MS's confirmed no more Stormalong Bay hopping

[Dean]

There are really 2 points here about the pool hopping of "non members". First, DVC has chosen to list renters as "members" and not enforce the differentiation that should occur. In this situation, if the card says member, I don't think you can blame the renter. The blame should be on DVC for not enforcing the rules. The second portion is one who simply crashes the pools, I have no tolerance or sympathy for this practice nor would I for a member that is not staying at WDW on points who pool crashes.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Dean
LOL, actually it wasn't that difficult. I have the text saved to my notebook file anyway but figured it'd be more fun to post the actual thread.

The other bets I have down are these. With Vernon where he wins if EP ends in 2042 at this thread and with WDW_Fan for $1 if there are at least one large or 2 small DVC resorts after BCV at this thread [/QUOTE

Dean, thanks for those links...they were intresting

 

[chris1gill]

Well, I'm the original OP on this one and I really don't like the way it is going....

First of all, the reason pool-hopping is being taken away from DVC'ers is because the pools are RAMPANT with locals and other vacationers who use hotel pools that don't rightly belong to them, it's MUCH easier to blame it all on DVC'ers who get the "right" to pool hop.. Thanks goes out to those people who do this because they have ruined it for those of us with the "right" to pool hop... Disney cracks down on us and not people like that, it's disgusting....

Second of all, as for the ECV people that were mentioned, you should thank your lucky stars you don't need an ECV, Wheelchair or Powerchair like I do & second of all if you think people like myself get to the front of the line you are just MISTAKEN, there are many rides I CAN'T GO ON because they are not accessible, there are other rides I WAIT MUCH LONGER FOR, like the safari & then there are rides I wait in the traditional lines for & there might be less than a handful that I get on a bit more quickly, so if you think people with mobility issues are getting an easier ride, let me be the first to tell you, you are mistaken!!

Next, as for people parking free at the resorts & getting a free ride into the parks, again this is something Disney knows about, if they choose to let these people get away with it, more power too them, Disney is the one ultimately losing out...

 

[DGuiltinan]

No, let's not start a war here, I am really sorry...

I'll try to think about what you said, and change my evil ways...

I'm sorry I even brought this up, it was completely off topic, and definitely the wrong forum!!

There is enough hatred in the world right now, the DIS is one of the few places I know where people always make the extra effort to be nice to eachother...

I should never have made that comment about handicapped people, real or fake, it was not nice...

 

[CaptainMidnight]

DGuiltinan,
It's one thing to mess up. It is quite another to stand up and admit you messed up, offer a sincere appology, and make changes as you did in your last post. Nice job.

To often when some posters offend someone they don't display the character you just displayed in offerring a nice appology. I hope the trend your contributing to continues throughout the DVC board.

That's probably enough said on that one....

Back to pool hopping at Storm Along Bay.

 

[chris1gill]

I agree with Captain Midnight, apology accepted DGuiltinan, thank you... I really hope for all others who pool hop against policy that they see what they are doing is wrong (course most won't care). As for mobility issues, not all are seen, initially mine weren't, they sure are now....

As an aside DGuiltinan, since you are renting DVC points for your BC reservation, you will be allowed to PH to all other Disney pools (you're already entitled to SAB), with the exception of AKL (whose pool isn't that good anyways)...

 

[DGuiltinan]

Yes, that is very interesting info, thanks...I can actually use the Polynesian pool this trip, and not feel guilty about it...

Tell me, is there a standard procedure that I should follow, such as prominently displaying the DVC identification?

Further, does this pool hopping ability entitle me to use the Polynesian parking lot? (For a few hours, I promise, I won't leave my car there and go to the Magic Kingdom anymore!!)

Would it be proper for me to tell the Polynesian gate people that I am poolhopping and show my DVC ID??

I am very excited about staying in a DVC property, who knows, maybe this time next year I'll be writing as a member, not just a renter!!

 

[chris1gill]

Yup, you can hop legally now You always have to show ID when you get the pool items (such as life jacket, toys, etc...) Generally, ID is not checked otherwise (this is where Disney's problem lies, not with pool-hopping DVC'ers- we take a lot of heat on other boards for this)... Anyways, rarely does anyone check ID's, but it definitely happens on occasion, just keep the room key with you. At the guard gate just tell them you're DVC'ers pool-hopping, you'll have no trouble at all.

If you like to travel to Disney at least every other year DVC can be a good choice, although it is not as inexpensive as Priceline for instance, but it's less than the $10 per point most owners charge for renting...

 

[TrudyZ]

DGuiltinan:

Watch out when you rent points...it can be more expensive than you think. There are several of us out here that just started by renting points for a vacation. Next thing you know, we're forking over a 5 digit check for 40 years of WDW vacations!

Must be something in the water...

Trudy

 

[Terry S]

I think its in the taffy at the DVC office.

 

[DGuiltinan]

You are a super bunch. I think DVC members are the best!!

 

[chris1gill]

We Try! Oh, I also recommend that you NEVER stay in a 1 bedroom or above, because you will be HOOKED FOR LIFE...

 

[trishy]

Yet another SLAM to DVC members. I for one am tired of the recent BLOWS to DVC members. My reason for pool hopping from BWV to SAB is simply this: SAB ROCKS! Yah, yah, yah, BWV has a decent facility........ but give me a break. There's really no comparison. The cruise points rise, the onboard credit for DVC members ripped out from under us, ending poolhopping (SAB is just a start), I could go on & on, but everyone here has seen the trend in these threads! We've invested in 900 points - our friends have invested in 850 points. It seems the "suits" do not care about finding a happy medium for customers - it's all about the bottom line and what they can get away with. DH is more kicked back than me - he sides with the "suits" - after all, the real estate market is sitting pretty and he's still geting a darn good vacation. I just sometimes feel with all these limitations and changes, DVC'rs are getting treated like second class citizens (especially on DCL)


FREE THE DVC

 

[gscott8075]

Trishy -

I understand your frustration - I love SAB, too. I do not think they needed to move this way. If they allowed DVC people to check on capacity - if its at capacity, you cannot use it. I suspect they will now use this as a selling points for BVC. "Buy and BVC and you will have exclusive use of SAB." I have used points for the cruise. They are now to the level where I doubt I will again.

