Just Back - Trip Report BWV & Saving Seats at the Pools! (VERY LONG)

[Mickeydad]

We just got back from staying at the BWV's for the first time. We arrived on Saturday morning at 10am. We stayed in a 2bedroom all week, but the first day (because of points) stayed in a studio.

They put us in the studio that was to become apart of our 2bedroom unit the next day. Soooooo, at 7am the next morning, before we went to MK, I stopped by the front desk to see if they would let us open the door between our studio and the 1bedroom unit that was next door, and they DID!! Very Happy!

The room was clean and very nice. We've stayed in the OKW 2bedroom and this 2bedroom didn't compare. The space we had in the OKW unit was much better, however, we still really enjoyed our stay.

We very much liked the pool (my kids loved the slide, and so did I). We also loved the short walk to Epcot and all the carnival games on the Boardwalk at night. On my birthday night, I won the water gun game, the basketball shot contest and the Lobster toss game. And yes, I gave all the prizes to my kids, even though it was MY birthday!!

We ate at Garden Grille and did the rehitching ceremony. It was cute. I surprised my wife with it - she though it was cute too.

The parks weren't very busy, so we did alot at MK, in fact, we were asked to stay on some rides to go again because the lines were so short. That was nice!

Ok, all the "everything was great" stuff is done, now here is my BIGGEST COMPLAINT!! And, I ask ALL OF YOU (DVC Peeps) to join me if you agree...

Every morning I would go to the lobby and get a USA Today paper. I would walk to the lobby and pass the pool. Each morning I noticed that people had come down from their rooms to save seats around the pool. Again, I would go to get a paper around 7am - 8am every morning!!

One morning, we settled at the pool around 9:30am and there were NO chairs available around the pool, even though there were only a FEW people at the pool!!! This was VERY upsetting to me and my family. We spoke with other DVC guests and they were upset too.

Soooo, let me first say, if you are a DVC'er and you save seats around the pool early in the morning and don't REALLY sit in those seats until 12noon or later - S T O P!!! It's very rude and inconsiderate!!!

It got so bad, that many of us (DVC'ers) went over to the chairs and removed the 1 sandel, or magazine, or hat, and put the items on a nearby garage can. When the people showed up at their seats in mid-afternoon they were upset their stuff was moved, but we just said "there was nothing on the seats when we arrived!!!"

If any of you reading this agrees with me, please pass the word on to others - NO SAVING SEATS AT THE POOLS!!!! We complained to the CM's and they agreed with us. They only said the would remove towels from seats, but won't touch personal items, but they didn't mind if we moved the items. So, we did!!! All the time!!!

So for the length of this thread.

 

[tmq2766]

YOU GO BOY!!!!!!! I am with you 100%

 

[Luvinit]

I agree with you...whether you are a DVC'r or not. Its just plain rude.

As long as when you "move" other peoples things you are POSITIVE that they are not IN the pool!!! But I think if we all show some respect for each other that it shouldn't be a problem.

Glad you had a good time

Tracy

 

[pumba]

at All Star Movies a few years ago.....thought it was sooo strange that at six fourty five ....no one was laying in the sun and yet there were towels all set up in the prime location of the pool area......Now I see that it is a universal complaint......thanks so much for your report.......I love to be able to stay on a ride for a go around again......with the exception of Tower of Terror......just let me off.....thanks again

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

It is RUDE! Agree 100%. And makes finding a seat later in the day (at any hotel) nearly impossible.

 

[lmhall2000]

How would this work? If you have not occupied "your" beach chair in 30 minutes then you LOSE it! I wouldn't even move it to the garbage can- I'd put it right on the ground next to the chair and I'd load it with my body and smile when they came to get it...."I'm sorry, but I think it's very rude and selfish to try and reserve a beach chair unless you plan to be here when you place your items on it." Sorry, I'm in a "can't believe people are so self-serving!" attitude. But if that happens with us- I can bet you we'll do what I mentioned! Thanks for bringing it up!!
Tara

 

[Mickeydad]

Not sure how to do this, but we need to start up a campaign with Disney to add the rule of "NO SAVING POOL CHAIRS" period. They have the rule of "NO POOL HOPPING," so why can't we also have the rule of "NO SAVING POOL CHAIRS?"

