Hypothetical situation about pool hopping

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I was wondering let's say a family who is staying at Boardwalk Vilas on points decides to try out the pool at the Polynesian, since they would be allowed to because of the fact they were staying on points. They arrive at the Polynesian & everything is going perefct. Let's say 30 minutes after getting to the pool it's starts to become very busy & all the chairs taken, then a family who is staying at the Polynesian can not sit anywhere. Can the lifeguards ask the family who is staying at the Boardwalk Villas be asked to leave, to make room for the family staying at the Polynesian? I do know that since they stayed on points & everything they would be allowed to swim there if they wanted to, so it would not be considered illegal pool hopping & I am sure they could make the argument they got there first. However couldn't the family staying at the Polynesian complain that since they are paying guests they should have access to pool chairs & not a family who is not staying there, despite the fact they would be allowed based on the Disney Vacation Club rules. So I am wondering would the Polynesian take the side of the guests who are paying to stay there, or would they take the side of the family staying on points who decided to pool hopp over there & since they are allowed to the Polynesian can claim they did nothing wrong.

 

[Caskbill]

Technically, before you pool hop, you're suppose to call the resort ahead and ask if pool hopping is allowed that day. (If the pools are at, or going to be at capacity, pool hopping is not allowed.)

I'd say that if you called and they said OK, they you can go over there and stay as long as you like. The pool is probably not going to hit capacity, so you're not going to be taking someone else's space. If they knew it was going to be a busy day, they wouldn't let you come over in the first place.

Now, if someone goes over without calling first, and the pool hits capacity, I would suspect they could rightfully ask the DVC person to leave.

 

[RobDoc]

I was wondering let's say a family who is staying at Boardwalk Vilas on points decides to try out the pool at the Polynesian, since they would be allowed to because of the fact they were staying on points. They arrive at the Polynesian & everything is going perefct. Let's say 30 minutes after getting to the pool it's starts to become very busy & all the chairs taken, then a family who is staying at the Polynesian can not sit anywhere. Can the lifeguards ask the family who is staying at the Boardwalk Villas be asked to leave, to make room for the family staying at the Polynesian? I do know that since they stayed on points & everything they would be allowed to swim there if they wanted to, so it would not be considered illegal pool hopping & I am sure they could make the argument they got there first. However couldn't the family staying at the Polynesian complain that since they are paying guests they should have access to pool chairs & not a family who is not staying there, despite the fact they would be allowed based on the Disney Vacation Club rules. So I am wondering would the Polynesian take the side of the guests who are paying to stay there, or would they take the side of the family staying on points who decided to pool hopp over there & since they are allowed to the Polynesian can claim they did nothing wrong.

The ability for DVC members to pool hop is always up to the resort pool staff. DVC members are supposed to ask in advance if they may use the pool and can always be asked to leave if pool conditions warrant.

Pool Hopping is NOT a guaranteed perk - it is granted on an "as available" basis and is even blocked at certain times of the year - but is always based on the utilization of the pool at the time you are there.

 

[princessesrule4]

I thought pool hopping was only allowed at other DVC resorts, except Stormalong Bay? Why can a DVC member on points go to the Poly or other resort - does not seem right!! I must be out of the loop!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Technically, before you pool hop, you're suppose to call the resort ahead and ask if pool hopping is allowed that day. (If the pools are at, or going to be at capacity, pool hopping is not allowed.)

I'd say that if you called and they said OK, they you can go over there and stay as long as you like. The pool is probably not going to hit capacity, so you're not going to be taking someone else's space. If they knew it was going to be a busy day, they wouldn't let you come over in the first place.

Now, if someone goes over without calling first, and the pool hits capacity, I would suspect they could rightfully ask the DVC person to leave.

The ability for DVC members to pool hop is always up to the resort pool staff. DVC members are supposed to ask in advance if they may use the pool and can always be asked to leave if pool conditions warrant.

Pool Hopping is NOT a guaranteed perk - it is granted on an "as available" basis and is even blocked at certain times of the year - but is always based on the utilization of the pool at the time you are there.

Thanks for the info you both gave which was very informative. I now know more of how the process works when it comes to DVC members pool hopping & what they need to do before they are given the all clear. Also Caskbill, it's good to hear that if they had to make a choice, they would ask the DVC family to leave because that would seem like the right thing to do.

