad quieter and didn't mind being "relegated" to the other pool. It was very nice, although small and the hot tub was wonderful!

 

[swanmom]

Just got back from YC. We did not find the pools to be crowded most days but....... on the one day (95 degrees) when it was really hot, we just went over to the quiet pool instead of SAB. It was virtually empty!

 

[DWDreams]

We've been going in August for a few years now and I agree that most pools are crowded mid-day, no getting around it. We stayed at BC last year and that was definitely the worst, but we still enjoyed it and just went over to the quiet pool to lounge.

The one place that wasn't crowded for us in August was the Dolphin Grotto pool. It's also pretty huge and we never had a problem getting a chair there, no matter what time of day. I think it may be due to the convention crowd. So if the pool is a really big factor for someone, this may be an alternative. Plus, Epcot is a really great location!