Any suggestions??

Let start to get this done!

 

[B'rer Karen]

I think the problem you'd run into is policing it. I agree with what everyone has said. I've seen similar things in Vegas. But there is a difference between coming down at 7 in the morning, saving 5 chairs and then going to breakfast and not coming back for 4 hours and a family who goes to the pool and saves 1 chair for their daughter who is coming down in a little while. I don't know about y'all, but I think those are very different, but if you had a policy of "no saving chairs," you'd have to not allow that as well. Why can't people just have common sense and be curteous?

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

You will read in my trip report that I staked out chairs at the Ft. Wilderness pool about 8:30 but was usually there in person by 10:00 or 10:30 prior to when most people arrived .... there were ALWAYS still chairs available at that time and throughout most of the day. I just liked to be in a certain spot off to the side, away from the kiddie pool.

I do agree though, that if you are going to stake out chairs, it is extremely RUDE not to show up until after the pool area is full ... especially when you know that chairs are at a premium.

 

[Mickeydad]

No Saving Pool Chairs **UPDATE**


I spoke with MS this morning. They have advised me/us to do two things.

1. Send an email, via the DVC Member Site, complaining about this issue and to suggest a sign be displayed at ALL DVC Disney Resort Pools stating that "THE SAVING OF POOL CHAIRS IS NOT ALLOWED, GUESTS MUST BE PRESENT TO OCCUPY POOL CHAIRS."

2. Send a letter to DVC and Walt Disney World at the following addresses;

DVC Member Services
200 Celebration Place; 4th Floor
Celebration, FL 34747

Walt Disney World
Guest Communications
P.O. Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

At the time of writing the thread almost 300 people have viewed my original thread about this problem. If everyone that viewed my original thread sends a letter and/or email, this problem will get addressed!!!

 

[alwaysmom]

Just had to respond and tell a little story.

While at ASM the first week of April 2003, we decided to just lounge around the pool and relax for a day. So around 10:30 or so we headed out. I planned on doing some laundry while DH & sons relaxed (go figure).

When we got to the pool (very empty) we discovered that there were not any chairs except along the back hedges. But lots of towels, shoes, magazines on all the lounges. Luckly a family of 6 were preparing to leave and we got nice lounges by the shallow end. As we only needed 4 max, we skipped over the one covered in bird poo and took the 4 to one side, leaving 1 on each side of our 4.

While I (in between loads at the laundry) settled down with the paper, (DH & sons are in the pool) a women came over and asked me to move over so the she could have 3 together, she doesn't say "would it be possible for you to possibly move over", No she says "could you move so I can have these 3" pointing to one with DS shirt and towel. I kindly explained that I preferred not to sit on the bird poo and that even if I moved in the other direction there would only be 2 seats together, her response: I do not see why, since your family is not using them why you cannot give up one. I kindly said " but they will be when they get out of the pool" with her responding "they each need one (sarcastically) ??" She's got 1 hand on her hip and gesturing with other. I wasn't so kind with my response: Nope sorry. She sauntered off shaking her head, still gesturing with her hand, loudly complaining how rude people are and how wrong it is to save chairs. I wanted to yell "take it out on them". As I watched she went over to 2 other adults and proceeded with her hand gestures to tell them her version (I'm assuming) with glares that I was able to match.

While she's giving her version a couple and small child walk by looking for chairs, and of course see the 2 chairs (one covered in poo) with 4 in between and place there towels on the 1 clean one.

I, grinning glance over at the 3 adults glaring daggers at me and turn to the women to my right (her DH & DD) are already in the pool, and say: Here let me move these for you so you can have 2 together, she says: Oh no thats alright, we won't need them they'll stay in the pool for a while. I reply "No thats ok, my 2 little one can share if need be.

Go ahead and call me mean, but I assure you I am not. As I tell my kids "the way you present yourself says alot" and I can tell you this, her presentation stunk. This women expected me to jump and move and when I resisted got snippy and snotty. Had she came over nicely I would have been more than willing to help her out. This women jumped all over me because all the chairs were saved and made me out to be the bad person (I wasn't saving chairs, my family was there).