 

[flexsmom]

We tried out pool-hopping for the first time about a year and a half ago, which was our first stay at OKW. We pool-hopped one afternoon to BWV, after a breakfast at GF - yes, we called first, and was told it was fine.

The first thing that pops into my mind about your question is that I don't see how it is possible that anyone at that BWV pool possibly knew that we were pool-hopping, such that they would have asked us to leave had the pool reached capacity. In your scenario, I don't see how a lifeguard or any other CM would know who a "Polynesian" family was vs a "pool-hopping DVC family". Our home resort is BCV and they do check for bracelets, but I have not seen anyone check at any other resort.

I'm not suggesting to violate the DVC pool-hopping rules - I'm just saying that other than BCV or at very active, full times when CMs may be monitoring the influx of guests at a pool, I doubt there is an effort made to distinguish resort guests.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We tried out pool-hopping for the first time about a year and a half ago, which was our first stay at OKW. We pool-hopped one afternoon to BWV, after a breakfast at GF - yes, we called first, and was told it was fine.

The first thing that pops into my mind about your question is that I don't see how it is possible that anyone at that BWV pool possibly knew that we were pool-hopping, such that they would have asked us to leave had the pool reached capacity. In your scenario, I don't see how a lifeguard or any other CM would know who a "Polynesian" family was vs a "pool-hopping DVC family". Our home resort is BCV and they do check for bracelets, but I have not seen anyone check at any other resort.

I'm not suggesting to violate the DVC pool-hopping rules - I'm just saying that other than BCV or at very active, full times when CMs may be monitoring the influx of guests at a pool, I doubt there is an effort made to distinguish resort guests.

What I meant was if the lifeguards at the Polynesian were to check the Resort ID cards of the guests at the Polynesian pool, they can see by the number who is a Polynesian guest & who is not. So just like Caskbill said if they did not call ahead to see if there was room, they could be asked to leave to make room for the Polynesian guests.

 

[BroganMc]

What I meant was if the lifeguards at the Polynesian were to check the Resort ID cards of the guests at the Polynesian pool, they can see by the number who is a Polynesian guest & who is not. So just like Caskbill said if they did not call ahead to see if there was room, they could be asked to leave to make room for the Polynesian guests.

Bracelets are a lot easier to check than room keys. You just flash your wrist. How would resorts that don't distinguish between resorts with bracelets check? Lifeguard stands up and shouts: "Ok everyone clear the pool and show me your room key!" Somehow I think they'd hear far more complaints from guests in doing the Chinese firedrill than it would warrant.

How is the bracelet thing handled at SAB? Do you get one when you check in or have to flash your key to get one before entering the pool? I toured the place one day but never got frisked. I wasn't a pool hopper just a pool voyeur. And I was staying offsite at the time. I just had Cape May ressies.

 

[castleri]

Haven't stayed at BCV in a couple of years but at that time one of the lifeguards was walking around with the wrist bands. If you started to go into the pool and did not have one you were asked for your room key, given a wrist band and were good to go. There were several young women sitting on lounge chairs near me who were quite indignant that they were not being allowed to use the pool since they had paid to stay onsite- obviously not at one of the 3 places that can use SAB. It seems to me that before they built BCV and you could still pool hop to SAB we had to show ID before even getting into the pool area and they stamped your hand. That of course required someone manning the two entrances so maybe it was a cost cutting measure that did away with that method.

 

[Dean]

Ultimately you can be asked to leave or be denied access when you get there even if you called to ask and was told OK. I do know of each of these issues happening at least once.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I was wondering let's say a family who is staying at Boardwalk Vilas on points decides to try out the pool at the Polynesian, since they would be allowed to because of the fact they were staying on points. .

quick question: Do you have to be a MEMBER staying on points to pool hop or can anyone staying on points pool hop?

 

[Dean]

quick question: Do you have to be a MEMBER staying on points to pool hop or can anyone staying on points pool hop?

