New pool heat policy? ***update see post 549 ****

[trstno1]

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet, but here is a link to the Red Cross recommendations for pool temperature: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/aquatics/FAQ.htm#Q10

And here is the direct quote:

"What is a safe temperature for a home pool?

Recommended water temperatures for the type of activity ranges from 78°F for fitness swimming, 82°F for recreational swimming and 86°F for water therapy. However, there is no recommended water temperature for residential pools — what it boils down to is individual comfort and preference. Although, please note that high water temperatures can present water quality issues.

For more information on water quality, visit the following Web sites:

The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals: www.theapsp.org
National Swimming Pool Foundation: www.nspf.com"


I hope you all are madly mailing and phoning Disney. This pool temperature thing is a drag.

 

[trstno1]

Here are another couple of interesting thoughts:

USA Swimming recommends, for an ideal indoor community pool, a temperature of 86-88 degrees, 81-83 degrees for an outdoor competitive pool (which should be warmer for recreation pools): http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/...09&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=1564&ItemId=1721

The CDC website talks about chlorine and filtration to prevent pool-related disease outbreaks. There is not one article on the CDC website about swimming pool temperature.

 

[Fonzy13]

Read this whole thread. I have a headache.

Not really a winter visitor, or much of a swimmer. I really don't have a huge problem with them bringing the temps down a bit, but the way they went about it was absurd, a big time screw-up.

 

[micks]

We've sent two e-mails at this point and haven't heard anything back yet. We are prepared to send letters, more e-mails and have a face to face conversation with the Beach Club manager this weekend while we are there if SAB is too cold for us to use.

Has anyone thought about pointing this out to the Resorts Board people? There are LOTS of them that go to the same resort each year and pay through the nose to stay there. I have to assume the GF pool temps have been lowered as well?

 

[Sammie]

We've sent two e-mails at this point and haven't heard anything back yet. We are prepared to send letters, more e-mails and have a face to face conversation with the Beach Club manager this weekend while we are there if SAB is too cold for us to use.

Has anyone thought about pointing this out to the Resorts Board people? There are LOTS of them that go to the same resort each year and pay through the nose to stay there. I have to assume the GF pool temps have been lowered as well?

It has already been discussed on the resorts forum.

 

[Markstudy]

It has already been discussed on the resorts forum.

It is being hottly debated as we speak.

 

[micks]

Thanks guys!

Guess I should have done a little more research before adding that paragraph, huh!?

 

[Disney Fanatic]

I just sent my e-mail today and received the same formal response others are receiving:

-Red Cross Recommendation
-Conserve Valuable Energy

I hope everyone who likes to vacation in Florida like ourselves in the winter will write and call Disney to voice their concern.

I would like to know who the decision maker was on this one and get directly to them.

I gave them back a recommendation of putting solar blankets on the pools during the evening hours (where possible) to conserve heat as this is what we do in Canada.

I also told them I will not be adding on any more DVC pts until this is resolved.

I am very mad about this policy and know from the money we pay for DVC that the pools should be at a comfortable temperature during the winter months.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Based on American Red Cross recommendations, we are heating our resort swimming pools at 78-80 degrees during the winter months. Please note that water temperature is monitored throughout
the day so that we may maintain this recommended temperature.

Am I the only one who sees an enormous legal opportunity here for anyone who gets dehydrated while doing extensive swimming during the summer months? (Yes, it is very possible).

Disney is admitting that there is a recommended guideline for where the temperature should be. If they don't follow that same recommendation during the summer, they would be opening themselves up to significant liabilities...

 

[Camping Cat]

It does sound like a small difference in temperature but it can make a large difference in one's comfort and enjoyment. I didn't fully appreciate this either until I started searching for info on recommended pool temperatures. I read that 78 degrees is the recommended temperature for a pool being used for a swim meet. 82 degrees is recommended when people are working out in the pool swimming laps. 86 degrees is recommended for things like water therapy (where you are not exercising vigorously in the pool). So it appears that a few degrees can make a big difference! The typical Disney guest is not swimming laps so the pool needs to be closer to 84 degrees to feel comfortable to most people, particularly when the air temperature is in the low 70s.

Lisa, would you mind giving us your sources for these temps? It would lend weight to any complaints to Disney to be able to site some sources other than the Red Cross when e-mailing or writing them about this new pool policy. Any ammunition would help.

 

[wintergreen]

I just sent my e-mail today and received the same formal response others are receiving:

-Red Cross Recommendation
-Conserve Valuable Energy

At least members who are complaining to DVC are getting a response that addresses their complaint in SOME manner. I sent an e-mail to WDW Guest Communications regarding low pool temperatures we encountered at the end of February while staying at the Beach Club (not in the Villas, as we were there for DH's company's annual conference). The totally canned response that I got was as follows:

Dear Ms. XXXX:

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World® Resort.