Mom

 

[CarolA]

I read a thread about this on a different travel board.

These women were at some Florida resort (or someplace like that) and people were going out after they got back from dinner and reserving chairs for the next day so... the two women went out about 2 am with flashlights and moved ALL the stuff off the chairs, piled it up and put a sign on it saying LOST AND FOUND! LOL! It actually stopped the problem for a few days.

My suggestion is that if ALL that is marking the chair is the generic issue pool towel, just take it! If they say anything you can always say, well since none of YOUR stuff was here, I assumed you had left and forgot to turn in the towel. However, most people won't say anything (Turst me, I have done this!)

 

[>>^..^<<]

Hi...

I agree the lounge chair saving thing is annoying... it is especially bad on the Disney Cruise ships...

But anyway.. my question is... when you were complaining to the CM's about the chair saving.. did you mention maybe they don't have enough chairs for their guests? and some more chairs might be helpful?

>>^..^<<

 

[Raysplus1]

Thanks for the warning, we will be at BWV in June and now I know what to expect when I am there. I am definately going to be moving items if there is no one around in the pool area.

If you are not going to be in the pool area within a 30 minute time frame, which gives you enough time to run to your room if you forgot something, then you should not save a seat. If you are gone for an hour and your seat is lost, you should not get upset.

However I would get upset if my items were moved to a different location, I would suggest laying them on the ground next to the chair and don't move them to the garbage can or anywhere else.

Remember its Disney World a place to be happy.

 

[BarbaraMB]

Reading these posts give great advice! I would never have thought that people would drop hotel towels on a bunch of chairs and think they can come back later on to claim their chairs! I guess I don't get away enough or maybe I just wouldn't be so rude!! I think that if I thought someone was doing this and moved their towel and they were really swimming and came back and it was obvious that I took their chair I would get up. But if they look like they were finally just showing up and I have been there for sometime I am going to take everyone's advice and let them know they are just out of luck!!!! (if I have the nerve)

 

[capegirl]

Just posted the chair complaint on another thread, but it applies
here too. People hog both sand & lounge chairs at the water parks. Just got back from WDW last night and we went to TL&BB
a few times. When they open there is a mad dash for the chairs, and we noticed many who hog extra ones. Disney should put a stop to this when the parks are very crowded. When someone pays admission, they should have a seat.

 

[BarbaraMB]

For someone that is unfortunate to get even ONE chair to share with their family - where does one park themselves, family and belongings at the water parks and even at the resort pools?

 

[twinmomplus2]

Am I totally out of touch here? Am I to understand if I am reading this correctly. that people actually put belongings on a chair in the early am and than leave for a park or whatever? That is outrageous, absurd, even comical that people would be so obnoxious to think they had a right to hold a chair like this. I just do not get it? The chair is ONLY for when you are in the pool area. When you got to the 7 pm show do you arrive at 4pm and put your coat on the chair for later because you somehow feel entitled to the best seat? Of course not, thats stupid and this is so obnoxious.....If I come across this on my next trip, chairs and no one around, I will certainly gingerly take the items to a guard and ask that they be put in the lost and found. If I get any flack, oh well... I will smile in a disney way, and say< oh well no one was here so the item whatever.... is in lost and found, I have to say and I have said it before, People that would think themselves so worthy at your expense, will never understand why they are wrong, So save yourselves the stress, move the stuff and don't bother trying to reason, It will never work.

 

[BarbaraMB]

I would never in the past moved someone's towels off some chairs because it never occured to me that people actually did this! I would have felt like a fool having them come back from swimming and I am sitting in their chair. I don't get away enough that is for sure. Would it probably be safest to ask the people in the other chairs how long those empty chairs have been empty? I guess if people can get away with it then they will.

 

[pamlet]

I do have a question - a few posts earlier someone was relaying their story about the rude woman wanting them to move. (She was WAY out of line and I would have done the same thing with the nicer person )

My question is

Are the chairs at the pools not movable? Couldn't the rude woman move the single chair to be with the other vacant ones?

Just a thought - or for that matter if there were NO chairs left - I'd clean the one w/the bird POO - sheesh - (of course if there are choices - forget the poo...