However, we bought a real estate interest. All we are entitled to are the DVC resorts in reasonable condition at a constant point cost and maintenance fees which cannot increase more than 15% per year. That's it. Nothing else.

That's it - the concierge collection and exchanges can be ended at any time. Pool Hopping is a great perk - but its not a guarantee. The limited discounts are not guaranteed. The point value trend is a clear indicator that they are "encouraging" (coercing?!?) us to use points to stay at the DVC resorts. Exchanges are becoming point cost prohibitive.

I do not agree with the suits - I'm in your camp. In the end, this is a contractual relationship with a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. That's all it is. They can use all of the mushy advertising and tag lines they want, but its still a contract and they only have to do what's within the four corners of the document.

Sure, they do nice things for people with points and seem to try to help out. They typically have great service and very nice facilities. But that's the service angle - it has nothing to do with the contract.

Please understand, I love WDW and all things Disney - but its a business. And that's how they run it.

I'm not trying to be a downer - just a realist.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

SAB poolhopping seems more straightforward to me that being part of some large trend toward reducing perks for DVC members. The pool will just be too crowded with YC, BC, BCV, DVC hoppers, and local pool crashers. A lot of folks are thinking it will be too crowded with just YC, BC and BCV guests.

It's not totally off limits, just stay at BCV on points and enjoy SAB. Folks, this one has been coming for a while, as the early posts said, we've known this one was coming.

 

[chris1gill]

Hi Captain Midnight,

I think you're right, this really should not come as any big surprise to us... they are using this step to sell BCV's IMHO... that's all they are doing. They could have limited PH'ing to after 5PM only or before 11AM only or something like that, in totally off hours where our PH'ing would have very limited effect on resort guests. DVC chose not to do that for whatever reason.... I can't complain about their choice PH'ing was never guaranteed.

What I'd like to see through all this though, is a policy of CM's ALWAYS checking ID's at the pools. I think it is terrible that locals as well as other vacationers crash Disney pools... DVC'ers seem to be the only ones excluded! I like to think that we DVC'ers are also a pretty honest group in general & we are unlikely to PH against Disney policy, so it goes back to Disney implementing a way to limit access to ALL that don't belong in the pools...

 

[nydizfan]

Heres an alternative.. We always go during the slow periods. Lasst time was jan 12-24. and before that was the second week in sept. In sept. we went to SAB and there was about 4 people in the whole pool. no ID checks no nothing. So if you reallly want to visit the pool , go during the slowest time //,,,,,,,,,,,dave

 

[Dean]

gscott8075 expressed my basic sentiments. They are not required to do anything. However, I feel they have a basic obligation to provide the best set of perks that can be negotiated.

I too feel the loss of PH at SAB was inevitabe, actually, I feel the entire program is in grave jeopardy. I suspect with DI and possible EP, it will be stopped eventually. Sure, there are times when it will be slow enough to allow PH. I suspect though that it is too much of a hassle and expense to deal with the monitoring and ongoing determinations of whether the pool should be open or closed at any one day or point in time.

While I'm pretty cynical about some of the perks and motivations of DVC in general at times, I do not think for a second that this was done for any reason other than the crowd potential. I think any reasonable person could have seen it coming and it was the appropriate decision in the circumstances. While an individual guide may use it as a selling point, I doubt it had any role in the decision making process.

I know a lot of people feel that if WDW policed this issue better, there would be no reason to limit it for DVC members. That may or may not be the case, I just don't know and I am not convinced that's the case. I do know they've policed it strictly at times at SAB and apparently they haven't felt that was enough.

 

[PKS44]

Dean wrote:

I suspect with DI and possible EP, it will be stopped eventually. Sure, there are times when it will be slow enough to allow PH. I suspect though that it is too much of a hassle and expense to deal with the monitoring and ongoing determinations of whether the pool should be open or closed at any one day or point in time.

nydizfan wrote:

So if you reallly want to visit the pool , go during the slowest time

chris1gill wrote:

they are using this step to sell BCV's

The above 3 quotes say it all- this is a sales strategy-purely- there is no year round capacity issue. If every addded BCV guest were swimming when we went midday during a very busy October weekend along with the people who were already there it still would not have been crowded.

If it is as Dean says, TOO MUCH HASSLE to enforce, then it will be no problem for the well-prepared family to go at slow times and act accordingly- (warn the kids that it may not work out and go)....am I saying break the rules? If it is too much of a hassle to enforce it is too much of a hassle to obey...no one should go when capacity is at issue-which has always been the case, but otherwise....

"What? They discontinued the Poolhopping privelege to SAB? When? We had no idea...We're sorry. let's go, kids. Have a Disney day!"

 

[CaptainMidnight]

I'm in favor of limiting pool hopping at BCV and I am glad the new policy is being put in place. When staying at Beach Club Villas, even if SAB is not at complete capacity, it would be nice to go there when it is not a busy and there is some extra elbow room.

It's very easy, if folks are that interested in using SAB, stay at BCV. I'm sure there will be some reasonable availability at the 7 month window. The pool should be reserved soley for Beach Club Villa, BC and YC guests, in my opinion and I'm glad the policy is bing implemented. Great job DVC leadership, this is a very good decision.