MUST READ Trip Report

[hlyntunstl]

Went in June and DW and I saw an entire family of 6 at CBR with the original mugs issued at the resort from the late 80's. I recognized them b/c we have them picked up somewhere with all the other resort mugs we've collected throughout the past years. Can't believe Disney disbanded the Mug Squad!

In a minor defense of this, I have a couple of mugs purchased pre-2002 (Dixie Landings..yes I still have it.. and WL) and when I purchased both, I was told they could be reused forever at that resort only as long as I brought them back during future stays. I was also told by a CM that you could usually use the mug at any resort as long as it was for a "comparable or higher level resort" (using a moderate resort mug at a deluxe..their words not mine) without being hassled by the "mug squad". The first time I noticed the change to "current visit only" was in 2005 at VWL but since that was not the policy when I purchased my WL mug, I didn't feel guilty using my old mug during that stay but I wasn't questioned. If a mug was from the 80's, I'm guessing they may have purchased under the same rules I did.

 

[gracelrm]

We stayed at BCV in June 07 and every time we went to the pool and asked for pool towels, we had to show our room key and get our wristband. I guess if you bring your own towel, no one asks and I guess the lifeguards aren't looking for wristbands. Maybe it's one of those things Disney thinks will deter enough people to make a difference in pool hoppers without having to have wristband police to ruin "the magic".

 

[starbox]

Negatives:

Stormalong Bay Pool - Another joke with the pool hopping. Get this, I met one couple who was staying at the Marriott and use the pool because the kids love it, they say they walk right in. One time in 6 days did they ask us for a room key. Another couple at the towel return was staying at Coronado Springs and the icing on the cake was a local resident at Hurricane Hannah's who bought refillable mugs months ago and takes her kids to Stormalong Bay twice a week. I did report all of this but no one seemed to think it was a major issue.

We just got back from our first trip to BCV and ITA about the pool hopping! we were asked to see room keys and arm-banded - but it's pretty obvious that any KTTW card would get you arm-bands. The KTTW don't say where you are staying!! We saw arm-band-less people in the pools - including a group of young teen boys wearing shorts - not bathing suits (one of them had white non-swimming shorts and nothing underneath ).

Seems to me that the whole SAB arm-band checkpoint is like the Disney security bag check. It's not a serious attempt to stop anything.

If they cared about pool-hopping, it would be very easy for BC/YC to give a unique and very clearly dated pool-access card with the number of guest in the room at check-in.