It supposed to be members and their guests when the member is present.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Bracelets are a lot easier to check than room keys. You just flash your wrist. How would resorts that don't distinguish between resorts with bracelets check? Lifeguard stands up and shouts: "Ok everyone clear the pool and show me your room key!" Somehow I think they'd hear far more complaints from guests in doing the Chinese firedrill than it would warrant.

The lifegaurds do not stand up and yell. I had a lifeguard come over and ask to see our room keys. We only had mine and DH's, and he wanted to see the kids too. It was scary for a minute, but then I explained the kids lose their room keys, so we don't take them out much, and the kids were our children, so if we were staying there, they were too. He accepted that and moved on to the next family.

I don't remember which resort we were at, I want to say OKW, but I know it was not BCV. So maybe the pool was filling up, and they wanted to make sure everyone was a guest at that resort.

ETA: when I say we don't take 'them' out much, I mean the kid's room keys, not the kids!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

It supposed to be members and their guests when the member is present.

Unless they start asking to see DVC member cards, I can't see how they can determine a member from someone else.

I booked 4 nights at OKW for a friend and his room card looked the same as mine. It said "DVC member" on it. I was not with him on that trip. so if he chose to pool hop, I don't see how they would of determined he did not belong.

 

[Dean]

Unless they start asking to see DVC member cards, I can't see how they can determine a member from someone else.

I booked 4 nights at OKW for a friend and his room card looked the same as mine. It said "DVC member" on it. I was not with him on that trip. so if he chose to pool hop, I don't see how they would of determined he did not belong.

Simply stating the current rules. I think lately guests keys have generally not said member in the last couple of years unless the member were along on the trip. But they have been asking for the blue card for many perks as of late as well. As many things Disney I'm sure it will vary with each persons experience.

 

[mattsdragon]

Unless they start asking to see DVC member cards, I can't see how they can determine a member from someone else.

I booked 4 nights at OKW for a friend and his room card looked the same as mine. It said "DVC member" on it. I was not with him on that trip. so if he chose to pool hop, I don't see how they would of determined he did not belong.

You are supposed to carry your membership card with you when using any perk of DVC. Whether when asking for a discount at a restuarant, or pool hopping. And if someone is renting points without the member being there, they may not pool hop. They are not members of DVC and as such, do not enjoy the perks that come with membership.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Some people don't realize if you stay at the Magic Kingdom Resorts like the Contemporary or Wilderness Lodge (the only places in WDW where my family & I have stayed) sometimes while at the pool you could be asked to show your Resort ID card while your sitting down in the pool chairs. Also you can be asked to show it when asking for towels. Basically what I am saying is I learned that on each Resort ID card some of the numbers indicate if your a guest of that Resort, so that's how they can tell who is a guest & who is not. Not every Resort uses the wrist band policy, so they need to have someway to distinguish who is who & the Resort ID cards is their way of doing so.

When we stayed at the Contemporary & Wilderness Lodge we were asked to show our Resort ID cards to prove we were guests of those Resorts, so that's how I know about this.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have been asked to show my room key to the lifeguard at the Polynesian before. I was more than happy to. When those who could not show a Polynesian room key had to leave, I took their pool side table rather than the chair I was sitting on way in the back!
I have yet to 'pool hop' when staying on my points. I'm not sure how I feel about those who are renting points being able to pool hop.
But, I do think that if I were to be at the pool at the WL, and I was staying at BWV, and a lifeguard asked to see room keys because the pool was getting crowded....I would have no problem being the one asked to leave in favor of those staying at WL.

You can also be asked for your room key at Luna Park at BW. MK resorts are not the only resorts to have this issue. The Epcot resorts also have to deal with it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I thought pool hopping was only allowed at other DVC resorts, except Stormalong Bay? Why can a DVC member on points go to the Poly or other resort - does not seem right!! I must be out of the loop!

No, one of the perks has always been pool hopping to any WDW resort EXCEPT....The current exceptions are Stormalong Bay (unless you are a BCV guest) and Uzima pool at AKL.

 

[Caskbill]

No, one of the perks has always been pool hopping to any WDW resort EXCEPT....The current exceptions are Stormalong Bay (unless you are a BCV guest) and Uzima pool at AKL.

Of course, technically, if you are staying at BCV, and go to SAB, then you really aren't pool 'hopping'. You're using your own pool....