We are truly sorry that your experience fell short of your
expectations.
When we receive comments from Guests, such as yours, they are shared
with various areas of our organization. This allows us to identify
what
we are doing right, and what we can do better. You may be assured that
your observations have been shared and taken seriously.

If you should wish to discuss your comments further, or provide us with
additional details, you may call me at (407) 407-828-4981. If I am not
immediately available when you call, please leave your telephone number
and an indication of the best time to reach you.

Ms. XXX, thank you again for taking the time to share your honest
and
constructive feedback. We hope to have future opportunities to
entertain you at our Resort.

Sincerely,


Jennifer Kimball
Executive Offices
Walt Disney World® Resort


Now THAT is helpful!

 

[corinnak]

Am I the only one who sees an enormous legal opportunity here for anyone who gets dehydrated while doing extensive swimming during the summer months? (Yes, it is very possible).

Disney is admitting that there is a recommended guideline for where the temperature should be. If they don't follow that same recommendation during the summer, they would be opening themselves up to significant liabilities...

Not to even mention at the water parks - Typhoon Lagoon was much warmer than the POFQ pool two weeks ago. I shudder now, thinking of the "vat of bacteria!"

I assume that the water parks and the resorts are run independently of eachother and it's not actually a tactic.....

 

[Canadian Tom]

Hello Everyone: I hope you have been reading the new pool temperature policy at WDW on the DVC planning board. If you are considering purchasing a DVC ownership check it out. Here is DVC management's response to a compalint I made about the lowering of the pool temerature to 78-80 degrees during the winter months. Can you imagine they claim it is because of the American Red Cross! If that's the case you better stay away from WDW pools during the rest of the year because they don't have pool coolers and that would be dangerous to your health because the pools are too warm. This needs to stay on this board to let possible purchases know what they're getting themselves into when buying DVC. These boards must be willing to state the pros and cons of DVC ownership. Thanks

Here is their reponse:

Thank you for your e-mail.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns regarding the
temperature of our resort pools. Based on American Red Cross recommendations, we are heating our resort swimming pools at
78-80 degrees during the winter months. Please note that water temperature is monitored throughout the day so that we may maintain this recommended temperature. Since the average air temperature can be cool in Florida during the winter months, you may wish to be mindful of the
current temperature when using the pools. In addition, The Walt Disney Company is focused on continually finding ways to be environmentally conscious and participative. By maintaining our resort swimming pools at 80
degrees during the winter months, we contribute greatly toward conserving
valuable energy sources.

Thank you again for contacting us. We are glad you are a Member of our Disney Vacation Club family, and we look forward to entertaining you for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Jackie

 

[spiceycat]

maybe we should be complainting to the american red cross....
but on some tv program I really think the red cross was actually saying this....

I will try and find it.

 

[JimC]

From the American Red Cross:

"Recommended water temperatures for the type of activity ranges from 78°F for fitness swimming, 82°F for recreational swimming and 86°F for water therapy."

We personally heat our pool to 82 to 86 degrees. But even though we prefer the upper end of the range, it is hard to believe that this constitutes a hardship for anyone. Anyway this seems to be a WDW policy so I suspect DVC has little to say about it.

 

[sajetto]

sounds like their everyday ol' brush off to me

 

[Canadian Tom]

Hello: Here is DVC management's response to a compalint I made about the lowering of the pool temerature to 78-80 degrees during the winter months. Can you imagine they claim it is because of the American Red Cross! If that's the case you better stay away from WDW pools during the rest of the year because they don't have pool coolers and that would be dangerous to your health because the pools are too warm.
Here is their reponse:

Thank you for your e-mail.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns regarding the
temperature of our resort pools. Based on American Red Cross recommendations, we are heating our resort swimming pools at
78-80 degrees during the winter months. Please note that water temperature is monitored throughout the day so that we may maintain this recommended temperature. Since the average air temperature can be cool in Florida during the winter months, you may wish to be mindful of the
current temperature when using the pools. In addition, The Walt Disney Company is focused on continually finding ways to be environmentally conscious and participative. By maintaining our resort swimming pools at 80
degrees during the winter months, we contribute greatly toward conserving
valuable energy sources.

Thank you again for contacting us. We are glad you are a Member of our Disney Vacation Club family, and we look forward to entertaining you for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Jackie

 

[Beca]

Canadian Tom....who did you email that to? I want to "cut and paste" the Red Cross recommendations of 82 for recreational swimming, and send it to DVC.



Beca

 

[DVC Sadie]

Thanks Tom for posting. I hate that Disney has lowered their pools from 84 degrees to 78-80. That is way too cold for this lady.

 

[Dean]

I've searched the net and the redcross site and find no recommendation for the proper temp for heated pools, JimC, where did you find it? The only thing I found was a pdf for a red cross swimming course where the pools were heated to 83 deg. My guess is this is simply another off the cuff answer with no fact behind it. Someone was told this and believed it and are now repeating it.